We learned that a poem is a piece of writing that follows rules and yet is free within those rules. Sometimes those "rules" are called "forms." (A sonnet, for instance, is an elaborate set of rules a poet must follow, and within those elaborate rules one attempts to be as free, or as creative, as possible. A great sonnet follows the sonnet form carefully and makes new things happen within them.)
We began to warming up with an exercise some of the kids had done two years earlier, in first grade. Out of a bag I bought out a tool or household utensil. Each student wrote a line of a group poem. The lines described what the item resembled--a simile without the first half. The two poems we did this way consisted of lists of likenings. Can you guess what the item was in each case? Click on the link where the title of the poem should be when you want to see the answer.
A [??????]
An upside-down G,
A boat with a fishing rod hanging out,
A boat with a motor,
A G with a spyglass,
Mugsy Bogues' shoe--very small,
A parrot in pain,
A metal mouth,
A hook,
An upside-down G on a helicopter,
A basketball player bent out of shape.
Here is another of these group poems:
A [???????]
A wheel on a car,
A diseased basketball that threw up,
A person with no arms or legs,
A flying saucer,
A mummy,
A blad spinning around,
A person throwing a basketball,
A ferris wheel on a handle,
A golf club.
We then turned to "list poems" based upon a given rule. The first rule was to write a poem consisting of lines that followed this model: "I opened a xxxxx, and out came a xxxxx." Here is a small sampling of the results:
Next we wrote a group poem, another "list poem" based on this very simple rule: each line had to begin with "I remember." The memories were supposed to be, roughly, among the earliest memories of childhood.I opened the door and out came my dog, I opened the cookie jar and out came an ant, I opened a head and out came a brain, I opened a pet shop and out came the pets. (by Aaron)I opened a gate and out came a tiger, I opened a tooth and out came some blood, I opened a box and out came a tooth brush, I opened a box and out came some thunder and lightning, I opened a basket and out came a crow, I opened a person and out came a bat that was flying, I opened a room and out came a camera, I opened a packet and out came a horse, I opened a closet and out came my dog, I opened my drawer and out came a monster. (by Ashley)
I opened a peanut jar and out came a spring, I opened a cage and out came a wild beast, I opened a desk and out came a wild paper, I opened a door and out came a robot with lemonade, I opened a drawer and out came a dog the size of a finger. (by Jesse)
I oened a suitcase and out came some money, I opened a beak and out came a tongue, I opened a backpack and out came a lion, I opened the door and out came nothing, I opened a pencil and out came a worm. (by Jake B.) I opened a book and out came words, I opened a blackboard and out came homework, I opened a teacher and out came no more homework for the rest of the year. (by Sammie)
I REMEMBER
I remember riding in my stroller all over Rittenhouse Square,
I remember jumping into the ocean,
I remember when I was a baby I threw the pots and pans all over
the kitchen,
I remember driving a speed boat at 3,
I remember calling both daddy and mommy "mommy,"
I remember on a merry-go-round my ice cream fell on my head,
I remember when I broke my arm,
I remember throwing up on my mom,
I remember touching a hot pot,
I remember getting lost in Kiawiah,
I remember burning my hand on a heater,
I remember running into the kitchen at my mom's restaurant.
This group list poem, following the same rule, we called "When I was young."
The idea here was to try to remember an older person.
WHEN I WAS YOUNG
I remember when my great-grandma moved,
I remember the good food at my grandparents' house,
I remember when my second-grade teacher move to Japan,
I remember when Nanna said goodbye at the airport and I screamed
so loudall that people though I was hurt,
I remember when my uncle tried to tackle me, my sister, and
my cousins,
I remember when my grandparents moved,
I remember when my first-grade teacher got cancer and we
got a new teacher,
I remember when my greatgrandparents moved from Italy and passed
through Ellis Island.
The last poem the kids wrote individually. Each line in this list poem had
to take this form: "I used to think that xxxxxx, but now I know that xxxx."
Here is a small sampling of the wonderful results:
Reference: Larry Fagin, The List Poem: A Guide to Teaching & Writing Catalog Verse (New York: Teachers & Writers Collaborative, 1991).I used to think that you can eat the moon, I used to think that when you get a haircut your hair doesn't grow back, I used to think that stars were just shiny things. Now I know that you can't eat the moon, Now I know that your hair grows back, Now I know that they are suns far away. (by Zach) I used to think Shaqille O'Neal was a monster, Now I know that he is a basketball player. (by Major) I used to think that my gradmom's dog was a horse who licked people a lot, Now I know that my grandmom's dog is a dog that licks people a lot. (by Natasha S.) I used to think that Tony the Tiger looked like God, Now I know that Tony the Tiger is a cereal guy. (by Jesse) I used to think that when I shook my mom's globe I was holding and shaking the world, I used to think there was a ghost of me living in the attic, Now I know that a globe is a shape of the world. Now I know that there is no ghost up there. (by Emily) I used to think I was the whole world, I used to think that magicians did magic, I used to think that there was a cobra under my bed. Now I know that I'm just part of the world, Now I know magicians just confused you, Now I know that under my bed is just fuzzballs. (by Alex) I used to think that people really did die on TV, but they don't. I used to think that my sister was a monkey, but she's not. (by Ahmad) I used to think my kindergarten teacher was a zombie, Now I know she only wore contacts. (by Natasha W.) I used to think that the tooth fairy was real, I used to think that "TV" and "television" were different, I used to think that there were monsters in the house. Now I know that the tooth fairy is my dad, Now I know that TV and television are the same, Now I know that it was just the radiator. (by Ben) I used to think the inside of my body had a lightbulb to show light I used to think that my dragon wallpaper outside my crib would guard me. Now I know there is no lightbulb, Now I know my dragons can't guard me, plus my little brother ripped the wall paper off. (by Catie) I used to think that the bird from Sesame Street was evil, I used to think it was true when my mom said carrots were growing in my ears. Now I know that he is a stuffed bird that helps you, Now I know that it's an expression. (by Nick)