Slammin’ Poetry!

Think poetry is all hearts and flowers? Think again! What about song lyrics? Rap? Hip hop? Shakespearean drama? Teen novels in verse are hot too. Out there is a poem for YOU! And it may be inside you, just waiting for you to surface it…

Connect:

Ø      Nursery rhymes are childhood favorites around the world. Sometime nursery rhymes cross cultures. Explore http://itsasmallworld.co.nz/index.php. Do different cultures have different themes? Do you need to know about the culture to enjoy the rhyme? Do the rhyme patterns sound different? What feelings do the rhymes convey?

Ø      Some nursery rhymes change their meaning over time. In fact, some nursery rhymes start out as political statements. Listen to a discussion about their hidden meaning at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4933345. And here are the origins of ten nursery rhymes: http://listverse.com/2009/08/19/10-nursery-rhymes-and-their-origins/
Ø Dig music? You can learn about poetry. Parents, you can try the following ideas with your kids: http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_lesplan.html
Ø      Yee haw! What do cowboys do all day besides herding? Some of them write poetry. Lasso a few at http://www.westernfolklife.org/site1/

Ø      Find your roots in poetry. Here’s a site of African American poetry: http://www.aalbc.com/authors/poetsinfo.html 

Ø      Poets can start young. Connect with teen Canadian poets at http://www.youngpoets.ca/

Create:

Ø      It’s been said that if you keep a poem in your pocket, you’ll never be alone. Did you know there’s a “Poem in Your Pocket” Day? You can celebrate it with others – and create your own special poetry day. Look for ideas at http://www.youngpoets.ca/. This site also includes a poem-a-day app. It’s still a poem in your pocket!

Ø      What’s a haiku – and how do you create one? Here’s a good place to start: http://www.toyomasu.com/haiku/
Ø Get in shape with poetry: try writing concrete poetry -- check it out at http://www.wild-about-woods.org.uk/elearning/concretepoetry/

Ø      Make poetry a creative family habit. The International Reading Association provides simple tips for you parents to help your children create your own family of poetry: http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/tips-howtos/help-child-write-poem-30317.html

Ø      Want your own poetry page? Try Teen Space Poetry, and connect with other teen poets: http://www.ipl.org/div/teenpoet/

Ø      What’s a poetry slam? A chance to share your favorite poetry, including your own. It’s usually in the form of a competition, and you can do it just for fun too. This site -- http://www.poetryslam.com/ -- is a national organization, but you can do this as a family or community activity too. The American Library Association has a great site about poetry slams, and how to celebrate poetry: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/teenreading/trw/wayscelebrate

Care:

Poetry has been used to sooth and to incite. Poems connect the head and the heart, and move others. Here are some ways to use poetry to care for others.

Ø      The first poetry you heard was probably a lullaby. These are usually soothing sounds, although, let’s face it, “When the bough brakes the cradle will fall” doesn’t seem very calming!  Listen and read some lullabies from this collection: http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/lullabies.html. You can share your family lullabies and learn some new ones, and share them with little ones when you’re babysitting.

Ø      Protest poetry has a long tradition. Check out this website, which focuses on the history and impact of African American protest poetry: http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/freedom/1917beyond/essays/aaprotestpoetry.htm  Maybe you can think of something worth protesting about through writing poetry, such as cyberbullying. You can use the Teen Space Wiki to share your care.

Ø      Show you care by giving the gift of poetry. You can create a playlist of your favorite poems and lyrics read aloud by you, including your own writing, as a gift to a friend. You can also illustrate your favorite poems, including your own, as a special card. Or you can create a poetry poster using http://edu.glogster.com/, and post it online. Make sure to credit other people’s poems and images!

Career:

Can you make a living as a poet? It’s more than writing greeting cards! Here is a good starting point about careers in poetry:

http://www.textetc.com/modernist/career-in-poetry.html