Blessing

Question 1

the voice of a kindly god

Answer 1

, suggests that water is an act of divine mercy and kindness, linking back to the title of the poem: water is a “blessing”

Question 2

imagine

Answer 2

The imperative “imagine” encourages the reader to empathise with the feelings of those suffering from dehydration, as if water has become a figment of their imagination

Question 3

drip” and “small splash”

Answer 3

Onomatopoeic words like “drip” and “small splash” convey just how scarce water is

Question 4

“in a tin mug”

Answer 4

Internal rhyme “in a tin mug” mimics the sound of dripping water, with the word “echo” highlighting the emptiness of the vessel:
The phrase also reinforces a sense of the community’s desperation as they strive to conserve water

Question 5

“sudden rush”

Answer 5

The sibilant phrase “sudden rush” mirrors the sound and possibly the refreshing feeling of water and the caesura anticipates the burst of water from the pipe