so much depends...

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.

(William Carlos Williams)


I wish I had a photograph here for you, but try to picture it in your mind's eye...
A small red wheelbarrow which has been rattling around our yard with one broken handle, was revived by F. in honor of a two-year-old's birthday. A new handle was carved, shiny new fastenings were put in, and a yellow ribbon was tied cheerily to each handle. We arrived at the birthday party with the wheelbarrow tucked under F.'s arm, and immediately the prince of the day spied it and made a beeline toward us. F. set down the wheelbarrow, and off trundled the newly-two, complete with a floppy sunhat and a red ballon tied to his wrist and bobbing above his head, without a backward glance. So much depends upon a red wheel barrow.