Nightfall is portrayed as a menacing person, evoking the fear of those living in traumatic terror. The harsh repetition of the letter “d” throughout the poem highlights the grim nature of the slums. The strong alliterative statement “devastating him beyond repair” creates a similar malevolent tenor. "I am massacred" every night in the streets. “These two verses capture the emotional and distressing damage caused by living and hiding in his “matchbox” home. The use of imagery conveys the dark, creepy and deadly environment in which it is not possible to live safely. This makes me feel great anguish, as they are safe at night, while these people live in great fear of being murdered. Powerful verbs used by Mtshali such as “gnaw”, “slaughter” and “ravage” highlight the gravity of the city and the danger that is posed jarring diction not only shows the constant horror that the residents feel, but also evokes disgust and fear in readers Mtshali used enjambement in this poem to create dramatic pauses after substantive comments such as: “The sunset comes like “he barks like a dog.” rabid a feared disease” thirsty for mine