Trash is Beautiful Too: Teaching William Carlos Williams’ “Between Walls”

Sequence of Activities:

Free Write (5 minutes)

Start the class off with a timed free write.

Literary Model (5 minutes)

Ask a volunteer to read William Carlos Williams’ “Between Walls” for the class. Then play this recording of Williams performing the poem.

Discussion (15 minutes)

As much as possible, I encourage students to lead discussions, but here are some talking points and potential directions you might want to steer the class in:

  • Where does this poem take place?
  • What do you notice in this poem?
  • What makes this poem different than other poems?
  • What makes this poem “poemy”?
  • What do you like about it?
  • What do you dislike?
  • What is “imagery”? What do you notice about the use of imagery here?

Prompt (15 minutes)

Depending on the direction of the conversation, below are possible prompts. You can also give students the option of choosing their favorite prompt.

  1. Describe what you imagine to be behind a hospital.
  2. Behind a grocery store.
  3. Behind a nail salon.
  4. Describe a piece of trash as if it were beautiful.
  5. Describe anything considered artificial or man-made you find stunning.
  6. Describe something in your room no one sees.
  7. Describe something in your heart no one sees.
  8. Describe something you saw today in under 22 words (the length of “Between Walls”).
  9.  Zoom into an image and describe it in under 22 words.
  10. Describe something broken.
  11. Describe a piece of litter you would find discarded in the grass at the park.

Bonus:

  1. Pick any prompt and use as few words as possible.
  2. Pick any prompt and go into detail on one image or event.

Share (5 minutes)

Ask students to share!

 

EXAMPLE:
 
The City Lights
 
The lights
of the
 
city, it’s so
pretty
 
standing on
the
 
hill looking
from
 
afar, on
the hill
 
there is broken glass
 
it fits in
with the lights
 
light bounces
off the glass
 
the view is
beautiful
 
you have no
words you
 
just stare.

-    Mariah S., Imago Dei Middle School, Spring 2024

 

Contributor: 

Objectives: 

Discuss imagery as poetic device. Discuss economy of language. Demonstrate that poems can be about anything–even trash and the back of a hospital.

Education Level: 

Junior High
High School

Genre: 

Poetry

Time Frame: 

1 hour

Prior Knowledge/Skills: 

None

Required Materials: 

Print-out or projection of poem; paper and pencil for each student.

Literary model: 

“Between Walls” by William Carlos Williams

Lesson Plan: