he turns the soil,
pulls weeds,
harvests greens.
He plucks ripe vegetables
and carries them to his
wheelbarrow."
The first line of this book about a doctor whose poetry has inspired many is a perfect invitation to all of us as we harbor in place in a bid to 'flatten the curve' and stop the spread of Covid-19.
"Look out the window. What do you see?"
We have the time to take close looks outside our windows these days, and think carefully about what we are seeing there. If you are homeschooling, it is a perfect opportunity to encourage your kids with the power of observation for their writing. That is one of the truly wonderful lessons poetry written well teaches us.
William Carlos Williams was a doctor, and an aspiring writer. He spent his days caring for his patients, and eking out time to consider what he saw around him. Those close observations became the subject of his poetry. As he watched his neighbor, Thaddeus Marshall, work diligently to grow a garden that would supply his neighbors with fresh produce, Dr. Williams also went about the work that endeared him to all who received his medical attention. He carried with him the tools he needed to do his work, just as Mr. Marshall did when tending to his garden.
Between visits, and whenever else he found time, he wrote.
"He chooses the words for
his poetry as carefully as he
examines his patients.
If he's making a house call, he scribbles
poems on his prescription pad.
He writes about his town and the people who live there."
Written with clarity and perfect word choice, Ms. Rogers makes this story a stellar picture book debut. Chuck Groenink's rich digital artwork brings Dr. Williams' world to full life and allows readers to clearly see all that he saw, helping them realize the power to be found in words. Leaving the 'red wheelbarrow' poem to the final page is an ingenious denouement.
There was a time when I was conducting poetry workshops in schools. I love the power it has to stimulate thought, the senses, the creative juices that young learners have. One of my favorite poems by William Carlos Williams encouraged writers to consider an apology for something they should not have done:
"This Is Just To Say
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold"
Is there anything you have done lately that deserves a poetic apology? Why not try?
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