What an amazing day for poetry! Tomorrow –Monday, March 21st is the day when lovers of children’s literature from all around share their poetry ideas. Thinking back to those first childhood poetry memories brings to mind the rhyme and rhythm of Mother Goose.
Primary grade children enjoy listening to poems written by Aileen Fisher, Robert Frost, Jack Prelutsky, and Shel Silverstein. One of our favorites is Runny Babbit – A Billy Sook by Shel Silverstein.
It definately is a ‘Billy Sook‘!
Way down in the green woods where the animals all play.
They do things and they say things in a different sort of way–
Instead of sayin’ “purple hat,” they all say “hurple pat.”
Instead of sayin’ “feed the cat,” they just say “ceed the fat.”
So if you say, “Let’s bead a rook that’s billy as can se,”
You’re talkin’ Runny Babbit talk, just like mim and he.
It definately is a ‘Billy Sook‘!
Way down in the green woods where the animals all play.They do things and they say things in a different sort of way–
Instead of sayin’ “purple hat,” they all say “hurple pat.”
Instead of sayin’ “feed the cat,” they just say “ceed the fat.”
So if you say, “Let’s bead a rook that’s billy as can se,”
You’re talkin’ Runny Babbit talk, just like mim and he.
–Shel Silverstein
There are many ways to encourage your children to enjoy poetry.
Try reading a poem everyday. Be sure to tell them about the poems you like best. Carry a poem in your pocket. Read your favorite poem to a child or send it out to all your friends. It may also be fun to write an acronym from your child’s name in poetry form or celebrate Spring by writing a poem about this beautiful Spring day.