191:
with the blacksmith’s help. However, he is unable to strike the metal with the hammer to bend it. Later, when he is alone, he follows the bird's instructions and magically makes a plow of gold. Putting the plow in a bag he sets off to find some soil that his plow can bring to life. At last Alvin
187:. One day, when there is not much work to do, the blacksmith tells Alvin to go into the woods to look for berries. In the woods, Alvin meets a red-winged bird that makes a "maker" out of him. When he goes back to the blacksmith’s shop he tries to make a
192:
comes to a river in the middle of a foggy land and takes his plow out of the bag. The fog begins to clear and he meets a man named Verily Cooper. Together they build a plow frame and when they touch it the plow comes to life and plows the ground.
273:
This poem won first prize for "long serious poem" in the 1981 Utah State
Institute of Fine Arts. Card admits that all the entries in this category won a prize (there were two), though his came in first.
155:"Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow" won first prize in the long serious poem category at the Utah State Institute of Fine Arts in 1981. Card published this poem in the August 1989 issue of
1657:
265:
in one of his literature classes. At the time Card was not planning on expanding "Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow" into a novel series. It was originally meant to stand on its own.
1364:
798:
791:
784:
684:
436:
1439:
402:
950:
1642:
620:
830:
628:
374:
331:
283:
1570:
988:
251:
According to Card he came up with the idea to write "Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow" while attending graduate school at the
756:
660:
429:
463:
693:
445:
1594:
1530:
1412:
749:
422:
1652:
868:
735:
202:
176:
143:
121:
815:
1647:
1340:
1300:
1455:
1348:
1004:
848:
820:
1610:
1281:
1256:
1215:
742:
668:
545:
770:
1538:
707:
510:
494:
1637:
1554:
1490:
1420:
1396:
1236:
1129:
1050:
972:
884:
763:
561:
361:
1265:
1195:
1159:
1105:
1066:
636:
252:
110:
1602:
1183:
1578:
1522:
1356:
1074:
1058:
1012:
721:
700:
569:
537:
407:
370:
327:
257:
157:
77:
61:
1662:
1471:
1463:
1388:
1207:
1095:
924:
908:
449:
366:
322:
288:
163:
138:
31:
1227:
1121:
1113:
1040:
777:
728:
577:
486:
307:
1324:
1316:
1175:
900:
714:
652:
553:
518:
262:
184:
393:
1631:
1586:
1332:
1273:
1244:
1167:
612:
596:
1404:
1380:
1372:
838:
1514:
1447:
892:
604:
27:
1506:
1308:
180:
88:
1546:
1151:
1082:
996:
916:
414:
188:
255:. According to Card he decided to try to write an epic poem after reading
502:
99:
843:
57:
346:
1562:
134:
1498:
1031:
969:
865:
460:
418:
161:
magazine; and reprinted it in his short story collection
1482:
1431:
1292:
1255:
1226:
1194:
1140:
1093:
1038:
980:
935:
876:
829:
808:
683:
588:
529:
478:
471:
116:
106:
94:
84:
72:
67:
53:
45:
37:
21:
1658:Works originally published in Sunstone (magazine)
1365:Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus
349:from Bibliography of Mormon Speculative Fiction.
430:
8:
1028:
966:
862:
475:
457:
437:
423:
415:
310:"Orson Scott Card's website The Hatrack".
326:. New York, NY: Tor Books. p. 540.
300:
1440:Unaccompanied Sonata and Other Stories
18:
951:Red Prophet: The Tales of Alvin Maker
403:"Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow"
131:"Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow"
22:"Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow"
7:
365:. New York, NY: Tor Books. pp.
141:. The poem was the basis for Card's
944:Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow
405:- pg 28-32 - available online from
396:Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow
14:
284:List of works by Orson Scott Card
16:Poem written by Orson Scott Card
661:A War of Gifts: An Ender Story
1:
398:available from Card’s website
394:Publication information for
1595:InterGalactic Medicine Show
1531:The Secret of Monkey Island
1679:
1643:Poetry by Orson Scott Card
750:A Young Man with Prospects
359:Card, Orson Scott (1987).
320:Card, Orson Scott (1990).
1027:
965:
861:
647:
456:
247:Origins of Prentice Alvin
26:
869:The Tales of Alvin Maker
144:The Tales of Alvin Maker
122:The Tales of Alvin Maker
1301:A Planet Called Treason
1456:The Folk of the Fringe
1005:The Worthing Chronicle
1257:The Pathfinder series
669:Children of the Fleet
546:Shadow of the Hegemon
708:Investment Counselor
511:Children of the Mind
495:Speaker for the Dead
1491:Listen, Mom and Dad
1421:Bully and the Beast
1413:Invasive Procedures
1130:The Wives of Israel
1051:The Memory of Earth
973:The Worthing series
562:Shadow of the Giant
464:Ender's Game series
216:The red-winged bird
175:This poem is about
1067:The Ships of Earth
954:(comic book, 2006)
771:Ender's Homecoming
308:Alvin Maker series
253:University of Utah
1625:
1624:
1621:
1620:
1579:Ultimate Iron Man
1432:Story collections
1293:Standalone novels
1059:The Call of Earth
1023:
1022:
1013:The Worthing Saga
961:
960:
857:
856:
701:Gloriously Bright
679:
678:
570:Shadows in Flight
258:The Faerie Queene
128:
127:
62:alternate history
1670:
1472:Keeper of Dreams
1464:Maps in a Mirror
1096:Women of Genesis
1029:
967:
925:The Crystal City
909:Alvin Journeyman
863:
764:Ender's Stocking
476:
458:
450:Orson Scott Card
439:
432:
425:
416:
381:
380:
356:
350:
344:
338:
337:
323:Maps in a Mirror
317:
311:
305:
289:Orson Scott Card
230:- a barrel maker
206:- main character
164:Maps in a Mirror
139:Orson Scott Card
107:Publication date
85:Publication type
32:Orson Scott Card
19:
1678:
1677:
1673:
1672:
1671:
1669:
1668:
1667:
1653:Narrative poems
1628:
1627:
1626:
1617:
1603:Hamlet's Father
1478:
1427:
1288:
1251:
1228:The Empire duet
1222:
1190:
1136:
1122:Rachel and Leah
1089:
1041:Homecoming Saga
1034:
1019:
976:
957:
931:
872:
853:
825:
804:
792:Governor Wiggin
778:Ender in Flight
729:Mazer in Prison
675:
643:
584:
578:The Last Shadow
525:
467:
452:
443:
390:
385:
384:
377:
358:
357:
353:
347:Authors’ Awards
345:
341:
334:
319:
318:
314:
306:
302:
297:
280:
271:
249:
224:- made by Alvin
222:The living plow
198:
173:
153:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1676:
1674:
1666:
1665:
1660:
1655:
1650:
1648:Fantasy poetry
1645:
1640:
1630:
1629:
1623:
1622:
1619:
1618:
1616:
1615:
1607:
1599:
1591:
1583:
1575:
1567:
1559:
1551:
1543:
1535:
1527:
1519:
1511:
1503:
1495:
1486:
1484:
1480:
1479:
1477:
1476:
1468:
1460:
1452:
1444:
1435:
1433:
1429:
1428:
1426:
1425:
1417:
1409:
1401:
1393:
1385:
1377:
1369:
1361:
1353:
1345:
1337:
1329:
1321:
1313:
1305:
1296:
1294:
1290:
1289:
1287:
1286:
1278:
1270:
1261:
1259:
1253:
1252:
1250:
1249:
1241:
1232:
1230:
1224:
1223:
1221:
1220:
1212:
1203:
1201:
1192:
1191:
1189:
1188:
1180:
1176:The Gate Thief
1172:
1164:
1156:
1147:
1145:
1138:
1137:
1135:
1134:
1126:
1118:
1110:
1101:
1099:
1091:
1090:
1088:
1087:
1079:
1071:
1063:
1055:
1046:
1044:
1036:
1035:
1032:
1025:
1024:
1021:
1020:
1018:
1017:
1009:
1001:
993:
984:
982:
978:
977:
970:
963:
962:
959:
958:
956:
955:
947:
946:" (poem, 1989)
939:
937:
933:
932:
930:
929:
921:
913:
905:
901:Prentice Alvin
897:
889:
880:
878:
874:
873:
866:
859:
858:
855:
854:
852:
851:
846:
841:
835:
833:
827:
826:
824:
823:
818:
812:
810:
806:
805:
803:
802:
795:
788:
781:
774:
767:
760:
753:
746:
739:
732:
725:
722:Teacher's Pest
718:
715:The Polish Boy
711:
704:
697:
689:
687:
681:
680:
677:
676:
674:
673:
665:
657:
653:First Meetings
648:
645:
644:
642:
641:
633:
625:
617:
609:
601:
592:
590:
586:
585:
583:
582:
574:
566:
558:
554:Shadow Puppets
550:
542:
538:Ender's Shadow
533:
531:
527:
526:
524:
523:
519:Ender in Exile
515:
507:
499:
491:
482:
480:
473:
469:
468:
461:
454:
453:
444:
442:
441:
434:
427:
419:
413:
412:
400:
389:
388:External links
386:
383:
382:
375:
351:
339:
332:
312:
299:
298:
296:
293:
292:
291:
286:
279:
276:
270:
267:
263:Edmund Spenser
248:
245:
244:
243:
237:
231:
225:
219:
213:
210:The blacksmith
207:
197:
194:
172:
169:
152:
149:
126:
125:
118:
114:
113:
108:
104:
103:
96:
92:
91:
86:
82:
81:
74:
70:
69:
65:
64:
55:
51:
50:
47:
43:
42:
39:
35:
34:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1675:
1664:
1661:
1659:
1656:
1654:
1651:
1649:
1646:
1644:
1641:
1639:
1636:
1635:
1633:
1613:
1612:
1608:
1605:
1604:
1600:
1597:
1596:
1592:
1589:
1588:
1587:Advent Rising
1584:
1581:
1580:
1576:
1573:
1572:
1568:
1565:
1564:
1560:
1557:
1556:
1552:
1549:
1548:
1544:
1541:
1540:
1536:
1533:
1532:
1528:
1525:
1524:
1520:
1517:
1516:
1512:
1509:
1508:
1504:
1501:
1500:
1496:
1493:
1492:
1488:
1487:
1485:
1481:
1474:
1473:
1469:
1466:
1465:
1461:
1458:
1457:
1453:
1450:
1449:
1445:
1442:
1441:
1437:
1436:
1434:
1430:
1423:
1422:
1418:
1415:
1414:
1410:
1407:
1406:
1402:
1399:
1398:
1394:
1391:
1390:
1386:
1383:
1382:
1378:
1375:
1374:
1370:
1367:
1366:
1362:
1359:
1358:
1354:
1351:
1350:
1346:
1343:
1342:
1338:
1335:
1334:
1330:
1327:
1326:
1322:
1319:
1318:
1314:
1311:
1310:
1306:
1303:
1302:
1298:
1297:
1295:
1291:
1284:
1283:
1279:
1276:
1275:
1271:
1268:
1267:
1263:
1262:
1260:
1258:
1254:
1247:
1246:
1245:Hidden Empire
1242:
1239:
1238:
1234:
1233:
1231:
1229:
1225:
1218:
1217:
1213:
1210:
1209:
1205:
1204:
1202:
1200:
1198:
1193:
1186:
1185:
1181:
1178:
1177:
1173:
1170:
1169:
1168:The Lost Gate
1165:
1162:
1161:
1157:
1154:
1153:
1149:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1139:
1132:
1131:
1127:
1124:
1123:
1119:
1116:
1115:
1111:
1108:
1107:
1103:
1102:
1100:
1098:
1097:
1092:
1085:
1084:
1080:
1077:
1076:
1072:
1069:
1068:
1064:
1061:
1060:
1056:
1053:
1052:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1043:
1042:
1037:
1030:
1026:
1015:
1014:
1010:
1007:
1006:
1002:
999:
998:
994:
991:
990:
986:
985:
983:
979:
975:
974:
968:
964:
953:
952:
948:
945:
941:
940:
938:
934:
927:
926:
922:
919:
918:
914:
911:
910:
906:
903:
902:
898:
895:
894:
890:
887:
886:
882:
881:
879:
875:
871:
870:
864:
860:
850:
847:
845:
842:
840:
837:
836:
834:
832:
828:
822:
819:
817:
814:
813:
811:
807:
800:
796:
793:
789:
786:
782:
779:
775:
772:
768:
765:
761:
758:
754:
751:
747:
744:
740:
737:
733:
730:
726:
723:
719:
716:
712:
709:
705:
702:
698:
695:
691:
690:
688:
686:
685:Short stories
682:
671:
670:
666:
663:
662:
658:
655:
654:
650:
649:
646:
639:
638:
634:
631:
630:
626:
623:
622:
618:
615:
614:
613:Earth Awakens
610:
607:
606:
602:
599:
598:
597:Earth Unaware
594:
593:
591:
587:
580:
579:
575:
572:
571:
567:
564:
563:
559:
556:
555:
551:
548:
547:
543:
540:
539:
535:
534:
532:
528:
521:
520:
516:
513:
512:
508:
505:
504:
500:
497:
496:
492:
489:
488:
484:
483:
481:
477:
474:
470:
466:
465:
459:
455:
451:
447:
440:
435:
433:
428:
426:
421:
420:
417:
410:
409:
404:
401:
399:
397:
392:
391:
387:
378:
376:0-312-93019-4
372:
368:
364:
363:
355:
352:
348:
343:
340:
335:
333:0-312-85047-6
329:
325:
324:
316:
313:
309:
304:
301:
294:
290:
287:
285:
282:
281:
277:
275:
268:
266:
264:
260:
259:
254:
246:
241:
238:
235:
232:
229:
228:Verily Cooper
226:
223:
220:
217:
214:
211:
208:
205:
204:
200:
199:
195:
193:
190:
186:
182:
178:
170:
168:
166:
165:
160:
159:
150:
148:
146:
145:
140:
136:
132:
124:
123:
119:
115:
112:
109:
105:
101:
97:
93:
90:
87:
83:
80:
79:
75:
71:
66:
63:
59:
56:
52:
48:
44:
41:United States
40:
36:
33:
29:
25:
20:
1609:
1601:
1593:
1585:
1577:
1571:An Open Book
1569:
1561:
1555:Magic Mirror
1553:
1545:
1537:
1529:
1521:
1513:
1505:
1497:
1489:
1470:
1462:
1454:
1446:
1438:
1419:
1411:
1405:Magic Street
1403:
1395:
1387:
1381:Stone Tables
1379:
1373:Treasure Box
1371:
1363:
1355:
1347:
1339:
1331:
1323:
1315:
1307:
1299:
1280:
1272:
1264:
1243:
1235:
1214:
1206:
1196:
1182:
1174:
1166:
1158:
1150:
1141:
1128:
1120:
1112:
1104:
1094:
1081:
1073:
1065:
1057:
1049:
1039:
1011:
1003:
995:
987:
971:
949:
943:
923:
915:
907:
899:
891:
883:
867:
839:Ender Wiggin
757:The Gold Bug
694:Ender's Game
667:
659:
651:
635:
627:
619:
611:
603:
595:
576:
568:
560:
552:
544:
536:
517:
509:
501:
493:
487:Ender's Game
485:
479:Ender Series
462:
406:
395:
360:
354:
342:
321:
315:
303:
272:
256:
250:
239:
233:
227:
221:
215:
209:
203:Alvin Miller
201:
177:Alvin Miller
174:
171:Plot summary
162:
156:
154:
142:
130:
129:
120:
76:
73:Published in
1515:Eye for Eye
1483:Other works
1448:Cardography
1397:Enchantment
1317:Hart's Hope
1160:Stonefather
1142:Mithermages
1033:Other works
936:Other media
893:Red Prophet
885:Seventh Son
809:Other media
605:Earth Afire
589:Formic Wars
530:Shadow Saga
362:Seventh Son
234:Old Mizeray
151:Publication
68:Publication
28:Short story
1638:1989 poems
1632:Categories
1507:Saintspeak
1309:Songmaster
1266:Pathfinder
1184:Gatefather
831:Characters
736:Pretty Boy
637:The Queens
295:References
196:Characters
185:apprentice
181:blacksmith
179:, a young
95:Media type
89:Periodical
1547:NeoHunter
1357:Lost Boys
1349:The Abyss
1197:Mayflower
1152:Sandmagic
1083:Earthborn
1075:Earthfall
997:Hot Sleep
917:Heartfire
799:Messenger
621:The Swarm
367:Afterward
242:- unnamed
236:- a river
218:- unnamed
212:- unnamed
189:horseshoe
1611:Firefall
1389:Homebody
1282:Visitors
1216:Rasputin
1208:Lovelock
703:" (1991)
696:" (1977)
629:The Hive
503:Xenocide
411:magazine
408:Sunstone
278:See also
158:Sunstone
147:series.
100:Magazine
78:Sunstone
54:Genre(s)
46:Language
1663:Ploughs
1539:The Dig
1341:Treason
1114:Rebekah
989:Capitol
844:Formics
785:Renegat
743:Cheater
240:Farmers
98:Print (
58:Fantasy
49:English
38:Country
1614:(2014)
1606:(2011)
1598:(2005)
1590:(2005)
1582:(2005)
1574:(2004)
1566:(2003)
1563:Robota
1558:(1999)
1550:(1996)
1542:(1995)
1534:(1990)
1526:(1990)
1518:(1987)
1510:(1981)
1502:(1981)
1494:(1977)
1475:(2008)
1467:(1990)
1459:(1989)
1451:(1987)
1443:(1980)
1416:(2007)
1408:(2005)
1400:(1999)
1392:(1998)
1384:(1997)
1376:(1996)
1368:(1996)
1360:(1992)
1352:(1989)
1344:(1988)
1336:(1987)
1328:(1984)
1325:Saints
1320:(1983)
1312:(1980)
1304:(1979)
1285:(2014)
1277:(2012)
1269:(2010)
1248:(2009)
1240:(2006)
1237:Empire
1211:(1994)
1199:series
1187:(2015)
1179:(2013)
1171:(2011)
1163:(2008)
1155:(1979)
1144:series
1125:(2004)
1117:(2001)
1109:(2000)
1086:(1995)
1078:(1995)
1070:(1994)
1062:(1992)
1054:(1992)
1016:(1990)
1008:(1983)
1000:(1979)
992:(1979)
928:(2003)
920:(1998)
912:(1995)
904:(1989)
896:(1988)
888:(1987)
816:Comics
672:(2017)
664:(2007)
656:(2002)
632:(2019)
624:(2016)
616:(2014)
608:(2013)
600:(2012)
581:(2021)
573:(2012)
565:(2005)
557:(2002)
549:(2001)
541:(1999)
522:(2008)
514:(1996)
506:(1991)
498:(1986)
490:(1985)
373:
330:
269:Awards
117:Series
1499:Ainge
1424:(TBA)
1333:Wyrms
1274:Ruins
1219:(TBA)
1133:(TBA)
1106:Sarah
981:Books
877:Books
640:(TBA)
472:Books
446:Works
133:is a
1523:Loom
849:Jane
821:Film
371:ISBN
328:ISBN
135:poem
111:1989
448:by
261:by
183:’s
137:by
30:by
1634::
369:.
167:.
60:,
942:"
801:"
797:"
794:"
790:"
787:"
783:"
780:"
776:"
773:"
769:"
766:"
762:"
759:"
755:"
752:"
748:"
745:"
741:"
738:"
734:"
731:"
727:"
724:"
720:"
717:"
713:"
710:"
706:"
699:"
692:"
438:e
431:t
424:v
379:.
336:.
102:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.