Laura Purdie Salas

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You are here: Home / Poems for Teachers / Poetry Friday: Chocolate-Covered Ants (by J. Patrick Lewis)

Poetry Friday: Chocolate-Covered Ants (by J. Patrick Lewis)

October 27, 2011 By Laura

It is a well-documented fact that J. Patrick Lewis can write a poem about anything! And so today, in honor of National Chocolates Day (who knew?), our U.S. Children's Poet Laureate shares this poem about chocolate-covered ants. I was looking for a photo to put here, but then I realized I don't enjoy looking at chocolate-covered ants. So you'll just have to use your imagination!

Chocolate-Covered Ants

You start with that ant mandible—
Completely understandable—
      A chocolate jaw has never tasted sweeter.

Then bite a bit of abdomen
Before you’ve finally grabbed a min-
      i-leg, an itty-bitty centimeter.

But ants despise a holiday
That is their grand finale day
      When you become a Chocolate Anteater.

–J. Patrick Lewis, all rights reserved

Ha!

Like I said, Pat can write a poem about anything! This poem, by the way, is part of a collection he has coming out in 2013: World Rat Day: Poems About Real Holidays You've Never Heard Of (Candlewick). World Rat Day! Seriously? There's another holiday I don't want a picture of! I don't know where Pat comes up with all his clever ideas for poetry collections (world records, epitaphs, book plot riddles), but that's ok. All I have to do is enjoy the poems.

Thanks, Pat, for sharing this poem today! (I'm going to eat something chocolate today, for sure, but it will not have a mandible nor abdomen!)

Speaking of enjoying poems, Diane Mayr at Random Noodling has the Poetry Friday Roundup today. So, um, what are you waiting for?

Tagged With: J. Patrick Lewis, poems, poetry books, Poetry Friday

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MAY NEWS

All 3 of my 2023 books are out now! Thank you to everyone who's celebrated with me, shared the books, or read/reviewed them. <3

Right now, I'm recovering from National Poetry Month! I'm also working on 2 tricky picture book revisions, and I'm preparing for a bunch of speaking events and storytimes! Join Yvonne Pearson and I for two loon-themed outdoor storytimes on June 6 and August 1. And on July 14, I'll be storying up a storm at Robert Trail Library! Hope to see you there!

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