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Beautiful Language Journal Though a highly unoriginal name for a blank journal I found tossed in a box of “stuff” at an auction, it has become a useful writing tool. It’s a place where I record snippets of vivid description, gorgeous metaphors, and lovely pieces of writing that I find in my reading. Any reading - adult fiction and nonfiction, poetry, children’s books, quotes on walls of displays, wherever I find exquisite words. My entries might be single words or phrases or whole sentences. I make a note of the author. If the source is readily available, I try to note it as well. From time to time, I read through my journal for inspiration to jump start my writing. The “beautiful language” of others leads me to new images of my own. Students can make the same kinds of entries in their poetry notebooks, jotting down similes and metaphors, words and phrases they find in their own reading. Encourage them to note authors and sources. Samples from my journal: [leaves of trees] “in all the dialects of green” (Fredrik Backman) “three stunted and discouraged trees, clearly without a future” (John Neihardt) “The bare branches wore the stars in their fingers.” (E.B. White, One Man’s Meat, p. 218) “In the middle of autumn, do you hear yellow explosions?” (Pablo Neruda, The Book of Questions) “…a broomstick of a man, his arms and legs were like clock hands” (Marcus Zusak, Bridge of Clay, p. 271) “…his voice was all over the place. A set of wind chimes in a hurricane.” (Jason Reynolds, Look Both Ways, p. 6)
The Knowing Book If you need a special book as a gift for a graduate (of any age), I recommend The Knowing Book by poet and picture book author Rebecca Kai Dotlich. The lyrical text invites readers to open themselves to the world of possibilities, to make wise decisions, and to remember the constants in their lives. The pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations by Caldecott winner Matthew Cordell feature a curious and adventurous skinny bunny with a backpack and a flowing purple scarf. His antics are energetic and endearing and perfectly complement the heartfelt text. Read this book aloud to your grad (if you can manage it without choking up!) and remind them and yourself to “look up” because the sky and the stars will always be there…”Count on it.”
Poem in Your Pocket Day - April 29 Pocket-size poems can be fun to read, write, and share. I recently discovered Musical Tables (2022), a book of short poems by U.S. Poet Laureate (2001-2003) Billy Collins. He describes his fascination with short poems as “they arrive and depart at the same time, disappearing in a wink.” Share some of these poems with students as examples of how a big idea can be condensed into a small package. (Be selective, as some poems in this book are more appropriate for adults.) My attempts at short poems: Big Dipper One summer night, Warning at the Animal Shelter: Invite students to search books of poetry for short poems that they might copy and keep in their pockets.
Poets Celebrate Poets Who are your favorite poets? I revisited one of my favorite poetry books for young people - Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth (Candlewick, 2017), illustrated by Ekua Holmes. In this collection, the authors pay tribute to 20 well-known past and present poets who inspire them. Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, William Carlos Williams, Maya Angelou, Rumi, Pablo Neruda, Sandra Cisneros, Nikki Giovanni, e. e. cummings, and Billy Collins are among those included. Each selection is written in the style and reminiscent of topics associated with the celebrated poet. The enthusiasm that Alexander, Colderley, and Wentworth have for their subjects is obvious. If some of these poets are your favorites, these tributes will make you nod with familiarity and smile. In the Preface, Alexander expresses the hope that these poems will lead readers to write, to get to know the celebrated poets and their work, or to simply read poetry. Whose poetry do I read? I often turn to Ted Kooser or Mary Oliver to immerse myself in nature or to Naomi Shihab Nye to reflect upon the larger world around me (Oliver and Nye are part of this collection)… as well as to many others.
International Haiku Poetry Day On April 17, we celebrate the art of haiku poetry. The haiku form became popular in 17th century Japan. Haiku typically consists of three lines in a five-seven-five syllable pattern, though Japanese versions do not necessarily adhere to that configuration. Haiku topics are often nature inspired with the intent of creating an image with words.
How to Write a Poem Authors Kwame Alexander and Deanna Nikaido instruct readers to “Begin with a question like an acorn waiting for spring…and open the window of your mind and climb out, like a seedling.” Beyond that…listen, imagine, feel, dream, explore to find the “one true word (or two)” that “have been waiting to slide down your pencil into your…hand.” And last of all - share your discoveries with a poem. Melissa Sweet’s collage art encourages the kind of observation and imagination that the text gently suggests are the keys to writing a poem. Take a “poem walk” with students and encourage them to use their senses as they observe their surroundings. If a walk is not possible, stimulate writing with objects from nature, such as shells, unusual rocks, leaves, all kinds of seeds, dried flowers, tree bark, twigs, feathers, snakeskin, etc.
National Poetry Month! April is National Poetry Month. Though we are well into the school year, it’s never too late to begin the daily habit of reading a poem to students. When? At the beginning of the school day. During a snack break. Just before lunch. Right after lunch or recess. Just before going home. The reader doesn’t always have to be the teacher. Invite a guest reader…someone else in the building. Some students may wish to share a poem they have prepared for reading aloud. The important thing is to celebrate the reading of poetry! Here are some of my favorite quotes about poetry: “There is something about poems that is like loving children: they keep returning home and singing to you all your life.” – Felice Holman “Kids need to become friends with poetry.” – Georgia Heard “If you never hear a poem spoken, it’s like never hearing a song sung.” – Ashley Bryan “Poetry is really the fusion of three arts: music, storytelling, and painting.” – Molly Peacock “Poetry and Hums aren’t things which you get, they’re things which get you, and all you can do is to go where they can find you.” – Winnie the Pooh
Happy April Fool’s Day! Celebrate with this poem (Poetry Studio: Poems To Share - The April Fool). This poem is based on a personal experience of my husband, whose mother once packed graham crackers spread with toothpaste in his school lunch on April 1. He thought it was his favorite treat - a graham cracker “sandwich” made with white frosting. Students might make a list of humorous personal experiences in their poetry notebook as ideas for potential poems.
Student Poetry Notebook A notebook is a way for students to organize their poetry lives and serves as a valuable resource when they are writing. A spiral notebook works, but it will eventually run out of pages. A loose-leaf binder is expandable and easier to “tab” individual sections. Possible items to include:
Biographies in Verse Novel Format March is Women's History Month—the perfect time to recommend biographies of famous women to students. Here is a starter list of biographies written in verse novel format. Add your favorites to the list. (E=Elementary; MG=Middle Grade; YA=Young Adult) Atkins, Jeannine. Borrowed Names: Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C. J. Walker, Marie Curie, and Their Mothers. Henry Holt, 2010. MG Atkins, Jeannine. Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science. Atheneum, 2016. MG Atkins, Jeannine. Grasping Mysteries: Girls Who Loved Math. Atheneum, 2020. MG Atkins, Jeannine. Hidden Powers: Lise Meitner's Call to Science. Atheneum, 2022. MG Atkins, Jeannine. Stone Mirrors: The Sculpture and Silence of Edmonia Lewis. Atheneum, 2017. YA Elliott, David. Voices: The Final Hours of Joan of Arc. Clarion, 2019. YA Engle, Margarita. Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir. Atheneum, 2015. MG/YA Engle, Margarita. The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba. Henry Holt, 2010. MG/YA Engle, Margarita. Soaring Earth: A Companion Memoir to Enchanted Air. Atheneum, 2019. YA Grimes, Nikki. Ordinary Hazards: A Memoir. Astra/WordSong, 2019. YA Hemphill, Stephanie. Your Own Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath. Alfred A. Knopf, 2007. YA Jennings, Terry Catasús. Pauli Murray: The Life of a Pioneering Feminist and Civil Rights Activist. Yellow Jacket, 2022. MG/YA Judge, Lita. Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein. Roaring Brook, 2018. YA Krasner, Barbara. Ethel's Song: Ethel Rosenberg's Life in Poems. Calkins Creek, 2022. YA Mutén, Burleigh. Miss Emily. Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Candlewick, 2014. E Nelson, Marilyn. Augusta Savage: The Shape of a Sculptor's Life. Christy Ottaviano/Little Brown, 2022. YA Nelson, Marilyn. how i discovered poetry. Dial, 2014. MG Weatherford, Carole Boston. Beauty Mark: A Verse Novel of Marilyn Monroe. Candlewick, 2020. YA Weatherford, Carole Boston. Becoming Billie Holiday. Art by Floyd Cooper. Astra/WordSong, 2008. MG/YA Woodson, Jacqueline. brown girl dreaming. Nancy Paulsen/Penguin, 2014 (autobiographical). MG Zoboi, Ibi.Star Child: Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler. Dutton/Penguin Random House, 2022. MG
Source for Poetic Forms A professional resource for poetic forms is valuable for teaching unfamiliar types of poems to students as well as varying the styles of poetry in your own writing. I find that the Handbook of Poetic Forms (T&W Books, 2007) edited by Ron Padgett is a useful go-to source. The Second Edition contains traditional and modern forms. Each entry gives a bit of history, defines the arrangement of the form, and offers examples. For a more child-oriented source, check "Definitions of Poetry Types" on this website Poetry Studio... Writing poetry with children - Poetry Types (prairiesunshine.net). Each brief definition is accompanied by suggestions of books for young readers that exemplify the form. Many authors of recent books of poetry and verse novels include definitions of the poetry types used in the book either on the pages with the poems or in the appendix. Encourage students to take note of this information.
Poetry Boost by Michelle Schaub Great resource! Poet and picture book author Michelle Schaub's occasional posts offer practical ideas, writing examples, mentor texts, and specific strategies for enriching the reading and writing of poetry in the classroom. In a recent post, Michelle addresses revision and shares an excellent checklist to use with students (and with your own poetry writing!). She demonstrates her process of revision using her poem "Granny's Teapots," which appears in Finding Treasure: A Collection of Collections (illustrated by Carmen Saldana; Charlesbridge, 2019). Her posts are archived so you can revisit. You can sign up for her free e-mail newsletter at Poetry Boost or visit her website at Award-Winning Children's Author , Teacher, and Poet Michelle Schaub
Valentine's Day Early messages of Valentine poetry date back to the 15th century. Here is the oldest printed Valentine's Day card message, published in 1797 and decorated with flowers, cupids, and doves: Since on this ever Happy day,
Tyger, Tyger Tyger Tyger Magazine is a free online journal of poems for children. Published every 5 months, each issue of 12 new poems focuses on a different theme (e.g., animals, color). The poems feature contemporary writers from all over the world. A backlist of previous issues is available on the site.
Things To Look Forward To Sophie Blackall's 50-plus books, including her two Caldecott Medal winners Finding Winnie (in 2016) and Hello Lighthouse (in 2019), have awed readers for a long time. She describes Things to Look Forward To: 52 Large and Small Joys for Today and Every Day (Chronicle Books, 2022) as a "Book for Grownups." I see it as a book that inspires reflection and creative thought for people of all ages. We often forget the everyday things that fill our lives with joy, but Blackall reminds us not to overlook them by mentioning and illustrating 52 small pleasures. Not all of them have relevance to the lives of young people yet (e.g., voting, doing your taxes, falling in love, coffee) except as observations. But "Hugging a Friend," "First Snow," "Rainbows," "Patting a Friendly Dog," "Feeding the Birds," and many others are for everyone. Possibilities:
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Poem in Your Pocket Day - April 29 International Haiku Poetry Day Biographies in Verse Novel Format |
Page last updated 05/24/23
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