Use this button created by Leigh Anne Eck to post your Digital Poetry this month.
Join the Two Writing Teachers blog for Tuesdays Slice of Life Challenge.
I love this poetry exercise inspired by Bob Raczka “Some Reasons to Write a Poem.” Stacey Shubitz of the Two Writing Teachers wrote one here that is personal to her mothering a four-year-old girl. Catherine Flynn’s version is here. My digital version here.
I prompted my students last week and told them the form would work well as a Slice of Life poem. But some child poets are not happy with their first try. Some of them (actually a rare few) take a poetry prompt home and incubate. Emily did this last week. She showed me her poem written in a spiral notebook she carries in her booksack. I have to share this with you. You’ll know why when you read it.
Because the Earth is round,
not flatBecause the rain seeps into the ground
Because the birds chirp a high pitched melody
Because trees are mossy giants
Because of the polka-dot fawn in the barn
Because the man on the moon is fishing for stars
and caught one
for you!–Emily, 4th grade
(leave comments directly to her on her blog)
A mossy giant in my yard.
Matthew’s version starts off like an SOL then moves into a hats-off-to-writing-a-poem poem.
Reasons to write a poem
Because you ate too much candy last night and didn’t sleep
and woke up early to get donuts.Because you’re in class with, like, 5 poetry beasts!
Because I took time out of my me-time to write this, which, F to the YI, is a poem!
Because you can be free, and you don’t have to do just one thing.
Because you can’t mess up.
Because you can’t be better than anyone,
or worse.–Matthew, 5th grade
Reflections on the Teche 