Poems, Poems Everywhere

Did you know that it is National Poetry Month? I would have been clueless about this if the people around me hadn't been supporting it, and boy are we getting poetry everywhere! Our local libraries are doing a Teen Poetry Contest. They also had a "Poetree", which my daughter just loved coming in and contributing to on the spot.

Also, a great fellow homeschool mom we know (her own blog is here) is challenging my middleschooler to post some poems in the library contest, do a "Poem in your Pocket" day on April 18 (you select a favorite poem, copy it down and keep in in your pocket all day, and take it out and read it to people) AND to also do the "Dear Poet" project. In this project, kids take a little time to get to know some contemporary poets and then write them a letter. All of this and more can be found at the Academy of American Poets website.

As if that weren't enough, our art teacher has paired up with some local poets to have the kids read and share their own poems and accompanying art to each other and then meet and hear from a panel of published adult poets at a poetry reading this Sunday. The topic is "surrealism" and it will be the first time we have ever been to anything like that and we are all very much looking forward to it. Even my son, a generally reluctant creator, seems to have come up with a great poem he wants to share.

Finally, while I am on the topic of poetry, I'd like to share some of our favorite poetry books.

By far, my daughters favorite is a collection of poems by Barefoot Books called The Barefoot Book of Classic Poems . This has some really nice drawings and a wide selection of famous poems. My daughter decided one day to memorize "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll and now both of my kids know it by heart. That, I believe, is the beauty of spontaneous inspiration!

There are some fun little books we have also found in the library. One of my favorites is called "Dogku" by Andrew Clements. This is a little book of haikus from the perspective of a dog. Great for young kids.

Oops! is a book of poems that is very funny and a lot of fun. It's by Alan Katz. Here's a sample:

No Eggs - Aggeration!

I'm writing a love song

to eggs.

They don't have eyes,

they don't have legs.

They cannot sing,

they cannot dance.

You cannot keep them in your pants.

But they're my friends,

is what I've rambled.

I love them so...

especially scrambled!

Scholastic has a series of books called "Poetry for Young People". There are separate books with poems from Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Lewis Carroll, Robert Browning, Edward Lear and more. Although these aren't as beautiful as the Barefoot book we love, they are a good safe accessible collection for young kids. 

Finally, how could I not mention Shel Silverstein? I especially love Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook.

Runny Babbit lent to wunch
And heard the saitress way,
"We have some lovely stabbit rew --
Our Special for today."...

So if you say, "Let's bead a rook
That's billy as can se,"
You're talkin' Runny Babbit talk,
Just like mim and he.

What did I forget? If you have some favorite poems, share them! It'll be a great way to celebrate National Poetry Month!