e from real life. The poet uses simple words, but the images stay sharp. They give the poem a strong and emotional shape.
Dark Night Image: The poem opens with a strong image of night and rain. The poet says,
“Ten hours of steady rain had driven him.”
This line creates a dark and wet world. We see the rain push the scorpion inside. The room is small and dim. The line “flash of diabolic tail in the dark room” gives a scary picture. The dark room, the long rain, and the sudden flash create fear and shock. These images bring tension at once.
Villagers and Noise: The poet gives a busy scene. The villagers rush in “like swarms of flies.” This is a strong image. We see a crowd move fast. They make noise and bring heat. They hold “candles and lanterns.” The lights shake. The shadows jump on the walls. These images build a tense place. The room becomes full of bodies and sound. The villagers pray. They chant. The poet hears
“buzzed the name of God a hundred times.”
All these images show fear and unrest.
Shadows and Light: The poem shows sharp shadow images. The poet says the lights were
“throwing giant scorpion shadows on the mud-baked walls.”
This line gives a deep visual. The shadows look huge and wild. The walls are simple clay. The shadows make the fear stronger. The room feels unsafe and strange. Light and shadow fight in the small space. These images help us feel the fear of the child poet. They make the space alive and tense.
Mother’s Pain: The imagery of the mother is soft but strong. The poet says,
“My mother twisted through and through.”
This gives a painful picture. We see her body move with hurt. She lies “groaning on a mat.” This image shows her weakness. The mat is simple. The pain is deep. The poet watches “the flame feeding on my mother.” This image is sharp and sad. The flame looks alive. It shows the father’s fear and her pain. These pictures bring emotional depth to the poem.
Unity And Calm: The poet also gives calm images. The villagers sit “on the floor with my mother in the centre.” Their faces show “the peace of understanding.” These pictures show care and unity. The simple room, the candles, and the people form a soft circle. The images show human touch. Even in fear, there is warmth. After twenty hours, the poet says, “it lost its sting.” This image gives slow peace. The pain ends. The room grows calm. These images add hope.
The imagery in this poem is simple but powerful. It shows the night, the rain, the shadows, the people, and the pain. These images create fear at the start. They build tension in the middle. They bring soft emotion at the end. They help us see the world from a small rural house. They show real human fear and love. The poet uses these images to shape the whole event. The imagery makes the poem rich and deep.
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