Yes, you have stumbled upon the right blog. This blog is about the poem THE RIVER. This poem is written by Valerie Bloom and it is included in Form 1 Literature Component in Malaysia. In this blog, you can learn all about this poem.
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One literary device used in this poem is the metaphor. The poet shows similarities between the river and human beings.
The river is described as being a wanderer, hoarder, baby, singer, dancer and monster.
The poet also uses the river as a metaphor to describe our own journey through life. Just like the river, we start our journey when we are born. Then we grow up and gradually learn about things and begin to face more challenges. This part is described in the poem when the river meanders through hills and valleys.
Next, as we mature we have our ups and downs, happy and sad moments. This is described in Stanza 4 and 5.
Then again, sometimes we behave like monsters and lose our tempers and hurt or destroy others with our actions. This is like when the river turns into a monster and causes destruction.
Personification
The second literary device used is personification.
Even though the writer talks about the river yet she has been able to give it human-like abilities, functions and feelings.
This is referred to as personification. The poem clearly shows, describes and gives ample examples of human characteristics.
Some of these include being a wanderer like ‘a nomad’ and ‘a tramp’. The river is also a hoarder that buries ‘little treasures’ and does not want to part with them. Then the river moves on and becomes a baby who is ‘happily sucking his thumbs’ and then as a dancer, the river sings and dances along the countryside. Finally, the river is described as a monster that has no mercy.
Contrast
The third literary device used is making contrasts. Here the poet shows the contrasting characteristics of the river.
One moment the river is gentle like a baby and at other times, it rears its ugly head and becomes a monster ready to destroy nature.
Through this technique, the poet shows that the river is just like us, it has both positive and negative characteristics.
Imagery
Imagery refers to images that we can see when we read and understand the poem.
In this poem, Valerie has successfully painted a vivid picture of the river and these images are clearly imprinted in our minds as we read the poem.
For examples:
Stanza 1
The image we conjure up is that of a wanderer like a nomad or tramp who moves around and cannot sit still.
Stanza 2
The image formed is that of a river slowly winding down hill, twisting and turning.
Stanza 3
The river is described like a hoarder who buries invaluable treasures beneath it.
Stanza 4
The river is described just like a baby who is sucking on his thumbs. The baby also makes happy gurgling and humming sounds.
Stanza 5
The river becomes a singer who dances along to the song which echoes throughout the countryside.
Stanza 6
An ugly image of the river is painted. It is described as a monster that hungrily swallows up trees and human beings.
The general tone of the poem is rather philosophical.
At times the poem conveys a rather serious tone. On other occasions, the poet conveys the light, happy and gentle side of things where the river is likened to being a singer that dances along, a carefree nomad and tramp.
The poet also injects a mysterious tone into the poem when he describes the river as having buried ‘little treasures’ deep down the riverbed.
All six stanzas describe the different moods and facets of the river. The mood is contemplative, serious, deep and perceptive.
What are the lessons learnt from this poem? Appreciate the Rivers
The river is a natural resource. Hence, we should appreciate and take care of it.
The water from our rivers is used by animals, plants and human beings to fulfill their basic needs.
Imagine life without water? Hence, we should not take the river for granted. Apart from providing people water to drink, wash and clean, it also generates electricity.
Protect the Rivers
The river also supports life. Therefore, it is every citizen’s responsibility to ensure that we do not pollute our rivers.
We must not throw rubbish, waste products and chemicals into rivers.
All efforts must be made to love and protect our rivers. If our rivers are polluted, it will not be able to flow properly and this will result in flash floods during heavy downpours.
This in turn will cause damage to all living things, farms and property. Hence, we must learn to protect our rivers.
The river is a natural source of water. It is an important element in the water cycle.
It balances the ecosystem. Therefore, many living things depend on the river to get their source of water.
Water is an important basic need for all living things. Many living things such as plants, animals and human beings will die without water.
The River is a Natural Source of Life
The river is also a natural source of life. It is considered to bury ‘little treasures’ that help to support living organisms such as animals, human beings and plants.
On the other hand, when the river water overflows, the surrounding areas are flooded. This natural phenomenon provides a rich source of fertile soil to farmers to grow their crops as well as helps them to irrigate their farms. This in turn provides us with different sources of food for our daily life.
The River Causes Natural Disasters
In Stanza 6, the poet warns that the river can at times cause natural disasters.
Hence, the river is described as a monster, ‘hungry and vexed’. This usually happens when there is a heavy downpour which causes the river to overflow its banks. It displays its power and rage as it gobbles up or destroys and uproots trees.
Sometimes, the river’s wrath can be seen when lives, properties and livelihood is lost. This is nothing that Man is unable to control.
Man has both Positive and Negative Qualities
Man, like the river, has his positive and negative qualities.
Therefore, we must accept people with their strengths and limitations.
The river is a physical feature in a landscape. It is an important part of nature especially in stabilizing the ecosystem.
Its role is both positive and negative. It is in this aspect that the river is depicted as having many characteristics.
It flows from the mountains, meanders through the hills, valleys, and ends in the sea. As the river flows downstream, it erodes the riverbed and earth’s soil as described by the poet in Stanza 3. These are then buried deep down by the river as ‘little treasures’.
In Stanzas 4 and 5, the river shows its gentleness and happiness by the sounds that it makes. These are described as a baby’s ‘gurgles and hums’ and ‘sucking his thumbs’.
The river is called ‘a singer’ who sings a happy tune while dancing along.
Finally, in Stanza 6, the river shows its ugly and destructive side as a monster who not only ‘gobbles up trees’ but will ‘swallow you next’ if you are not careful.
In this poem, the poet talks about the gentle and harsh facets of the river.
The poem clearly describes the features, functions and the destructive power of the river.
The poet gives the river human characteristics. Some of these characteristics include being a wanderer, a nomad, a tramp, a hoarder, a baby, a singer and finally a monster that will ‘swallow you next’.
The poem also uses a variety of verbs to indicate how the river moves. The river is said to be a winder and thus twists and turns. In addition, it also gurgles and hums like a baby. Interestingly, it also sings, dances, gobbles and swallows.
The poem has been clearly and systematically written because each stanza describes one feature and function of the river as it meanders downstream.
In the first stanza, the poet describes how the river is constantly moving. The poet compares the river to a nomad who does not stay in one place for very long.
The second stanza describes how the river moves through valleys and around hills. It draws a picture in our mind of the winding route that the river takes.
The third stanza reminds us that there are things hidden in the river.
The fourth and fifth stanzas draw our attention to the sounds that the river makes.
The last stanza warns us that the river can be dangerous. It can destroy nature and takes human lives.
