The Riveting Poetry of Jeanie Thompson

Jeanie Thompson's poetry combines the literary tools of poignant imagery, deliberate structure, and specific point of view to express feelings and thoughts about timeless themes that readers quickly identify with. The opening stanza of the poem "Earth Hymn" is a good example of riveting poetry:

The tines caked with mud amaze
him he says and then as the April afternoon
wanes he turns the earth and pours in humus
I cannot open the earth and not think of you
in the backyard near the old oak
set like an elephant’s giant foot in my
tree-ring garden I’m on my knees
deep in the one act I know brings
peace he is up front with the child who delights
in nightcrawlers a bucketful of fish bait though
One of the first images that impresses a reader is revealed in the first line. Immediately, a reader engages with the narrator in some kind of gardening or farming. The condition of the mud is known by the mention of the month of April, which is spring, and the earth is moist, its aroma thick with mineral scents.

A second image that immediately fills a reader's nostrils is in the third line as the narrator "pours in humus". This imagery surrounds the reader with more earthy aromas. Digging in the mud eases the reader into identifying with the next line where memory presented in a general manner engages the reader into the process of remembering a person from his or her life.

The common images of "backyard", "old oak", "tree-ring garden", "nightcrawlers" and "bucketful" all maintain the simplicity of earth and promotes the idea of living life as naturally as possible, which most children experience. The narrator lures the reader to remember childhood experiences; more importantly, refresh the memory of someone who once was dear.

Besides the imagery, the poet uses a deliberate structure. The alternating lines resemble rows in a garden. The structure is maintained throughout the poem as is evidenced in the stanzas above and below.

in the evening he will go out one last time
to the back garden some errand
that can’t wait until first light and return to
hold me and say “I feel the garden humming”
I push the earth down and think I should tamp
it the way you did walking methodically
down the rows to pack tighter than rich dirt
from which later in the year the hollyhock

http://www.storysouth.com/fall2001/Thomp...
The next poem captures the horror of a "slave gag," which was often used to keep slaves silent. The viewpoint is from that of a young child currently studying about the history of slaves. The narrator begins,

The copyright of the article The Riveting Poetry of Jeanie Thompson in American Poetry Review is owned by Thadine Franciszkiewicz. Permission to republish The Riveting Poetry of Jeanie Thompson in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic