Poem Blessing, by Imtiaz Dharker

The poem blessing, by imtiaz dharker depicts the desperation of water in a place which is a victim of drought. the poet has very vividly described the unfortunate situation and has also made the reader sympathize greatly with the poverty sticken people of this area.
The poet begins the poem with a simile “the skin cracks like a pod” which appeals to the visual imagery of the reader as it paints a picture of people with very dry skin in the readers mind. This simile is used very effectively as it not only adds to the visual imagery of the reader but also captivates the reader by hinting to the reader about the lack of water in an area which is further described in more detail. the next line clearly states the theme of the poem which is the description of a situation with deficiency of water and extreme poverty.
In the former part of the poem ,” imagine the drip of it”, the poet is expressing the desperation of water by the people. this line is being said or thought by the people affected by this calamity! it suggests that these people are craving water so much that they are hallucinating about the sound of water splashing into a tin mug and comparing this sound to “the voice of a kindly god”. the words” small splash” and “echo” add to the auditory imagery of the reader which help the reader understand the situation being expressed by he poet more vividly. the writer mention a “tin mug” in the hallucination of the victims which suggests poverty to the reader .this is because while dreaming about water which is heavenly for these people they imagine it being dripping Into a tin mug which is unusual in financially supported households.
Moving on the poet uses a metaphor comparing water to fortune in the line”the sudden rush of fortune”. this metaphor enhances the language used and also emphasizes on water being demanded highly and hence being called “fortune”.
The poet then describes a scenario where a municipal pipe bursts and water is leaking in abundance. another metaphor is used here comparing water to silver.this comparison once again emphasizes on the high demand and craving for water. This scenario is described vividly in the lines “roar of tongues………frantic hands”. These lines add to the visual imagery of the reader and help the reader grasp a more detailed picture trying to be painted by the poet in the readers mind. the word “frantic” is used to emphasize on the emergency of the situation.
In the latter half of the poem the poet mentions “naked children screaming” being present in the situation .this line puts a poverty stricken atmosphere forth to the reader and makes the reader feel sympathetic towards the situation. in the last stanza the poet has mentioned the presence of heat significantly in the lines” liquid sun”,”polished to perfection” and “flashing light”.these phrases repeatedly remind the reader about the scorching heat which adds to the misery of the situation.
The poem ends leaving a significant impact on the reader with the element of god coming in.the poet mentions that angel rays,”flashing light”, shine over these people suffering which signifies that god is watching over their “small bones”.this phrase also adds to the visual imagery of the reader portraying a scenario effected by poverty and hunger.
The poem is written in free verse .enjambments llike “echo in a tin mug”,”every man woman child for streets” and “frantic hands and naked children” are present in abundance which adds to the flow of the poem due to no rhyme scheme being present.
According to me this poem was very appealing as it made me respect the luxuries I get and take for granted.the poet has been able to describe the helpness situation of these poor and hungry people so vivdly that it made me nderstand the value for the goods and services these poor people don’t benefit from and also feel greatly sympathetic towards them.