1. ‘Blessing’ by Imtiaz Dharker
‘Blessing’ is a poem about a society that does not have enough water.
The poem is set in Dharavi, which is on the outskirts of Mumbai.
Dharavi is a place of temporary housing and as it is an unofficial settlement, water is always scarce.

2. The skin cracks like a pod. There is never enough water.
Simile – shows how dry the environment is.
Lack of water is a constant problem. This is what the poem is about.

3. Onomatopoeia - small sounds.
They are imagining having water.
Imagine the drip of it,
the small splash, echo

4. The water is described as the voice of god
The water is described as the voice of god. This shows the people in the poem are religious.
in a tin mug,
the voice of a kindly god.
Water is personified.

5. Water is described as being precious and valuable.
Sometimes, the sudden rush
of fortune. The municipal pipe bursts,
silver crashes to the ground
Water is described as being precious and valuable.

6. Roar = loud sound vs “drip” in line 3.
and the flow has found
a roar of tongues. From the huts,
a congregation: every man woman
child for streets around
No commas in “every man woman child” – emphasises the rush.
The word “congregation” emphasises that this is a religious society.

7. Cheap materials – indicates a poor society. Compare to water – silver.
butts in, with pots,
brass, copper, aluminium,
plastic buckets,
frantic hands,
They are desperate for water.

8. and naked children
screaming in the liquid sun,
their highlights polished to perfection,
flashing light,
as the blessing sings
over their small bones.