Yard Show
English professor Janice N. Harrington’s recently published book of poetry, “Yard Work,” was longlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award.
Harrington, the Clayton and Thelma Kirkpatrick Professor in English literature, sits on a bench in Meadowbrook Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Contributor
Words and photograph by Abigail Bobrow
When Janice N. Harrington suggested meeting at Meadowbrook Park, one of her favorite spots, she led us to a small, ornate metal bench beneath a canopy of bare branches. This rustic vignette reminded her of the displays that inspired her much-lauded poetry collection, “Yard Show.”
“People who make yard shows aren’t confined by perfection,” she said. “They take what’s there and make something beautiful out of it. What I heard from all these women who created these extraordinary yards was this: that we all can, in our own way, do something — change something, alter something — and make it better. Create a place. Create a space to belong.”
“Yard Work,” from “Yard Show” by Janice N. Harrington, published by BOA Editions LTD. Used with permission
