Blessing
Imtiaz Dharker
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.

Why do you think the poet has called the poem ‘Blessing’?

In what kind of place is the poem set? Find two quotes to support your answer and explain in your own words.

How is the water described? Find two quotes to support your answer and explain in your own words.

Onomatopoeia is used in this poem. Find an example and explain the effect of the word used.

How do the adults respond when the pipe bursts?

How do the children respond when the pipe bursts?

Why do you think the poem is structured the way it is? Why does the poet choose to include stanzas where she has?

Using PEE write a paragraph to answer this question:

How does the poet use language to give the impression that water is really important to the people of the village?

Lesson quiz: communication: oral response to literature 1.) it is important to communicate the thesis statement to the audience a. as the final point in your presentation. b. in the introduction. c. in the questioning period following the presentation. d. in your presentation title. 2.) a critical consideration for validating the thesis is a. to incorporate an author study. b. to identify supportive quotes. c. to examine the internal conflict. d. to repeat the thesis multiple times in the body. 3.) a presentation that shares the analysis of a piece of literature by explaining the deeper meaning is a. a book review. b. a narrative presentation. c. an oral response to literature. d. an expository analysis. 4.) the goal of an oral response to literature is to reflect and respond to a piece of literature. this is done by a. predicting the outcome of the story and writing the conclusion from a different viewpoint. b. interviewing the author. c. identifying, examining and interpreting a specific element from the literary text. d. sharing the history of the specific genre. 5.) which of the following provides the most accurate statement regarding an oral response to literature? a. a report that discusses the theme of a specific piece of literature. b. a presentation to share the analysis of a piece of literature explaining the deeper meaning of the work with an audience. c. a speech to promote a particular genre of literature. d. a presentation discussing the elements of the setting and major characters in a work of literature. 6.) an oral response to literature gives you the opportunity to examine and interpret a specific element from a literary work. which of the following would be a good analysis? a. compare the historical significance of two works b. identify each simile and metaphor c. determine how characters are given their names d. construct a thorough plot analysis 7.) asking questions to gain a deeper meaning of the work is an excellent way to focus your analysis in preparation for the oral response to literature. which of the following would be a good question to ask? a. why did the tone change as the story progressed? b. who is the antagonist? c. what is the setting of the story? d. what is the climax?