Smith, Hope Anita. The Way A Door Closes. Ill. by Shane W. Evans. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, 2003.ISBN 0-8050-6477-X
The Way A Door Closes is book of poems revealing the story of one family’s journey through separation and loss, as seen through the eyes of a teenage boy. Smith uses C.J.’s voice to convey the emotional essence of one African-American family through a set of poems describing the family structure and routines. The family’s story progresses as C.J.’s father leaves the family. A strong, wise grandmother figure holds that family together as they struggle to put back the pieces of their lives after the abandonment. A surprisingly pleasant ending leaves readers with hope for today’s modern family.
The story told through C.J. will be all too familiar to many young adults. The emotionally wrought subject matter and truthful voice will capture the attention of readers of all ages. Some poems have rhyming patterns, such as “When a Daddy Goes,” but most of Smith’s poems rely instead on a rhythmic persistence to support the vivid imagery of a teenager’s understanding of his situation.
The poem entitled “Family Fire” demonstrates the cadence, imagery, and emotional tone of the verse novel, The Way A Door Closes. This poem could easily be used to discuss the importance of adding imagery to one’s writing. Students should first be introduced to the definitions of imagery, symbolism, and metaphor. Then after reading the poem aloud several times, encourage students to discuss how imagery was used in the poem, how it emphasized the character’s emotions, and why the author might have chosen fire as a metaphor. Finally, ask students to brainstorm other metaphors that might have been a good basis for the situation described in the poem.
Family Fire
The secret of my father’s
leaving
spreads like wildfire
burning out of control before I can
escape.
My friends are keeping their distance.
They can’t help me.
They can only hope
the fire is self-contained.
They can only pray
I’m not too badly burned.
I try not to add fuel to the fire,
keep all flammable words and feelings
to myself.
Everyone’s eyes are one me.
There’s something about watching a fire.
Now I am the poster child
for families with problems.
Fathers, everywhere, will see my face
plastered onto signs,
and my slogan is
“Family fires,
only you can prevent them.”
