This Is Just To Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness
Sidman, Joyce. This Is Just To Say: Poems of
Apology and Forgiveness. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007.
Critical Analysis:
I can see why Joyce Sidman took
this unique collection of poems and turned them into a collection; it entails powerful,thematic materials and elements that adolescents
all around the world can relate to. This
book is such a thoughtful and whimsical collection of apologetic poems written
by a class of sixth grade class of students.
I found each and every poem in this collection to portray raw emotion as
well as honesty and integrity. The collection itself
began as ordinary “sorry” poems, but after much revising and consideration on making the
poems into a book, the class decided to write a second part which gives responses
to the apologies, and on most occassions offers forgiveness. The themes of the
actual apologies are as diverse as the poetic forms represented in the
collection. There are zany poems devoted
to saying sorry for accidents playing dodge ball as well as more serious
selections which focus on the loss of a pet.
Mrs. Mertz taught her class poetry of all kinds, and she taught them
well, as witnessesd in the free verse, rhymes, haikus, and pantoums found within
this collection. This Is Just To Say represents an emotional situation in which anyone,
young or old can relate too, as we have all done something in our lives that
requires an apology. The apology itself
can either make or break the relationship of the parties involved, and this
collection justifies why apologizing is the right thing to do, even when it may
seem impossible. The ultimate goal of an apology is forgiveness and the connection between the two is portayed so dynamically in this collection.
POEM SPOTLIGHT
Next Time
To my Dad
You went away and left me.
It’s not the first time.
screaming baby, waah, waah!
The second time, it was because I messed up at school:
your daughter is “acting out.”
The third time, I came home early and saw…
Well, Forget it, you told me, so I did.
What did I do this time?
Is it the way I‘m dressing these days,
or the way I laugh too loud?
Whatever it is.
I can fix it.
Please, please come back.
Don’t leave me spinning alone,
Like a slow, sad tonado.
Perfect.
By: Jewel
Joyce Sidman
Analysis:
As I read this collection I smiled, I laughed, I thought of
times when I had done something similar to one of the students in the class. But, the poem that really caught my attention
was one that literally brought tears to my eyes.
In Next Time, Jewel writes
from her heart, and the emotions brought on by the routine coming and going of
her father are contagious. This poem
evoked an overwhelming sadness in me, much like the simile that Jewel herself uses,
“Don’t leave me spinning alone, like a slow, sad tornado.” As a teacher, I have witnessed firsthand how
divorce and unsettling matters at home can affect children emotionally and
academically. This poem as hopeless as
it may have seemed, is an inspiration and makes the reader hopeful that Jewel
will make it through her struggles. The
honesty in the stanzas is clear and confident, and students will relate to
Jewel on a whole new level. This poem
serves readers of all ages, as they consider the fact that Jewel herself felt
like she needed to apologize, when in all reality she never did anything
wrong. In the part two response to Jewel’s
poem, her dad wrote her back, and from his letter Jewel found the
courage to write another poem this time both to and from her dad. As goose bumps rose over my entire body the
raw emotion, and gut wrenching pain that her father must have felt sunk
in. These poems represent honest to
goodness life as it is, without the roses!
The reader is left with a postive feeling as Jewel herself once again
inspires readers with the hope that things will get better. This poem represents what forgiveness is all about.
Classroom
Connections:
This entire collection of poems
would be a great asset to any character education program a school offers to
students. This Is Just To Say evokes emotions and feelings that readers of
all ages can and will want to read and relate to. Sidman provides readers with a great
connection in the foreword of the book, “ “So…..What
sort of apology poem would you write?” I think that after sharing this book in its
entirety or in single selections, students could benefit from writing their own
apologetic poem. Whether in the form of
a consequence or for a class book like the one Mrs. Mertz compiled, the
thematic approach of apologetic poems is one that will benefit many people,
those doing the writing, as well as those who receive the apology. Students will see firsthand the power behind
a meaningful apology as they witness a personal relationship mended in forgiveness.
In the poem Next Time readers experience the pain and suffering a young girl
feels after her father leaves again and again.
This poem is such a special topic, but one that teachers and counselors
could use when students are struggling with the same trying situations. Jewel’s poem is a perfect example of how
writing about your feelings can help a person to heal and to forgive. With divorce rates on the rise this poem
could help the healing process as students realize they are not alone, and that
no matter what nothing is too much to handle!
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