L.O: To be able to understand the context of a poem, and extract the themes. ‘Blessing’

Learning Intentions Key Teaching Points: Key Terms: To read the poem To consider how the poem presents people and their way of life Key Terms: Metaphor Image

BLESSING Imtiaz Dharker was born in Pakistan in 1954, grew up in Glasgow and now lives in Bombay.

Blessing 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 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.

What are your first impressions of the poem? ‘Blessing’ by What are your first impressions of the poem? Do you like it? Why/ Why not?

Blessing What can the word ‘Blessing’ mean? A gift from God AND a prayer for a special occasion. Now read the poem. What ‘blessing’ is being referred to? The central metaphor of the poem is the idea of water as a gift from God. Look at stanzas 1 & 2 – what situation is described? Look at stanzas 3 & 4 – what events are being described?

There are a number of different possible reactions to the scenario presented in this poem. The poet does not express any opinion directly but presents us with a series of images. Think about the possible reactions. The reader could: Be angry about the water shortage Pity the people who have to live without a constant water supply Blame these people for their own poverty Share their excitement when the pipe bursts See their excitement as pathetic See life as fragile and easily damaged See life as beautiful Think their suffering is intense.

Blessing: the images Images Effect The skin cracks like a pod The voice of a kindly god The sudden rush/ of fortune Silver crashes to the ground A roar of tongues Frantic hands The liquid sun Their highlights polished to perfection

What impact might each image have on the reader? A few hints: ‘Pod’ – a disturbing image ‘Drip/ kindly god’ – a contradiction? (if the god is kindly why only a drip? ‘Highlights polished’ – seems inanimate ‘small bones’ – weak? Is beauty fragile?

Language and Structure Note: The use of short and long sentences. Where do they occur and why? The list of objects – what sort are they? The unequal stanza lengths – why might this be? The way the poem addresses the reader directly with the word “Imagine . . ..”. What is the effect of these features?

What are the themes of this poem?