Blessing Flashcards
Meaning
The poem explores the transformative power of water in a poverty-stricken urban setting, highlighting the significance of basic necessities and the disparity between abundance and scarcity.
Structure
-Free verse
-enjambment
-shift in tone (Volta)
-short then long stanzas
-lack of punctuation
Free verse
The poem is written in free verse, lacking a strict rhyme scheme or meter, allowing for a natural and conversational tone.
Enjambment
Enjambment is used throughout the poem to create a sense of flow and continuity, mirroring the fluidity of water and the interconnectedness of the community.
Short then long stanzas
The stanzas at the start (where there is no water) are short and brief, as though the words have dried up.
Shift in tone
-There is a shift in tone from despair to joy and celebration as the poem progresses, reflecting the transformative power of water on the community’s mood and outlook.
-change in semantic fields
Lack of punctuation
there is no punctuation between the words “man woman child”, where we
would traditionally expect to see commas (caesuras) to separate the list. This
highlights the frenzy of all members of the community of all ages arriving at once.
Imagery
-Religious imagery
-imagery of precious metals and wealth
-imagery of suffering
Religious imagery
-Immediately evident from the title (“Blessing”) which has connotations of a religious miracle or gift from God. It can also be a prayer said before or after a meal
- “voice of a kindly God” – metaphor showing that water is miraculous
- “roar of tongues” – speaking in “tongues” is a biblical allusion, so again this highlights that water is seen as a religious blessing
-“Congregation” – the people are described as being like a congregation who are unified together by the water. The word “congregation” is a gathering of a community usually in a church for mass
Imagery of wealth and precious metals
-Water is described as “the sudden rush of fortune”
-“Silver crashes to the ground” – this creates a vivid metaphor of the burst pipe being like a precious metal cascading. Silver is often used to create coins and money – showing the value placed on water.
-Water is described as “liquid sun” – a vivid and evocative metaphor that shows how beautiful and sparkling the water is. The children are glowing in the sunshine and are described as “polished to perfection”. They are shining in the “flashing light” as the sun is sparkling off their wet bodies – the children being compared to sparkling jewels.
Imagery of suffering
-“The skin cracks like a pod” – the simile intensifies the image of the arid (dry) landscape. The skin could be a personification of the earth/the ground. It also refers to the dehydrated skin of the people who are suffering in the dry conditions. The image is ironic as “pod” is part of a plant that falls off and spills out seeds – so this is an image of hope and new life (like a blessing). But, in reality, new life is impossible in the dry conditions. This image is also intensified by onomatopoeia (auditory imagery).
-“Their small bones” – this image at the end of the poem reminds us how vulnerable the children are and the reference to “bones” might suggest that despite this miracle the children are still malnourished/close to death and this is just a temporary escape from reality.
-Significantly the pipe that bursts is “municipal” (local authority) – perhaps there is a hint in the poem of the unfair distribution of wealth in society, suggesting that some people still have access to water while the children are suffering from dehydration.
Language
-Metaphor
-personification
-connotations
- Sibilance and fricativa alliteration
Metaphor
Water is metaphorically described as “silver,” emphasising its worth
Personification
Personification is used to give human-like characteristics to water, such as “sings” and enhancing its vitality and significance.
Connotations
Words like “crashes,” “echo,” and “sings” carry connotations of power, vitality, and vibrancy, adding depth to the poem’s imagery and themes.
