Free Choice Poetry: Review # 18

The Paper Doorway

 Koontz, D. (2001). The Paper Doorway: Funny Verse and Nothing Worse. New York: Harper Collins.

ISBN: 9780060294885

Critical Analysis

The Boogeyman, A Shark in the Park, A Cure for Ugly, Frankenbunny, and a Skelton’s Hotel……these may sound like strange happenings, almost too weird to believe, but the fact is they are some of the poems available in this diverse collection of poems authored by best-selling novelist Dean Koontz. I must say that the cleverness within the themes of this collection are childlike and will strike a fancy with any child in elementary school. Very tastefully written in free verse, this collection is overflowing with poems that students can relate to, poems that students will feel a part of, and most importantly poems that students will want to read over and over again. Each poem has been written in first person, making this collection a great resource when looking for poems to read aloud or perform. The themes range from a poem about the Boogeyman, poems about the secret life of Snowmen in Snowland, and even a poem that has been written all around the subject of plurals. Overall, this collection is bursting with humor and the zany poems in this collection will take readers on amazing journeys through rhyme and rhythm as they zip through the pages of the book. Among the pages of the book are meticulously detailed illustrations that bring these poems to life. The style presented in this collection is very similar to that of Shel Silverstein with an added touch of quirkiness that is sure to ignite the minds of kids as they witness poetry on such a fun level.

POEM SPOTLIGHT

The Shark in the Park

What a grand time I had in the park.

Well, except for the shark.
Flying my kite and throwing my ball…
Will the shark eat us all?
The park has a pond but don’t look there,
Sharks can be anywhere.
Under a rock or high in a tree,
Right behind you—or me.

Sharks are so tricky, sneaky, and sly.

Dad can’t understand why,
When watching for sharks, I scan the sky.
They say sharks cannot fly.
But sharks have been here for millions of years,
So it’s not strange to fear
That in so much time they learned some tricks
And perhaps get their kicks
From surprise attacks—ZOOM—diving down
Making not one shark sound.

Much stranger creatures than you and me.

Live out there, wild and free.
Look at the duck, which both swims and flies
--or the owl, which is wise
But, though wise, nevertheless eats mice
Instead of something nice.
And, hey, what about the flying fish?
Sharks can’t fly? Oh, you wish!

Dean Koontz

Analysis

Upon first glance I imagined this poem to funny, and while it was funny, at times it also forced the reader to ponder why certain things happen in nature and our world. Although the theme of this poem is rather abstract (sharks flying...how absurd) Koontz definitely hooks readers with a catchy and appealing topic. This poem exhibits perfectly paired words with end rhyme on every other line, and is so verseful, that it is almost song-like. The theme as well as the organization of the stanzas provide the reader with insight on the mood of the poem, almost frightening at times, until the last line when Koontz has proved his point and has readers believing the absurdity. From the very first line Koontz draws readers into this world where sharks exist in the park by questioning readers and reminding them of just how sneaky these creatures can be. His use of various synonyms describing their sneakiness enhances the meaning as well as they rhyme. This poem screams figurative language with a theme that exhibits personification and several instances of alliteration such as, "Sharks are so tricky, sneaky, and sly." This poem also has onomatopoeia as it describes the movement of the shark as, "ZOOM." While drawing upon the imagination the reader can feel the abstract meaning even more when Koontz alludes to the mere fact of why owls eat mice instead of something nice. Whether read aloud, choral read, or even read silently this poem will evoke personal response from readers as it generates questions and discussions throughout the reading.

Classroom Connections

This poem is truly absurd, and although students will laugh at the zany topic, they will also think about the final line, "Sharks can't fly? Oh you wish! " When sharing this poem with students, a read aloud would be the perfect fit as the text itself seems to speak to the reader and guide them in pacing and volume in order to set the mood. I think this poem would be a great resource on teaching personification, as students explore other animals that could possibly perform acts that are human like. This poem would also serve as a great resource to an animal unit, as students might research the question, Can Sharks Really Fly? As they are researching they could find out other unique information such as how high sharks jump out of the water, and look at different species of sharks and their abilities as well.

This poem represents an ABAB rhyming pattern and would be a great poem to use in a lesson on modeling rhyme. Students could highlight the end rhyme phrases and compare the words Koontz chose for the poem with other words that are in the same rhyming families. For example: mice and nice: ice, twice, dice, lice, advice, precise, and device. The students could seperate the words into groups based on the number of syllables as well. This would be a great extension to any type of word family work as well as vocabulary enhancement.

Janeczko Collection: Poetry Review # 17

Home on the Range

Janeczko, Paul B. Home on the Range Cowboy Poetry. New York: Dial Books, 1997.
ISBN: 978-0803719118

Critical Analysis:

This unique collection of poems selected by Paul Janeczko is cowboy through and through!   Readers young and old will enjoy the diversity of the poems in this collection, all with one common connection, being a cowboy.  With heartfelt and touching ballads and humorous verse, Janeczko has selected from the best cowboy poets, works which truly symbolize and explore what it is like to be a cowboy in many different realms.  Whether the reader wants to experience the great wide open on the range or a more simplisitic life with less hectic routine, the poems in this collection will cause the imagination to run wild.  The pencil skteches of Bernie Fuchs are simple in design, but portray the life of a cowboy in such detail, that readers feel as if they are sitting around the campfire themselves.  The imagery presented in the text is visible within each illustration, and the words as if from the west themselves, draw the reader to the frontier.  Every aspect of a cowboys life from ridin', and ropin', to hayin', and haulin'....this collection truly depicts how hard yet satisfying being a cowboy can be.  Readers will connect with the cowboy and experience for themselves the raw emotion that the freedom of the open range can bring about.  This collection is truly a round up of sincere cowboy verse!

POEM SPOTLIGHT

Hats off to the Cowboy

The city folks think that it’s over.

The cowboy has outlived his time—

An old worn-out relic, a thing of the past,

But the truth is, he’s still in his prime.

The cowboy’s the image of freedom,

The hard-ridin’ boss of the range.

His trade is a fair one, he fights for what’s right,

And his ethics aren’t subject to change.

He still tips his hat to the ladies,

Let’s you water first at the pond.

He believes a day’s pay is worth a day’s work,

And his handshake and word are his bond.

Red Steagall

Analysis:

As I read through the poems in this collection I could not help but enjoy this poem, as it expresses a concrete message so clearly and confidently, what makes a cowboy a true hero.  The life is rough, the trail is tough, but no matter what, as Steagall states, "his handshake and word are his bond."  There are not many instances in today's busy world when a handshake much less a person's word mean anything, but to a cowboy, they mean everything.  This poem speaks volumes as it smoothly portrayed a cowboy, an ordinary working man, as an honest to goodness, hero.  The imagery within this selection seems to be saying, "you're old and worn-out", but the illustration says, "I'm not finished yet."  So much of a cowboys life is work, and the theme within this poem is that the work is worth it.  The clever use of figurative language to compare the cowboy as the image of freedom, will be one that any reader can relate to and understand.  This poem reads with ease, much like the cowboy rides, and the slow pace of life on the range is presented symbolically within the rhythm and cadence of each stanza.  Steagall has carefully chosen words that are meaningful to the theme such as relic, prime, and ethics, all of which enhance the overall effect of the poem on the reader. 

Classroom Connections:

Being a cowboy is something that all children want to do at some point in their life.  They like to dress up, they like to play horses and rope things, and this poem is a great resource for sharing all about "true" cowboys with the class.  This poem would be a great tool to use on Cowboy Day when the kids are dressed up in their boots and hats.  The teacher could discuss with students how the "ethics" in the poem are like rules, and that a "handshake" was like a promise.  If possible, have a real cowboy come to the class and share the poem and some others from the collection as well.  He could bring some cowboy supplies such as a saddle, spurs, ropes and reins, and even a horse to show the children some riding techniques.  Students could finish up with stories around a campfire and cowboy treats.
To compliment the cowboy poetry the teacher could also share some cowboy themed books with the class such as: The Toughest Cowboy by: John Frank, Cowboys and Cowgirls: Yippee Yay: Gail  Gibbons, and C is For Cowboy: A Wyoming Alphabet by: Eugene Gagliano.

Poetry By Kids: Review # 16

What Does the X-Ray Say?

Longfellow Elementary Second Grade. What Does the X-Ray Say? New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2011.
ISBN: 978-0545402910

Critical Analysis:

In this clever and insightful book all about x-rays, the second grade students of Longfellow Elementary share everything they know and have experienced themselves with x-rays.  This entire book is written as a poem picture book, and the black and white illustrations which are also masterpieces of the students, really do compliment the selection.  The rhyming within the text is very concrete as well as the subject matter presented, however the theme of what happens when you get an x-ray can be new and a little scary for children.  This book is both comical and creative, while also serious at times, as the mood alternates from a child hurt at the hospital, to other silly situations when an x-ray may need to be taken such as the dog swallowing 33 golfballs.  Above all, this book is relatable in the vocabulary presented as well as the thematic approach used to explain x-rays.  The repetition of the word revealed is a powerful clue in guiding younger students to a clear and precise understanding of how an x-ray works as well as what it is used for.  The words are rhythmical and the cadence will allow this book to be read aloud as a whole group or as choral reading.  What a fun way to explore such a mature concept….AN X-RAY!

POEM SPOTLIGHT (Excerpt)

What Does the X-Ray Say?

One day, Rayann sat in the

Hospital with a sore neck

Waiting for the doctor

to give her a check.

Jumping on her parent’s bed

was a big mistake.

Now she had a pain

That ached and ached.

The doctor said she

teeded an x-ray

To see what happened

inside her that day.

A huge machine

Started clicking away.

Rayann was

worried

what the

x-ray

would say.

Longfellow Elementary 2^nd Grade Class

Analysis:

As I read this poem picture book I couldn’t help but become involved in the pictures, which compliment the book so well.  The expression on Rayann’s face is touching, and the teacher could use this as a the basis of why x-rays are usually taken; to help someone who has been hurt or is sick.  Students will enjoy the rhythm and cadence of the text and will want to participate as the book begins sharing new experiences of what an x-ray can show.  This book reminds me of the “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly” books, as it continues to unwrap a new mystery page after page.  Students will continue to stay involved with the text and participate as they book is read.  The connection between the text and pictures will help smaller children understand the new information and what is being discussed.  This selection will prepare the students in the event that they themselves have to get an x-ray, or help them share what happened when they had an x-ray.  This book is sure to spur discussion of prior experiences and students will want to make personal responses once they fully understand what an x-ray does.

Classroom Connections:

This book is a great resource for younger elementary teachers!  How fun would it be to have an actual radiologist come and read the book aloud to students, and then share some real x-rays!  X-rays, are most generally hard to explain to children, however they are routinely discussed when students learn about the letter “x”.  What a great tool for sharing the “big picture” of an x-ray to the class!  This book could lead students into an even broader discussion of the skeletal system.  Preschool and Kinder teachers are always looking for artistic contributions and the black and white images in this book seem so life like and real, and serve as a great way to connect the class to the concept.  Students could use black paper and noodles of all sorts as they make noodle skeletons.  These artistic creations could be displayed with a catchy phrase, No Bones About It! Our body has OODLES of Bones!

Another great connection would be to create a prop box with items in it that the different x-rays show, such as the rubber duck, a dime, a collar bell, and golf balls.  As the book is read aloud students could act out and take part in what is happening in the story. 

Performance Poetry: Review # 15

Joyful Noise: Poems For Two Voices

Fleischman, Paul. Joyful Noise: Poems For Two Voices. Harper & Row, 1988.

Critical Analysis:

Fleischman has once again created a collection of poems meant to be shared by two voices in this companion to his previous work, The Phoenix..  In this selection, Joyful Noise: Poems For Two Voices, readers experience the insect world in a creepy manner as the poems and illustrations themselves seem to crawl off the page.  This collection of poems was written to be read aloud by two people, therefore the setup of the text io the pages has been divided into two parts, one for each reader.  Fleischman includes a note prior to the first poem explaining to readers how to read with two voices, separate at times, and simultaneous at others.  The way in which the parts are printed as well as the added element of performance, is sure to attract readers of all ages.  Students will enjoy reading and performing, but will learn as they are interpreting the themes presented in this guide to insects.  Each of the poems themselves are witty and enjoyable, many portray the insect as attitudinal at times.  I found it quite clever that Fleischman chose such a wide array of insects to include in this collection from those annoying pests like grasshoppers and mayflies to insects we need like honeybees.  All in all, this book is detailed in information and design.  The stunning illustrations of Eric Beddows are lifelike and meticulous, making the insects themselves creep and crawl, spin and leap, fly and buzz……all through the pages.  Each of the fourteen poems is presented in first-person offering readers a close encounter of life as each insect.  The clever use of onomatopoeia, personifcation, and imagery are present throughout most of the poems in this collection, adding to the scientific theme and providing lasting meaning for readers of all ages.  Fleischman has masterfully written a collection of poems that will guide readers on a discovery of insects while using verse with occasional rhyme to enhance the poetic structure and feel from cover to close.

Poem Spotlight

Fireflies

Light                                                      Light

                                                                Is the ink we use

Night                                                     Night

Is our parchment

                                                                We’re

                                                                fireflies

fireflies                                                 flickering

flitting                                                  

                                                                flashing

fireflies

                                                                fireflies

                                                                gleaming

glowing

Insect calligraphers                         Insect calligraphers

Practicing penmanship                 

                                                                copying sentences

Six-legged scribblers                       Six-legged scribblers

Of vanishing messages,                                

                                                                Fleeting graffiti

Fine artists in flight                          Fine artists in flight

adding dabs of light                        

                                                                bright brush strokes

Signing the June nights                  Signing the June nights

as if they were paintings               as if they were paintings

                                                                We’re

flickering                                              fireflies

fireflies                                                 flickering

fireflies.                                               fireflies.

Paul Fleischman

Analysis:

This poem was buzzing with pizzazz and as I read it I immediately was reminded of catching fireflies with my kids last summer.  Fleischman creatively uses themes and experiences that readers can personally relate to, and this makes the poem more meaningful.  The poetic elements presented in this first person account of a firefly are delightful, starting with the use of alliteration of the letter “f and g" as he describes the fireflies as flickering and flitting, and then gleaming and glowing.  The rhyming and repetitive phrases keep the reader hooked as they continue to read from one side of the page to the other soaking in both of the reader’s parts.  I especially appreciated Fleischman’s clever use of personification as he describes the fireflies as “insect calligraphers, practicing penmanship”.  This unique approach has readers envision the light of the firefly in a whole new perspective.  The imagery presented in this piece is powerful and poignant, presented in just the right places.  This poem is meant to be read by two voices, however Fleischman has included several parts where the readers read simultaneously.  Most of the simultaneous readings are choral, but Fleischman has included several lines where readers are reading different words at the same time such as the ending where one reader says flickering  while the other says fireflies.  Students will get a kick out of this new style of reading and will enjoy the overall diversity of the structure of this collection and the delightful text .

Classroom Connections:

When I came across this poem I immediately thought of how great this would be as a companion to the Eric Carle book, Firefly, Firefly.  This book is usually shared in the early grades, but this poem would be a wonderful resource to use when sharing it again in the upper grades.  Students would have so much fun sharing this poem orally with a partner. 

As an additional activity students could create puppets for the fireflies and read the parts as a puppet play for younger students.  The poem presents itself to such powerful performance and the use of puppets would make the poem come to life. 

Since this poem is about an insect and includes many scientific facts, the teacher could also choose to explore fireflies more through classroom research.  Students could gather new facts about the firefly and write their own poems in either free verse or another form such as haiku about these unique characters.

Hopkins Award Poetry: Review # 14

Pieces: A Year in Poems and Quilts

Hines, Anna Grossnickle. Pieces: A Year in Poems and Quilts. Greenwillow Books, 2001.

Critical Analysis:
This unique collection of poems comes to life in such a creative comparison: quilts and poetry.  Anna Grossnickle Hines grew up quilting and her love for quilts inspired her to take the seams and stitches of a quilt and encircle them with poems revolving around winter, spring, summer, and fall.  Poetry is an art and Hines has shown readers how the lyrical patterns and rhymes relate to life and the happenings in a year.  In the first poem, Pieces Hines tells readers of the patchwork pattern made up in a year.  This poem introduces the thematic concept of the relationship between the poems which detail seasonal events and the images of the real quilts squares that compliment them.  The poems encompass many poetic elements with rhyme and rhythm that flow freely like the nature of events they are describing, from a rainy day in March, to a lawn of Dandelions in spring.  Grossnickle has carefully chosen events that readers of all ages can relate to and the message in each poem is lighthearted and joyous.  She has detailed life and some of its most ordinary moments in poetry that is nothing but extraordinary.  The quilts which were handmade by Grossnickle and other members of her family serve as the perfect companion to the already elusive poetry.  This collection of poems is one that is sure to enlighten the life of any reader as it speaks to the mind and soul from the realms of the world that is ever changing around us.

POEM SPOTLIGHT

Good Heavens

Our lawn is astronomical

with dandelion blooms.

a green sky filled

with a thousand suns

and then

a thousand moons

that with a puff

of wind become

a hundred thousand stars.

Anna Grossnickle Hines

Analysis:

As I read through the poems in this selection I was reminded of many things that I myself recalled about the seasons.  The poem that seemed to speak to me personally was the poem Good Heavens.  The title of this poem and the disarray of quilt pieces scattered across the page it is on reminded me of stars even before I read the poem.  As I read and became absorbed in the language of the poem my eyes drifted to the quilt on the accompanying page.  Then….it all made perfect sense to me.  This poem and quilt fit together just as nice as the pieces of the quilt itself, but the meaning Hines set forth to share with readers was even more evident.  In just two sentences Hines was able to capture the heart and soul of her readers in a poem about a staple of spring: Dandelions.  Her creative use of imagery coupled with a powerful use of figurative language builds a bond between the poem and the reader.  The patchwork pattern she mentions in the beginning of the book is continuing as readers experience the changing of the dandelion from flower to seed.  Her comparison of to the sun and moon is one that readers can relate to as the rich colors found within the quilt bring to life the voice within the poem.  Hines has taken such a concrete experience and in a sense made it more abstract by having readers contemplate this act of nature on an entirely different level.  This poem evokes every element of quality poetry as it successfully portrays spring in only a few, powerful words.

Classroom Connections:

What child doesn’t love Dandelions?  Better yet, what child has not experienced firsthand a bunch of yellow blooms one day turn into beautiful white puffs days later?  This poem is a wonderful representation of the power of imagery and would be great to share in a lesson in which students visualize this feat of spring.  Before sharing this book or the poem Good Heavens with students, the teacher could bring a quilt into the class and spread onto the floor.  Students could sit on the quilt and discuss what makes a quilt special.  I think this poem would be best understood if shared in two readings, one with the eyes closed followed by one with the eyes opened.  If possible the teacher could enlarge the quilt that is used with this selection for students to see more clearly.  After the readings the teacher and students could discuss the imagery that is present, what came into their minds as they were just listening with their eyes closed.  Students could check to see if their mental images were similar to that of the images presented in the quilt.  Quilts are such a fun classroom activity.  The teacher could share other fun books based on quilts such as: The Keeping Quilt By: Patricia Polacco, The Name Quilt By: Phyliss Root, or Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt By: Deborah Hopkinson.  As a culminating activity students could work to create their own classroom quilt with each student making a square that resembles what makes them special.

Sidman Poetry: Review # 13

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.

 The first time you left because I cried too much:

                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.

 You see, I’m keeping track.

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.

 I’m sorry Daddy.

 Next time I’ll be

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!

Biographical Poetry:Review # 12

Carver: A Life In Poems

Nelson, M. (2001). Carver: A Life in Poems. Asheville, NC: Front Street.

Critical Analysis:

In this esteemed collection of biographical poems Marilyn Nelson takes readers on a journey through the past as they explore and read all about the diverse life of George Washington Carver.  From his time as a slave, to his adulthood spent working as a botanist in the field of agriculture, Nelson has truly captured Carver’s achievements.  This collection, mostly written in free verse, is informative in nature, with photographs that accompany many of the poems content.  The details of each poem, coupled with historical information and photographs, are intriguing and allow the reader to witness personal moments that George Washington Carver himself experienced.  The language is fresh and genuine to the time period, although slang is used at times, the text of each piece is easy to follow, almost conversation like.  Nelson has not painted a rosy picture that falsifies the true life of Carver; instead she has included poems related to slavery, lynching, segregation, and various struggles Carver encountered prior to his success in the field of agriculture.  In the poem Washboard Wizard Nelson describes Carver as the townspeople see him, “He’s a colored boy, a few years older than we are, real smart.  They say he was offered a scholarship to the college.  They say he was turned away when he got here, because he’s a nigger.”  Nelson reminds readers of a time in America when color was more important than skills, no matter what Carver could, no matter who he was better than, it didn’t matter, because his skin was dark.  The theme of this collection is biographical in nature, although readers may find out some surprising information, such as how Carver himself liked to knit.  In the poem The Lace-Maker Nelson shares with readers of this special past time when Carver, “bends, intent on detail, his fingers red in sunlight, brown in shade.”  Even though Carver was a man who liked to dig in the dirt, he liked things that were dainty too, and Nelson has made sure readers can see every aspect of what made Carver so special.  Emotions of all sorts are experienced in this collection, from sadness to joy.  Carver was a dedicated individual, and in this compelling collection readers will understand the effort required in order for him to achieve what he did. 

Poem Spotlight

Eureka

November 1924

His first time in New York,

As one of several speakers

before a conference crowd,

the professor is allotted twenty minutes.

He abbreviates his talk,

Stops abruptly, adds:

I never had to grope for methods;

the method is revealed

the moment I am inspired

to create something new.

The New York Times ridicules him,

the school at which he is employed,

and the entire Negro race.

Proving its prophecy, it editorializes:

Talk of that sort simply will bring

ridicule on an admirable institution

and on the race for which it has done

and still is doing much.

Because REAL scientists

do not ascribe their successes

to “inspiration.”

Marilyn Nelson

Critical Analysis:

In this poem Nelson shares with readers a touching incident that Carver experienced later in his career.  This poem is emotional and the theme of racism brings out many reactions as the reader witnesses how unfairly Carver was treated solely because of his skin color.  This poem is free verse in style, but as it is read, it seems to tell a story.  An intelligent individual, Carver could have given up when things like this seemed to happen, but Nelson brings out the best of such an awful incident by focusing on his ability to “inspire”.  The emotion this poem possesses is life-like; readers understand that Carver did not let things like this get in his way.  Nelson has truly captured what makes Carver so special in the final line of this poem, “Real scientists do not ascribe their successes to “inspiration”.   Readers will have a true sense of the ideas and principles Carver lived by after reading this well written biographical account of such a trying time in Carver’s life.

Classroom Connections:

This poem evokes such thought provoking discussions on “inspiration” and what it means to inspire someone.  After a brief discussion on George Washington Carver and his successes, the teacher could read aloud the poem to the class.  Have the class discuss how a man who experienced such success and achievement could have been treated in a manner of such ridicule.  Discuss with the class what it means to ridicule, and also why Carver was ridiculed.  This poem would fit great into studies related to character education, Black History month, or any biographical study.  Students could also discuss other individual they know from history who were treated similarly such as Martin Luther King Jr.  As a culminating activity the class could make acrostic poems using the word INSPIRE, and listing words that describe this theme.