Drought
By Denys Lefebvre
It has been dry, and there has been no rain.
The whole earth feels care, want, and pain.
The air is hot and cruel, a dictator.
Where should I go to seek peaceful shelter?
The fertile seedbeds of Shrawan have been damaged.
All the hamlets look ruined, as bald heads.
Sad is the whole tillable land or field.
A famine rises, and pleasures are killed.
Like the heat of a fire, the sun burns.
The heat of conflagration grows.
The haze creates a gloomy appearance.
Time is marked by a fierce defiance.
All the flowers are panic‑stricken now.
Partridges cry in fear and cling to boughs.
The black eagle cries for rain.
There is a painful story of the barbet hen.
Deposer is the violent drought, no doubts.
It has emptied the grain‑store of the house.
The zeal and jubilation have faded away.
Misfortune laughed at people’s teary way.
Summary of Drought
- Understanding “Drought”: “Drought,” written by the poet Denys Lefebvre, is a profoundly moving poem that depicts the devastating effects of a dry spell. It vividly illustrates the suffering inflicted upon the land and its people, showcasing the poem’s depth and uniqueness.
- “Drought” as a Portrait of Acute Misery: The poem opens with a landscape parched and yearning for rain, establishing a sense of pain and deprivation. The fertile lands of Shrawan are destroyed, villages are reduced to ruin, and famine extinguishes joy, replacing it with hardship. The scorching sun intensifies the suffering, and the atmosphere becomes oppressive, likened to a fierce threat. The poem extends its empathy to the natural world, noting the fear of flowers and birds, emphasizing the widespread impact of the drought. Ultimately, the poem portrays a loss of joy and a descent into profound suffering.
- Major Themes in “Drought”: At its core, “Drought” explores themes of human misery, the severity of climatic conditions, and the resulting suffering. The poem highlights how climate change affects not only humans but also animals and plants, demonstrating the interconnectedness of life. It underscores our reliance on nature for sustenance and the devastating consequences when that harmony is disrupted.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Drought
Literary devices are tools that writers use to craft compelling and meaningful works. Denys Lefebvre skillfully employs several devices in “Drought” to enhance the poem’s impact and meaning.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within words. Notice the repetition of the “ee” sound in the line “Where should I go and seek peaceful shelter?” This repetition creates a musical quality and emphasizes the speaker’s desperate search for refuge.
- Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. The repeated “d” sound in “drought, no doubts” draws attention to the severity and undeniable nature of the drought.
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds within words. Consider the repetition of the “t” sound in “That has emptied the grain‑store of the house” and the “r” sound in “The air is hot and cruel dictator.” These repetitions create subtle musicality and emphasize the harsh realities of the drought.
- Enjambment: Enjambment occurs when a thought or phrase continues from one line of poetry to the next without punctuation. The lines “The zeal and jubilation has faded away” and “Misfortune laughed at people’s teary way” demonstrate this. The lack of punctuation creates a sense of continuous sorrow and emphasizes the relentless nature of misfortune.
- Imagery: Lefebvre uses vivid imagery to evoke a strong sensory experience for the reader. Lines like “It has been dry, and there has been no rain,” “The haze creates a gloomy appearance,” and “The zeal and jubilation have faded away” create a clear picture of the drought’s devastating effects.
- Metaphor: The poem uses natural disasters as an extended metaphor to demonstrate how they disrupt the harmony of life. The drought itself becomes a symbol of hardship, loss, and despair.
- Personification: Lefebvre gives human qualities to inanimate objects and natural elements. “The whole earth feels care, want, and pain,” and “The air is hot and cruel, a dictator” imbue the earth and air with emotions and intentions, making them active participants in the poem’s narrative.
- Rhetorical Question: The question “Where should I go and seek peaceful shelter?” is not meant to be answered. It emphasizes the speaker’s desperation and helplessness in the face of the drought.
- Symbolism: The “burning sun” and the “violent drought” are symbols of disaster and their impact on life. They represent the destructive forces that threaten the well‑being of both humans and nature.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Drought
Poetic devices are the tools poets use to create rhythm, sound, and meaning in their work. Lefebvre skillfully uses several of these devices in “Drought.”
- End Rhyme: The poem uses end rhyme, where the last words of lines rhyme. Examples include “rain” and “pain,” “away” and “way,” and “now” and “bough.” This creates a musical quality and enhances the poem’s flow.
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem largely follows an ABAB rhyme scheme throughout the first four stanzas. This consistent pattern adds to the poem’s melodic structure.
- Quatrain: The poem is composed of quatrains, stanzas of four lines. This structure contributes to the poem’s organized and balanced form.
- Stanza: A stanza is a group of lines forming a unit in a poem. “Drought” consists of five stanzas, each developing the poem’s central theme of suffering and despair.
Quotes to be Used
These lines are particularly resonant when discussing the difficulties people face following devastating events.
Deposer is the violent drought, no doubts,
That has emptied the grain‑store of the house,
The zeal and jubilation has faded away
Misfortune laughed at people’s teary way.
This powerful excerpt encapsulates the poem’s central message: drought leads to loss, despair, and a cruel indifference to human suffering.
“Drought” is a poignant and thought‑provoking poem that masterfully depicts the devastating effects of environmental hardship. Through vivid imagery, evocative language, and skillful use of literary and poetic devices, Denys Lefebvre creates a powerful and lasting impression on the reader. The poem’s themes of suffering, loss, and the interconnectedness of life remain relevant and resonant today.