You know that
I’m a huge advocate for poetry. So
many things in life get “lost” along the way, but when you give children a poem
it’s theirs for a lifetime.
When I was a
little girl 60 years ago we didn’t have televisions, computers, or videos. We also didn’t have very many books or
access to a library. However, the
books that we did have were treasured and the stories were read over and over
again. One of my favorite poems
was “The Swing” by Robert Louis Stevenson. When our grandson K.J. was visiting last week I got out my
raggedy old book and read the poem to him. It was “magic”!
I was in my mother’s arms once again and she was reading to me. What a joy to share that bridge in time
with him!
When you have a
few extra minutes today, invite your children to close their eyes as you share
this poem:
The Swing
By Robert Louis
Stevenson
How do you like
to go up in a swing,
Up
in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think
it the pleasantest thing
Ever
a child can do!
Up in the air
and over the wall,
Till
I can see so wide,
Rivers and trees
and cattle and all
Over
the countryside—
Till I look down
on the garden green,
Down
on the roof so brown—
Up in the air I
go flying again,
Up
in the air and down!
Note: You could ask children to draw pictures
of what they “see” in their brains, or just let it be!