Blessing

Question 1

Meaning

Answer 1

To remind the reader to appreciate water and things we take for granted

Question 2

Structure

Answer 2

Cyclic - begins and ends with a sense of vulnerability
Written like a memory
- enjambment
- religious references

Question 3

Themes

Answer 3

• Suffering
• appreciation
• desperation

Question 4

suffering

Answer 4

‘Skin cracks like a pod’ - lack of water is so painful for them
‘There is never enough water’ - always suffering

Question 5

appreciation

Answer 5

’ a small splach,echo in a tin mug, the voice of a kindly god’ - water is rare and divine . Melancholy

‘From huts a congregation’ - Congregations go to celebrate god and appreciate all he has done for them. The people celebrate the water

Question 6

Title

Answer 6

means gods favour or protection. The pipe bursting was a gift from God.

Question 7

Language features

Answer 7

• vivid imagery
• similie
• listing

Question 8

Vivid imagery

Answer 8

’ skin cracks like a pod’ painful. breaking.desperation
‘frantic hands’ - desperation
‘ silver crashes to the ground’ water is precious

Question 9

similie

Answer 9

‘cracks like a pod’ emphasises painful dryness creates bleakness and images of desolation

Question 10

Desperation

Answer 10

‘frantic hands’ people are desperate to get a=enough water to last them even a little while. vulnerability

Question 11

listing

Answer 11

• ‘buts in, with pots, brass, copper, aluminium,plastic buckets,frantic hands’
  speeds up poem used to show desperation. slows pace

Question 12

enjambment

Answer 12

‘frantic hands and naked children’

picks up pace of poem . shows joy and chaos of moment

Question 13

religious references

Answer 13

‘congregation’
‘blessing sings’
‘voice of a kindly god’

to show sacred view of water in comparison to an important ritual

Question 14

‘over their small bones’

Answer 14

Shows vulnerability of children

Question 15

‘the sudden rush of fortune’

Answer 15

The people are happy for this pipe burst.Truly see it as a blessing

Question 16

What poems can blessing be compared to?

Answer 16

prayer before birth,Hide and seek,Tyger and war photogrspher

Question 17

Why can blessing and prayer before birth be compared?

Answer 17

provides a comparison from a child not yet born who knows too much abt suffering to children living in dire situation and their ‘fortune’

Question 18

Why can blessing and Hide and seek be compared?

Answer 18

creates compariosn/parralel to the boy isolated/forgotten about in his community and the community who come together and celebrate

Question 19

Why can blessing and Tyger be compared?

Answer 19

provides comparisons between the poet wondering at the gifts of god which are violent and dangerous, and the blessings in blessing which sustain life and sing over fragile bones

Question 20

Why can blessing and war photographer be compared?

Answer 20

both examine hardships in other countries and how comfort can be found very scarcely at home in war photographers and in the spray of water in blessing

Question 21

themes

Answer 21

• poverty
• religion
• children +innocence
• naievety