Tip #2: Define it!
Is there one particularly difficult word in the poem? If so, define it for kids before you read the poem. That way, not knowing the meaning of the word won’t stop them from comprehending and enjoying the poem.
Before reading the poem draft below, for example, I would define Kabuki for students, as well as show them a picture if I had access to one.
OK, I’m combining my Poetry Tips for Teachers series and my usual Thursday 15 Words or Less activity today. 15WOLers, I missed you in March! I had a wonderful trip, and I’m glad you guys kept enjoying writing poems in my absence:>)
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a picture and my poem draft, circa 2007!? This image makes me think of:
1) Playland tunnels
2) horror movies
3) the sad clown painting in my parents’ den when I was growing up
And here’s my?first draft.
False surprise
Painted smile
Black, blank eyes
Now it’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS!??(Title doesn’t count toward word count:>)? I noticed some of you started writing longer poems while I was away. Tsk! Tsk! I will be a strict taskmaster today!
100 Responses
Girl eating fries
Lets out a scream
Mom mutters
“That’s terrifying”
Ronald is sad
Glad you’re back! Happy April, everyone!
Love the 3 line and ending
Love the twist in that last line. I imagined him sad also.
Yes, as I said above to Martha, some children are terrified of clowns.
And I guess it does make the clowns ad.
I like your poem.
Awww, poor Ronald:>) I love the mom muttering. That captures the moment for me. Thanks, Amelia–happy to be back with you guys!
Happy April to you. What you described does happen.
Girl eating fries
Lets out a scream
Mom mutters
“That’s terrifying”
Ronald is sad
Glad you’re back! Happy April, everyone!
Love the 3 line and ending
Love the twist in that last line. I imagined him sad also.
Yes, as I said above to Martha, some children are terrified of clowns.
And I guess it does make the clowns ad.
I like your poem.
Awww, poor Ronald:>) I love the mom muttering. That captures the moment for me. Thanks, Amelia–happy to be back with you guys!
Happy April to you. What you described does happen.
Laura
what wonderful childhood memories your pic brings back
I love the title of your poem nice to have you with us today
Birthday Parties
clown-balloons
Golden French-fry smiles
colicky shack much cashes
rainbow balls
swirly straw slides
Poem By Jessica Bigi
Fun images.
Good job, Jessica. I like “swirly straw slides.”
Thanks, Jessica–love being back here with my 15WOLers! I love lines 4 and 5. Awesome! I couldn’t quite decipher line 3.
3 chocolate milkshake mustaches
Ah…gotcha!
It wouldn’t be Mickey D’s without the play area. Nice contrast.
Laura
what wonderful childhood memories your pic brings back
I love the title of your poem nice to have you with us today
Birthday Parties
clown-balloons
Golden French-fry smiles
colicky shack much cashes
rainbow balls
swirly straw slides
Poem By Jessica Bigi
Fun images.
Good job, Jessica. I like “swirly straw slides.”
Thanks, Jessica–love being back here with my 15WOLers! I love lines 4 and 5. Awesome! I couldn’t quite decipher line 3.
3 chocolate milkshake mustaches
Ah…gotcha!
It wouldn’t be Mickey D’s without the play area. Nice contrast.
Look
into my spinning eyes:
you will now buy a shake,
a burger and fries.
?Kate Coombs
Love the first line
This is so funny, and its working. Now I want McDonalds!
Ha, ha. Hypnosis! Funny. Great idea.
Hahahaha–it’s Dr. McDonald, hynotist extraordinaire! Love that second line. Spinning eyes is a great image.
If McD’s goes to all-day breakfast (as I heard last night) the burger may be replaced by an egg and cheese biscuit, and fries of course.
Must…super…size…!
Look
into my spinning eyes:
you will now buy a shake,
a burger and fries.
?Kate Coombs
Love the first line
This is so funny, and its working. Now I want McDonalds!
Ha, ha. Hypnosis! Funny. Great idea.
Hahahaha–it’s Dr. McDonald, hynotist extraordinaire! Love that second line. Spinning eyes is a great image.
If McD’s goes to all-day breakfast (as I heard last night) the burger may be replaced by an egg and cheese biscuit, and fries of course.
Must…super…size…!
laughing face
fronting fearful
food crimes
nothing funny here–
move on
Ha. You make me think of sneaking a snack and hoping no one notices.
I like you idea and all those “f” sounds.
Ooooh, nice alliteration!
Sadly, so true.
laughing face
fronting fearful
food crimes
nothing funny here–
move on
Ha. You make me think of sneaking a snack and hoping no one notices.
I like you idea and all those “f” sounds.
Ooooh, nice alliteration!
Sadly, so true.
Welcome home Laura. You were missed. I like to believe that a sad clown face is a fa?ade for true happiness.
Interpretation
Comedy or tragedy
what say you?
My outside is either;
to me I remain true.
What an interesting perspective. I like the confidence of that last line.
love the last line
I love your idea, Martha.
A clown can certainly bring different feelings to different people.
Some children are terrified of clowns.
Thanks, Martha! I missed you guys, too! Oh dear…I guess what I see on Ronald’s face is a reflection of me! Love your positive outlook on him.
Welcome home Laura. You were missed. I like to believe that a sad clown face is a fa?ade for true happiness.
Interpretation
Comedy or tragedy
what say you?
My outside is either;
to me I remain true.
What an interesting perspective. I like the confidence of that last line.
love the last line
I love your idea, Martha.
A clown can certainly bring different feelings to different people.
Some children are terrified of clowns.
Thanks, Martha! I missed you guys, too! Oh dear…I guess what I see on Ronald’s face is a reflection of me! Love your positive outlook on him.
I had to look up Kabuki — love learning new words here. And I’m with you, Laura — that’s a creepy face. So I decided to feel sorry for him.
This daily diet
of burgers and fries
leaves me wanting
pizza pies!
This is wonderful
Funny! I like this.
Poor Ronald. I usually learn new words from Diane’s poems. Happy to be the one inspiring a bit of learning for a change:>) This reminds me of how tired I got of pub food while we were overseas. Some of it was very tasty, but the same stuff over and over, at every restaurant we went in… I missed my many choices!
Cute Ellie.
I had to look up Kabuki — love learning new words here. And I’m with you, Laura — that’s a creepy face. So I decided to feel sorry for him.
This daily diet
of burgers and fries
leaves me wanting
pizza pies!
This is wonderful
Funny! I like this.
Poor Ronald. I usually learn new words from Diane’s poems. Happy to be the one inspiring a bit of learning for a change:>) This reminds me of how tired I got of pub food while we were overseas. Some of it was very tasty, but the same stuff over and over, at every restaurant we went in… I missed my many choices!
Cute Ellie.
Wow. So perfectly perfectly creepy and sinister.
Ack.
Thanks, Amy–that’s exactly how I’ve always felt about statue Ronald:>)
Wow. So perfectly perfectly creepy and sinister.
Ack.
Thanks, Amy–that’s exactly how I’ve always felt about statue Ronald:>)
Welcome back, Laura. I know you must have had a wonderful time and a chance to be with your daughter, too.
I had to look up the definition of kabuki, but that gave me an idea for my effort today.
Kabuki
Face paint
Yellow pants.
Hear me sing.
Watch me dance.
Let me entertain you.
I did have a wonderful time–thanks, Pat. I like that you took a word you didn’t initially know and then explored it in a poem!
Love it Pat.
Welcome back, Laura. I know you must have had a wonderful time and a chance to be with your daughter, too.
I had to look up the definition of kabuki, but that gave me an idea for my effort today.
Kabuki
Face paint
Yellow pants.
Hear me sing.
Watch me dance.
Let me entertain you.
I did have a wonderful time–thanks, Pat. I like that you took a word you didn’t initially know and then explored it in a poem!
Love it Pat.
Welcome back!
My McBreak
Strained plastic face
Make-up covering
The ravages
Of toddler
NEEDS
Finally
I get to
SIT.
Oh, Karen, I LOVE this. I spent many, many hours at various McDonald’s Playlands when my girls were little. During long Minnesota winters, when it was sometimes too cold to go outside, they were lifesavers!
You are so right — toddler needs and Mickey D go hand in hand! Oh those “happy meals.”
Love “strained plastic face”. He puts on that happy face no matter what!
Welcome back!
My McBreak
Strained plastic face
Make-up covering
The ravages
Of toddler
NEEDS
Finally
I get to
SIT.
Oh, Karen, I LOVE this. I spent many, many hours at various McDonald’s Playlands when my girls were little. During long Minnesota winters, when it was sometimes too cold to go outside, they were lifesavers!
You are so right — toddler needs and Mickey D go hand in hand! Oh those “happy meals.”
Love “strained plastic face”. He puts on that happy face no matter what!
CLOWN GREETING
Gangling, jangling
Honking, “Hi!”
How I wish he’d
Honk, “Goodbye.”
© Charles Waters 2015 all rights reserved.
Yes! Me, too. Poor clowns:>( I like jangling here.
This is wonderful just a thought Honk “goodbye on his one will ride”
Honks “goodbye on his one wheel ride”
CLOWN GREETING
Gangling, jangling
Honking, “Hi!”
How I wish he’d
Honk, “Goodbye.”
© Charles Waters 2015 all rights reserved.
Yes! Me, too. Poor clowns:>( I like jangling here.
This is wonderful just a thought Honk “goodbye on his one will ride”
Honks “goodbye on his one wheel ride”
Loved yours, Kate’s, and many others here. What is it about clowns that is so freaky, when they’re supposed to be funny??
“The Comedy is Finished”
You seem too happy,
show too much restraint;
Ronald, just face it…
Pagliacci, you ain’t.
- Matt Forrest Esenwine
Ha–love the voice, esp of your last two lines. Clowns are just too false. Those painted smiles have a sociopathic quality to them!
Loved yours, Kate’s, and many others here. What is it about clowns that is so freaky, when they’re supposed to be funny??
“The Comedy is Finished”
You seem too happy,
show too much restraint;
Ronald, just face it…
Pagliacci, you ain’t.
- Matt Forrest Esenwine
Ha–love the voice, esp of your last two lines. Clowns are just too false. Those painted smiles have a sociopathic quality to them!