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Terrapin: Poems by Wendell Berry
Tom Pohrt spent years gathering those poems of Wendell Berry’s he imagined children might read and appreciate, making sketches to accompany his selection. Over the past several years a dialogue has evolved in which the poet has come to advise the illustrator on the natural history of the animals and plants seen so intimately in the poems. Then came the august book designer Dave Bullen, who has been designing the books of Wendell Berry for more than thirty years.
The resulting volume of 21 poems includes dozens of the sketches, drawings and watercolors in what amounts to a visual meditation on the poem they work to illustrate and is simply staggering in both its beauty and its meaning to those of us who remain lovers of the book as physical object.
In the full-color Terrapin we have not only a volume of staggering beauty but a consummate example of the collaborative effort that is fine bookmaking, the perfect gift for children, grandchildren or anyone who remains a lover of the book as physical object.
The resulting volume of 21 poems includes dozens of the sketches, drawings and watercolors in what amounts to a visual meditation on the poem they work to illustrate and is simply staggering in both its beauty and its meaning to those of us who remain lovers of the book as physical object.
In the full-color Terrapin we have not only a volume of staggering beauty but a consummate example of the collaborative effort that is fine bookmaking, the perfect gift for children, grandchildren or anyone who remains a lover of the book as physical object.
80 pages, Hardcover
First published October 20, 2014
10 people are currently reading
686 people want to read
About the author
Wendell Berry
295 books4,954 followersWendell Berry is a conservationist, farmer, essayist, novelist, professor of English and poet. He was born August 5, 1934 in Henry County, Kentucky where he now lives on a farm. The New York Times has called Berry the "prophet of rural America."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
February 7, 2017
Terrapin and Other Poems is a book of poems selected by illustrator Tom Pohrt that he thought would be appropriate for children. They are not Berry’s best poems, nor do I think they would be fast favorites with children, but the poems are good, they are imbued with Berry’s vision, which I like, and coupling his poems with Pohrt’s lovely watercolor illustrations makes this a fine book.
Part of my liking this book is that I met Pohrt once in Ann Arbor, through his brother Karl who owned an independent bookstore-with-a-soul there. I knew Karl pretty well for the five years I lived there. When I saw this book was illustrated by Tom I picked it up to read; when I opened it I saw the book is dedicated to the memory of his brother Karl! RIP, Karl! I hadn’t known! Why do we warm to certain books? Sometimes it doesn’t have to do with the words, it’s a peripheral thing like this. I might have rated this 3 stars were it not for the small personal connection.
But here’s two good poems from the book.
The Finches
The ears stung with cold
and frost of dawn
in early April, comes
the song of winter finches,
their crimson bright, then
dark as they move into
and then against the light.
May the year warm them
soon. May they soon go
north with their singing
and the seasons to follow.
May the bare sticks soon
live, and our minds go free
of the ground
into the shining of trees.
To Know the Dark
To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.
To know the dark, go dark, go without sight,
and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,
and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.
Poetry Foundation Bio of Berry:
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem...
Part of my liking this book is that I met Pohrt once in Ann Arbor, through his brother Karl who owned an independent bookstore-with-a-soul there. I knew Karl pretty well for the five years I lived there. When I saw this book was illustrated by Tom I picked it up to read; when I opened it I saw the book is dedicated to the memory of his brother Karl! RIP, Karl! I hadn’t known! Why do we warm to certain books? Sometimes it doesn’t have to do with the words, it’s a peripheral thing like this. I might have rated this 3 stars were it not for the small personal connection.
But here’s two good poems from the book.
The Finches
The ears stung with cold
and frost of dawn
in early April, comes
the song of winter finches,
their crimson bright, then
dark as they move into
and then against the light.
May the year warm them
soon. May they soon go
north with their singing
and the seasons to follow.
May the bare sticks soon
live, and our minds go free
of the ground
into the shining of trees.
To Know the Dark
To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.
To know the dark, go dark, go without sight,
and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,
and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.
Poetry Foundation Bio of Berry:
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem...
January 1, 2020
I loved the simplicity of these poems. Terrapin is my favorite! The illustrations are wonderful as well.
September 1, 2025
A collection of wonderfully illustrated poems that children might like to read.
Poetry Review: Terrapin is a lovely collection of farmer/poet Wendell Berry's work, that illustrator Tom Pohrt thought that children might appreciate. The book contains 21 of Berry's simpler and shorter poems, but they have their own mysteries and can be well appreciated by adults, as well. Personally, I loved this book for its charming simplicity, and even by an adult it can be read over and over again for both the subtleties and the warm messages of the poems. No, this is not slam poetry, it's not edgy or dark, not hipster cool or ironic. The poems are un-ironic and sincere, a sincerity that you can read and love in the privacy of your own bedroom. Go ahead, be daring, read as a child, with a child's eyes, and heart, as you did when you were a child. Be that better you from long ago. Here is one:
The first man who whistled
thought he had a wren in his mouth.
He went around all day
with his lips puckered,
afraid to swallow.
The poems are heavy on nature, animals, and life on Berry's farm. There are poems about horses, snakes, squirrels, a calf, and finches; poems about planting trees, the seasons, and sleep. And then there is the title poem, which I think (surprise!) is the most wonderful of all the poems in Terrapin. Childlike, not childish, and any child would love it. The illustrations are all well worth examining for their own sake. The pictures are warm, sweet, adorable, and maybe one or two are even a little cheesy, in a good way, like a good friend who tells bad jokes. It's hard to tell if the paintings illustrate the poems or the poems capture the pictures. This book would be a perfect gift (hardback or paperback) for any occasion. Perfect for a young child who likes to be read to, or an older child who has started to read. Or, as with me, an adult of any age. I don't know if children will understand all the poems in Terrapin, or even all the words, but it will be wonderful for them to try. [4★]
Poetry Review: Terrapin is a lovely collection of farmer/poet Wendell Berry's work, that illustrator Tom Pohrt thought that children might appreciate. The book contains 21 of Berry's simpler and shorter poems, but they have their own mysteries and can be well appreciated by adults, as well. Personally, I loved this book for its charming simplicity, and even by an adult it can be read over and over again for both the subtleties and the warm messages of the poems. No, this is not slam poetry, it's not edgy or dark, not hipster cool or ironic. The poems are un-ironic and sincere, a sincerity that you can read and love in the privacy of your own bedroom. Go ahead, be daring, read as a child, with a child's eyes, and heart, as you did when you were a child. Be that better you from long ago. Here is one:
The first man who whistled
thought he had a wren in his mouth.
He went around all day
with his lips puckered,
afraid to swallow.
The poems are heavy on nature, animals, and life on Berry's farm. There are poems about horses, snakes, squirrels, a calf, and finches; poems about planting trees, the seasons, and sleep. And then there is the title poem, which I think (surprise!) is the most wonderful of all the poems in Terrapin. Childlike, not childish, and any child would love it. The illustrations are all well worth examining for their own sake. The pictures are warm, sweet, adorable, and maybe one or two are even a little cheesy, in a good way, like a good friend who tells bad jokes. It's hard to tell if the paintings illustrate the poems or the poems capture the pictures. This book would be a perfect gift (hardback or paperback) for any occasion. Perfect for a young child who likes to be read to, or an older child who has started to read. Or, as with me, an adult of any age. I don't know if children will understand all the poems in Terrapin, or even all the words, but it will be wonderful for them to try. [4★]
January 8, 2023
Simply put, THE most beautiful, breathtaking piece of art I have ever had the pleasure of picking up randomly at the public library.
January 1, 2018
Quiet, peaceful, mindful poems to kick-off the New Year. I rarely buy books (I know; what kind of strange creature am I, even?!) but I’m happy to own this one. The illustrations by Tom Pohrt make it a tangible work of art, as well as a poetic one. As the blurb on the back says, this is for “anyone who loves the book as a physical object.” Because of the seasonal nature of the poems, I’m sure I’ll revisit it throughout the year.
Favorite poems: “The Sorrel Filly”, “March Snow”, “The First”, “Sleep”, “The Finches”, “Planting Trees”, and “The Unseeable Animal.”
Favorite poems: “The Sorrel Filly”, “March Snow”, “The First”, “Sleep”, “The Finches”, “Planting Trees”, and “The Unseeable Animal.”
December 22, 2024
What an utterly lovely collection of Wendell Berry poetry. This specific group of poems felt simpler than most of his other poetry I have read and I was the opposite of mad about it. The vivid illustrations added so much to this collection and made this book feel as if children could easily enter in. I plan to add this beauty to my forever collection soon.
PS. The poem “Her First Calf” is especially poignant in the midst of this Advent season - highly recommend reading at least this poem, if not the whole collection!
PS. The poem “Her First Calf” is especially poignant in the midst of this Advent season - highly recommend reading at least this poem, if not the whole collection!
December 30, 2017
A great book with lovely illustrations. Berry does what I look forward to in my poems, take the quotidian and elevate it to something almost mystical.
April 18, 2018
My first introduction to Wendell Berry. I see many more Wendell Berry books in my future.
March 17, 2015
I don't read much poetry, but the title and front cover couldn't help but catch my eye. Then when I turned to My Nose, I knew I had to read the whole thing. That poem is about a poor man who thinks his nose looks like an onion, and, well, I'll let you read the rest. This is the only volume of Wendell Berry poetry that I have read, and while I don't think that it will make history, there is an earthiness to it that is attractive. I think it helps to be aware of the author's background as a farmer and environmental advocate. After reading the volume through once, I was surprised to read the back story about this book on the front jacket (the same as the description of this book in Goodreads) because it didn't seem at all like a children's book to me. In retrospect, some of the poems seem very appropriate for children, (such as the aforementioned My Nose), but others are quite sophisticated, such as The Sorrel Filly.
July 9, 2015
I cannot wait to read these poems to my child. I love much of Berry's poetry, and he, along with illustrator Tom Pohrt have selected some of Berry's poems (or even condensed versions) that would appeal to children. Most of them center on nature - the seasons changing, the woods, interactions with animals, some center on introspective ideas, and one silly poem is about Berry's nose. The illustrations further support the wonder apparent in the poems.
I don't think I'd read this to a child cover-to-cover, but would instead choose poems based on the coming fall, or their first horse ride, or Arbor Day or whatever.
A lovely book.
I don't think I'd read this to a child cover-to-cover, but would instead choose poems based on the coming fall, or their first horse ride, or Arbor Day or whatever.
A lovely book.
December 20, 2014
It is a short collection of Wendell Berry poems illustrated by Tom Pohrt. Mr. Porht accumulated these poems of Berry’s he thought children might read. It’s a delightful collection (most of these poems I was unfamiliar with). They are not necessarily Berry’s best poems. They do capture his love of the world and its creatures and his love of language well. I bought this book this year, new from Amazon.
January 24, 2015
I read this book over lunch,but I am going to go back and enjoy it again. The illustrations are beautiful. It was a wonderful collaboration. I was struck by the detail and beauty of the illustration for the poem "Spring".
"A shower like a little song
Overtook him going home,
Wet his shoulders, and went on."
You have to read the book to see the stunning running rabbit which accompanies this poem.
"A shower like a little song
Overtook him going home,
Wet his shoulders, and went on."
You have to read the book to see the stunning running rabbit which accompanies this poem.
January 4, 2015
This is a collection of a small sample of Wendell Berry poems that are placed in an illustrated book. The book is quite nice. However, it is small and if you are a big Berry fan, you probably already have all of the poems elsewhere. Of course, if you're a big Berry fan, you'll want it for your collection.
March 3, 2015
This short book gathers some of Wendell Berry's short, more accessible poems that the illustrator Tom Pohrt believed children would enjoy and appreciate. Pohrt provided beautiful watercolor and sketch illustrations for each. The result is a lovely book. Those familiar with Berry will know what to expect, particularly his appreciation of the natural world.
February 16, 2025
Illustrator Tom Pohrt gathered those poems of Wendell Berry’s that he imagined children would enjoy and he made sketches to accompany them. The result is a lovely book of poems filled with beautiful watercolors and drawings that provide a visual meditation for the poems. I think this is a perfect gift for children to introduce them to Wendell Berry’s poetry.
June 21, 2015
I am new to poetry and although this book is meant to be a children's book, I enjoyed the earthy, nature poems offered by Wendell Berry. Seasons, animals, nature, darkness....a great book to introduce poetry to children and even adults.
November 26, 2015
Poetry is for sipping during the course of the day. The words roll about your head touching events in the past and present. Woods has hung with me during Dark and Heavy moments. Vision and Flight remain.
December 27, 2015
This book is a beauty. The format, the illustration, the poems. I love its simplicity in words and pictures. Only after I'd finished it and checked it on Goodreads did I realize it was meant to be a poetry book for children. I couldn't tell at all.
April 16, 2016
This is not my usual poetry book. Its poetry is about woods and squirrels and winter nights. It has gorgeous illustrations which makes the poems that much more profound. A fine gift for those of you wanting to marvel at the beauty that is not human and yet seems to reflect us so well.
April 5, 2022
Read again but this time with Mary for our Tuesday tea! She enjoyed the illustrations (I am not a huge fan of them but they are fine), and the poems were even better this time around. Mary especially liked the one called “Winter Night Poem for Mary.”
December 24, 2014
A book of his poems, but meant for children? Lovely and short
February 8, 2015
This is a beautiful physical object; a book I would be proud to set on my shelf and welcome into my soul.
May 13, 2016
This is a lovely volume of poems by Wendell Berry, especially chosen with children in mind, but any reader should enjoy.
December 21, 2019
My first introduction to Wendell Berry. A slim collection of 20 poems, each illustrated with watercolor. Poems focus on nature, animals, & seasons. While nominally intended for children, some of the poems will be too much for young children. Yet the rhymes of some of the poems were too young for adults.
My fave poems were:
1- April Woods: Morning;
2- To Know the Dark (To go in the dark with a light is to know the light. To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight)
3- Fall
4- October 10
I enjoyed the paintings....they were a nice complement to the poems.
My fave poems were:
1- April Woods: Morning;
2- To Know the Dark (To go in the dark with a light is to know the light. To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight)
3- Fall
4- October 10
I enjoyed the paintings....they were a nice complement to the poems.
July 16, 2017
I enjoyed this collection of poems selected from Berry's body of work that the editor/illustrator felt would be particularly enjoyed by children. I'm not sure every single one of the poems would be accessible and appreciated by most kids, but I admire the concept and feel the execution was largely successful. The illustrations are beautiful and my favorite poem by far was (unsurprisingly) "The Terrapin" which the collection was titled after.
September 22, 2024
4 1/2 out of 5 stars, simply because I wish it was a tad bit longer. There were a few of my "oldie but goodie" Berry favorites (Her First Calf, The Finches) but I was excited to find a new favorite: Planting Trees. The illustrations are beautiful in their simplicity. I'll be purchasing my own copy for my poetry shelves.
March 4, 2023
I prefer Berry's poetry to his other writings, and I freely admit that. He's a wonderful Kentucky poet, though, to be fair, when it comes to Kentucky authors writing about rural life, I'm a true Jesse Stuart fan. I appreciate what Berry does though, and I liked this one particularly well.
January 22, 2018
Simple, uncomplicated poems about Nature from the beloved author Wendell Berry. Very soothing when life is difficult.
November 21, 2018
I loved reading these thoughtful poems about nature.
July 10, 2019
A poetry book for children by one of America's greatest living poets who uses nature themes. Lovely illustrations. I loved the Terrapin piece but my favorite was The Woods.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews