The Raging River

Shrouded in darkness from the slate, smoke-like sky,

it roars through the valley letting out its battle cry.

Gathering its men from side streams and basins,

the foaming army marches onward as its pace hastens.

Children playing on bridges watch their sticks hurry away,

as regal herons assemble searching for prey.

Down the mountain it slaloms, skiing down at speed,

guzzling and swallowing what’s in its sight with greed.

The rapids cascade on the rocks down below,

surging and crashing as the water flows.

The strong current sweeps away everything in sight,

clearing the pebbled path with all its might.

Rushing, spurting, shooting, leaping,

charging through the land, the water is creeping

on its journey, wild and free,

tumbling on its way towards the sea.

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 The Raging River
Questions

1. … the foaming army marches onward

What type of literary device is this? Tick one.

simile
personification
onomatopoeia
alliteration


2. Which word means the same as ‘to move in a winding path’? Tick one.

slaloms
regal
spurting
crashing

3. How is the current described?

4. Fill in the missing word.

as regal herons searching for prey.

5. Find and copy one word from the first stanza that means the same as ‘moving quickly’.

6. Compare the use of the words ‘leaping’ and ‘creeping’ to describe the river. What
impressions do they create?

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 The Raging River

7. … it roars through the valley letting out its battle cry.

What does this quote tell us about the river?

8. Summarise the theme of the poem in 30 words or fewer.

9. What else do you think the poet could have included in the poem to show how fast the
river is moving?

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