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Her Head
Joan Murray
About Joan Murray
Joan Murray is an American poet, writer, playwright and editor. She is best known for her narrative poems.
Near Ekuvukeni,
in Natal, South Africa,
a woman carries water on her head.
After a year of drought,
when one child in three is at risk of death,
she returns from a distant well,
carrying water on her head.
The pumpkins are gone,
the tomatoes withered,
yet the woman carries water on her head.
The cattle kraals are empty,
the goats gaunt−
no milk now for children,
but she is carrying water on her head.
The engineers have reversed the river:
those with power can keep their power,
but one woman is carrying water on her head.
In the homelands, where the dusty crowds
watch the empty roads for water trucks,
one woman trusts herself with treasure,
and carries water on her head.
The sun does not dissuade her,
nor the dried earth that blows against her,
as she carries the water on her head.
In a huge and dirty pail,
with an idle handle,
resting on a narrow can,
this woman is carrying water on her hand.
This woman, who girds her neck
with safety pins, this one
who carries water on her head,
trusts her own head to bring to her people
what they need now
between life and death:
She is carrying them water on her head.
Available Answers
- 1.
Where is the poem set?
- 2.
What are the effects of the drought mentioned by the speaker?
- 3.
The engineers have reversed the river. Can you think of why the engineers may have done so? Do you think they were aware of what effect it might have on people like this woman? Should they have been aware? Why?
- 4.
What do a lot of other people in the homelands do for water? How does the speaker refer to them? Why that expression?
- 5.
What shows the extreme poverty of the woman? Who is she carrying the water for?
Which words show the great importance and urgency of water for those people?
- 6.
After a year of drought.
when one child in these is at risk of death.
she returns from a distant well.
carrying water on her head.- How long have they suffered the drought?
- What shows the extent of the suffering?
- From where does the woman bring water and how does she bring it?
5 more answer(s) available.