Knock On Wood: Poems About Superstitions by Janet S. Wong - Multicultural Poetry

Bibliography

Wong, Janet S. 2003. KNOCK ON WOOD: POEMS ABOUT SUPERSTITIONS. Ill. by Julie Paschkis. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books. ISBN 978-0689855125.

Review and Critical Analysis

            Janet Wong’s KNOCK ON WOOD: POEMS ABOUT SUPERSTITIONS is a collection of seventeen poems about a variety of superstitions and their meanings. There is a Table of Contents, and at the back of the book short descriptions of each of the superstitions and an Author’s Note explaining the superstitions Wong grew up with and her own feelings on the subject. 

          Wong’s poems are more appealing when read aloud due to the fact that they have an unusual cadence which lends itself to oral presentation. THIRTEEN is a witty example of auditory enjoyment.  This poem, about the bad luck surrounding the number thirteen, describes the meeting of a coven of thirteen witches. The second stanza is a series of three lines in which undesirable incidents are described. Onomatopoeia precedes each of these lines with Zing!, Zap!, and Zarg!, and adds to not only the sensory impact but the imaginative value. The energetic manner in which Wong portrays these unfortunate events creates for the reader and listener an immediate picture of the tree falling on that ill-fated car, or the young boy falling off his horse and biting his tongue. The reader and listener can also clearly see the witches cackling madly at these misfortunes.

Julie Paschkis’ vibrant two–page watercolors are an inspired enhancement to Wong’s poetry. The animated background illustrations are reflective of the poem itself. On the left side is a visual depiction of the superstition and on the right is the poem and each are set within an identically shaped outline. Paschkis’ playful illustrations set a humorous mood, while the bright colors hold the young readers attention providing extra depth to Wong’s poems.

          Overall, the poems in this book do not have an identifiable rhyme scheme. Three notable exceptions to this are HAIR, HAT and POTATOES. HAIR and POTATOES are in couplet rhyme. While HAT, a poem written in two four line stanzas has the second and sixth, and fourth and eighth lines rhyme. Each of these three poems has its own distinctive meter. Repetition and narrative poetry are also to be found in this collection. HAT repeats the line “Don’t put your hat…” almost as a caution against the multitude of things one should not do with a hat. GARLIC has the tone of a narrative poem with the speaker offering any vampire that may want to bite him one last opportunity before he devours his Mother’s famous garlic chicken.

The uncomplicated language of the poems is easily understood by the younger reader and the amusing nature make the poems appealing to older readers as well. Although the language is simple, the superstitions discussed will captivate both children and young adults. Each of these poems is informative and inventive in the way it describes the superstitions, and ways to counteract any bad luck. These poems enrich the reader’s knowledge about well known, and more obscure superstitions.

Poem Used to Support Critical Analysis and Follow Up Activity

MIRROR

By Janet S. Wong

The trick is to find sacred ground, the best you can.

Bring your broken mirror there,

here where the dirt is softer, dark.

Bury the pieces with a long straight arm.

Stop if you hear a dog’s shrill bark;

fill the hole, start again,

who knows why.

Why the curse?

          Everyone knows the old adage, break a mirror and you have seven years bad luck, but how many people know how to counteract that curse?  Wong’s poem MIRROR, being true to its informative nature, provides the reader detailed instructions on how to thwart the bad luck brought on by breaking a mirror. In addition the short description at the back of the book about this particular superstition provides the reason behind performing the ritual. This poem is one of the best representations in this collection of the potent images Wong can create with her words. Paschkis illustrations add to the atmosphere the poem creates, providing a somewhat spooky scene with the owls and the moon, and the young girl about to bury her mirror.

          As a follow up activity to this poem, an art project would be ideal. When reading the poem aloud, do not show the illustrations in the book. Allow the students to develop their own ideas about what a picture accompanying this poem should look like. Then ask each student to draw a picture based on their own interpretation of the poem after hearing it. Compare the students drawing to that of the book and then compile all the drawings in a book to show off each student’s art work and their unique views on one poem.