KEEPING THE NIGHT WATCH

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Smith, Hope Anita. 2008. Keeping the Night Watch.  Ill. By E.B. Lewis. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN: 9780805072020.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

KEEPING THE NIGHT WATCH is a collection of free verse poems by Hope Anita Smith. Through her poetic storytelling, we learn the about the story of C.J., an African-American teen who stepped into the father role when his dad temporarily abandoned their family. He became the man of the house, caring for his two younger siblings and staying strong for his momma and grandmomma. But what is his role once dad returns? And how does a son forgive a father for abandoning the family? These questions are beautifully explored throughout this poetry collection.

The organization of the poems is critical to the arc of forgiveness between the father and the son. The collection is separated into the seasons of Fall and Spring, which represent the death and rebirth of the relationship between the two critical characters, C.J. and his dad. Hope Smith also varies the format of the poems, which keeps the reader engaged. There is a list poem, concrete poem and ABC poem among the free verse. There is a table of contents organized by the seasons of Fall and Spring, which allows the reader to easily find specific poems for rereading.

The illustrations by E.B. Lewis tug at the reader’s heartstrings. They are watercolor and ink illustrations which powerfully convey the emotion behind the verse. Readers will connect with the realism of his family portrayals, particularly the illustrations focused on the father and son. They bring the reader into the relationship and allow you to step into the conflict with them as they face off, man-to-man. To illustrate the poem Man-to-Man, the final poem in the Fall section, Dad and C.J. sit at the kitchen table with arms at the ready for an arm wrestling match. Upon close inspection, Dad is leaning forward and tensed with strength, while C.J. is relaxed in his posture and grip. It’s a fabulous symbol of the Dad’s apology and his desire to relieve C.J. of the pressures of being the man in the family, if only C.J. could forgive and let down his guard.

This poem will especially appeal to any teen who has experienced a parental betrayal, but will also speak powerfully to parents. It will lead to a deeper reflection of how your actions affect your children.

SPOTLIGHT POEM AND LESSON

This lesson idea is designed for teens 8th grade and up:

To introduce the poem, I would start a conversation about betrayal and forgiveness. How do you forgive a deep wound from someone you love? What does it take to let go of the pain and anger which accompany betrayal? Then, I would read the first 13 lines of the poem, which refers to the collection’s title:

The Night Watchman

by Hope Anita Smith

It’s dark,

but I’m awake.

I’m making the rounds,

checking that everyone is safe.

This was Daddy’s job before he left.

And even though he’s back…

it’s mine now.

My brother sleeps with one foot

hanging over the side of the bed.

Check.

I turn off Grandmomma’s light and

quietly close her door.

Check.

After these lines, I would do a think-pair-share with the questions, “What is the character doing? What do his actions say about his feelings?” Then I would finish the poem and allow the kids to sit for a minute and think. It’s a powerful poem and I would want to give the kids a moment to just absorb it.

After some think time, I would play the song by Pink titled Just Give Me A Reason. The video could also be shown at teacher discretion. I chose this song for its popularity among teens today and its focus on the boyfriend-girlfriend relationship--a focal point for many of the social dynamics in a high school. Afterward, give the students an opportunity to write a journal entry contrasting the difference between the poem and the song. A question prompt could be: “Who is harder to forgive, a parent or a boyfriend/girlfriend? Why?”