Shoulders

“Kindness” by Naomi Shihab Nye (1995)

Naomi Shihab Nye’s poem “Kindness” appears in her eighth collection of poetry, Words Under the Words (1995). “Kindness” is a philosophical poem that defines compassion not just as a discrete action but also as a way of living. Throughout the poem, Nye argues that kindness is not an inherently selfless act, but rather that kindness is a rational mode of living. The poem gently reminds readers that every person on Earth lives a complex life, full of joy and heartache, and that the only way to weather the hardships is to be kind to friends and strangers alike. Nye’s thematic concerns about empathy and kindness as tools for radical, societal change parallel that of “Shoulders,” creating a thread of hope and optimism that runs throughout Nye’s collected works.

“Boy and Egg” by Naomi Shihab Nye (1998)

The poem “Boy and Egg” was published in Nye’s ninth collection of poetry, Fuel (1998), and tells the story of a young boy living on a farm. The poem provides a snapshot of a small child collecting eggs from the hen house, quietly communing with nature each time he performs this task. Nye explores the connection between humanity and the natural world, using the young boy as a symbol of innocence.