Blessing by Imtiaz Dharker Essay -- Blessing Imtiaz Dharker Poems Poet

Blessing by Imtiaz DharkerImtiaz Dharkers meter can be read in two ways. A straightforward development might suggest that the poem is simply a description of anincident when a pipe up bursts and people run excitedly for the water.A more considered reading, however, would put on the poem as being moreominous and disturbing.Under the apparent good fortune and excitement of the scene are darkerideas about the poverty and fanaticism of the people in the poetsnative country.It is the second reading we will be exploring in this revisionprogramme.Either way, the attitude to water in the poem should make us in theWest wonder at how much we all take for granted, and how too often wesquander the earths resources.Dharker paints for the reviewer a vivid scene using visual and auralimagery.For instance, after opening with a powerful visual image, the poetgoes on to make us prove the smallest noise echo/ in a tin mug,before upping the sound level with the roar of tongues as peopledescend on t he pipe.The gloss of the poem appears to be ironic.These people are not blessed - they have little water of their own.Only superstition could lead them to count this municipal pipe burstas a blessing.In reality, it shows the poor state of the pipes, part of the citysbasic infrastructure, pipes that should be carrying water to thepeople. The fact that the people populate in huts, that the children arenaked and that everyone is frantic for the water tell us a lotabout the living conditions.There is a lot of unspiritual imagery in this poem. Mainly we hear and seethe unfolding scene.These details show us what the peoples lives are like. In thefollowing table are some of the vis... ... darker, andharder hitting.The layers of the poem reflect the way different people will see thesame scene/culuture differently.AttitudeThe poet appears at first to be objective, describing but notcommenting on the incident. And to some extent she leaves the readerto decide the feeling and meaning of t he poem. Perhaps though there ishorror and pity in that opening image of skin cracking like a pod.To me the poem seems like a lament for the poverty of these people andfor the value brass that keeps them poor, yet humble and thankful.StyleDharker uses sensual imagery to evoke the scene, and builds the rhythmof the poem into a crescendo at the bursting of the pipe. She uses anextended metaphor, comparing water to a god. She makes linesintentionally ambiguous, uncertain, so that the scene can beinterpreted in more than one way.