The Little Red Wheelbarrow (2021)

A poem for resilience

Toy wheelbarrow and chickens. Photo courtesy of the author.

so much depends upon a little red wheelbarrow
the one the child pushes when
she helps me garden

bend your knees when you lift the barrow
I show her

remember your legs are strong use them
to lift the barrow I encourage her

gonna rain we need to take our barrows in I instruct her
we need to take care they do not rust

so much depends upon this little red wheelbarrow
a toy that is also a tool

so much depends upon this child’s legs growing strong
enough to carry her through the coming days
and in the coming rains
I hope her tools
do not rust

she runs to the chickens the buff-colored the blue and the black
the ones she has named scarlet rosemary and lily
basket in hand she collects the pretty eggs
each one a delicate
present

Further reading

The Red Wheelbarrow by William Carlos Williams