How does Lorna Goodison use imagery in The River Mumma Wants Out?

Goodison embeds her imagery in metaphor. The main metaphor of this poem is that of the River Mumma. As a mythical character, the River Mumma herself can be seen as a metaphor for the spiritual essence of Jamaica. She is half human and half fish, of course, which would make her wanting to do the many things presented in the poem absurd outside the context of a fantastic metaphor. Thus, the River Mumma's desires reflect the waning spirituality of the nation's citizens, perhaps especially the youth, who would be most enamored of the idea of being "dancehall queens" and so forth. In attributing the desires of her nation's citizens to such a revered legendary character, the tragedy of the situation is made clear.