The Red Wheelbarrow
Substitute Librarian Betty Kunes remembers studying William Carlos William’s poem, The Red Wheelbarrow in college English and being amazed at the depth and complexity of such an apparently simple poem. First published in 1923, this one is now out of copyright, so I can publish it here.
The Red Wheelbarrow
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens.
If you like William Carlos Williams, check out Wiiliam Carlos Williams: Selected Poems from our literature collection. This pediatrian/ Pulitzer Prize winning poet was a beautiful writer and human being. I particularly enjoy This is Just to Say. It always makes me smile.
Betty retired as an academic librarian at Lorain Community College and now substitutes for us throughout the library. Betty’s an expert searcher and especially knowledgable about legal and literature resources. Come in and give her a try with your reference questions!
April 11, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Betty, I hate to say it but I just don’t get it. Do you mind helping me out?
April 16, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Paul,
WCW was a doctor and a modernist poet of the early 20th Century. A feature of modernism was to “make it new” and poets experimented with both poetic form and subject matter.
In this poem, WCW uses a “new” form - four, 4-word stanzas; and chooses an unconventional subject matter - a red wheelbarrow - (not a common poetic image).
Critics have interpreted this small poem in great detail. Some say that the four stanzas represent the four seasons and this poem is about the relationship between man and nature. Others say it represents a relationship between man and his labor; others…man and the spiritual.
WCW felt that there was real worth in looking at ordinary things and that the moment of seeing or perceiving those things was the moment of reality. He felt, as did many of the Romantics, that “God speaks through nature.” Thus, looking at a common item such as a wheelbarrow connects the viewer to the spiritual, and to his own reality.
Is this poem just painting a pretty picture or telling a deeper story? Numerous scholarly articles discussing same can be found through our EbscoHost database.
Betty