The poem “Soaking Up Sun” by Tom Hennen really spoke to me as I read it for the second time today. Sometimes it takes a second reading of a poem to really ‘soak up’ everything it has to offer. Externally, Hennen’s imagery throughout the poem is sensational as he describes sun as “halo of light” (v. 7) and “cornstalks [that] glinted bright as pieces of glass” (vv. 7-8). Alliteration is everywhere throughout the poem and aids immensely in the flow of this free verse, but I specifically was drawn to the “sweet smelling apple sticks” (vv. 13-14). Internally, this poem holds such deep connection to family and the association nature helps us to make with family.
On a personal level, I was able to relate with this poem more than any other that has been read in class. My aunt and uncle live in Iowa next to a corn field, and last year my entire family went to visit for a weekend. While everyone in the house one evening, my grandpa, dad, and I sat out in the yard staring off into the vast acres of cornstalks and the sunset on the horizon. Sometimes when I close my eyes I can still picture that night and smell the sweet corn that enveloped the air. This is the image and sense I get when I read Hennen’s poem. It is a testament to nature’s ability to remember. You may not always remember how you looked or what was said, but the smells of corn or the touch of the soft summer grass beneath your fingertips will always bring you back.
