RESPONDING TO POETRY

FREE CHOICE POETRY

Vardell, Slyvia and Wong, Janet.  Gift Tag.  Princeton, New Jersey:  PoetryTagTime.com.  2011.  ISBN 9781837057138

SUMMARY:  This e-book is a collection of poetry written by some of the great poets of our time. Color photographs provide writing prompts for the poems. The poetry in this collection will bring back memories of the holiday season and your own family celebrations. The book begins with a Thanksgiving poem by Jane Yolen and contains 27 other poems.  These poems are about everything from that piece of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving to cats and New Year’s Eve.  The results are a heartwarming celebration of the winter holidays.  The book is perfect for reading aloud and will appeal to children of all ages.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:  This e-book was written by many of the best-known poets of our time.  Dr. Vardell and Janet Wong supplied the poets with photographs to be used as writing prompts. The authors also gave the poets some other rules to write by. The poems had to be ten lines or less and no more than 250 characters.  After the poems were collected, the authors supplied a “tag” word to connect the poems to each other.  The first photo is a piece of pumpkin pie.  The author, Jane Yolen, describes how she came up with the poem featured in the book.  This is how the book is organized, and I found the “tag” a clever way to connect all the poems.  I also enjoyed the book’s color photographs which take the place of illustrations.  Each poet has a photograph, then an introduction, and finishes with their poem or poems. The beginning of the book names all the poets that participated.  Some of the poets featured include:  Lee Bennett Hopkins, Margarita Engle, Helen Frost, Douglas Florian, Pat Mora, and J. Patrick Lewis. The poets use free verse, rhyme, and descriptive language to bring their view of the holidays to the reader.  The book contains an introduction which explains the premise of the book.  It also contains a web site about the featured poets called “Meet the Poets.”  It also includes a “Poetry Tag Time” website and poetry blog to learn more.  This book is the third in a series of poetry collections.  The first two books were titled, PoetryTagTime, and p*tag. The end of the book contains a short biography about each poet and includes their web sites. I enjoyed reading the poets biographies almost as much as their poems.

POEM EXCERPT:

Gifts to Give

By Sara Holbrook

“Gifts to give,

Gifts to get, are wishes

Tied with shiny bows.

Clap my hands.

Bulge my eyes.

Smile my lips.

Excitement grows.

Time to give and get?

Is it time? Oh, no.

Not yet.”

EXTENTION ACTIVITY: 

This is a great book for the holidays.  You could have students bring a photo of the holidays from home and have them write a poem about their pictures.  Students could use PowerPoint and make slides for their photos and poems.  The class could put all the files together and come up with a class book.  Students could make copies for home and use it as part of their own family holiday celebration. 

RESOURCES:

Vardell, Slyvia and Wong, Janet.  Gift Tag.  Princeton, New Jersey:  PoetryTagTime.com.  2011.

Images by Google Images.

JANECZKO COLLECTION

Janeczko, Paul B.  Seeing the Blue Between:  Advice and Inspiration for Young Poets.  Cambridge, Massachusetts:  Candlewick Press.  2002.  ISBN  0763608815

SUMMARY:  This book of poetry focuses on 32 poets who offer words of encouragement along with poems of their own.  In each section, the author writes a letter to the reader, and includes a sampling of their poetry. The poems are humorous as well as serious.  The book’s purpose is to encourage young writers that are just beginning, and also to help more experienced writers shape their writing style later on.  The idea of encouraging writing while also demonstrating different poetry styles will motivate many young people to try their hand at writing poetry.  The years of experience these writers possess should give young writers the advice and encouragement they need to begin writing or for the experienced, to improve.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:  This book of poetry contains letters of advice from 32 of today's best poets for children and teens.  Each author includes samples of their poems. The letters include encouragement for students to read to increase their creativity and knowledge.  The authors also heavily recommend revision.  They also stress that students should look at the world with a fresh outlook and write from that perspective. Some of the poetry is humorous and some serious. The poetry covers a variety of styles, moods, and subjects. Some of the poetry is free verse and some use rhyme. The authors use descriptive and figurative language in their poetry examples. They include some concrete poems as well. Janeczko said that he tried to create a book that he wished he had when he was a kid.  

To work up enthusiasm about writing one could hardly do better for young people than the advice included in this collection.  The book includes a Table of Contents, a letter to poets from Janeczko, and finally, Notes on Contributors. The author biographies in the “Notes to Contributors” section are always fun to read. Some of the featured authors include:  Douglas Florian, Nikki Grimes, J. Patrick Lewis, Jack Prelutsky, and Lee Bennett Hopkins.  Students grades 6-12 should enjoy the poetry and take the advice of these seasoned authors.

POEM EXCERPT:

Smile

By Adam Ford

“I was hypnotized

By a smile

At the tram stop.

This girl was kissing

This boy

And she was smiling.

She was smiling

Even when she was

Kissing him.

I couldn’t see his face—

He was turned away

From me.

But I could see her

I could see her smile.

And her smile

Made me smile

As I hunkered down in my coat,

Put my shoulders up

Against the wind

And pretended that

I wasn’t looking.”

EXTENTION ACTIVITY:  I think after reading the introduction and some of the poetry, students could group together and pick one of the authors to research.  Each group could do a presentation including a short biography of their poet, the poet’s advice from the book, and finally read or dramatize one of their poems.  Students could then work together and try and write a poem in the style of the featured poet.

RESOURCES:

Janeczko, Paul B.  Seeing the Blue Between:  Advice and Inspiration for Young Poets.  Cambridge, Massachusetts:  Candlewick Press.  2002. 

Images by Google Images.

POETRY BY KIDS

POETRY BY KIDS

Franco, Betsy ed.  Things I have to Tell You.  Cambridge, Massachusetts:  Candlewick Press.  2001.  ISBN  0763610356

SUMMARY:  This book is a collection of poems written by girls twelve to eighteen years of age. The girls tell their own stories which are captivating in what they have to say and how they say it. More than thirty uncensored poems are accompanied by Nina Nickles's photographs, which capture the various moods  of adolescence. Teenage girls write about their hopes and dreams, relationships, heartaches, and strengths.  The book and the wonderful pictures are an enlightening glimpse into a teenager’s perspective.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:  In this collection of thirty-four poems, young women express their feelings and emotions.  The poems are accompanied by black and white photographs which do not illustrate individual poems, but are like a teenager’s photo album.  The girls discuss all the emotions relevant to today’s adolescents.  Most teenagers will see themselves in these well-written poems.  Teenage girls will relate to the emotions that these teenagers’ voices evoke. Some of the poems follow traditional verse with rhymes, whereas others are free verse, but all the poetry portrays the emotions of the writer. This book, written by real teenagers is a wonderful addition to any poetry collection.  I was amazed at how well the poetry is written. I hope these girls continue to write because they can truly touch others by what they have to say.  The book has a Table of Contents, an Author’s Preface, and at the conclusion, an Author’s Acknowledgements section.  I recommend this book for grades 8-12 because of some strong language and adult themes.

POEM EXCERPT: 

I’m Sayin’

By Mahogany Elaj Foster, age 16

“Yo!

I would be a liar

If I was to say I didn’t care about all of the madness

I mean sure I think about the future of my peers

And all of the young’uns

I think about the lies that have been fed to them

And I think about all the ones who just sat there and ate it all up.

MMM, man I’m sayin’!

Why spend up all of your time abiding by social rules?

Why spend up all of your time following trends and fads?

Why spend up all your time thinking about what people are thinking about you?

Why try to appeal to the masses?

Why not go out on a limb and be who you want to be?

What if one day you decided to wear your hair nappy?

Sport your tribal colors?

Throw up your fists?

Quote Malcolm X and Martin Luther King,

Read Nikki Giovanni and Angela Davis,

Dance the dance of Mother Africa,

Greet people in Swahili!

Be STRONG and PROUD,

While being honest and trusting,

And Hard-working.

Yo! Is there a way?

Is there a way?

Man….I’m Sayin’!

EXTENTION ACTIVITY:  A fun activity after reading the book would be to have students pick one of the poems to illustrate.  Since the poems are accompanied by photographs which do not represent the poems, students could illustrate the poem of their choice.  They could also present by reading their poem, showing their illustration, and explaining their illustration. 

RESOURCES:

Franco, Betsy ed.  Things I have to Tell You.  Cambridge, Massachusetts:  Candlewick Press.  2001.

Images by Google Images.

POETRY PERFORMANCE

PERFORMANCE POETRY

Greenfield, Eloise.  The Friendly Four.  New York:  HarperCollins Children’s Books.  2006.  ISBN  9780060007607.

SUMMARY:  This free verse poetry book describes how four children meet in their neighborhood and form fast friendships.   Drum, Dorene, Louis, and Rae enter one another's lives and enjoy a summer of bonding and playing.  During the summer the children enjoy playing dress up, slides and swings, and school. They even create and paint an elaborate cardboard town they call “Goodsummer.”  The book shows that sometimes friendships develop when we least expect it.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:  This short novel in verse is a great book for choral reading.  The childrens' voices are printed in different colors, so readers can easily see the individual childrens’ parts. The author includes individual poems and poems for multiple voices.  The author uses rhyme and expressive, emotional language in her poetry. This book is all about friendship and feelings. The illustrations in simple watercolors show scenes of the neighbors and neighborhood.  The use of color by illustrator Jan Spivey Gilchrist, provides a happy and serene setting for the book.  This book will appeal to students grades K-3.  Anyone that has moved to a new neighborhood will appreciate Drum’s outlook and how he ends up finding friends.  The book also contains a Table of Contents.

POETRY EXCERPT: 

Bummer Summer

“Drum:  Not many kids live on my block,

Two teens, two babies, and me.

Summer’s a bummer,

Nobody to chase,

Nobody to catch the ball

I throw.

Hurry up, September!

Get here,  fall!

So I can be with

All my friends again.”

EXTENTION ACTIVITY:   Students could read the book and then divide in groups and make up their own reader’s theater about the book.

Students could  brainstorm and write ideas about the top ten ways to make friends and the top ten ways to lose friends.  Students could take all suggestions and make a poster about friendship.  Then, the teacher could put it on the wall.  When there are disagreements, students and the teacher could consult the wall to yield solutions to the dilemma.  

Students could also rewrite parts of the story from one of the other friend’s perspective. 

RESOURCES:

Greenfield, Eloise.  The Friendly Four.  New York:  HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Images by Google Images.

HOPKINS AWARD POETRY

Myers, Walter Dean.  Jazz.  New York:  Holiday House Books.  2006.  ISBN  9780823415458

SUMMARY:  This book of poetry celebrates the different styles of jazz in fifteen poems that reflect the sounds and colors of this truly American music.  The poems  cover every type of jazz experience, from ragtime to fusion.  This book is a visual, auditory, and energetic history of the world of jazz.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:   This book of poetry contains fifteen individual poems that focus on every aspect of the Jazz experience.  The author uses rhyme and rhythm to achieve an energetic feeling.  The author does a good job integrating words that help kids understand music of the time period. The text in the story is written in song. Each page represents a different song which represents a different kind of jazz.  Each page reveals a new element of the music. Visually, the font shows long white and short black piano keys. Christopher Myers uses black-inked acetate over colorful saturated acrylics. The illustrations give the feeling of low lit jazz clubs.  An introduction provides historical and technical background, briefly touching on influences, improvisation, rhythm, and race.  The book contains a glossary of Jazz terms and also gives readers a time line of the history of Jazz.  Students with no knowledge of jazz music will need to read the book’s introduction. Listening to jazz music beforehand, would also be helpful for students to fully appreciate this book of poetry.  Jazz should appeal to grades 4-8. 

POETRY EXCERPT:

America’s Music

“What did the world see?

What did the world hear?

Black men sweating in 4/4 time

Behind the beat, around the beat

Bending the in-between

Strings crying like midnight widows

Horns tearing down Jericho walls

A clarinet sassing

Its way through

A Sunday-night sermon

And the chorus calling out blues!

And ragtime!

And Jazz!

From Mississippi to Harlem

While the folks across the ocean

Were just saying

AMERICA”

EXTENTION ACTIVITY:  After reading, the teacher could find a nonfiction book about one of the characters in Jazz.  They could write down what they learned about the person through the poetry book, and then write new things they learned through the nonfiction book.  They could then decide what else they would like to know about the person, and use the internet to research their questions and provide the answers.  Then, each student or group could present their questions and answers to the class.

RESOURCES:

Myers, Walter Dean.  Jazz.  New York:  Holiday House Books.  2006.

Images by Google Images.

SIDMAN POETRY

Sidman, Joyce.  Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night.  New York:  Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.  2010.  ISBN  9780547152288

SUMMARY:  This picture book combines lyrical poetry and beautiful art along with science concepts.  This book of poetry is all about nocturnal life in the forest. The twelve poems feature nine different creatures, two plants, and ends with a poem by the moon, as night fades into morning.  The author organizes the twelve poems as if the reader is traveling through the night from the early darkness into the morning. These poems about the woods at night contain biology facts that are explained in notes on each double-page spread.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:   This book contains twelve poems about nocturnal creatures.  The book is arranged in chronological order.  The book begins with the first poem at dusk and the other poems organized like the reader is traveling through the night, with the final poem happening just before morning’s light. Using descriptive words and imagery, the author creates a mood of quiet and tranquility. Some of the poems are written with rhyming couplets, while others are in free-verse.  The title's dark emperor, the great horned owl, is the only concrete poem. The author also uses a poetry style called “ubi sunt,” which he explains, “is a medieval poetry that laments the loss of heroic, beautiful things.” He also uses alliteration and metaphors to make his poetry come to life. Each poem is written on the left side of a two page layout with informational text written on the right to further explain the creatures and their nightly habitats.  A final glossary concludes this wonderful book of poetry. The book also includes a Table of Contents.

The illustrations by Rick Allen, are bold, richly detailed linoleum prints colored in gouache.  Allen also includes a salamander that appears somewhere on each page for students to find. A great book for any poetry collection. This book should appeal to grades 3-6.       

POETRY EXCERPT: 

Welcome to the Night

“To all of you who crawl and creep,

Who buzz and chirp and hoot and peep,

Who wake at dusk and throw off sleep:

Welcome to the night.

To you who make the forest sing,

Who dip and dodge on silent wing,

Who flutter, hover, clasp, and cling:

Welcome to the night!

Come feel the cool and shadowed breeze,

Come smell your way among the trees,

Come touch rough bark and leathered leaves:

Welcome to the night

The night’s a sea of dappled dark,

The night’s a feast of sound and spark,

The night’s a wild, enchanted park.

Welcome to the night!”

EXTENTION ACTIVITY:   All the poems in this collection could be used to introduce an elementary science unit. As the class studies nocturnal animals, a poem could be read each day. Students may also want to write their own poems about other nocturnal animals or work in groups to find some in other poetry collections.  Students could also illustrate their poetry.

RESOURCES:

Sidman, Joyce.  Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night.  New York:  Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.  2010.

Images by Google Images.

Poetry Across the Curriculum

Poetry and Social Studies

Hemphill, Stephanie.  Wicked Girls:  A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials.  New York:  Balzer and Bray.  2010.  ISBN  9780061853289

SUMMARY:  This novel in verse is a fictionalized account of the Salem Witch Trials in 1692.  The author’s story is based on true events.  In Salem there are illnesses which the villagers believe is the result of witchcraft.  Ann Putnam, a twelve year-old, sees an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.  She and an indentured servant girl, Mercy, put into motion a series of lies and deception which ends with innocent people being executed for witchcraft.  These two girls along with five others become the witch seers of the village.  These teenage girls possess all the power in the village as they accuse their neighbors of being witches and warlocks.  The girls’ role as seers finally ends and the town understands it has been deceived, but is justice done?  This book is the “Mean Girls,” of the 17^th century.  The history books state that there may have been an actual affliction that caused the girls to act the way they did, but the author of this book contributes their behavior to good acting.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:  The verse format is fresh and engrossing, portraying the actions of the seven accusing girls into a captivating story.  The story is told through poetry alternating between three main characters, Ann Putnam, Mercy Lewis, and Margaret Walcott. The poem’s title and the speaker are displayed at the top of the page.  The beginning of the book includes an introduction to all the main characters.  In the author's note, Hemphill outlines the historical background, with source notes for further reading. The author also breaks down each character in the book with the background of the actual person he or she represented in the book.  I found this very informative and interesting. Before reading, students might want to watch a video or look at the facts involved in this historical event. The book is long, so it would probably not appeal to reluctant readers. It also uses the language spoken in this time period, which might be hard for students to understand. It is sure to be more popular with teen-age girls.  This novel is a very good read for ages 12-17. 

POEM EXCERPT:

I AM AFFLICTED

Ann Putnam Jr., 12 

“Someone makes my legs

whip about like sheets in the wind.

Someone curls and bends

my arms behind my neck.

All turns black and cold.

“Who goes there?” I cry.

I scream until the room comes lit,

and then I see witches

the same as the Minister’s girls—

Tituba, the Parrises’ slave, and Goody Good.

I swear to Father ‘tis the witches

who twist my limbs and cause me ache.

I blink my eyes and the witches disappear,

but I saw them stand before me,

felt them pinch my arm,

I know that I did.”

EXTENTION ACTIVITY:  Have students choose any scene or event from Hemphill’s book and rewrite it from the perspective of today. Pretend the scene is happening in 2012.  What changes would be made to the scene?  Have students share their scenes and have the class critique whether the new scene is realistic.  Students could also act out their scene for the class.

REFERENCES:

Hemphill, Stephanie.  Wicked Girls:  A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials.  New York:  Balzer and Bray.  2010. 

Images by Google Images. 

Salem Witchcraft Video

http://www.history.com/videos/salem-witch-trials#salem-witch-trials

Poetry and Science

Florian, Douglas.  Beast Feast. New York:  Harcourt, Brace, and Company. 1994.

ISBN  0152951784 

SUMMARY: This book is a collection of humorous poetry about twenty-one different animals, which includes mammals, insects, and fish. The subjects range from a firefly to a walrus.  The book also contains fun illustrations of each animal with their poem.   

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:  This is a fun book of poetry for beginning readers through fifth grade.  The author uses rhyme and conciseness to describe twenty-one different animals.  Some of the poems’ text is displayed to resemble the shape of the animal.  Young readers may have trouble with some of the vocabulary, but the fun rhymes and word play will keep them reading.  The book contains a Table of Contents.  Students will love the simple, yet fun illustrations which are created with watercolor paints.  

POEM EXCERPT: 

The Sloth

 Up in a tree

The shaggy sloth

Is hanging by its claws.

It doesn’t like to move at all.

It only likes to

P  a  u  s  e.

EXTENTION ACTIVITY:  The teacher can read selected poems from the book to the class.  Students can listen to come up with two facts about the animal that author tells us in his poem.  Such as:  Pigeons hunt and peck.  They bob their heads when they walk.  They eat crumbs, etc.  Then, depending on the age, students could research their own animal and incorporate two facts about the animal in their own poem.  They could also illustrate their poem.

REFERENCES:

Florian, Douglas.  Beast Feast. New York:  Harcourt, Brace, and Company. 1994. 

Images by Google Images.

Poetry Biography

Engle, Margarita.  The Poet Slave of Cuba.  New York:  Henry Holt and Company.  2006.

ISBN  9780805077063 

SUMMARY:  This novel in free verse is a bibliographical work about the life of Juan Francisco Manzano.  Manzano was born into slavery in 1797.  A slave to a wealthy slave owner in Cuba, Juan is denied an education.  Yet, Juan showed an exceptional talent for poetry.  His poetry shows the beauty of the country, but also the cruelty of slavery.  As a boy, he was capable of memorizing and reciting poetic verses in many different languages. He could recount stories read to him, and in this way served as the entertainment for his owner, who made him call her “Mama.” His parents were set free, but his owner chose to keep Juan. Later, when he became the property of a cruel woman, his abilities helped him endure beatings and imprisonment. He is a survivor that didn’t allow his circumstances to destroy his hope.  At sixteen, he manages to escape. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:  This is a very touching verse novel about an exceptional individual. The poetry is lyrical, descriptive, and tugs at the emotions.  The author uses the voice of Manzano and various people from his world to tell us about the first half of a life that was, indeed, extraordinary. The story is sad and contains some terrible scenes of violence, which might overwhelm young children. Qualls's drawings are suitably stark and compelling. They go well with the sadness of the poems and Juan’s situation. The end of the book includes references, acknowledgements, historical notes, and some of Manzano's actual poetry. The notes at the end of the book discuss the remainder of Juan’s life, which becomes better after his escape.  I would have liked for the author to include some poetry he wrote after he escaped. This is an easy read for any student age eleven through eighteen. It is a great choice for reluctant readers. 

POEM EXCERPT: 

Juan 

“My mind is a brush made of feathers

Painting pictures of words

I remember

All that I see

Every syllable

Each word a twin of itself

Telling two stories

At the same time

One of sorrow

The other hope

I love the words

Written with my feathery mind

In the air

And with my sharp fingernails

On leaves in the garden

When my owner catches

A whiff

Of the fragrance

Of words

Engraved in the flesh

Of succulent geranium leaves

Or the perfumed petals of aleli flowers

Then she frowns because she knows

That I dream 

Poetry cools me, syllables calm me

I read the verses of others

The free men

And know

That I’m never alone 

Poetry sets me aflame

I grow furious

Dangerous, a blaze

Of soul and heart, a fiery tongue

A lantern at midnight…”

EXTENTION ACTIVITY: 

After Reading the book, students could also read, I Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery, written by Cynthia Grady.  Students could compare and contrast the slavery experience in America with that of Cuba.  Students could also pick an American slave to research, such as Frederick Douglass and compare and contrast Juan’s situation with the American slave they chose. 

Students could also break into groups with each group choosing a character to analyze.  They could list the character traits of their character and pick one poem written from their perspective.  Each group could share their character’s traits and the group could read, and then act out a scene using the poem they chose.   

REFERENCES:

Engle, Margarita.  The Poet Slave of Cuba.  New York:  Henry Holt and Company.  2006. 

Grady, Cynthia.  I Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery. 

Grand Rapids, MI:  Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company.  2011. 

Images by Google Images.

 

Kinds of Poetry

Poetic Form

Guyku:  A Year of Haiku for Boys

Raczka, Bob.  Guyku:  A Year of Haiku for Boys. Boston, Massachusetts:  Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. 2010.

ISBN  9780547240039 

SUMMARY:  This book of Haiku poems for boys is divided by seasons of the year, beginning with spring.  Each season is a Haiku poem representing activities boys would participate in during each season.  The poems’ themes are nature and boys playing outdoors, such as flying a kite and fishing.  This fun collection of Haiku should appeal to beginning readers from first to fourth grade.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:  Haiku poetry is formed by using five syllables in the first line, then seven for the second line, and five again for the last line.  All these poems are written about boys participating in activities outdoors in nature.  The book is all about fun.  The activities are all about things boys like to do.  Dividing the book by seasons is a great way to showcase nature and activities outdoors.  There is no table of contents and the poems have no titles. They are simply divided by spring, summer, fall, and winter.

The illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds are simple and fun.  They all are displayed in a central muted color, with brown or gray charcoal included.  The font is also one that children will like, it is not typed, but printed and looks like children might have written the poems themselves.

This book is a fun way to introduce Haiku to young students.  Haiku is also a great way to introduce writing poetry to children, because it follows a set pattern and is easy to understand.

POETRY EXCERPT: 

This poem is taken from the section of spring poems. 

“With baseball cards and

Clothespins, we make our bikes sound

Like motorcycles.”

EXTENTION ACTIVITY:  I would explain about writing Haiku poems and read the book to students.  We would then have students come up with their favorite outdoor activity and write a Haiku poem.  You could have them write one for each of the seasons.  For girls, we would make up our own book of poetry called “Girlku.”  They would also come up with their favorite activities to write about.  The classes could make their own books and each student could talk about their favorite activities to introduce their poem or poems.  Then, they would share their poems with the class. 

RESOURCES:

Raczka, Bob.  Guyku:  A Year of Haiku for Boys. Boston, Massachusetts:  Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. 2010. 

Images by Google Images.