Blessing

• Blessing (title)

  a fortunate unexpected event, a gift from god, has a luck element.
• the skin cracks like a pod

  monosyllabic verb - pain/difficulty/ how quickly suffering can be enforced

  
  

  simile - fragility, dryness

  
  

  definite article (the) - mentions a specific group, not everyone

  
  

  harsh consonants - reflect the intensity of the sun/dehydration
• there never is enough water

  end stopped line, not grammatically correct but brings emphasis to the adverb never as it highlights the problem at hand.
• Imagine the drip of it the small splash,

  hypothetical imperative to encourge empathy. onomatopoeia and sibilance, it is special, precious; a blessing.

  
  

  caesura - lethargy and pain is reflected, slow pace.

  
  

  monosyllabic - severe dehydration, the water supply is that small
• echo in a tin mug, the voice of a kindly god.

  enjambment, it is empty

  a semantic field of god and religion. a metaphor for how highly regarded, the sound of water is, it is comparable to the voice of a kindly god.

  
  

  it is sacred to receive water, scarcity is an extended metaphor.
• sometimes, the sudden rush of fortune.

  sometimes - time marker = precious/a blessing

  fortune = valuable

  enjambment - flow of water
• the municipal pipe bursts, silver crashes to the ground.

  colour of water = value

  associated with riches/a precious metal

  volta - creates tension

  violent verbs/creates tension
• flow has found ... a roar of tongues. a congregation, every woman .... butts in , with pots, coper,, aluminum, plastic buckets and frantic hands

  alliteration - sudden rush

  enjambment - chaos of an uncontrollable flowing tap

  a roar - violent, a metaphor showing desperation

  congregation - water is celebrated as if it is a god, the people are very grateful

  copper/aluminum - cheaper metals which contrast silver, a reminder of poverty

  asyndetic listing - frantic movements = excitement + chaos
• and naked children

  screaming in the liquid sun

  their highlights polished to perfection,

  adj. (naked) + P.C.V = a break from reality, innocence/enjoyment

  liquid sun - figurative language/metaphor which expresses the sun's reflection in water. and is a reminder of the sun that causes 'cracks like a pod' in the opening line, reminders of poverty exist even in celebratory times. this is just a temporary moment.
• flashing light, as the blessing sings over thier small bones

  personification of god/the blessing of water

  small - vulnerability and a reminder of poverty
• themes ?


  Luck

  Poverty

  Religion

  Encouraging the reader to reflect
• theme in stanza 1-2

  images of suffering

  desperation

  sets the scene/background of the poem
• focus/theme in stanza 3

  longer stanza length as time slows and it is the moment they want to remember the most so more details are given. a more action packed, climactic moment with excitement
• theme in stanza 4

  blessing giving temporary relief

  a reminder of poverty

  reality seeps through = hoplessness
• compare to


  war photographer, search for my tongue, prayer before birth
• free verse + unequal stanza length

  the flow of water and the lack of governmental ruling in the unofficial settlement.