The poem “Beat Wheat” (April 1934) addresses the drought and presents Billie Jo’s growing understanding of the very difficult situation of her family and all their neighbors. The overall tone is pessimistic, as Billie Jo expresses the hopelessness of their predicament. She worries about her own family as well as identifies with Joe, as she includes him in speaking of “our future … blowing away.” The conflictual aspect of the tone comes from her efforts to distract herself, which gets on her mother’s nerves. Billie Jo tries but does not succeed in escaping into her piano playing. This poem reveals that she is a perceptive, sensitive, and artistic child but also has typical differences with her mother.

“Heartsick” is a poem from Spring 1935. Billie Jo expresses her self-doubt regarding her appeal to boys her age. She mentions her interest in Mad Dog but questions why he would want to “court” her. Because he is popular and could go with any girl, she wonders why he would be interested in her. These emotions confuse Billie Jo and make her “restless.” The poem’s tone is anxious and tense. Her strong feelings sometimes turn to anger, which causes her to avoid and even resent her father. Their lack of communication—which has deepened since her mother’s death—causes ongoing tension in their home. From this poem, the reader senses the changes happening in Billie Jo as she goes through adolescence and that her grief persists although she admits that she and her father are alone together.