You Begin - A poem by Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood - You Begin

You begin this way:
this is your hand,
this is your eye,
this is a fish, blue and flat
on the paper, almost
the shape of an eye
This is your mouth, this is an O
or a moon, whichever
you like.  This is yellow.

Outside the window
is the rain, green
because it is summer, and beyond that
the trees and then the world,
which is round and has only
the colors of these nine crayons.

This is the world, which is fuller
and more difficult to learn than I have said.
You are right to smudge it that way
with the red and then
the orange: the world burns.

Once you have learned these words
you will learn that there are more
words than you can ever learn.
The word hand floats above your hand
like a small cloud over a lake.
The word hand anchors
your hand to this table
your hand is a warm stone
I hold between two words.

This is your hand, these are my hands, this is the world,
which is round but not flat and has more colors
than we can see.
It begins, it has an end,
this is what you will
come back to, this is your hand.

Added: on May 3rd, 2005 at 2:56 PM | Viewed: 10169 times | Comments (4)

You Begin - Comments and Information
Poet: Margaret Atwood Poem: You Begin Poem of the Day on: Oct 13 2003 Comment 4 of 4, added on October 12th, 2006 at 1:22 AM. Undertaking a degree when they changed the subject to poetry, I was completley terrified until I read this poem. I really enjoyed reading it and felt it was just so beautiful and real to what every mother must feel watching their children. Lovely Sun from United States Comment 3 of 4, added on August 24th, 2005 at 9:06 PM. I do not understand how "Mitch the man" can say this poem "blows". I agree with Cat... somewhat. The diction is simple, but the meaning is not. In a way, by seeing only the "simplicity" of the poem, one is missing out on what Atwood is trying to portray. She is speaking of simple colors and only nine crayons; the physical aspects of a fish; the "this is your hand" and "this is your eye" anchors children place on objects they learn. In Stanza III, Atwood writes, "This is the world, which is fuller and more difficult to learn than I have said." Atwood, through this poem, is - in short - telling people that throughout life they will need to get past what you've been taught and move on to discover new parts of the world on your own, despite your journey never having an end. I don't know how a poem like that could "blow". You're obviously only seeing the parts of the poem children would see: you need to look deeper and understand before you judge. Nicole from United States Comment 2 of 4, added on May 3rd, 2005 at 2:56 PM. i love this poem. it's beautiful and simple. i think all too often poets use larger words or more complicated syntax just to appear deep or wise. One does not need that to write good poetry. Atwoods words say what she thinks, and that is enough. i love it. cat from United States More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, You Begin, has received 4 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Margaret Atwood with others on the Poetry Connection poetry forum!

Poem Info
You Begin Last read: 2008-07-06 08:03:13 Poem of the Day on: Oct 13 2003 Viewed 10169 times. Added on May 3rd, 2005 at 2:56 PM.

Atwood Info
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