My students this year look forward to Poetry Friday when we read a poem and talk about what we notice, then try the form on. A few weeks ago we read Jane Yolen’s poem, “A Word is Not a Poem” that I had saved from her daily email poems. Having the form of her poem in hand, my students created interesting poem responses.
Jamison, 4th grade
A Laugh is Not a Smile
A laugh is not a smile
but it is a feeling inside you.
You can laugh once
but it’s best to laugh twice.
laugh laugh
A smile is not a frown
but it is a feeling inside you.
used in several ways,
to express love, and happiness.
smile smile
A.J., 6th grade
A Book is not a Word
A book is not a word ,
but a forest in a tree .
Used in many ways ,
it can even be funny .
A book is not a poem
You can only read it once ,
but best to read it twice .
Book , Book .
A book is not a song ,
the words you cannot spin .
Won’t know it going in
you will though coming out .
Tone , Note .
Reflections on the Teche 
They are wonderful, Margaret. How delighted your students must be to try out new forms on their favorite Fridays!
Wow, these poems are so good! I especially like the last stanza in both poems. It is wonderful that your students look forward to reading a poem and writing one on Poetry Friday! That means you’re doing a great job teaching them poetry! Thank you for sharing.
How fabulous that you’re able to incorporate Poetry Friday in your classrooms! Both poems are wonderful! I especially love the line,”Won’t know it going in/
you will though coming out” in the second poem.
So fun to see how Poetry Friday plays out in your classroom!
These are terrific, love how they both stretched and played with them, and where they walked with them–love these lines,
“A book is not a word ,
but a forest in a tree,”
thanks Margaret!