Poetry Friday round-up is with Laura Purdie Salas this week.
Have you gotten a set of metaphor dice yet? Here’s a link to them on Amazon.
I’ve been playing with metaphor dice and the skinny poem form. To make a skinny poem, roll the dice to find your first statement.
I got “Love is a silent blessing.” This becomes line one. Lines 2, 6, and 10 are all the same word. Other lines are only one word long. Line 11 repeats the same words as line 1. Confused? Try numbering your paper from 1-11. Write your metaphor phrase in line one. Choose a simple word for line 2, 6, and 10. Fill in the rest.
Love is a silent blessing
a
whisper
touch
smile
a
soft
unspoken
wink
a
silent love blessing.
Here are a few student skinnies:
Beauty is a glorified dance
a
midnight
shining
flower
a
gentle
soft
breeze
a
beautiful dance glorified.
by Landon, 5th grade
The past is a broken wonder
an
old
broken
tree
an
unbelievable
impossible
mistake
an
incredible, broken, wonder
by Daniel, 4th grade
We also wrote bug-ku this week inspired by Susan Bruck on her site last week. Check out all student poems on our kidblog site.
Reflections on the Teche 
Wow. Wow. Wow. I love discovering a form that helps kids (okay, and me) express themselves in a totally unexpected (even to them) way. Off to order metaphor dice right now. Thank you, Margaret and students!
Oh, these are wonderful! Daniel’s poem is so full of truth – incredible wonder of a poem! And I love Landon’s midnight shining flower, too. I can see it in my mind… you go with your metaphor dice, Margaret! xo
Daniel was so excited that he got such a great comment from the Agnes, the Octopus author!
They seem easy, but I love the thoughtful word choices for each one, Margaret! Now off to order mine! Thank you!
These poems are rich. Skinny and all, but rich. I think I want myself an metaphor dice. I love the line “an incredible broken wonder.” It’s a breath taking line from a 4th grader. Thanks for sharing.
I love skinny poems. It’s a great form to use to focus on word choice. Daniel’s is a thought provoker!
I want to try this! Thank you for sharing the poems and the metaphor dice. Off to order now! xo
Wow! These are wonderful. And, how fun to create them with your students. I haven’t gotten my dice yet. ack!
I’m amazed at how they are working with my kids. Check out Laura’s padlet for equation poems to see two created with metaphor dice. I wonder if I can get a commission.
You absolutely should! I wonder how many sets have been ordered since you first shared that post that prompted me to order them on the spot….
These. Are stunning. I have been playing with my dice since you mentioned them at NCTE. Truth is a bright meadow. Thank you for sharing, Margaret. xx to your students.
Love these, and I really do need some metaphor dice.
Margaret, I do like the children’s work. I commented on Landon and Kayla’s skinnys. Daniel had a wonderful poem and I like your model using the word a as the repetitive word. It works so well.
I was wishing I had some metaphor dice this week. They really send you off in interesting directions.
Those last lines are cool!
Those dice are tempting me… We need more of these “silent love blessings” spread them around–thanks for the beautiful poems here. And glimpse into your student’s notebook.
Ordering! And as I said before, just the idea of a broken wonder. Wow!
Wow, Daniel. Thanks for reminding me that beauty isn’t always about perfection. I’ll roll my dice and try out a skinny too! (We’re starting a rollvolution, Margaret!
Ok, how have I not known about skinny poems? You’ve held out on me!! I have new inspiration for my next Poetry Friday post here! These poems are beautiful!
These dice are going viral, have you noticed?
Loved the bug-kus! I checked out 2 of them and left a guess for Landon. Those are such fun. I wish my kinders were stronger with syllables. I may have one or two who could try a haiku before year’s end – we’ll see!
Wow. Am bookmarking this to try with students.
I have my metaphor dice in hand! I printed out your skinny poems post. Can’t wait to try this. BTW, did you use the metaphor dice as is, or do you adjust the words any for younger students? Interesting to see student poems on these deep concepts!
We use them as they are but sometimes have to discuss them. I also allow multiple rolls. I once got “Beauty is a midnight animal.” My 5th grader Landon helped me understand that beauty may not be seen at first as if it’s a hidden midnight animal. They are often better than me at making connections.
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