Living Space

Question 1

What is it about?

Answer 1

Describes a ramshackle living space - represents the slums of Mumbai where people migrate from all over India and hope for a better life.

Question 2

Structure?

Answer 2

Poem structure is integral to its meaning. The irregular line endings form a graphic representation of the uneven construction in Mumbai.
Middle stanza is “squeezed” between the two outer stanzas as to stimulate way living space has been “framed”- in the impoverished space of slum

Question 3

Context ?

Answer 3

Dharker was born in Pakistan, raised in Glasgow & now lives between London/Mumbai. Works as a documentary film maker in India.

Question 4

Stanza 1

Answer 4

“Not enough” - living conditions in slum fall below adequacy
By end transition from what is physically “enough” to what is spiritually “miraculous”.
Despite harshness of living conditions- citizens find more than adequacy through optimism&faith in divine goodness.
Transcend poverty thru religious belief / spiritual imagination

Question 5

Stanza 2

Answer 5

Little stanza squeezed between space the larger outer stanzas. There is further opposition between ideas of “frame” & “living” .
Frame is just physical limitation but “living” suggests something that is alive and beating, linking back to spiritual transcendence in stanza 1. Despite the conflict in India still highlights the resilience of man.

Question 6

Stanza 3

Answer 6

Stanza dominated by the reality of & symbolic meaning of the eggs.
Life is fragile & “hung out over the dark edge” = everything is on the edge - threatening.

Question 7

Key quotes

Answer 7

"Not enough straight lines"
"Beams balance crookedly"
"Nails clutch at open seams" 
"Eggs in a wire basket" 
"Bright thin walls of faith" - heaven