Monumental Verses by J. Patrick Lewis - NCTE Award Poetry

Bibliography

Lewis, J. Patrick. 2005. MONUMENTAL VERSES. Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society. ISBN  978-0792271351.

Review and Critical Analysis

            MONUMENTAL VERSES by J. Patrick Lewis is a tribute to well-known landmarks across the world. These poems honor monuments in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America and the United States. Lewis includes an introductory poem written to recognize the imagination and intellect that went into the creation and realization of these monuments. Fourteen of the poems make up the text of the book, while a fifteenth is included on the back cover. Incorporated in the book is a Table of Contents listing each poem and the Epilogue. At the back of the book in the Epilogue Lewis explains the making of the book, provides a short history of each monument, complete with photograph, and also invites readers to compose their own poems about their favorite monument. Beneath the Epilogue is a world map noting the location of each monument Lewis wrote about. Every poem has an accompanying full page color photograph, or is imposed over a two page color photograph supplied by National Geographic. It should be noted, there are fifteen poems, yet sixteen pictures included with the short histories at the back because Lewis included two summaries on the Eiffel Tower. In addition there is a short history on the Taj Mahal whose photograph is on the title page, but for which there is no poem.

          To help the young reader better understand the monument depicted, above each poem Lewis provides four facts, date, location, builder (or architect) and physical fact, thereby providing a sense of background and history. There is a wide variety of forms used in this book. Three of the poems STONEHENGE, GREAT PYRAMID OF CHEOPS and GREAT WALL OF CHINA are all concrete poems, the poems are written in shapes that resemble the monument. GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE is an acrostic poem written in two stanzas. The first letters of each word at the beginning of the lines, read vertically, spell out International Orange, the color of the paint used on the bridge.

          The poems themselves are sensory, utilizing words and phrases that easily enable the reader to imagine the history occurring during the creation of these monuments, as well as the setting and people that played a role in their creation. National Geographic provided stunning photographs of the physical constructions, which, combined with Lewis’ words, enable the reader to imagine much more. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING is an excellent example of this. The narrator of the poem is the Empire State Building itself,  yet the poem has an element of personification built into it so it appears to the reader that the building is a living thing. The reader can imagine the building waking up “to taxi alarms” or feeling lonely now that the World Trade Center Towers are no longer there to keep it company.

          The language of most of the poetry is easy for a young reader to comprehend. Two exceptions do exist though, STONEHENGE and PALACE OF VERSAILLES. STONEHENGE recounts the story of the monuments construction from the point of view of the ancient peoples who built it. Many of the terms and titles for individuals used could be difficult for younger readers. PALACE OF VERSAILLES had very little to do with the actual building. This poem is more about the state of mind of the king who built it, and the fact that he considered himself divine. Because of this, and the fact that Lewis refers to Louis XIV as the 'Sun', and the palace itself as 'Noon,' younger readers may be confused as to the meaning of the poem.

          Many of the poems have a rhyming pattern, while others are written in free verse or narrative style. EASTER ISLAND is the best example of a rhyming pattern with an alternating rhyme scheme. Many of the poems also employ the poetic device of repetition such as EIFFEL TOWER. The poem is composed as four stanzas with three lines each, the word you is repeated at the end of each line, however there is an additional word at the end of each third line. In stanzas one and two these additional words rhyme with each other, it is the same in stanza’s three and four.

          MONUMENTAL VERSES is a book that not only entertains but also educates. Young readers will learn about magnificent architectural achievements  all over the world and receive insight into their creation and history through an entertaining written and visual form. Readers can learn much from reading these poems, such as the meaning of the name Machu Picchu, the dimensions of the Statue of Liberty and the purpose of the statues on Easter Island. The language, photographs, and varying forms the poems take all work to keep the interest of the reader.

Poem Used to Support Critical Analysis and How That Poem Would Be Introduced

GREAT PYRAMID OF CHEOPS

By J. Patrick Lewis

The

story of

this ancient

land, where wind’s

a glove designing sand,

is told by  ghosts in silent

rooms beneath the most enormous

tombs of granite fame. Some thirty years

the peasants came, gaunt brigadiers of stone

by rope. Without the wheel, their only

hope was grim ordeal. Where’s Pharaohs lie, a

Pyramid should glorify what others did.

          GREAT PYRAMID OF CHEOPS by J. Patrick Lewis displays, through its words and shape, the essence of this book. The poem itself represents, and pays homage to, the monument it depicts. Also, Lewis’ use of words to evoke a sense of history is strong here. The poem imparts the knowledge of the toil that went into building the Great Pyramid by the Ancient Egyptians, and the purpose for which the construction was intended. The last line truly sums up the crux of this book, it, like the monuments, help to “glorify what others did.”

          I would introduce this poem by asking the students, before the reading, if any of them ever wanted to travel, and where they wanted to go. I would ask questions like, “What are your reasons for choosing this place?” or “What did you most want to see when you were there?” Then, I would tell the students that the poem I am about to present, entitled GREAT PYRAMID OF CHEOPS by J. Patrick Lewis, is about one of the greatest constructions ever built by man, and also a very popular tourist attraction.  While reading I would also display the book so everyone listening could see the photograph of the pyramid. This will serve to enhance Lewis’ words and provide a reference if anyone had never heard of the monument before.