Parents Poem By Jacqueline Woodson
Will to Live: Parents Poem Explication
The poem “Parents Poem” by Jacqueline Woodson is from a book called Locomotion also written by Jacqueline Woodson. Locomotion is about an eleven year old named Lonnie who becomes an orphan at age seven when his parents die in a fire. After a deep analysis on “Parents Poem”, one can conclude the poem has a definite meaning; One cannot simply forget the memories about loved ones, particularly parents.
Towards the beginning of the poem, Lonnie is quite bewildered by the sympathy many have showed him after the loss of his parents. It appears as though Lonnie does not feel the need for others to suppress pity when he explains the death of his parents. In lines 1-6, He does not associate his parents’ death
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Yellow tape keeping the cars from coming down the block.
An orange sign that said Men Working.
I still got his hat. It's light blue with CON EDISON in white letters. (22-29)
These lines are significant because it contains very detailed imagery. Lonnie’s father is very important to him. He is a role model in his life. When we can see all the good in someone we like to believe anyone else can. Asking the reader, “You ever saw him” (22-23) This is implying everyone should know his father since he is such a role model in Lonnie’s life. Another important detail in this stanza is the mentioning of his father's work hat. This can symbolize the bond Lonnie constantly shares with his father. Lonnie “lost” both of his parents to the fire so he shares his memories with his mother in the next stanza. When we care for someone deeply we pick up on small details like how they act on a daily basis. Lonnie’s mother worked a desk job and he picked up on how she acted when surrounded by him:
When you called the office where she worked, she answered the phone like this
Graftman Paper Products, how may I help you?
It was her work voice.
And when you said something like
Ma, it's me. her voice went back to normal. To our mama's
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