AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
‘The River God’ by Stevie Smith
Learning objectives:
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AO1: respond to texts critically and imaginatively, select and evaluate
textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations.
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AO2: explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’
presentation of ideas, themes and settings.
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
Pre-reading
 Below is a copy of a poem. As you can see, the words and lines have
been silhouetted. This has been done in order to force you to respond to the
poem visually, to respond to the way that the poem has been structured, on
the page.
I may
be smelly and I may be old,
Rough in my pebbles, reedy in my pools,
But where my fish float by I bless their swimming
And I like the people to bathe in me, especially women.
But I can drown the fools
Who bathe too close to the weir, contrary to rules.
And they take a long time drowning
As I throw them up now and then in the spirit of clowning.
Hi yih, yippity-yap, merrily I flow,
O I may be an old foul river but I have plenty of go.
Once there was a lady who was too bold
She bathed in me by the tall black cliff where the water runs cold,
So I brought her down here
To be my beautiful dear.
Oh will she stay with me will she stay
This beautiful lady, or will she go away?
She lies in my beautiful deep river bed with many a weed
To hold her, and many a waving reed.
Oh who would guess what a beautiful white face lies there
Waiting for me to smooth and wash away the fear
She looks at me with. Hi yih, do not let her
Go. There is no one on earth who does not forget her
Now. They say I am a foolish old smelly river
But they do not know of my wide original bed
Where the lady waits, with her golden sleepy head.
If she wishes to go I will not forgive her.
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
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Structure
 In pairs, make a note about the way that the poem is structured. In
particular, think about the number of verses in the poem and the lengths of
the lines. Note anything else you think is relevant.
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 Using a blue pencil or pen, trace and mark the pattern and structure of
the poem’s line endings by following the right-hand side of the silhouette
above.
 Look at the line you’ve drawn and then, in small groups, discuss the
following questions.
 What does the line look like?
 What might the poem be about?
 Why, do you think, the poem is one verse long?
 What is the effect of the different line lengths? That is, what do they
seem to capture?
 What might the pace of the poem be during short lines? Long lines?
What might this reflect?
 What might the title of the poem be?
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
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Predictions
 In pairs, make a list of words and phrases that you associate with rivers
and water. Keep this list safe. Think about:
 possible adjectives to describe a river / water;
 words to describe the movement of a river / water;
 what might happen in a river / water;
 who and what you might find in a river / water.
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
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Character and voice
 Read the following lines from the opening of the poem:
“I may be smelly and I may be old,
Rough in my pebbles, reedy in my pools,
But where my fish float by I bless their swimming
And I like the people to bathe in me, especially women.”
 Who is the speaker of this poem? Explain your answer.
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 The next section of the poem is below. Read it and then fill in the gaps
with words you feel are appropriate.
“But I can __________ the fools
Who __________ too close to the weir, contrary to __________.
And they take a long time __________
As I throw them up now and then in the spirit of clowning.”
 Take three minutes to compare and explain your choice of words with
your partner. Check / correct your answers with your teacher.
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
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First impressions
 What adjectives would you use to describe the attitude and personality
of the speaker?
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Feed back your ideas to your teacher and the rest of the class.
God
 List the names of as many gods as you can. Make another list of words
to describe the gods and / or any words that you associate with gods
generally.
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
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The River God
 The title of the poem is ‘The River God’. Listen to and then read a copy
of the poem.
 The poem is dominated by a word set linked to rivers and water. Work
in pairs to make a note of them.
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 Compare the words from the poem with the list of words and phrases from
the prediction activity you did on worksheet 4. How many did you predict
correctly?
God-like
 Like the gods you listed on worksheet 6, the speaker of this poem – The
River God – shows different attitudes and different aspects of his
personality at certain points in the poem.
Playful and humourous
Loving and caring
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
Selfish,
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spiteful and
powerful
 In small groups, identify examples and evidence from the poem which
captures the attitude and personality of the speaker. (Organise groups
according to surnames.)
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Surnames A-F: Playful and humourous
Surnames G-L: Loving and caring
Surnames M-R: Selfish, spiteful and powerful
Surnames S-Z: Lines 11 - 26
 In lines 11 – 26 there is plenty of evidence of the above examples of the
speaker’s attitude and personality. However, the tone and content in this
section of the poem is more complex. Are there any words or phrases that
make you feel sympathy for the speaker? Look for contrasts and look at the
words the speaker uses to describe himself. (You can look at the entire
poem, too.)
 When your research is completed, work in your groups to create a
teaching and learning task, worksheet or presentation on your specialist area.
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
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2. How does the writer make the speaker sound god-like? Pick out the words
and phrases used that give this impression and write them in the box below.
Repetition
 Below is a copy of ‘The River God’ by Stevie Smith. It is arranged in
alphabetical order. This is useful as it helps to:

focus attention on individual words and word sets;

identify patterns and repetition.
a a a a a a am an and and and and and and as at away away bathe
bathe bathed be be be be beautiful beautiful beautiful beautiful
bed bed black bless bold brought but but but but by by can cliff
close clowning cold contrary dear deep do do does down drown
drowning earth especially face fear fish float flow foolish fools
for forget forgive foul go go go go golden guess have head her
her her her her her here hi hi hold I I I I I I I I I I I I if in in in in
in in is know lady lady lady let lies lies like long looks many
many may may may me me me me me merrily my my my my
my my no not not not not now now o of of of oh oh old old old
on once one or original pebbles people plenty pools reed reedy
river river river rough rules runs say she she she she she she she
sleepy smelly smelly smooth so spirit stay stay swimming take
tall the the the the the the the the their them then there there
there they they they this throw time to to to to to to to too too up
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
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waiting waits was was wash water waving weed weir what
where where where white who who who who wide will will will
will wishes with with with with women would yih yih yippityyap
 Working on your own, read the list of words from the poem. What is your
response? Make a note of your ideas.
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 Create a chart or bar graph that maps the poem’s repetitions. Use a
dictionary to identify word types.
 Work in pairs to select five of your favourite repetitions. Identify their use
within the poem and explain their effect.
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To have and to hold 
 In addition to words related to rivers and water, the poem also contains
many words that could be linked to love, marriage, loss and / or the
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
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breakdown of a relationship. Work with a partner to circle the words in the
alphabetical list and then find the word(s) in the poem. Discuss any new
interpretations that have come to light. Think about the narrator’s power.
How powerful is he? Share your ideas with your teacher and the rest of the
class. Identify moments where his voice changes.
Double vowels
 Many words in this poem have a double vowel. These have been hidden
around the classroom. Move quickly (and safely) around the classroom
searching for the words. As you find a word, return to your desk and make a
note of it in the space below. You are not allowed to take your worksheet or
pen with you. (Supporting resource on page 12.)
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______________
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______________
______________
 Read the list of words and, working in groups of three, consider both the
meaning and effect of these words within the context of the poem. It might
help if you think about how the words affect the pace and rhythm of the lines.
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
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(Enlarge to A3 before cutting and hiding.)
reedy too
pools fools
deep weed
reed smooth
foolish sleepy
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
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Rhyme scheme
 The poem is written almost entirely in rhyming couplets. The only
exceptions are:

the first two lines of the poem;
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the last four lines of the poem. (Though the last four lines do contain a
couplet, the regular pattern is broken.)
1. Remove all worksheets and copies of the poem ready for the next activity.
Your teacher will provide each of you with a line from the poem. Throughout
the entire activity, you are only allowed to speak your line.
2. Walk around the classroom and, as you meet your classmates, take it in
turns to deliver your lines.
3. Your task is to find the other half of the couplet. When you have found your
‘other half’, make sure that the order of the couplets is correct. You have to
take it in turns to deliver it correctly until the meaning of the couplet makes
sense. No discussing.
4. Students who have been given lines from the start or end of the poem will
have to work according to meaning.
5. When all couplets have been found, and when the order of the couplet is
correct, your next task is to try, as a class, to deliver the poem in order – a line
at a time.
Copyright © 2010 TES English www.tes.co.uk
AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
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Let’s take a closer look
What other poetic techniques does the poet use to create the sound of
water? Identify and explain three examples.
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What is the effect of the rhyme scheme changing at the end of the poem?
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There are two lines in the poem that begin with a single word followed by a full
stop. What are they, and what is the effect on the reader?
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
Poetry detective
Poetic techniques and
devices
Examples
assonance
rhyme
mid-line full stops
onomatopoeia
modal verbs
repetition
use of personal
pronouns
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
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Get Creative!
 AO2: Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’
presentation of ideas, themes and settings.
Using ‘The River God’ as a guide, you are going to write a poem of your own.
The speaker in your poem is going to be the element of your choice. Choose
and circle your choice from the list below, or come up with your own.
THE WIND
THE SEA
THE RAIN
THE DESERT
THE SUN
A STORM
Writer’s Toolbox
With your choice of speaker in mind, tick the techniques you think would be
useful in creating an accurate voice for your poem. Write in the intended effect
of this technique. If needed, you can add additional techniques at the bottom.
Linguistic and structural techniques
Rhyme
Non-standard English
Mid-line full stops
Enjambment
Assonance
Repetition
Alliteration
Metaphors
Similes
Onomatopoeia
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Use?
Intended effect?
AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
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My Itchy Toes Smell Loads
 Complete the table below with what you consider to be the
most important quotes and poetic devices within each
category.
meaning
imagery
tone
Structure
and Form
language
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
Comparing poems
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AO3: Make comparisons and explain links between texts, evaluating
writers’ different ways of expressing meaning and achieving effects
 Use the Venn diagram to find the differences and similarities between
the two poems.
‘The river god’
‘medusa’
Sample exam questions
 Compare the central characters in ‘The River God’ and ‘Medusa’.
 Compare the presentation of the theme of power in ‘The River God’
and ‘Medusa’.
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
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Planning an essay
 Using MITSL as a guide, create an essay plan or spider diagram for your
essay question. You must include 3 - 5 points of comparison. Number each
point in the order you would write about them in your exam. When you write
your essay, remember to analyse structural and poetic devices for their
effect and meaning. Don’t just list.
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AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
20
The River God
I may be smelly and I may be old,
Rough in my pebbles, reedy in my pools,
But where my fish float by I bless their swimming
And I like the people to bathe in me, especially women.
5
But I can drown the fools
Who bathe too close to the weir, contrary to rules.
And they take a long time drowning
As I throw them up now and then in the spirit of clowning.
Hi yih, yippity-yap, merrily I flow,
10
O I may be an old foul river but I have plenty of go.
Once there was a lady who was too bold
She bathed in me by the tall black cliff where the water runs cold,
So I brought her down here
To be my beautiful dear.
15
Oh will she stay with me will she stay
This beautiful lady, or will she go away?
She lies in my beautiful deep river bed with many a weed
To hold her, and many a waving reed.
Oh who would guess what a beautiful white face lies there
20
Waiting for me to smooth and wash away the fear
She looks at me with. Hi yih, do not let her
Go. There is no one on earth who does not forget her
Now. They say I am a foolish old smelly river
But they do not know of my wide original bed
25
Where the lady waits, with her golden sleepy head.
If she wishes to go I will not forgive her.
Stevie Smith
Copyright © 2010 TES English www.tes.co.uk
AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - POETRY ANTHOLOGY: CHARACTER AND VOICE
Acknowledgments and thanks
Written by Chantel Mathias and Amanda Fiegel
Introduction and copy by Karen Bishop
Audio file scripts and recordings by Barrie McDermid - www.podcastrevision.co.uk
Interactive resources and design by David Riley - www.triptico.co.uk
Smith, Stevie
‘The River God’ by Stevie Smith from COLLECTED POEMS OF STEVIE SMITH, copyright © 1972
by Stevie Smith. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp.
Every effort has been made to contact copyright holders of material reproduced in this collection. If
notified, we will be pleased to rectify any errors / omissions.
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