Original Poem
The skin cracks like a pod. There never is enough water. Imagine the drip of it, the small splash, echo in a tin mug, the voice of a kindly god. Sometimes, the sudden rush of fortune. The municipal pipe bursts, silver crashes to the ground and the flow has found a roar of tongues. From the huts, a congregation: every man woman child for streets around butts in, with pots, brass, copper, aluminium, plastic buckets, frantic hands, and naked children screaming in the liquid sun, their highlights polished to perfection, flashing light, as the blessing sings over their small bones.
Translation (English)
The skin splits open like a seed pod.
There is never enough water.
Imagine the sound of it dripping,
the little splash, echoing
in a metal cup,
the voice of a gentle god.
Sometimes, a sudden rush
of luck. The city pipe breaks,
silver water crashes to the ground
and the flow is met
by a chorus of voices. From the huts,
a gathering: every man, woman,
child from nearby streets
joins in, with pots,
made of brass, copper, aluminum,
plastic buckets,
frantic hands,
and naked children
shouting in the bright sun,
their shiny skin polished perfectly,
reflecting light,
as the blessing sings
above their small bodies.
About the Poet
Imtiaz Dharker (Contemporary)
Imtiaz Dharker is a Pakistani-British poet, artist, and video filmmaker, born on January 31, 1954. She is known for her English poetry and has won the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry. Dharker has served as the Chancellor of Newcastle University since January 2020.
Read more on Wikipedia →Historical Context
- Literary Form
- Free verse
- When Written
- Published in 1993
- Background
- The poem 'Blessing' by Imtiaz Dharker reflects on the scarcity of water in impoverished areas and the profound impact a sudden abundance can have on a community. It highlights the theme of water as a precious resource and the joy and chaos that ensue when it becomes available.
Sources: https://genius.com/Imtiaz-dharker-blessing-annotated, https://poemanalysis.com/imtiaz-dharker/blessing/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imtiaz_Dharker
Detailed Explanation
The poem 'Blessing' by Imtiaz Dharker captures the harsh reality of living in a place where water is scarce. The opening lines describe the dry, cracked skin of the earth, symbolizing the lack of water. The poem then shifts to a moment of hope and chaos when a municipal pipe bursts, releasing a torrent of water. This event is depicted as a blessing, with people from the surrounding area rushing to collect the precious liquid. The imagery of frantic hands and naked children playing in the water highlights both the desperation and the joy that water brings. The poem uses vivid imagery and metaphors to convey the significance of water as a life-giving force and the communal experience of its sudden abundance.
Themes
Literary Devices
Word Dictionary
| Word | Meaning | Translation | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|---|
| cracks | splits open | breaks apart | kraks |
| pod | seed case | a shell that holds seeds | pod |
| municipal | city | related to the city or town | myoo-nis-i-pal |
| congregation | gathering | a group of people coming together | kon-gri-gey-shun |
| frantic | wildly excited | very excited or anxious | fran-tik |
| liquid | flowing | in a fluid state | lik-wid |
| blessing | gift | a beneficial thing | bles-ing |
| highlights | bright spots | areas that reflect light | hahy-lahytz |
| echo | repeated sound | a sound that is reflected back | ek-oh |
| fortune | luck | good luck | for-chuhn |
| aluminium | metal | a lightweight metal | al-yoo-min-ee-um |
| naked | bare | without clothes | ney-kid |
| screaming | shouting loudly | making a loud noise | skree-ming |
| polished | shiny | made smooth and shiny | pol-isht |
| perfection | flawlessness | the state of being perfect | per-fek-shun |
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