Seal an envelope, cut it in half, decorate, punch holes, tie on a piece of yarn, and let children choose a favorite poem or nursery rhyme to tuck inside.
Here's a poem for your pocket that my daughter Holly wrote.
A Poem
By Dr. Holly
A poem, a poem
Is a very special thing.
It takes the words
And makes them sing.
A poem is a present,
A poem is a treat
With words piled like ice-cream
In your bowl to eat!
A poem, a poem
Is a treasure and an art
So always carry one
With you in your heart.
Visiting Poet
Invite a poet from your community to visit and read poetry. Encourage the children to generate questions to ask the author before her visit.
Poetry Café
How about a poetry party where you serve hot chocolate instead of coffee. Let children choose favorite poems for you to read or encourage them to recite nursery rhymes or finger plays. Explain that in the coffee houses instead of clapping, the audience would “snap” their fingers for the poets.
Poems from My Past
MY WHISTLE
I bought a wooden whistle,
But it wouldn’t whistle.
I bought a steel whistle,
But it still wouldn’t whistle.
I bought a tin whistle,
And now I “tin” whistle!
THE MOON
I see the moon,
And the moon sees me.
God bless the moon,
And God bless me!
WISH UPON A STAR
Star light,
Star bright.
First star I see tonight.
Wish I may,
Wish I might,
Have this wish come true tonight!
FIND A PENNY
Find a penny.
Pick it up.
All day long
You’ll have good luck!
But if you give
It to a friend
Then your luck
Will never end.
LADY BUG
Lady bug, lady bug
Fly away home.
Hour house is on fire
And your children are lone.
WORMS
Nobody loves me,
Everybody hates me.
Guess I’ll go eat worms.
Short, fat, squishy ones,
Long, skinny, slimy ones,
See how they wiggle and squirm.
MY WHISTLE
I bought a wooden whistle,
But it wouldn’t whistle.
I bought a steel whistle,
But it still wouldn’t whistle.
I bought a tin whistle,
And now I “tin” whistle!
THE MOON
I see the moon,
And the moon sees me.
God bless the moon,
And God bless me!
WISH UPON A STAR
Star light,
Star bright.
First star I see tonight.
Wish I may,
Wish I might,
Have this wish come true tonight!
FIND A PENNY
Find a penny.
Pick it up.
All day long
You’ll have good luck!
But if you give
It to a friend
Then your luck
Will never end.
LADY BUG
Lady bug, lady bug
Fly away home.
Hour house is on fire
And your children are lone.
WORMS
Nobody loves me,
Everybody hates me.
Guess I’ll go eat worms.
Short, fat, squishy ones,
Long, skinny, slimy ones,
See how they wiggle and squirm.