Willow and Ginkgo
By Eve Merriam
Willow and Ginkgo
Discuss:
Have you ever looked at something
common in a new way?
Why would we take the time to
examine an everyday object with
fresh eyes, new attitude, or
from a different angle?
Literary Analysis
Simile:
Look for the words “like” or “as” when finding a
comparison.
“The willow is LIKE an etching,
Fine-lined against the sky.”
Literary Analysis
Metaphor:
Look for a comparison of two things without the use of
the words “like” or “as.”
Tranquility
Time slides
a gentle ocean
waves upon waves,
washing the shore,
loving the shore.
Willow and Gingko
Extended Metaphors:
Metaphors that extend over several
lines, stanzas, or an entire poem.
The fog comes in on little cat feet.
It sits looking over the harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then, moves on. - 'Fog' - Carl Sandburg.
There can be several things that can be compared to a 'fog' in our
life. It could be the feelings that one has, the problems in ones life
or maybe even death.
Willow Tree
Willows usually have soft,
pliant, but tough wood, with
slender branches.
Willows are found primarily on moist
soils in cold and temperate regions of
the Northern Hemisphere.
The leaves and bark of the willow tree have
been mentioned in ancient texts as remedy
for aches and fever, and the Ancient Greek
physician, Hippocrates wrote about its
medicinal properties in the fifth century BC.
Native Americans across the Americas relied
on it as a staple of their medical treatments
because willows contain a substance that
chemically resembles aspirin. It temporarily
relieves headache, stomachache, and other
body pain.
The Ginkgo is a living
fossil; it is a unique
species recognizably
similar to fossils dating
back 270 million years.
They are native to
China. The tree was
widely cultivated and
introduced early in
human history, and has
various uses as a food
and in traditional
medicine.
Ginkgos are large
trees, normally
reaching a height of
66–115 feet, with
some specimens in
China being over
164 feet. The tree
has somewhat
erratic branches,
and is usually deep
rooted and resistant
to wind and snow
damage.
Can words
create pictures?
Have you ever been surprised
when the movie version of a
character in a book you have
read didn’t look like the one
you had pictured in your
head?
To enjoy a poem, take time to visualize the
words and form pictures in your head.
Pay attention to how the author is describing the
way something looks, feels, smells,
sounds or even tastes.
“The willow’s branches are like silken thread;
The gingko’s like stubby rough wool.”
The willow is like an etching,
Fine-lined against the sky.
The ginkgo is like a crude sketch,
Hardly worthy to be signed.
The willow’s music is like a soprano,
Delicate and thin.
The ginkgo’s tune is like a chorus
With everyone joining in.
Analyze the poem, “Willow
and Ginkgo” by Eve
Merriam.
Compare the willow tree
and the gingko tree using
the literary device of similes.
Understand how the use of
similes drive the images of
this poem.