It’s the first Friday of the month and that means our Inklings’ challenge is due. This month’s challenge was issued by Margaret Simon, who asked us to write a persona poem. In short, a persona poem “has a specific audience, conveys a message, is written in the voice of another person, place, or thing, uses direct address.” I checked out a couple of fabulous examples, including Sylvia Plath’s stunning Mirror, and Patricia Smith’s Katrina. These were both inspiring and intimidating.
After considering a few options, The Giving Tree popped into my head– Yes, that controversial children’s story woven by the oh-so-talented Shel Silverstein. Is it a cautionary tale? A tale of unbound love or unboundaried love? A warning to a parent? A warning to a child? Selfless? Abusive? For some reason, I found myself wanting to consider the Tree’s perspective. To be honest, even though I wrote it, I find myself a little uncomfortable with the voice in this poem. But right or wrong, here’s what she had to say:
The Giving Tree Speaks
I see you cringe as you turn
each page.
You judge me, don’t you?
For giving and giving
until it seems all
is gone.
Even as my story resonates,
it leaves you uncomfortable,
doesn’t it?
“Too much…” I hear you whisper.
You don’t see that the giving
was a choice.
My choice.
I gave actively
with love, energy,
full-hearted generosity–
I chose not to await
time’s
slow
drain.
Don’t you see?
I’m in the same place
I would have been
ultimately
eventually
But
I shaped myself
through my giving,
got here on my own terms.
You may see only a stump, but
my roots are secure, and
did you notice?
As our story ends
we are resting…
together.
What more could I want?
And I am happy.
©Molly Hogan, draft
If you’d like to see what the other Inklings have done with this challenge, click on their links:
Mary Lee Hahn
Catherine Flynn
Linda Mitchell
Heidi Mordhorst
Margaret Simon
This week’s Poetry Friday challenge is hosted by Linda Baie at her blog, Teacher Dance.
Nix the comfort zone 
I love how you told the story from the view of the tree. “You don’t see that the giving
was a choice.” A choice that each of us can make.
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This book has always troubled me, and it was very interesting to revisit it this way. Thanks for the prompt that inspired me to do so.
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Great insight Molly. I can see why you were uncomfortable – it is a book that provokes those thoughts, and your tree’s voice is perceptive, but still allows the reader to have their own take. I like the idea of the giver getting ‘ here on my own terms”. This links neatly to Linda’s topic of choices.
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Thanks! Revisiting the book and writing this was an interesting exercise.
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Oh, my, that freedom of choice, if we believe we have it, is a gift that never stops enriching our lives, Molly. I so enjoy your interpretation of the tree’s POV.
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Thanks, Linda, and thanks again for hosting this week!
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[…] We each take a turn at creating a prompt for the first Friday of each month. I asked my friends Molly Hogan, Mary Lee Hahn, Catherine Flynn, Linda Mitchell, and Heidi Mordhorst to write persona poems. […]
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Good morning, Molly! Surprising choice of voice–I’m fascinated that you feel uncomfortable with how this poem came out, when the tree sounds fully comfortable and accepting of her choice. And “cringe, page, judge” all together there at the start, and “I shaped myself/through my giving”–don’t we all?
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Molly, these ending lines feel so peaceful in light of the tree’s questioning.
As our story ends
we are resting…
together.
What more could I want?
Thanks for the links to the other poems.
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I was totally wowed by the poems I linked to. I hope you enjoy them as well!
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I love this rebuttal to the criticism this book receives… what a lovely perspective, Molly. Thank you! xo
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Thanks, Irene. Writing a persona poem is such a great way to consider different perspectives.
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‘“Too much…” I hear you whisper.’
What is too much for some is just right for others. Just like this book, your poem makes us think.
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Interesting response. I agree with Bridget – your poem makes us think.
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Good for tree, glad tree spoke up, it’s trees choice, and your intriguing point of view! Personally speaking, I think we need to listen to the trees more often.
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I love how you invite us to think of other ways to interpret this book that I’ve always felt disturbed by, though I love the author. There are multiple ways to view books and the world.
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I’ve always found this book disturbing, too, but when searching for a topic for a persona book, it came to mind. Then I realized that the tree was for the most part content, if not happy, and that’s where I began.
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Wow! That sacrificial giving…beautifully told story, Molly. “I chose not to wait.” This gives me a whole new feeling for the story.
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Thanks, Linda!
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Molly, I’m appreciating The Giving Tree more, as I read this story for its perspective. I can see how you have mixed feelings, but you have made some great points in your persona poem.
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Thanks, Denise. I enjoyed revisiting the story and really noticed and appreciated the masterful illustrations this time around. It was interesting to try to take on the tree’s perspective.
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And just like that, you have shifted my perspective on this story by giving the tree a voice. Shel would approve.
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I wonder how Shel responded to the criticism of the book. I should check that out!
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I haven’t read this book 🙂 I like:
“I shaped myself
through my giving,
got here on my own terms.”
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Thanks, Tabatha. If you’re interested, you can readily find the book on line and it’s a quick read.
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I love how this poem gives that tree the benefit of the doubt. How giving was a choice.
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