Read the poem "Blessing" and fill in the table.

POEM -BLESSING

POINT EVIDENCE EFFECT

The increasing number of lines in a stanza

Increasing number of lines in a
stanza
First stanza - two lines,
out of the broken pipe. The reason as t
Second stanza - four lines,
technique in the poem, is to give the in
Third stanza - 11 lines,
imagery of the nature of water and how th
Fourth stanza - six lines
when it gushes out of the b
 'the small splash, echo (next
line) in a tin mug', 'a
roar of tongues. From the huts,
Enjambment has been used frequently in a
(next line of the stanza) a congregation:' ,
the interest of the reader. When Imitiaz Dh
'Sometimes the sudden rush (next
sentence by the line break, the reader's cu
line) of fortune...' ,
the next line. Therefore, this technique h
'silver crashes to the ground
curiosity of the reader. Moreover, the use o
and the flow has found
Enjambment pace of the poem and creates a sense of ur
a roar of tongues...' ,
rising emotion as the reader is pulled smoo
'a congregation: every man woman
line of the stanza without interruptions, s
child for streets around' ,
context, the poet uses enjambment to int
'and naked children
outpouring of water and denote the excitem
screaming in the liquid sun,'
to collect water
'as the blessing sings
over their small bones'

The use of ‘cracks’ in the openi

with ‘splash’ in the second stanza to dem
ground against th
Onomatopoeia ‘cracks’,splash’
precious water. As the pipe bursts, the wor
of water gushing
out.

Metaphor-voice of God
The metaphor 'voice of a kindly god' has
how divine water is, i.e how much the pre
'the voice of a kindly god' cherished in this context, specially becau
dried-up, drought-stricken earth, due to
unexpected fortun

The use of the lexical 'silver' which is a sh

the preciousness of water for those peop
Metaphor-Silver 'silver'
fortune. Moreover, it has been used to crea
water' when the sun

The use of the phrase 'silver crashes to the

imaginations and gives the reader a visua
(money) falling rapidly to the ground. T
Personification 'silver crashes to the ground', 'blessing sings' , provokes much thinking in the reader's min
solved, a blessing has finally come! The
sings' to conclude the poem with a gleefu
the reader a sense of immense celebratio

Free verse is used to mirror the outpouring

Free verse No evidence people that
happens when the municipa

short line - 'frantic hands', long line - 'their
The lengths of lines vary
highlights polished to perfection'
'brass, copper, aluminium' , 'plastic buckets' ,
listing
'frantic hands'
Lines of irregular length (short and long
water from the broken pipe, which gushe
flows and structures at different moments
manner.
The use of 'brass, copper, aluminium', 'pla
highlights the extreme thirst for water that
the reason as to why they grab whatever
obtain water.
 The use of the sound lexical 'cracks', in th
with 'drip', 'splash' and 'echo' in the secon
joy of the drought-stricken earth receiving
on its surface against the harshness of th
reader an auditory and visual imagery of w
the reader's interest in the first few stanz
'cracks' , 'Imagine the drip of it, the small splash,
crashes to the ground' provides the read
echo in a tin mug', 'silver crashes to the ground' ,
Imagery visualize a pile of silver coins falling swift
'congregation' , 'and naked children, screaming in
the lexical 'congregation' which has a conn
the liquid sun...'
grabs the reader's attention, while he/she b
of people at a a religious place(church), pray
sermon. The word 'congregation' has been
the poor people have, to quench their thirs
congregation at a church would wait eagerl
descend from Go

The use of 'liquid sun', which the poet use

conveys the message of the importance an
The metaphor 'liquid those people, during this period of drough
'liquid sun'
sun' has used the specific lexical 'liquid sun' is
water is as precious and important as the s
in the life of any living
 Imitiaz Dharker has used the lexical 'Bless
with the objective of arousing curiosity i
beginning itself. When she uses 'Blessin
compelled to move onto the first line of th
Title-Blessing 'Blessing' know what the blessing is. The use of 'Ble
sort of religious imagery, while also givin
poem might be based on an unexpected go
that builds a sense of joy and celebration,
poem.

Read the poem again and add your own examples

Specific punctuation used in the The use of a colon in the middle of the l
'a congregation: every man woman,'
middle of the line - colon would include a list of people/thin

'Imagine the drip of it, the small splash, echo in a

The constant use of commas suggests the f
tin mug,' , '…butts in, with pots, brass, copper,
listing and many clauses - both main and
Consistent use of commas aluminium, plastic buckets, frantic hands,' ,
sentence of the poem. Commas have bee
'screaming in the liquid sun, their highlights
clauses and to orderly write a l
polished to perfection, flashing light,'
 The water is referred to a blessing by the
blessing/the result of good fortune by th
Metaphor - blessing 'blessing sings'
'blessing' which connotates water, emp
blessedness of receiving wat

The use of 'flashing' which is an example

metal, stimulates the reader's senses as he/
how gloriously the sun would penetrate o
Sensory language 'screaming' , 'flashing'
children when they get a free shower from
the broken pipe. The use of 'screaming'
onomatopoeia conveys the sense of joy of

Symbolism naked children' , 'small bones' , 'blessing sings'

The word 'congregation' which has the co

Religious connotation
at a religious place, most likely a church, d
of the poor people who are rushing to fetch
'congregation'
how the 'congregation' eagerly gathers to
church, specially during important festiva
Easter.

When Imitiaz Dharker uses 'every man w

people's intense thirst of water, she tries
Universality 'every man woman child' everyone at this point, while also giving
much they have been suffering without
arrives from a broken pipe, literally eve
 When Imitiaz Dharker uses 'every man w
people's intense thirst of water, she tries
Universality 'every man woman child' everyone at this point, while also giving
much they have been suffering without
arrives from a broken pipe, literally eve
ill in the table.

EFFECT

The increasing number of lines in a stanza suggest how water gushes

out of the broken pipe. The reason as to why the poet uses this
technique in the poem, is to give the intended readers the visual
imagery of the nature of water and how the structure, flow of water is,
when it gushes out of the broken pipe.
 Enjambment has been used frequently in almost every stanza to pique
the interest of the reader. When Imitiaz Dharker does not complete the
sentence by the line break, the reader's curiosity leads them down to
the next line. Therefore, this technique has been used to arouse the
curiosity of the reader. Moreover, the use of enjambment speeds up the
pace of the poem and creates a sense of urgency, tension, suspense or
rising emotion as the reader is pulled smoothly and swiftly to the next
line of the stanza without interruptions, such as punctuation. In this
context, the poet uses enjambment to interlink it with the ceaseless
outpouring of water and denote the excitement and rush of the people
to collect water.

The use of ‘cracks’ in the opening line contrasts

with ‘splash’ in the second stanza to demonstrate the dryness of the
ground against the
precious water. As the pipe bursts, the word ‘crashes’ captures the idea
of water gushing
out.
 The metaphor 'voice of a kindly god' has been used to emphasize on
how divine water is, i.e how much the precious drop of water is to be
cherished in this context, specially because it had appeared on the
dried-up, drought-stricken earth, due to good luck and sudden,
unexpected fortune.

The use of the lexical 'silver' which is a shiny, valuable metal, denotes
the preciousness of water for those people, because it is a sudden
fortune. Moreover, it has been used to create visual imagery of 'shining
water' when the sun is out.

The use of the phrase 'silver crashes to the ground' evokes the reader's
imaginations and gives the reader a visualization of heaps of silver
(money) falling rapidly to the ground. The use of 'blessing sings'
provokes much thinking in the reader's mind to feel that the problem is
solved, a blessing has finally come! The poet has included 'blessing
sings' to conclude the poem with a gleeful ending, while also giving
the reader a sense of immense celebration and immeasurable joy.

Free verse is used to mirror the outpouring of water and emotion of the
people that
happens when the municipal pipe bursts.
 Lines of irregular length (short and long) denote the outpouring of
water from the broken pipe, which gushes out with different forces,
flows and structures at different moments in a disordely, unorganized
manner.

The use of 'brass, copper, aluminium', 'plastic buckets', 'frantic hands'

highlights the extreme thirst for water that those people have, which is
the reason as to why they grab whatever comes into their hands to
obtain water.
 The use of the sound lexical 'cracks', in the opening stanza contrasts
with 'drip', 'splash' and 'echo' in the second stanza which suggest the
joy of the drought-stricken earth receiving that precious drop of water
on its surface against the harshness of the drought. By giving the
reader an auditory and visual imagery of water, Imitiaz Dharker piques
the reader's interest in the first few stanzas itself. The use of 'silver
crashes to the ground' provides the reader with the opportunity to
visualize a pile of silver coins falling swiftly to the ground. Moreover,
the lexical 'congregation' which has a connotation to religious imagery,
grabs the reader's attention, while he/she begins to visualize the crowd
of people at a a religious place(church), praying or listening eagerly to a
sermon. The word 'congregation' has been used to depict the eagerness
the poor people have, to quench their thirst of water, just like how the
congregation at a church would wait eagerly for the heavenly manna to
descend from God.

The use of 'liquid sun', which the poet uses as a comparison to water,
conveys the message of the importance and preciousness of water for
those people, during this period of drought. The reason as to why she
has used the specific lexical 'liquid sun' is to convey the message that
water is as precious and important as the sun, which plays a vital role
in the life of any living being.
Imitiaz Dharker has used the lexical 'Blessing' as the title of the poem,
with the objective of arousing curiosity in the reader's mind, in the
beginning itself. When she uses 'Blessing' as the title, the reader is
compelled to move onto the first line of the poem and keep reading to
know what the blessing is. The use of 'Blessing' gives the reader some
sort of religious imagery, while also giving the reader a hint that the
poem might be based on an unexpected good fortune or a sudden event
that builds a sense of joy and celebration, among the characters in the
poem.

ur own examples

The use of a colon in the middle of the line suggests that the poet
would include a list of people/things after the colon.

The constant use of commas suggests the fact that the poet uses a lot of
listing and many clauses - both main and subordinate clauses in each
sentence of the poem. Commas have been used to separate the two
clauses and to orderly write a list in the poem.
 The water is referred to a blessing by the poet and considered as a
blessing/the result of good fortune by the poor people. The use of
'blessing' which connotates water, emphasizes the preciousness,
blessedness of receiving water after ages.

The use of 'flashing' which is an example of visual imagery related to

metal, stimulates the reader's senses as he/she visualizes the beauty of
how gloriously the sun would penetrate on the bodies of the naked
children when they get a free shower from the water that flowed out of
the broken pipe. The use of 'screaming', which is an example of
onomatopoeia conveys the sense of joy of receiving water after ages.

The word 'congregation' which has the connotation to people praying

at a religious place, most likely a church, denotes the intense eagerness
of the poor people who are rushing to fetch the precious water, just like
how the 'congregation' eagerly gathers to hear the voice of God at a
church, specially during important festivals, such as: Christmas and
Easter.

When Imitiaz Dharker uses 'every man woman child' to convey the
people's intense thirst of water, she tries her very best to involve
everyone at this point, while also giving the reader an idea of how
much they have been suffering without water, that when it finally
arrives from a broken pipe, literally everyone rushes to fetch it.
When Imitiaz Dharker uses 'every man woman child' to convey the
people's intense thirst of water, she tries her very best to involve
everyone at this point, while also giving the reader an idea of how
much they have been suffering without water, that when it finally
arrives from a broken pipe, literally everyone rushes to fetch it.