THE RIVER - Valerie Bloom ( Form 1 poem )

Wanderer: a person who moves from place to place and has no permanent home.

Nomad: a member of a tribe that travels from place to place instead of living in one place all the time, usually in order to find grass for their animals.

Tramp: someone who has no home or job and moves from place to place, often asking for food or money.

Hoarder: a collection of things that someone hides somewhere, especially so they can use them later.

Gurgles: flows along gently with a low sound.

Hums: to sing a tune by making a continuous sound with your lips closed.

Vexed: old-fashioned to make someone annoyed or worried.

Gobbled: to eat something very quickly especially in an impolite or greedy way.

This poem consists of 6 stanzas. Each stanza talks about the different characteristics of the river. The river is embodied with human nature or character in each stanza.

Stanza 1

The River’s a wanderer,

A nomad, a tramp,

He doesn’t choose one place

To set up his camp.

In stanza 1, the river is characterized as a wanderer, a nomad and a tramp. The focus in stanza 1 is about the words wanderer,nomad and tramp. The river is like a person; a wanderer who keeps on moving from one place to the other without stopping at any particular place for long. Same goes to the river which continues flowing and never stops.

Stanza 2

The River’s a winder,

Through valley and hill

He twists and he turns,

He just cannot be still.

In stanza 2, the river is characterized as a winder. It keeps twisting and turning and just can't seem to be able to keep still as if it does not rest or stops. Even though there are valleys or hills upfront, the river will continue flowing by adapting the surface of the Earth. It talks about the inability of the river to remain at rest like a child who is unable to keep still. 

Stanza 3

The River’s a hoarder,

And he buries down deep

Those little treasures

That he wants to keep.

In stanza 3, the river is potrayed as a hoarder. The river is like a person; a hoarder who likes to accumulate or gather things which are well hidden or guarded from others at its base or bottom.Because when the river flows, it won’t stop to evade things which come across its way. The river will carry all the things with it and bury them in the river bed. All the hidden things at the bottom of the river gives it a myterious aura.

Stanza 4

The River’s a baby,

He gurgles and hums,

And sounds like he’s happily

Sucking his thumbs.

In stanza 4, the river is pictured as a baby. The sound of running water of a river is characterized as the sound of a baby gurgling, humming and sucking his thumb. In addition, a baby’s voice sometimes can be too loud and sometimes it can be too slow. Same goes to the river, whenever he goes fast down the stream the sound is loud and when it comes to a more flat ground, the sound lessen and sometimes it cannot be heard.

Stanza 5

The River’s a singer,

As he dances along,

The countryside echoes

The notes of his song.

In stanza 5, the river is potrayed as a singer seeing that the river’s movement is significant to the movement of a singer on the stage. While moving, the river moves with sounds and the sound of flowing water of the river resonates and is heard throughout the countryside.

Stanza 6

The River’s a monster

Hungry and vexed,

He’s gobbled up trees

And he’ll swallow you next.

The river is said to be a monster which can cause massive destruction when it's angry. Because, when the water level increases and the speed of the stream is boosted, it will be a disaster that no one could stop it until it alleviate itself. It shows how a calm river can turn into a destructive force of nature especially during a flood which in turn can destroy properties and even cause death to people.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS:

i.       Why does the poet call the river ‘a hoarder’?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(1 mark)

ii.      Explain how the river’s journey is like Man’s journey through life?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

(2 marks)