Points to ponder Poetry

1. Poetry

2. Definition
• Language in its most connotative and concentrated form
• Kind of language that says more and says it more
intensely than ordinary language (Laurence Perrine)
• Poetry for children differs from poetry for adults because
it comments on life in dimensions that are meaningful for
children
• Children’s poetry should reflect the real emotions of
childhood

3. Elements of Poetry
• Rhythm
• Rhyme and Sound
• Imagery
• Figurative Language
• Shape

4. Forms of Poetry
• Ballads and Narrative Poems
• Lyrical Poetry
• Limericks
• Free Verse
• Haiku
• Concrete Poetry

5. Evaluation Criteria
• How does the rhythm of the poem reinforce and create
the meaning of the poem?
• If the poem rhymes, does it sound natural or contrived?
• How does the sound of the poem add to its meaning?
Does the poem use alliteration? Onomatopoeia?
Repetition?
• Does the poem create sensory images of sight, touch,
smell or taste?
• Are these images related to children’s delight in their
particular senses?

6. Evaluation Criteria (cont.)
• Is the figurative language appropriate to children’s lives?
• What is the tone of the poem?
• Is the poem appropriate for children?
• Does the shape of the poem – the placement of the words
– contribute to the poem’s meaning?
• What is the purpose of the poem? To amuse? To describe
in a fresh way? To comment on humanity? To draw
parallels in our lives?

7. Award-winning Poets
Books/Poems Poets Description
Song of the Water
Boatman and Other Pond
Poems
Joyce Sidman Caldecott Honor Book
The Moonbow of Mr. B.
Bones
J. Patrick Lewis American Library
Association notable book
designation
City I Love Lee Bennett Hopkins NCTE Poetry Award