It's unlikely that you ever sat around the dining room table or in the den with your family discussing poetry, that is unless you have an English professor for a parent which is also rather unlikely. Regardless, poetry is not a mainstream source of entertainment in today's age and for that reason has waned considerably as a family pursuit. What better way to throw the entire family off balance than to find and share a poem with them.
Family poems Are Different
There is a difference between the kind of poem you might read on your own and the kind you would willingly share at the dinner table. Family poems are not the same breed as traditional poems. There are numerous factors to consider. First, will everyone at the table be willing to invest in a conversation about the poem? It needs to be interesting, slightly provocative but not too complicated.
Second, a family poem should be relatively tame. What child willingly listens to his parents read a poem with suggestive themes. The thought probably makes your ears burn, so why would you put your children through the same? While topics such as loss, politics or academics are interesting and get the family talking, some topics can kill conversation quicker than a misplaced insult. Be wary of how your family will react.
Family Poems Can Also Be the Expected
A family poem can also be related directly to the family itself, a topic which an entire slew of writers have written about in detail. There are poems written directly for specific family members such as Wordsworth's "To My Sister" that focus on sharing the feelings he has for his closest family member in verse dedication.
Other poets have written at length about how a family member has affected them personally, including the Shelleys, both Mary and Percey Bysshe. A great deal more writers have written about each other as family, crafting family poems about friends that are as close as family. The early 19th century poets of Byron, Shelley, and Keats were all very close friends in this way.
Regardless of their dedication though, a family poem from a master poet is unlike any other poem. It is the same as an especially thoughtful gift or a rarely given hug. For some of us, this might seem more impressive than for others. However, close or no, family poems are a great way to express that hidden or not so hidden love for those closest to you.
Consider Sharing Family Poems Regularly
Why not share a poem every Sunday at dinner? It's a great way to get your family used to the concept of discussing something other than the latest episode of America's Next Top Model and force them to be involved. Eventually, if it means not having a say in the conversation every Sunday night should they not, everyone will want to get involved.
Gray Ward loves to use poems to express his feelings for the right occasion, why not enjoy more articles and poems by visiting his website at http://www.poemanswers.com or http://poemanswers.blogspot.com where you too will find the right poem for you.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gray_Ward
Sunday, October 28, 2007
How to Share a Child Poem
For a child, poems are very abstract. They do not have the flashy colors, vibrant energy or loud explosions of Saturday morning cartoons and display little of the exciting, adventurous tones of a particularly engaging comic book. However, to a child, poems that strike the right cord are not impossible to find. You just need to find the right child poem. A child poem is not very much unlike a normal poem. It is however, written and directed toward children, offering details that they would enjoy.
Poetry is a fickle art form with millions of examples; many of them brilliant, many of them awful, and a great deal of them quite dull or too complicated for a child. To strike the right note early on with a child, poems that are simple and interesting are vital. They also serve to create a growing interest in reading at a young age.
What to look for in a Child Poem
Children's poetry in the 20th century has a very unique flavor to it, having been developed and institutionalized by writers like Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein. However, they were not the first to write child poems and should not be the last place a parent looks when trying to find the perfect one. With that in mind, what exactly should those parents look for?
A child poem should be lighthearted
A compelling storyline is also a great selling point for a child poem.
Abstract emotion and metaphor will bore a child.
Child Poems should not create unwanted situations with awkward, touchy subjects.
A child poem should be written to entertain, not solely teach. A good combination is always good though.
Who to turn to for a Child Poem
Many of the great writers of children's literature also wrote poetry during their lives. Lewis Carroll is a great example. Famous for Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, Carroll's poetry is equally as compelling. Jabberwocky is a great, funny nonsense child poem from those books:
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
Rudyard Kipling also wrote his fair share of poetry alongside his novels. Famous for his work on The Jungle Book among many other adventurous children's stories, Kipling wrote poems like Gunga Din, long story driven pieces that were both funny and compelling for young children.
Louisa May Alcott, the famous author of Little Women and Little Men and an almost essential writer in the canon of American literature wrote her own share of goofy child poems as well. Poems such as "The Rock and the Bubble" and "A Song from the Suds" are funny, entertaining distractions for children. Her poems especially strike at the curiosity of a child, the most important target for any literary work, lest that child grows bored too quickly
Gray Ward loves to use poems to express his feelings for the right occasion, why not enjoy more articles and poems by visiting his website at http://www.poemanswers.com where you too will find the right poem for you.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gray_Ward
Poetry is a fickle art form with millions of examples; many of them brilliant, many of them awful, and a great deal of them quite dull or too complicated for a child. To strike the right note early on with a child, poems that are simple and interesting are vital. They also serve to create a growing interest in reading at a young age.
What to look for in a Child Poem
Children's poetry in the 20th century has a very unique flavor to it, having been developed and institutionalized by writers like Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein. However, they were not the first to write child poems and should not be the last place a parent looks when trying to find the perfect one. With that in mind, what exactly should those parents look for?
A child poem should be lighthearted
A compelling storyline is also a great selling point for a child poem.
Abstract emotion and metaphor will bore a child.
Child Poems should not create unwanted situations with awkward, touchy subjects.
A child poem should be written to entertain, not solely teach. A good combination is always good though.
Who to turn to for a Child Poem
Many of the great writers of children's literature also wrote poetry during their lives. Lewis Carroll is a great example. Famous for Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, Carroll's poetry is equally as compelling. Jabberwocky is a great, funny nonsense child poem from those books:
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
Rudyard Kipling also wrote his fair share of poetry alongside his novels. Famous for his work on The Jungle Book among many other adventurous children's stories, Kipling wrote poems like Gunga Din, long story driven pieces that were both funny and compelling for young children.
Louisa May Alcott, the famous author of Little Women and Little Men and an almost essential writer in the canon of American literature wrote her own share of goofy child poems as well. Poems such as "The Rock and the Bubble" and "A Song from the Suds" are funny, entertaining distractions for children. Her poems especially strike at the curiosity of a child, the most important target for any literary work, lest that child grows bored too quickly
Gray Ward loves to use poems to express his feelings for the right occasion, why not enjoy more articles and poems by visiting his website at http://www.poemanswers.com where you too will find the right poem for you.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gray_Ward
Can't Find Him Anywhere
I cannot find my Monster; I can't find him anywhere.
Last time that I saw him he was in the big armchair.
I only went to the kitchen to butter us both a scone.
When I returned, he wasn't there; I wonder where he's gone.
.
Have you seen my Monster? He's really, really tall.
You'll know him if you see him, he's like a fluffy ball.
I've looked everywhere in all the places I could think.
I've even searched the cupboard, beneath the kitchen sink.
.
If he comes toward you, while walking down the lane
Though he's big and strong and can be an awful pain.
He's really just a pussycat and wouldn't harm a fly.
So don't get all worried; he'll never make you cry.
.
If you find him hiding behind a big old tree
Give him lots of kisses and send him home to me
Tell him that I love him, because I really, really do
And I'll never try again, to flush him down the loo.
Copyright Fred Watson 2007
How About this one?
Mirror
Mirror, mirror, on the wall
Why am I so very small?
When will I start to grow?
Can you help me, yes, or, no?
.
Mirror, mirror, oh so wise
Can you tell me about my size?
Will I always be a little mite?
Or will I grow to reach the light?
.
Mirror, mirror, on the wall
Tell me please will I be tall?
Can't you help with my need?
Tell me if I'll stay a weed
.
Mirror, mirror, are you there?
Hang on a sec; I'll get a chair.
There, that's better. This is me.
Tell me true what do you see
.
Mirror, mirror, you're awfully dumb
I think I'll go and ask my mum.
Copyright Fred Watson 2007
You will find lots of short stories, suitable for all age groups, plus a few more poems for children on my website.
Fred Watson published his first book, a fantasy adventure novel aimed at the 8-12 age group, in September 2006. A grandfather of four, he loves to write for all age groups and continues on a regular basis to add new stories to his website http://www.footprintpublishing.co.uk/shortstoriesforgirls.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fred_Watson
Last time that I saw him he was in the big armchair.
I only went to the kitchen to butter us both a scone.
When I returned, he wasn't there; I wonder where he's gone.
.
Have you seen my Monster? He's really, really tall.
You'll know him if you see him, he's like a fluffy ball.
I've looked everywhere in all the places I could think.
I've even searched the cupboard, beneath the kitchen sink.
.
If he comes toward you, while walking down the lane
Though he's big and strong and can be an awful pain.
He's really just a pussycat and wouldn't harm a fly.
So don't get all worried; he'll never make you cry.
.
If you find him hiding behind a big old tree
Give him lots of kisses and send him home to me
Tell him that I love him, because I really, really do
And I'll never try again, to flush him down the loo.
Copyright Fred Watson 2007
How About this one?
Mirror
Mirror, mirror, on the wall
Why am I so very small?
When will I start to grow?
Can you help me, yes, or, no?
.
Mirror, mirror, oh so wise
Can you tell me about my size?
Will I always be a little mite?
Or will I grow to reach the light?
.
Mirror, mirror, on the wall
Tell me please will I be tall?
Can't you help with my need?
Tell me if I'll stay a weed
.
Mirror, mirror, are you there?
Hang on a sec; I'll get a chair.
There, that's better. This is me.
Tell me true what do you see
.
Mirror, mirror, you're awfully dumb
I think I'll go and ask my mum.
Copyright Fred Watson 2007
You will find lots of short stories, suitable for all age groups, plus a few more poems for children on my website.
Fred Watson published his first book, a fantasy adventure novel aimed at the 8-12 age group, in September 2006. A grandfather of four, he loves to write for all age groups and continues on a regular basis to add new stories to his website http://www.footprintpublishing.co.uk/shortstoriesforgirls.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fred_Watson
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