Poems for Big Kids

Poems for Big Kids Poetry and Children
Two other well-known poets from the United States - Robert Frost and
Carl Sandburg - deserve a mention. Although Sandburg’s Rootabaga Stories is
probably more widely-recognized than his poetry, verses from Early Moon
(1930) and Wind Song (1960) are often included in contemporary children’s
collections. Several picture book versions of Frost’s poems exist and his work
continues to be anthologized.
Still other wonderful poets include A. A. Milne, with his tender,
child-centered poems in When We Were Very Young (1924) and Now We Are
Six (1927), both of which were tremendously popular. Rachel Field’s first book
of poetry for children, The Pointed People (1924), had to compete with Milne's,
but was well received nonetheless. Field’s poem, “A Road Might Lead to
Anywhere,” was printed as a picture book in 1990.
Elizabeth Coatsworth, known for her Newbery Medal-winning story The
Cat Who Went to Heaven, also wrote several collections of poetry, including
Summer Green (1948), Poems (1957), The Sparrow Bush (1966) and Down
Half the World (1968). She frequently incorporated poems into her fiction.
Another writer of verse, destined for fame in the United States and
eventually the world, emerged in the years prior to World War II. Theodore
Seuss Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, published his rhymed narrative And to Think
That I Saw It on Mulberry Street in 1937. While most of his works favor story
over poetry, they carry on the traditions of creative nonsense and verse while
telling stories to children. Interestingly, this work was reminiscent of early,
moral children’s poetry, although the reader may be too busy enjoying the
unique characters and imaginative illustrations to notice.
Giesel also contributed to the development of a genre that has become
immensely popular, the beginning reader. The Cat in the Hat, now available in
many languages, is an accepted resource for youngsters learning to read.
Using limited vocabulary, simple rhyme, and extravagant imagination, Giesel
expanded upon existing traditions of nonsense verse in children’s literature,
and older ones which used verse as an aid to learning - in this case, learning to
read.
Other early-to-mid twentieth century poets for children include Langston
Hughes, David McCord, Harry Behn, Aileen Fisher, and Theodore Roethke. With
The Dream Keeper (1932), Hughes became the first African-American poet to
be widely read by children.
The second half of the century brought changes to children’s literature that
reflected ongoing social and political transformations. Another
African-American writer, Gwendolyn Brooks, broke ground with
Bronzeville Boys and Girls (1956). Its poems illuminated the lives of
urban African-American youth. Poets such as May Swenson expanded the usual
boundaries of poetry by creating free verse that formed riddles, puzzles, and
patterns. Eve Miriam also explored this variation, and pushed the limits of what
were considered suitable topics for children. Her The Inner City Mother Goose
(1969) caused controversy for its focus on the social problems faced by inner
city children, and even garnered calls for a ban in the United States.
Poetic subjects and forms continued to broaden. An interest in cultural
diversity led to the publication of more poetry by African-Americans, including
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