This poem was originally published without title and was designated as XXII in Williams’ 1923 book “Spring and all”, a hybrid collection with alternating selections of prose and free verse. This poem is a prime example of early 20th century Imagism. The pictorial style was inspired by the photographs of Alfred Stieglitz and the precisionist style of Charles Sheeler, an American photographer-painter whom Williams met shortly before composing this poem.
This poem represents an early stage in Williams’ development as a poet. It focusses on the objective representation of objects. This poem was written in brief haiku-like free verse form. The man by whom the poet was inspired to write this poem was Thaddeus Lloyd Marshall Sr. He lived a few blocks away from Williams in Rutherford, New Jersey. His grave is seen in Ridge Lawn cemetery in neighboring Clifton. He was an old Afro-American who sold eggs and vegetables in his wheelbarrow. In his backyard the poet saw a red wheelbarrow surrounded by white chickens. The poet’s affection and good relationship with the man inspired his word choice and subject matter. Orrick John’s “Blue under-shirts upon a line” published in “Others” in 1915 may have provided the framework upon which he developed this poem.
According to Dr. Mark Hama in “College literature” (1910), Williams found in
John’s poem the framework for a new modern American poetic line. One can find a
sense of nostalgia, sentimentality and love for Nature in this short poem.
According to Williams, the red wheelbarrow is an incredibly important tool for rural
and farming communities to earn their livelihood and maintain their families.
The poet suggests through this poem that we should take note of the value of
common things which we often take for granted. There is Wordsworthian approach
of glorifying the ordinary, simple objects in people’s language without any
artificial ornamentation. Williams, like Frost, believed that modernizing
American poetry means incorporating contemporary American speech and American scenes
and way of life in his poems.
The poet depicts in very simple language a red wheelbarrow drenched in rain. The whole poem is a single sentence divided into four couplets. This is a four-line stanza poem that is separated into sets of two lines known as couplets. The entire poem has sixteen words with four words in each stanza. The lines are extremely short. The first line of each stanza has three words, and the second line has only one. This poem is in free verse with no meter and rhyme. This poem is written in simple and conversational style and is calm and cool in tone.
A few literary devices are used to add force and effect to this poem. The use of alliteration (repetition of same letter or sound at the beginning of words) in words: rain, red and borrow. The use of assonance (repetition of vowel sounds in the same line) in phrases like "glazed with rain" and "beside the white." The use of symbolism is seen in the image of the red wheelbarrow which represents farm life. The neglected state of the wheelbarrow suggests rupture in man's relationship with nature. The use of phrase "so much depends" suggests the inevitable dependability of man on nature and farming for his ultimate survival.
A nonpoetic object like the wheelbarrow is given
importance. He depicts it as the hinge upon which the entire world rests. The
images of the red wheelbarrow and the white chickens are juxtaposed and shown
as the central symbols of farming and agriculture necessary for maintenance of
life. The wheelbarrow is used to move
shrubs and plants, to remove debris and carry fertilizers in the fields and
gardens. The poet uses enjambment (a run-on sentence without a pause at the end
of a line) gives a sense of continuity and freedom. No capitals are used to
indicate how the importance of simple and ordinary objects like the wheelbarrow is overlooked by men.
The poem starts with the description of a red wheelbarrow drenched in rain suggesting that it is left being neglected. It is glazed with rain attracting attention. Though it looks red and ordinary it gained attention when it is seen beside the bright white chickens. The red color of the wheelbarrow the Marxian concept of working force and the white color of the chickens represents peace and freedom. The close proximity of the red wheelbarrow and the white chickens side by side suggests the intimate connection between the workers welfare and the resultant prosperity and peace in the society. There is an underlying note of irony in the poem. Though the wheelbarrow is very useful in carrying manure and debris from the yard, it is left neglected while the bright white chickens are favored.
The absence of punctuation in the
poem indicates that the final act of wheelbarrow in its use as a farming tool
matters most. The ending of the whole poem with a period suggests the ultimate
fate of wheelbarrow, a state of being neglected in spite of its immense use to
mankind. When applied to human nature it indicates that there are people around us who are essential to our wellbeing, but they are overlooked for various
reasons. However, their influence on others is seen like the shining glaze that
comes due to falling rain on the wheelbarrow. So, we should not overlook those
who truly matter for our existence. The lack of appreciation would lead to the
ending of relationships like the period in the poem at the end. We should learn
how to treat our relationships so that they would not become tainted and rusty.
Though this poem seems to be a simple, visual interpretation, it is a complex riddle. The red wheelbarrow represents any common and everyday object that deserves our appreciation. This poem also implies the importance of agriculture and farm laborers. The main image of the poem is an agrarian theme, the yard of a farmhouse where a wet, red wheelbarrow stands surrounded by white chickens. Symbolically, the red color of the wheelbarrow the Marxian concept of working force and the white color of the chickens represents peace and freedom. The close proximity of the red wheelbarrow and the white chickens side by side suggests the intimate connection between the workers welfare and the resultant prosperity and peace in the society.
The tone of
the poem is calm and matter-of-fact reflection. William breaks compound words
“wheel barrow” and “rainwater” into smaller words (Wheel barrow, rain water) to
add emphasis.
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25th September, 2023 Somaseshu Gutala
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