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‘Blessing’ by Imtiaz Dharker

The skin cracks like a pod. There is never enough water

The skin cracks like a pod. There is never enough water. The first line is made up of a short sentence employing a simple simile.. Whose skin? What is the effect of the definite article? And what does the ‘cracks like a pod’ suggest?

The skin cracks like a pod. There never is enough water. The second line is a simple statement. It avoids any figurative language. How do these introductory lines establish the tone/content of the poem?

Imagine the drip of it, the small splash, echo in a tin mug, the voice of a kindly god.

Onomatopoeia here… What effect is the poet looking for? Imagine the drip of it, the small splash, echo in a tin mug, the voice of a kindly god. Alliteration too.. Personification..this not only says something about the gift of water, but speaks of a community in which there may be many gods How does the repetition of the ‘S’ affect the reader? What does the poet want us to understand about the significance of water?

Imagine the drip of it, the small splash, echo in a tin mug, the voice of a kindly god. Note the beginnings of the structure of the poem Think about the way in which the organisation of the stanzas reveals the development of the poet’s thought.

Sometimes, the sudden rush of fortune. The municipal pipe bursts, silver crashes to the ground and the flow has found a roar of tongues

a significant metaphor.. What does it suggest? Sometimes, the sudden rush of fortune. The municipal pipe bursts, silver crashes to the ground and the flow has found a roar of tongues Repetition of the letter ‘S’ again- it’s called ‘sibilance’ Clearly, the sound is meant to echo the sense. What has happened to the pipe??

‘municipal’ sounds rather dull ‘municipal’ sounds rather dull.. ‘provided for the people by the council’ Sometimes, the sudden rush of fortune. The municipal pipe bursts, silver crashes to the ground and the flow has found a roar of tongues Alliteration again.. ‘flow’ is linked to ‘fortune’ But look at what happens to the people when the pipe bursts… Why?!! What is suggested about the people by the phrase ‘roar of tongues’?

from the huts, a congregation: every man woman child for streets around butts in, with pots brass,copper, aluminium, plastic buckets, frantic hands,

No longer just a crowd..the water has transformed it.. It is now a religious gathering, somehow united by the miracle of the water from the huts, a congregation: every man woman child for streets around butts in, with pots brass,copper, aluminium, plastic buckets, frantic hands, Another list, this time with commas Note the list here; no commas! What does the variety of materials suggest about the crowd? What does this suggest about the nature of the crowd?

and naked children screaming in the liquid sun their highlights polished to perfection flashing light, as the blessing sings over their small bones.

Almost an oxymoron here.. How does the description help to create an effect? and naked children screaming in the liquid sun their highlights polished to perfection flashing light, as the blessing sings over their small bones. Lots of alliteration and sibilance.. Repetition of the title in the penultimate line What effect will the repetition of these sounds achieve? What do you understand the word to mean in the context of the poem as a whole?

Some questions:- What is the significance of the cultural background of the poet? How does the structure of the poem shape its meaning? What kind of poetic devices does the poet use and what is their effect upon the reader? Is ’Blessing’ a religious poem? Which other poems from the cluster could you use for the purpose of comparison?

Thanks to Imtiaz Dharker for permission to use the transcription of her poem ‘Blessing’ end