Carver: A Life in Poems

Something says find out
why rain falls, what makes corn proud
and squash so humble, the questions
call like a train whistle …
George Washington Carver was determined to help the people he loved. Born enslaved in Missouri, he left home in search of an education, eventually earning his master’s degree. When Booker T. Washington invited Carver to start the agricultural department
at the all-Black-staffed Tuskegee Institute, Carver found his calling. He spent the rest of his life seeking solutions to poverty among landless Black farmers by developing new uses for soil-replenishing crops such as peanuts, cowpeas, and sweet potatoes. Known for his
achievements as a botanist and inventor, Carver’s quest also led him to become a gifted painter, musician, and teacher. This collection of poems by award-winning poet Marilyn Nelson paints a compelling portrait of Carver’s complex, profoundly devout life.