Red Wheel Barrow — William Carlos William — Poem Analysis

Red Wheel Barrow — William Carlos William — Poem Analysis

There is so much content we consume in this Information Era. So much content that we want answers for all the questions that can be asked. However, there are some questions which can never be answered. These answers can only be guessed, or assumed. Either way the answers remain ambiguous. One such question that needs an answer is what depends on this red wheel barrow? Read this poem analyses and explore the poem The Red Wheelbarrow by William Carlos William.

The poem is an imagist poem - a poem that uses imagery in short simple verses, to give a description of regular objects around us. It has 4 stanzas with couplets. The first line has 3 words and the second line with one word. It uses enjambment between the two lines which is used to create pauses in the poem that enhances the significance of the red wheel barrow. For instance, wheel barrow, rain water, white chickens are given by wheel pause barrow which enhances the significance of this rather simple wheel barrow. Similarly for rainwater and white chickens - these day to day things have a great significance on the wheel barrow.

The first stanza creates an interest among the readers of knowing what exactly depends on the wheel barrow. None of the words are capitalised, which implies that there is so much depending on the wheel barrow but there is no grandeur attached to it. It is just a wheel barrow after all but what depends on it? Why is the wheel barrow so important? Is this wheel barrow alone so important or all wheel barrows important? Is the importance based on agriculture or the culture associated with the wheel barrow.

The second stanza, a red wheel barrow, is the main content of the poem. Wheel barrows, generally like this red coloured one, are used in farms. Why red? The farms are usually coloured red, and a red coloured wheel barrow will blend in with the background. It is such a common thing in the farm that when it is there it is usually overlooked, sometimes it is overused, sometimes it is dirty and unwashed. Only when it is not there, the importance of the wheel barrow is known.

The third stanza, glazed with rain water, tells us that it is a rather clean wheel barrow - not dirty, not muddy, not mucky. Maybe it is still unused, maybe it is brought new, maybe it is waiting for its user to take a look at it when it is blended in the background but shining with the rain water on it.

The fourth stanza, beside the white chickens, tells us that just like how important chickens are in a farm, a wheel barrow which is used to carry things around is also important to the farm. It is blended with the farm so much that it would be difficult a day without it. The significance of the white chicken is that the white is a contrast to the red wheel barrow. The white chickens could be another useful literary device to juxtapose the wheel barrow.

This poem makes me believe that there is beauty in everything around us either man-made or natural. It also makes me believe that no how insignificant an object is, it has profound impact on our lives.