About Poems: Dr. Nganga

About Poems: Dr. Nganga 

Poems 

What is POETRY? 

by Charles Ghigna 

In order to grow as a writer, you've got to be willing to risk it all each time you sit down to 

write. You've got to be open and brave and curious. Whenever I'm asked, "When did you 

become a poet?" I'm always tempted to ask, "When did you stop?" When did you stop taking 

risks? 

We're all born poets. We all enjoy the sounds of language. Every new parent knows that. We're 

all born with the need to "sound our barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world" as Whitman 

would have it. 

Poetry is a natural part of our lives. It's not just something we have to memorize and recite in 

front of the class. Losing ourselves in a poem is one of the best ways of finding out who we are. 

The act of writing brings us to that point of discovery, of discovering on the page something we 

didn't know we knew until we wrote it. 

Don't let reality cloud your imagination. Look up at the sky and find once again those long-tailed 

dragons and sailing ships. Wake up to the world as though you are seeing it each day for the 

first time. Find the wonder. Question the way things are. Imagine new choices. Write from the 

child in you. 

Style isn't how you write. It's how you do not write like anyone else. You don't need a degree to 

be a writer. It doesn't take teachers or textbooks to show you how to write. One learns how to 

write by writing. There is no other way. 

A Poem Is A Little Path 

A poem is a little path 

That leads you through the trees. 

It takes you to the cliffs and shores, 

To anywhere you please. 

Follow it and trust your way 

With mind and heart as one, 

And when the journey's over, 

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You'll find you've just begun. 

From The 20th Century Children's Poetry 

Treasury, Knopf, 1999, © Charles Ghigna . 

What do you think about when you hear the word POETRY? There are many kinds of poems: 

Some poems make us LAUGH. 

Some poems make us THINK. 

Some poems are SHORT & FUNNY. 

Some poems are LONG & SERIOUS. 

Some poems RHYME. 

Some poems DO NOT RHYME. 

What KINDS of poems have you read? 

What KINDS of poems have you 

written? 

Here are some different KINDS of poems: 

Couplets 

Couplets have two lines that rhyme. Here are five couplets from poems in “Tickle Day: Poems 

from Father Goose” by Charles Ghigna: 

from LITTLE DADDY LONGLEGS 

Little Daddy Longlegs played in the sun, 

Climbing up the front steps just for fun. 

from TURTLE TROUBLE 

Tell me if you think you know 

How to make a turtle go. 

from TOMORROW'S MY BIRTHDAY 

Tomorrow's my birthday and I'll be four 

And I won't have to stay home anymore. 

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from NATURE'S SHOWS 

Nature puts on little shows 

Every time it rains or snows. 

from IT'S SNOW WONDER! 

It's snow wonder that we cheer 

Snowflakes when they fall each year. 


Here is a poem that has four couplets from “Halloween Night” by Charles Ghigna: 

Tercets 

PUMPKINS ON GUARD 

Look at all the pumpkin faces 

Lighting up so many places. 

On the porch and in the yard, 

Pumpkin faces standing guard. 

Looking friendly, looking mean, 

With a smile or with a scream. 

Orange faces burning bright 

In the cool October night. 

Tercets have three lines. Here is a poem with two tercets from “Halloween Night” by Charles 

Ghigna: 

Ballad Stanzas 

WITCH WAY 

With warts on her nose 

And sharp pointy toes, 

She flies through the night on her broom. 

With covers pulled tight 

In the shadows of night, 

I hide in the dark of my room. 

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A group of four lines is called a STANZA. The ballad stanza has a rhyme at the end of line 

number two and line number four. 

Here are three poems that have ballad stanzas. The first poem has three ballad stanzas. The last 

two poems have two ballad stanzas. The first two poems are from “Tickle Day: Poems by Father 

Goose” by Charles Ghigna. The last poem is from “Halloween Night” by Charles Ghigna. 

THE BEE POEM 

A poem is a busy bee 

Buzzing in your head. 

His hive is full of hidden thoughts 

Waiting to be said. 

His honey comes from your ideas 

That he makes into rhyme. 

He flies around looking for 

What goes on in your mind. 

When it's time to let him out 

To make some poetry, 

He gathers up your secret thoughts 

And then he sets them free. 

A POEM IS A LITTLE PATH 

A poem is a little path 

That leads you through the trees. 

It takes you to the cliffs and shores, 

To anywhere you please. 

Follow it and trust your way 

With mind and heart as one, 

And when the journey's over, 

You'll find you've just begun. 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 

I'd rather be foolish than ghoulish, 

I'd rather dress up as a clown; 

I'd rather wear clothes with polka dot bows, 

I'd much rather smile than frown. 

I'd rather be kooky than spooky, 

4

y Bruce Lansky 


I'd rather be friendly than mean; 

I'd rather go greeting than tricking and treating, 

I'd rather have fun Halloween! 

How to Get Kids Excited about Reading Poetry: 

Make It Fun! 

1. Read poems in class that kids will thoroughly enjoy. I tested poems by Shel 

Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky, Jeff Moss, Judith Viorst, Bruce Lansky, and other popular poets 

with elementary-school students from around the country to find out which poems kids 

enjoy most. I've published their favorite poems in Kids Pick the Funniest Poems, A Bad Case 

of the Giggles, Miles of Smiles, No More Homework! No More Tests!, Happy Birthday to Me!, 

and Poetry Party. I also tested my new nursery rhymes on children ages 3 to 6. The poems 

these little people liked best are included in The New Adventures of Mother Goose. 

2. Try to find poems that each child can relate to. One very effective way is to match 

kids up with poems based on their personal interests. Here are some matchups that work 

well: 

Kids with an uncle named Dave love "Uncle Dave's Car" by Helen Ksypka (A Bad 

Case of the Giggles). 

Kids who aren't exactly crazy about their brothers will enjoy "What My Parents 

Should Know about My Brother" by Bruce Lansky (Poetry Party). 

Kids with a dog love "Dumb Dog" by Shirlee Curlee Bingham (A Bad Case of the 

Giggles). 

Kids with a sibling they'd like to play dirty tricks on love "Sweet Dreams" by Joyce 

Armor (Kids Pick the Funniest Poems). 

Preschool through K/1 children will love "Star Light, Star Bright" and "Jack Was 

Nimble" by Bruce Lansky (The New Adventures of Mother Goose). 

Kids whose bedrooms are a mess will enjoy "Where My Clothes Are" by Bruce 

Lansky (Poetry Party). 

Kids will enjoy reading "Birthday Advice" by Bruce Lansky (Happy Birthday to Me!) 

to a child in the class who is having a birthday. 

Kids who can bring forth a burp readily (and often do) will enjoy performing the 

folk rhyme "The Burp" (A Bad Case of the Giggles). 

3. Encourage kids to read poetry aloud, and/or recite it from memory. Kids need to 

practice their reading and performance skills. You can tell how well kids comprehend the 

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poetry by the way they phrase and deliver it. Getting the whole class' attention (and 

applause) after the recitation will serve as a psychological reward for each child. You'll find 

that even children who are not good readers will want to recite in front of the class and will 

be motivated to practice their poem (or memorize it) the evening before in order to 

present it well. 

To make "performing" poetry fun: 

Encourage kids to perform in costume and with props. For example, "The Chap Who 

Disappeared" by John Ciardi (A Bad Case of the Giggles) could be read by someone 

in pajamas. 

Encourage kids to use accents when performing poems. "I saw a Jolly Hunter" by 

David McCord (Kids Pick the Funniest Poems) is cute when read with a British 

accent. 

Encourage kids to use gestures when performing poems. "Molly Peters" by Bill 

Dodds (A Bad Case of the Giggles) is hysterically funny when performed with 

gestures. To increase the hysteria, ask the audience to say "Eeeuuu" when the 

reciter does or says anything that's disgusting (something disgusting occurs twice in 

this particular poem). 

Encourage kids to read poems together as duets. "Say What" and "Clear as Mud" by 

Bruce Lansky (Poetry Party) are a riot when read by two children who alternate 

lines. 

Encourage kids to read poems with their parents as a trio. "Turn Off the TV!" by 

Bruce Lansky (Poetry Party) is a hoot when a child reads it with his father and 

mother. 

Encourage a student with dramatic ability to perform "Grandma's Kisses" by Jeff 

Moss (A Bad Case of the Giggles). Coach the student to communicate dramatically 

just how "wet" and "juicy" and unwanted grandma's kisses really are: SLURRRRP! 

YUCK! 

Read the folk rhyme "Ned Nott" (A Bad Case of the Giggles) with the help of one 

student who says "nott" when you tap him or her on the shoulder and another 

student who says "shott" when you tap him or her on the shoulder. After the poem 

has been read, and the laughter has died down, ask the other students: "Who was 

shot, Nott or Shott?" 

4. Give students who are "gigglefritzes" a chance to shine. 

Ask your giggliest student to read "Doing Business" by Babs Bell Hajdusiewicz (Kids 

Pick the Funniest Poems). Don't be surprised if he or she cracks up in the middle of 

it. (The word "pooper scoop" rarely fails to produce gales of giggles.) 

Ask another giggly student to read "My Puppy Loves Showers" by Bruce Lansky 

(Kids Pick the Funniest Poems). See who giggles the most-the reader or the 

audience. 

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5. Give your students a chance to get into the act by performing poems 

interactively.Read "My Noisy Brother" by Bruce Lansky (Poetry Party) and invite your 

students to make the slurping, whistling, snapping, snoring sounds-as they come up in the 

poem.Read "Sniffles" by Bruce Lansky (Poetry Party) and ask your students to supply 

sniffling and sneezing sounds, as needed.And if you want to give your students a special 

treat, read "How to Torture Your Teacher" by Bruce Lansky (No More Homework! No More 

Tests!) and give them permission to do all the "terrible" things listed in the poem without 

fear of punishment. 

6. Stage a "poetry race." 

Encourage your students to practice reading "Betty Botter" against the clock. It's a liptwisting 

folk rhyme that can be found in A Bad Case of the Giggles. 

7. Give your students a chance to practice their listening and thinking skills by paying close 

attention to the meaning of poems. 

Read "Brain Drain" by Max Fatchen (No More Homework! No More Tests!) and ask 

your students to find the "tiny brain" in Steve Carpenter's funny illustration. (Of 

course, you'll have to find the "tiny brain" yourself, first. Here's a clue: Who is the 

teacher in the illustration talking to? What is she saying? Why?) 

Read "Deer Teecher" by Bruce Lansky (No More Homework! No More Tests!) and 

ask your students to tell you the story behind the poem. (Again, you'll have to figure 

it out first.) 

Tell your students to listen carefully, but warn them that you're still going to fake 

them out. Then read "Poorly Dressed" by Bruce Lansky (Poetry Party), which has a 

delightfully surprising ending. Read "Oops!" by Bruce Lansky (Miles of Smiles). Ask 

your students to try to guess what is causing all the mess. See if they can figure it out 

before you get to the last line of the poem. 

8. Solicit guest performances: 

When a student's mother comes to class, ask her to recite "Millicent's Mother" by 

Jeff Moss (A Bad Case of the Giggles). Encourage her to change the name, Millie, to 

her child's name, which will make it more fun for everyone. 

When the principal or the reading specialist or the media specialist (or another 

favorite teacher) visits your classroom, ask him or her to read "Confession" by Bruce 

Lansky (Poetry Party). 

When you are absent, ask the substitute teacher to read "Mrs. Stein" by Bill Dodds 

(Kids Pick the Funniest Poems). 

Ask a middle-aged, male teacher to read "My Thumbies" by Bruce Lansky (Poetry 

Party). 

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9. Celebrate special occasions with poetry. 


Ask the principal to read "Morning Announcements" by Sylvia Andrews (No More 

Homework! No More Tests!) over the loudspeaker on April Fools' Day. o Read 

Timothy Tocher's "Help Wanted" (Kids Pick the Funniest Poems) before Christmas. 

Read "On the Day That You Were Born" by Bruce Lansky (Happy Birthday to Me!) to 

a child on his or her birthday. It's sure to embarrass the birthday child and make 

everyone laugh out loud. 

Read "Don't Pinch" by Bruce Lansky (Poetry Party) on St. Patrick's Day. 

Recite "The Teacher's Show" by Bruce Lansky (No More Homework! No More 

Tests!) over the loudspeaker or at an assembly either the day before Christmas 

vacation or the last day of school. 

Read Jack Prelutsky's "Mother's Chocolate Valentine" (Miles of Smiles) on 

Valentine's Day. 

10. Don't forget: An important way to get your students excited about reading poetry 

is to read poetry in class regularly. 

Preferably, read poetry every day, or as often as you can. Find poems that are appropriate 

for history, math, spelling-for example, "English Is a Pain" by Shirlee Curlee Bingham (No 

More Homework! No More Tests!)-geography, and other subjects. By reading poetry in 

class regularly and by showing your students how much you enjoy poetry, by the end of the 

school year you will have a classroom full of poetry lovers. 

11. Invite me to visit your school. 

One final idea: If you want to have the most fun with poetry that is legally possible, invite 

Bruce Lansky to visit your school. For booking information, contact the publicity 

department at (800) 338-2232. 

12. Make my books available to your students. To place an order or request a free 

catalog, call customer service at 1 (800) 338-2232, fax at (612) 930-1940, or write to 5451 

Smetana Drive, Minnetonka, MN 55343. 

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Acrostic: poetry in which the first letter of 

each line, when read vertically, spell out a 

word. The word is usually the subject of the 

poem. 

Haiku: an ancient Japanese form with no 

rhyme. Haiku often deal with nature. This 

type of poetry has three lines with a fixed 

number of syllables: 

Line 1= 5 syllables 




Couplets: two-line poems with a fun and 

simple rhyming pattern. Each line has the 

same meter and their endings rhyme with one 

another. Couplets are often humorous. 

Tanka: another Japanese form that depends 

on the number of lines and syllables instead 

of rhyme: 





Line 5= 7 syllables, rhymes with line 4 

Cinquain: a form consisting of five lines. 

Each has a required number of syllables, and 

a specific topic. 

Line 1:Title (noun)- 2 syllables 

Line 2: Description- 4 syllables 

Line 3: Action- 6 syllables 

Line 4: Feeling (phrase)- 8 syllables 

Line 5: Title (synonym for the title)- 2 

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Vanilla 

As I eat it on my brownie 

Not doubting it's sweet 

Ice cream is a tasty treat 

Lots of lingering taste 

Lasting to the end 

Always my favorite! 

The dying plant bends 

And drips its dew to the ground 

It falls like a tear 

My English teacher wants me to use imagination 

So I go to math class and let my mind go on 

vacation! 

I have my own place 

Where I can go for hours 

I go there to write 

It is not difficult to find 

Search within your heart and mind. 

Flowers 

Pretty, fragrant 

Waiting, watching, weeding 

Enjoying all the while they grow 

Gardens

syllables 


Diamonte poems: diamond-shaped poems 

of seven lines that are written using parts of 

speech. The Diamonte is a form similar to the 

Cinquain. 

Line 1: Noun or subject 

Line 2: Two Adjectives 

Line 3: Three 'ing' words 

Line 4: Four words about the subject 

Line 5: Three 'ing words 

Line 6: Two adjectives 

Line 7: Synonym for the subject 

Limericks: whimsical poems with five lines. 

Lines one, two, and five rhyme with each 

other and lines three and four rhyme with 

each other. Rhyme pattern: AABBA 

Proverbs: have been called the shortest art 

form. They use devices associated with 

poetry- rhyme, rhythm, and metaphors. They 

provide vivid imagery to teach a moral lesson. 

Shape Poems (concrete poems): poem that 

form a visible picture on the page. The shape 

usually reflects the subject of the poem. 

Rap: spoken-word expression of urban 

activists that began in the 1960s. In the early 

70s "rapping" evolved into spoken rhymes 

about street life put to the beat of DJmanipulated 

drum machines and turntables. 

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Home 

Safe, caring 

Loving, sharing, talking 

Friendship, food, car, travels 

Living, loving, enjoying 

Joyous, adventurous 

Family 

A flea and a fly in a flue 

Were caught, so what could they do? 

Said the fly, "Let us flee." 

"Let us fly," said the flea. 

So they flew through a flaw in the flue. 

"If one thinks he is the wisest, he is not wise at all." 

Trees blossoming in the spring 

Clouds above give rain 

Fruit will come soon 

Nature is at work 

while 

trees 

stand 

still 

Don't wait to beat the street 

Stay in school and keep your seat 

The entire eight parts of speech 

Will your reading, writing, and speaking teach! 

Free Verse: poetry without rules of form, What do the oceans do at night?


rhyme, rhythm, or meter. Do they tease and tickle the bottom of boats? 

Do they ripple away in fright? 

Or are the beaches like coats 

That keep them still and quiet 

And once the day breaks and it's breakfast time 

Do the oceans wish for some other diet than fish? 

Sonnets: poems of 14 lines that begin with 

three quatrains and end with a couplet. The 

couplet usually contains a surprise ending or 

"turn." William Shakespeare is one of the 

most famous sonnet writers in history. 

Narrative poems: tell stories and are usually 

long. Epics and ballads are narrative poems. 

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Why do we continue to kill in various ways? 

Why do we waste time with jealousy and hate? 

Why not take advantage of the current date? 

Stop the violence now, don't let it grow. 

Love is important, a fact that we all know. 

As the fires of hate continue to burn 

The hands of clock continue to turn. 

No one can find reason to our madness today. 

The gift of life is extremely short 

Demand no more violence of any sort! 

With kindness, life's quality we can improve! 

As those hands on the clock continue to move. 

Day becomes night and night becomes day 

The hands of the clock keep ticking away. 

There once was a man named Bob 

Who was out looking for a great job 

He really needed money to feed pets 

His cat's name was Tiger 

His dog's name was Ted. 

His pets were hungry most of the day 

The animals were hungry - they couldn't play 

Bob had been laid off for a month or two 

There was plenty of work that Bob wouldn't do. 

Bob was really hungry. 

His stomach was an empty tank 

He decided to go rob a local bank. 

He walked through the door and looked around 

He pointed his gun and yelled "Get down" 

Bob took the money and headed for the door. 

If only he had seen the officer in the store.


Quatrains: rhyming poems of four lines. 

Poets use letters to express the rhyme 

pattern or scheme. The four types of quatrain 

rhyme are: AABB,(shown at right) ABAB, 

ABBA, and ABCB. 

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The policeman came out with a shout 

Bob thought for a second and then pulled his gun 

out 

One shot, two shots and with a deafening sound 

Poor old Bob's body hit the ground. 

With his last breath 

He thought back to his pets 

He sure hoped Tiger and Ted 

Would have a great life after he was dead! 

Picnic planning in July 

Traveling up the mountains so high! 

What an adventure for me 

Because I prefer mountains to sea! 

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june00/poetryboxformexamples.html 

"Colors of the Seasons" Poetry Writing Activity 

by Eric Ode 

Suggested grade level(s): 3-5 

With some modification, this activity could be used with younger students. 

Each new season has its own palette of colors, and autumn is certainly no exception. Here's 

a beautiful poetry writing activity for any time of the school year. You might even consider 

using this activity as a kick-off while you move into each new season. You'll find this project 

leaves plenty of room for individual expression and gives every student opportunities for 

success at his or her own level. 

Poetic devices: figurative language, sensory/descriptive 

language


We'll start by creating one poem as a class. First, brainstorm together things (nouns) 

associated with your season. Build a word bank on the board. Don't stop too soon. You'll 

want plenty of words to work with. 

Next, talk about the colors associated with several of the items. Are there some on the 

board which can be grouped together by color? Are there some which may be different 

colors or more than one color? 

Begin your sample poem by writing on the board a starter phrase such as this: 

Autumn is orange 

like a pumpkin 

Here you may wish to discuss how writers often use figurative language to make their 

writing more interesting. Autumn is not actually a color at all. It is a season. But we are 

poets. We're allowed to play with language. 

Now add to your first stanza by choosing a second and third item of the same color until 

you have something like this: 


like a pumpkin, 

a school bus, 

and a pencil. 

Read the stanza together. How do the students feel about the stanza? Would it be more 

interesting with more descriptive language? Think about the senses - sight, smell, touch, 

hearing, taste. Play with the phrasing, finding appropriate adjectives to improve the stanza. 

When you have finished, you may have something like this: 


like a lumpy pumpkin waiting to be picked, 

a noisy school bus on the first day of school, 

and the new pencil resting on my desk. 

As you transition into the students writing their own poems, challenge them to create three 

stanzas, three supportive lines each. Each stanza should focus on a different color. 

Encourage them to come up with ideas not found in the word bank and, of course, to 

include interesting descriptive language. Have the students illustrate their final versions. 

Here is a sample poem: 

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Autumn is Orange 

By Eric Ode 


like a lumpy pumpkin waiting to be picked, 

a noisy school bus on the first day of school, 

and the Number 2 pencil resting on my desk. 


Autumn is brown 

like a new Wilson football, 

a Thanksgiving turkey just pulled from the oven, 

and the sticky mud caked in the soles of my sneakers. 

Autumn is yellow 

like a bouncing tennis ball, 

my new 3-ring binder, 

and the flickering flame on a Halloween candle 

If-You-Were and If-I-Were Poems 

by Charles Ghigna 

The If-You-Were and If-I-Were Poems consist of 4 lines (quatrain) and 2 rhymes (lines 2 

& 4). Each poem contains 2 comparisons (metaphor), one for the “I” of the poem and 

one for the “you.” 

Instructions: Think of a person you like. Compare that person to some thing (inanimate 

object). Now compare yourself to some thing associated with the first object. 

Examples: 

The If-You-Were Poems 

If you were a shining star 

And I were your midnight, 

I’d let you shine above me, 

You’d be my only light. 

If you were a scoop of ice cream 

And I were an ice cream cone, 

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I’d put you on my shoulders 

And hold you for my own. 

If you were a grand piano 

And I were a sweet love song, 

I’d let your keys tickle and tease 

My melody all day long. 

If you were the pages of my book 

And I were reading you, 

I’d read as slow as I could go 

So I never would get through. 

The If-I-Were Poems 

If I were a bumblebee 

And you were a buttercup, 

I’d buzz around until I found 

Your bright face looking up. 

If I were the summer rain 

And you were a new rainbow, 

I’d try to find the warm sunshine 

So you would never go. 

If I were the autumn wind 

And you were a maple tree, 

I’d lift your leaves with a gentle breeze 

And hold them close to me. 

If I were the first snowfall 

And you were an evergreen, 

I’d wrap you in my winter coat 

And make you my Snow Queen! 


Now you try it! The If-You-Were and If-I-Were Poems make great Valentines. Try writing 

several of them, one for each of your friends and family members. The titles of your 

poems can be your friends’ and family members’ names. You might want to make a little 

book of them and decorate it with your drawings. 

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Have fun writing, drawing and sharing! 


For more examples of the If-You-Were poems, please see the new book If You Were My 

Valentine by Charles Ghigna (Simon & Schuster, 2005 

How to Write Poems about Feelings 

by Bruce Lansky 

Some of the most memorable poems ever written are about feelings ("How do I love 

thee?/Let me count the ways"). 

Here's a good way to get your students thinking about poems that discuss feelings: 

1. Ask your students to name as many feelings as they can. To get them started, write "sad," 

"mad," "happy," and a few others on the board. As your students think of more feelings, add 

them to the list. 

2. Ask the students to choose one feeling from the list. 

3. Have the students write down their answers to one of the following questions: 

-When do I feel [insert feeling]? 

-Why do I feel [insert feeling]? 

-How does it feel to be [insert feeling]? 

Their answers will become the poems, although you may encourage them to revise and 

polish their poems as needed. What will make these poems work best is if they tell a story 

or if the reader can learn something about the writer from the poem. Often it's easier to 

write about feelings in free verse-so tell your students they don't need to worry about 

rhythm and rhyme patterns. 

Here's an example: 

I feel miserable when… 

I have a big math test coming up so I have to study instead of watching my favorite TV 

show 

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my mother doesn't believe I have a fever, so I can't stay home and miss a 

big math test I didn't study for 

my teacher doesn't believe I have a fever and refuses to send me to the school nurse until 

after the math test 

I get a "D" on the math test 

Bruce Lansky © 2002 

Here's another example that answers two questions: "When do I feel happy?" and "What is 

it like to feel happy?" (Notice that this poem is a good way to stimulate metaphorical 

thinking.) 

When Santa brings me the toy I wanted most for Christmas I'm so happy I feel like: 

singing at the top of my lungs 

jumping in a mud puddle (too bad it's December and the puddle is covered with ice) 

raiding the cookie jar and eating all the cookies 

playing with my new toy all day and not letting my bratty little brother touch it for a single 

second (which, as I recall, is why my parents took away my favorite Christmas toy last year 

and hid it from me for one whole week) 

Bruce Lansky © 2002 

Finally, here's an example of a finished poem about what happens when you feel a little 

dazed and confused after a kiss: 

Scrambled 

I climbed up the door and 

I opened the stairs. 

I said my pajamas 

and buttoned my prayers. 

I turned off the covers 

and pulled up the light. 

I'm all scrambled up since 

she kissed me last night. 

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© 1996 by Bruce Lansky, reprinted from My Dog Ate My Homework published by 

Meadowbrook Press. 

Note: If some of your students produce confused or poorly written poems dealing with 

some "heavy" personal issues, they may need your help in discussing the experience and 

sorting out exactly what it is they felt before they can productively revise the poem. Or it 

might make sense for you to provide a comforting, supportive presence and leave the 

discussion of how best to fix the poem for later-when the student isn't feeling quite so 

confused or vulnerable. 

-Bruce Lansky 

Zariah Date:______ 

All A bout Me! 

1. I feel happy 

2. I TRUST MY FAMILY 

3. I hear the wind 

4. I UNDERSTAND SPANISH 

5. I Worry about my mom and family 

6. I’m glad about my new clothes 

7. I want to get a car when I grow up 

8. I don’t want to leave my friends 

9. I’m sad about my aunt 

10. I dream about everything 

11. I am zariah and I am precious 

12. I like ice cream 

13. I hope I was older 

14. I dislike vegetables 

15. I admire my mom 

16. I fear Michael Jackson 

17. I need water 

18. I know my times tables 

19. I wish I can fly 

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I feel happy 

I trust God and my mom 

I hear cars 


By Zayanna 

How I feel 

I understand my homework 

I worry about myself 

I `m glad for what I do in school 

I want to play basketball 

I don’t want to play soccer ball 

I` m sad for myself 

I dream about myself 

I happy for myself 

I pretend to be my dad 

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I try to stay out of trouble 

I read books 


I`m sorry for getting bad grades 

I wear polo cloths 

I play my game 

I`m angry because my mom took my game 

I love my mom 

Siani 

I feel wonderful 

All about Me 

I trust Imani and my family 

I hear people talking 

I understand math 

I worry about my family 

I’m glad that I have somewhere to stay 

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I want to be a fashion designer 


I don’t want to be scared of things 

I’m sad because it is nice outside and I can’t go out 

I dream that I am the richest person in the world 

I am pretty 

I like ice cream 

I hope I can get straight a’s 

I dislike potatoes 

I admire pictures 

I fear Michael Myers 

I need water and air 

I know I can read 

I wish I was 14 

I wonder why Santa wears red 

I’m happy today 

I pretend to be a princess 

I try to read 11 th grade books 

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I’m sorry that I doubted someone 

I wear pretty clothes 

I play at the playground 

I’m angry because I’m growing out of my shoes 

I’m relieved that I have a new vp 

I love my family 

I feel happy 

Trust my friends and family 

Hear my family call my name 

I understand my family and work at school 

I worry about my family 

I’m glad to have a brother 

I want a robot 

I don’t want to be a bully 

I’m sad a long time 

I dream to have a lot of money 

I am funny 

I like to ride my bike 

I hope to be a great learner 

I Feel About Me by Andrew 

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I dislike cats 

I love my family 

I fear monsters 

I wish to go back in time 

I wonder to be a teacher 

I’m happy to have friends 

I pretend to be a superhero 

I try to play football 

I read my cool red book 

I’m sorry to do bad things some days 

I wear school clothes for school 

I play video games 

I’m angry went I mad 

I’m relieved to be saved in my house 

I love my grand family 


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Flowers are something Beautiful To Me 

By 

Jeffrey 

Flowers are beautiful and also cute. Flowers smell good and some don’t. Flowers 

don’t stink all the time. I love to pick flowers every day for my mom. My sister 

loves to pick flowers every day too. Flowers stink sometimes but not all the time. 

My aunt loves to pick flowers every day. That is what is beautiful to me 

my grandma’s funeral poem 

By 

Khalesha 

I love her with care, 

she’s despair, 

it’s something that i adore! 

it’s nothing wrong, 

When she writes a song, 

We even dance when we mop the floor! 

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she’s very cool, 

she’s never a fool, 

she’s knows how to do hair! 

It’s was right, 

It never turns into a fight, 

and she’ll always be there 

Poems: Quatrains 

Quatrains are four line stanzas of any kind, rhymed, metered, or otherwise. Like the 

couplet, there are many variations of the quatrain. Some of the more popular as passed through 

tradition are: 

Alternating Quatrain- a four line stanza rhyming "abab." From W.H. Auden's "Leap 

Before You Look" 

The sense of danger must not disappear: 

The way is certainly both short and steep, 

However gradual it looks from here; 

Look if you like, but you will have to leap. 

Envelope Stanza- a quatrain with the rhyme scheme "abba", such that lines 2 and 3 are 

enclosed between the rhymes of lines 1 and 4. Two of these stanzas make up the Italian 

Octave used in the Italian sonnet. This is from Auden's "Look Before You Leap" 

The worried efforts of the busy heap, 

The dirt, the imprecision, and the beer 

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Produce a few smart wisecracks every year; 

Laugh if you can, but you will have to leap. 

In Memoriam Stanza- this form was used by Tennyson in his poem "In Memoriam" and 

is an envelope stanza written in iambic tetrameter (four feet). From "In Memoriam" 

O thou, new-year, delaying long, 

Delayest the sorrow in my blood, 

That longs to burst a frozen bud 

And flood a fresher throat with song 

Redondilla- this is a Spanish form written in tetrameter with any of three rhyme schemes: 

"abba", "abab" or "aabb". 

Italian Quatrain- this is an envelope stanza written in iambic pentameter. Doubled (eight 

lines), it becomes an Italian Octave and the first half of the Italian Sonnet. 

Sicilian Quatrain- this is iambic pentameter that rhymes "abab", from the English Sonnet. 

Like the Italian Quatrain, it is a form of the Heroic Stanza becuase it is written in iambic 

pentameter. 

Hymnal Stanza- this is an alternating quatrain that is written in iambics. Lines 1 and 3 are 

iambic tetrameter, and lines 2 and 4 are iambic trimeter. It is also a form of the Common 

Measure which rhymes abcb instead of abab as in the hymnal. From Robert Burns' "A 

Red, Red Rose" 

O, my luve's like a red, red rose, 

That's newly sprung in June: 

O, my luve's like the melodie 

That's sweetly played in tune. 

The alternating meter often makes one or the other more pronounced, in a way pulling the 

poem along. For this reason, the hymal stanza can be a good catalyst for a narrative 

voiced poem. 

Pantoum- this Malayan form is a struggle for any poet. Good luck. The pantoum is made 

with any number of alternating quatrains with lines of any length and meter. The catch is 

that lines 2 and 4 of each stanza become lines 1 and 3 of the succeeding stanza. They are 

to be repeated in their entirety (if possible) which is what makes the pantoum such a 

frustration and pain. Each stanza, then, becomes interlocked with the stanza above and 

below it by rhyme and line, giving the poem a unique feel not unlike that of a villanelle: 

obsessive and tedious. And to make matters worse, the pantoum's last stanza takes lines 1 

and 3 of the first stanza and uses them as either lines 1 and 2, or 2 and 4, but in reversed 

order. The pattern looks like this: 

Stanza 1: A1 Stanza 3: C1 

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B1 

A2 


D1 

C2 

B2 D2 

Stanza 2: B1 Stanza 4: D1 or A2 Also sometimes a 

C1 A2 or A1 couplet of A2 A1. 

B2 D2 or D1 

C2 A1 or D2 

And there you go, though you can use as many number of stanzas you wish, four for the 

above pattern was just arbitrary number. This is "The Eunuch Cat" by Lewis Turco: 

She went to work until she grew too old, 

Came home at night to feed the eunuch cat 

That kept the mat warm and its eyeballs cold. 

She walked, but ran to wrinkles, then to fat, 

Came home at night to feed the eunuch cat, 

Then went to bed, slept dreamlessly till eight, 

And waked. She ran to wrinkles, then to fat. 

She fixed her supper, snacked till it was late, 

Then went to bed, slept dreamlessly till eight-- 

Must I go on? She'll feed the cat no more. 

She fixed her supper, snacked till it was late, 

Then died at dawn, just halfway through a snore. 

Must I go on?--she'll feed the cat no more 

To keep the mat warm and its eyeballs cold. 

She died at dawn, just halfway through a snore; 

She went to work until she grew too old. 

How To Pantoum 

I find the pantoum can get too repetitious for my liking, escpecially if it's written with fairly 

short lines because the repeated lines cycle faster. The repeated lines should elicit a definite 

emotional reaction in the reader, but they are not intended to necessarily agitate. An easy way to 

avoid the whole agitation business is to think about the pantoum line in terms of caesura and 

enjambent. If a sentence ends in the middle of a line, then the natural pause and emphasis that 

comes at the end of the sentence can be lessened. This way the line becomes enjambed and the 

reader naturally follows to the next line. When lines are continually end stopped, the repetons 

can seem overly repeated. If you want certain lines to receive greater attention, then, perhaps end 

stop them. If you want the line to be read more on the casual, natural side, then use enjambent. I 

try to vary the enjambents in my own pantoums, as variety is an effective way of keeping the 

poem fresh. 

It is near impossible to repeat the repetons in their entirety, and I can't honestly say I've run 

across many that do. This is okay. Oftentimes you can rearrange a few words to put a little spice 

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in the line, or add or subtract a word here and there. The pantoum can become acoustically 

overbearing, and slight varieties in line can help shrink that feeling. 

Also, don't worry too much about what word to end each line on, or what vowel sound you want 

to rhyme the sound on, these worries will only get in your way. Let the poem decide what word 

comes next and where it fits in the line. The pantoum is a demanding form, and no poet needs to 

add any extra vices to the structure. Have fun, it only gets easier. 

-- Damon McLaughlin 

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About Poems: Dr. Nganga

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