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. © Imtiaz Dharker
Translation (English)
The skin splits open like a seed pod.
There is never enough water.
Imagine the drip of water,
the small splash, echoing
in a metal cup,
the voice of a gentle god.
Sometimes, the sudden rush
of luck. The city pipe bursts,
silver crashes to the ground
and the flow becomes
a roar of voices. From the huts,
a gathering: every man, woman,
and child from nearby streets
joins in, with pots,
brass, copper, aluminum,
plastic buckets,
frantic hands,
and naked children
shouting in the bright sun,
their highlights polished to perfection,
flashing light,
as the blessing flows
over their small bodies.
About the Poet
Imtiaz Dharker (Contemporary)
Imtiaz Dharker is a Pakistani-British poet, artist, and filmmaker, born on January 31, 1954. She is known for her English poetry and was awarded the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry. Dharker has served as Chancellor of Newcastle University since January 2020.
Read more on Wikipedia →Historical Context
- Literary Form
- Free verse
- When Written
- Published in 1997
- Background
- The poem 'Blessing' by Imtiaz Dharker reflects on the scarcity of water in impoverished areas and the profound impact of its sudden abundance. It highlights the socio-economic challenges faced by communities where water is a precious and rare resource.
Sources: https://www.lyrikline.org/en/poems/blessing-14092, https://genius.com/Imtiaz-dharker-blessing-annotated, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imtiaz_Dharker
Detailed Explanation
The poem 'Blessing' by Imtiaz Dharker explores the theme of water scarcity and its sudden abundance in a poor community. The opening lines describe the dry, cracked skin, symbolizing the parched land and people. The imagery of water dripping and echoing in a tin mug evokes the preciousness of each drop. The poem then shifts to a moment of unexpected fortune when a municipal pipe bursts, releasing a torrent of water. This event is depicted as a divine blessing, drawing people from all around to collect the precious liquid. The children, naked and joyful, play in the water, their skin gleaming in the sunlight. The poem captures the desperation and joy of a community for whom water is a rare and life-giving blessing. Dharker uses vivid imagery and sound to convey the contrast between scarcity and abundance, highlighting the socio-economic realities faced by many communities.
Themes
Literary Devices
Word Dictionary
| Word | Meaning | Translation | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|---|
| cracks | splits | breaks open | 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 assembled | kon-gri-gey-shun |
| frantic | desperate | wild with excitement or worry | fran-tik |
| highlights | bright spots | areas that reflect light | hai-laits |
| polished | shiny | made smooth and glossy | pol-isht |
| blessing | gift | a beneficial thing | bles-ing |
| echo | reverberation | a sound that is reflected back | ek-oh |
| fortune | luck | chance or good luck | for-chun |
| aluminium | metal | a lightweight metal | al-yoo-min-ee-um |
| liquid | fluid | a substance that flows | lik-wid |
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