Poetry Review: Once Upon a Tomb by J. Patrick Lewis Illustrated by Simon Bartram

Once Upon a Tomb by J. Patrick Lewis Illustrated by Simon Bartram

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lewis, J. Patrick. 2006. Once Upon a Tomb: Gravely Humorous Verses. Ill. by Simon Bartram. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN 978-0-7636-1837-7

2.  SUMMARY

J. Patrick Lewis gives death a humorous spin in this witty collection of verses. The twenty-two poems in this collection highlight twenty-two different professions, and provide a funny (and sometimes cautionary) description of how they died.

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The title of this book is a perfect description of what you are getting- gravely humorous verses. Each poem will make you laugh with its vivid, often outrageous, imagery- as seen in the poem titled “Soccer Player”, the line “Ball whacked Albert on the snout- Looked like one big Brussels sprout.” Each poem has a rhythm that caters to the profession of the person who died. For example, in “Dairy Farmer”, the rhythm is reminiscent of an old folk song you might hear sung about a farm. While many of the poems are light-hearted and humorous, there is a layer of morbidity in a few of them. In “Bully”, the language used (“worms”, “flies”, “wasted”) coupled with the dark illustration gives an unsettling feeling to the reader.

The illustrations by Simon Bartram bring each poem to life. With his use of bold, often dark, colors and outrageous facial expressions, the far-fetched nature of each poem is amplified. The hilarity of each poem partnered with the larger than life illustrations make this collection a read aloud thrill.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “Lewis's (Please Bury Me in the Library ) 22 morbidly funny elegies pair perfectly with Bartram's (Man on the Moon ) hilarious acrylics.”

5. CONNECTIONS

*Other poetry collections by J. Patrick Lewis:

World Rat Day: Poems About Real Holidays You’ve Never Heard Of
ISBN:978-0763654023

Edgar Allen Poe’s Pie: Math Puzzlers in Classic Poems

ISBN: 978-0547513386

The National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry
ISBN: 978-1426310096