Poetry Break!: Newer Book - Steady Hands: Poems about Work by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

Bibliography:
Zimmer, T.V. 2009. STEADY HANDS: POEMS ABOUT WORK. Ill. by Megan Halsey and Sean Addy. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN 9780618903511.

Plot Summary:
Tracie Vaughn Zimmer writes a collection of 36 poems dedicated to the multiple types of jobs that are possible such as welder, artist, lifeguard, flight attendant, florist, and programmer. The poems provide insight into the job as the multi-media collages by Megan Halsey and Sean Addy frame each poem.

Critical Analysis:
Zimmer’s collection of free verse poems presents the possibilities of what type of jobs a student might consider. The professions she writes about run the gamut from creative, business, and technical work. She also avoids assigning stereotypical gender roles on the jobs by making the electrician female and the flight attendant is male.

The poems are mixed in subject matter where some poems are about the actual work such as in Baker (see below), while others like Flight Attendant discuss why the person selected that job. In this case it “was his ticket/ (free ticket anywhere)/ out of a claustrophobic/ town of two thousand.” Considering the emotional variations it may be more appropriate for older students.

The multi-media collages by Halsey and Addy fill each page with texture, depth, and humor while still presenting a visual glimpse into a facet of each job. On the image for the Administrative Assistant the illustrators show a man sitting at a desk as his six arms hold a coffee mug, phone, pens, folders, and tickets. The images include actual faces on each illustration along with the cutouts that provide a sense that these jobs are done by people they know.

This collection allows readers to imagine what a career would be like allowing them to explore the possibilities.

Poem Excerpt:

Baker
by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

Snowy flour dusts the early
lavender light
in the backroom of the bakery.
With each
flap
roll
flap
the baker’s hands
disappear
and reappear
in the folds
of the dough.

Review Excerpts:

BOOKLIST
“The hands-on details blend dreams and realism in the upbeat, contemporary poems that will find a place across the curriculum.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“Inventive, complicated collages and well-crafted poems focus on the activities of working people in this eye-catching book. With an observant eye, Zimmer captures different individuals performing work with "steady hands."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
“Teachers could use this collection as a literary component for a unit on careers, but children aren't likely to pick it up on their own because of the subject matter and dully colored illustrations.”

Connections:
This collection of poetry could be the basis for a beginning discussion about future careers for older students or for younger students studying what their parent’s do. You could also pair a poem with further study into a particular career. For example, Artist could be used in conjunction with a study of different types of artists.