1.       Bibliography:

Sidman, Joyce. 2007. This is Just to Say:  Poems of Apology and Forgiveness.  Ill. By Pamela Zagarenski.  New York:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  ISBN  0544105079

2.       Plot Summary:

Inspired by William Carlos Williams’s poem entitled, “This Is Just to Say,” this thematic poetry collection by Joyce Sidman explores the human experiences of apologizing and of forgiving.  Part 1 of the book, “Apologies,” offers 18 original, apologetic poems embodying the tones of silly to somber, and utterly stunning with their vulnerable truth and openness as the poets confess their transgressions—sometimes real, sometimes imagined, and sometimes a  combination of both.  Topics include dodge ball, brownies, betrayal, hamsters, and much more.  Then, Part 2 of this collection offers the reader the “Responses” to the apology poems.  These response poems are deeply authentic, startling the reader with their humble poignancy.  Many of the responses are directly back to the original apologizers, but some are creatively handled to maintain the cohesion of the collection.  Truly a meditation on seeking, giving, and getting forgiveness--often playful, sometimes heartbreaking—Sidman’s collection is a welcome addition to the canon of children’s poetry. The featured poems will prove to enrich the lives of all those who chose to explore this collection and, thus, as discussed in the featured poem by Bao Vang entitled “The River of Forgiveness,” choose to “[wade] into the river of forgiveness."

3.       Critical Analysis:

An introduction by Anthony, the student who proposed the idea for the "Responses" section of the book, adds a personalizing element and strengthens the reader’s conceptual understanding of the book’s structure and its intended vision.  As Williams wrote free verse, so also do the poets of this collection, well suited to the very personal admissions and restitutions.  Students from 3^rd grade and older will particularly enjoy this collection.  The colorful sketch art with innovative use of computer art collage blankets every page with childlike, simplistic, yet profound images.  As stated in the book’s introduction, the poems are illustrated by one of the student poets, Bao Vang, assisted by the students’ art teacher.  Each illustration succeeds in capturing the heart of the poem and serves to pull the reader further in to the imagery of the poem, as in Mai Lee’s poem, “What Was I Thinking?” The line, “I slink out like a whipped dog,” is accompanied by the simple, curved body of a young girl with sad eyes, overcome with regret.  The response poem to Mai Lee, “The River of Forgiveness,” features an exuberant illustration of Bao Vang standing in a river with the graphic letters spelling out, “FORGIVENESS,” as she serenely smiles, eyes closed, and stretches her hands out in preparation to accept her friend again, “I open my arms to her.”

The collection intensifies the seriousness of Williams’s topic of swiped plums to the broken heart of a daughter abandoned by her father…something many children will find solace in encountering, as they are struggling through this very trauma, likely thinking they are the only ones.  So powerful is this poem by Jewel, “Next Time,” that the entire book is anchored by her anguish.  “I’m sorry, Daddy./Next time I’ll be perfect.” When the reader finds her father’s paraphrased response and realizes the manifestation of this poetry collection in the form of Jewel’s letter pulled him back from taking his own life, all pretense is stripped away, and the poetry collection held in hand becomes a lifeline that is real and electric in its significance and impact upon the world:  “He says he was going to leave this world/and my poem called him back.”  Not every poem delivers such intense emotional impact; some of the included poems are whimsical breezes, such as the dodge ball duo of poems, “I Got Carried Away,” and “Dodge Ball Crazy.”  From the former, “[A]ll those red rubber balls/thumping like heartbeats,” demonstrates use of a fresh, vibrant simile, alive with the enthusiasm of youth.  Perhaps the most poetically striking poem of the collection is the collectively written, “Ode to Slow-Hand,” that concludes the collection, which brilliantly features the use of anaphora to achieve and intensify a sincere, solemn rhythm through the repeated phrase, “los perdonamos…los perdonamos…los perdonamos…we forgive you,” that reflects with complete clarity the inherent need of the human soul to confess and to receive forgiveness…and to truly accept this gift and then move on in wholeness, once again.

Williams, I dare say, would be astounded and honored by this collection of authentic poems, written by poets of pure and honest hearts.

4.       Review Excerpt(s):

            Claudia Lewis Award, 2008

Cybils Award, 2007, Poetry

Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, 2008, Honor Book

From Booklist:  “Children will find much to identify with in the situations presented in the apology poems, and they’ll appreciate the resolutions given in the responses.”

From Kirkus Reviews:  “Packed with the intensity of everyday pain and sorrow, kids and adults exchange the words that convey grief, delight, love and acceptance of themselves and others.”

5.       Connections:

For an English/creative writing connection, students could write their own poems of apology, either closely modeled after the primary poem by Williams or a looser representation as demonstrated by some of the poems in this collection.  Student could also work in groups and write actual or fictionalized apology and forgiveness poems together, which could then be presented to the class.

An additional English/creative writing connection could involve introducing students to Williams’s poem “The Red Wheelbarrow” and discussing this and other works by the poet, as well as his significant position in the world of poetry.

For a social studies connection, students could embark upon a cross-cultural exploration of the cultural meanings, manifestations, and behaviors regarding apologizing and forgiving, and students could tie in their new knowledge with their own experiences in an assigned writing piece.