How we cite our quotes: (Section.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #10
It's quiet but it's not, thought Billy. Then he thought of the dead bird, and all the noises mixed together and grew louder in his head. Mama squeezed his shoulders. "Of all the things I like, quiet might be my favorite."
A light moved slowly across the sky, far, far away. A lot of what Mama had said sounded like a poem. Billy hoped he could remember enough of it to write something down. The world ticked and hummed and rushed around them. And they stood together a bit longer in the darkness. (4.3.41-42)
By the end of book, Billy's attitude toward poetry has shifted. Not long ago he thought it was the worst work in the world, but Billy does a switcheroo when he discovers that writing poetry can happen just by paying a wee bit more attention to the world. Who knew there're so many things that can inspire a poem? Well with a little inspiration from his mom (and, you know, a dead bird), Billy's good to go.