Fun With Poetry

This year the boys and I have been using the book, The Roar on the Other Side by Suzanne U. Clark, to study poetry. We have had fun with some of their creations. The first I'll share with you is a type of Japanese poem called haiku which usually consists of three lines the first of which has five syllables, the second has seven and the third has five. The poem is usually about nature and with an element of surprise. So here we go!

The Foolish Bear (by Stephen)

The bear climbs the tree
Strongly with his mighty limbs.
But that sapling breaks.

The Coming Storm (by Alan)

Black clouds approaching
Flashes of lightning in the dark
Blue crack, thunder booms.

The Dragon ( by Robert)

The dragon flies miles,
Fleeing fast against the wind.
Fast flying dragon.

The next is a poem of interlocking form called the pantoum which was originally from Malaya but brought to the West by Victor Hugo.

Listen to the Rain or The Random Poem (by Robert)

Listen to the rain as it falls
Drip, drip, drop. It's a peaceful racket.
The windmill gets pattered over.
Houses washed on their roofs.

Drip,drip,drop. It's a peaceful racket.
Splash go the people running. Slip!
Houses washed on their roofs.
Wally Brown goes a'sliding.

Splash go the people running. Slip!
Breakfast cereal sloshes out the window.
Wally Brown goes a'sliding.
See a bottle randomly washing away.

Drip, drip drop. It's a peaceful racket.
Breakfast cereal sloshes out the window.
See a bottle randomly washing away.
Listen to the rain as it falls.

The Fuzzballs (by Alan)

In the grass, dirt, sand and rock,
Three cats rustle, tumble and play.
One jumps, the other two crouch
Forming a perfect ball of black, brown and grey.

Three cats rustle, tumble and play
Rolling in the soft shrubs
Forming a perfect ball of black, brown and grey.
The trees wave in the sky.

Rolling in the soft shrubs
The fuzzballs finally crash to the ground and look up.
The trees wave in the sky.
Resting and panting, then another round.

In the grass, dirt, sand and rock
One jumps, the other two crouch.
The fuzzballs finally crash to the ground and look up.
Resting and panting, then another round.

Flight of the Dragon (by Stephen)

The dragon crashes through the leafy brush
Spreading its wings, it smoothly takes to the air.
The scales on its streamlined body flash like gold.
Its breath flows as a tidal wave of fire.

Spreading its wings, it smoothly takes to the air.
The very trees cower under the wind of its flight.
Its breath flows as a tidal wave of fire.
Birds and beasts alike scatter as ants from heat.

The very trees cower under the wind of its flight.
No creature alive boasts the size of those talons.
Birds and beasts alike scatter as ants from heat.
And when it alights even mountains tremble.

The dragon crashes through the leafy brush.
The scales on its streamlined body flash like gold.
No creature alive boasts the size of those talons.
And when it alights even mountains tremble.

I hope you have enjoyed these. There will be more to post later.