A Word About Students and Poetry

A sort-of sonnet

A word about students and poetry

Getting them to read it is quite a chore

Whether it has form or the verse is free

Still they find it to be a total bore

 

Some good choices are men like Silverstein

Prelutsky, Lewis Carroll, Ogden Nash

Stay away from Dickinson’s morose scenes

And Poe’s creepy rhymes of death and love’s clash

 

Then there are Robert Frost and Langston Hughes

Different from Walt Whitman and Will Shakespeare

They wrote of nature and would sing the blues

Their great works many hearts they did endear

 

Read to the kids a wide variety  

Poetry should not cause anxiety

Author's Note

A challenge from my students - I used the pictures of poets around the room as inspiration.
Disclaimer: I do not stay away from Dickinson or Poe! :)

Reviews

[Frieda P]

Variety is key, I had no clue you taught poetry, now I'm even more jazzed! You forget about Sylvia Plath? Oh my, she was astounding, sad but brilliant. Much enjoyed this one....good on you giving them all the best.

[Lina Grey]

beautiful sonnet :) people need a variety of anything, including poetry. these are all fantastic poets, and certainly some of the best known, I think. (though, to be honest, I always thought Shel Silverstein was a girl... :P)

[Rita L. Sev]

:) I grew up reading Sliverstien, and I remember being freaked out by his picture when I was young. He was a master of wordplay! Sonnets are a challenge for kids to write, but my students do a pretty good job (and then they ask me to write one with them!) :) Thanks for the review!

[Lina Grey]

I just loved him. He and Dr. Suess got me hooked on poetry :) I've only ever written one Sonnet, and it is hard.

[Ryan]

my mom loves haiku, so I grew up learning haiku, haiku, haiku in place of "poetry". they are nice, but I do love variety. well written Ms. Severino :)

[Rita L. Sev]

I teach all forms - this was a sonnet challenge. I do enjoy Haiku, but will write anything that occurs to me at the time. Thanks for your review - and, unless you are one of my students, call me Rita! :)

[Ryan]

Sonnets are nice. I don't really understand the form of them though. I'm homeschooled, so I tend cover the basics of a topic and go into more detail on the things my mom really likes. and you're welcome, Rita :)

[Marie]

Very good. But did you forget about Kipling? No one should forget about Kipling...

[Rita L. Sev]

You are right, Marie - Kipling should not be forgotten! I'll have to get his picture up!