Language, Rhythm, and Rhyme: Poetry Time!

This spring, we've been exploring rhythm and rhyme and various poetic tricks and techniques. We've been using figurative language: words that take us beyond everyday, phrases that make the ordinary extra-ordinary, language that makes a poem more interesting, more dramatic, downright brilliant... just fantastic!

Bubbling with Poetic Enthusiasm: Bettina, Kylie, Olivia, and Catalina give us Trouble Bubble Gum by Douglas Florian:

Squeaky Clean: Miranda and Ali perform Crowded Tub by one of Lafayette’s favorite poets, Shel Silverstein:

A poem can capture and share a special moment in time. Here's a Lafayette Original that creates a vivid word picture:

Birthday by Ryan Hallerman

Whoosh!

The wick

ignites

A red and orange glow

emerges from

the tip

It unites with the

multicolored wax

then flickers

Just like a flower

on a sunny day

Still only moving

with

the sudden push of

wind

Then the

flickering stops

The room goes dark

And a new

age starts

There's Poetic Emotion... and Poetry in Motion! Take a look at Shel Silverstein’s Body Language, performed by Margaret and Reese, read by Arianna:

More Poetry on the Move: Manaal and Laura get in a rhyming groove, sharing Running in a Circle by Jack Prelutsky:

Figurative Language... Go Figure: We like to use metaphor and simile, assonance, hyperbole... a few cliches, alliteration... idioms, personification. And don't forget onomatopoeia... if you want to be a... Poetry Parader!

Spring Stroll: Nature Takes Its Course, of Course

It’s a Spring Thing: bees are buzzing, trees are greening, birds are singing… a sunny scene-ing! The arrival of spring means it’s time for great rhymes and renewed appreciation for the great outdoors. Without a doubt, Lafayette School has been bitten by the Poetry Bug! Here, Poetry Puppeteers perform Five Little Insects by Eve Merriam:

Check out a spring bouquet of good-natured poems about good nature, Lafayette Originals composed and shared by students:

Spring Is Coming by Theodore S.

Spring is coming.

It's approaching very fast.

The grass begins to grow

While we sense winter's last.

Birds sing and glide,

Children play outside.

There is a rising temperature.

Spring is here for sure.

The trees are filled with birds' nests

As there baby birds quietly rest.

People on vacation depart

When fun activities start.

Vegetation starts to appear

As winter sheds its last snowy tear.

Busy is every bird and bee.

Spring is here.

Can't you see?

Guardian by Laurel H.

A tree

Standing tall

Casting its shadow 

Across the grass

Its pristine leaves

Protect

The nests of the meadowlarks

When the eggs hatch

The tree

Will be content

With the meadowlark's song

Wafting 

through the air.

Ocean by Kate H.

My friend the sea,

you shimmer and shine,

bringing happiness every time.

The sand between my toes,

the wind in my face,

you are my friend the sea,

the beautiful shining sea.

Sunset by Molly E.

It's setting over the west

It's gleaming over the grassy hills

It's falling down

Down

Down

Down

You can see the reflection in the sky blue ocean

The sunset is in your hands

It's falling once again

Down

Down

Down

The sunset fades and

The sky is midnight black

The sun is gone

But it will come back

I just know it

Poetry invites us to create, to share, to wonder about the world, and to wander through nature. Where will poetry take us next? Stay tuned, Poetry Paraders!

Creepy Creatures and Curious Cuisine... Gulp!

Today, Poetry on Parade celebrates the creepiest of creatures and the most curious of cuisine. 

Our parade is sss-snaking along 

with creative concepts, wonderful words, 

rowdy rhythms, and rollicking rhymes!

Our first poem features a sss-superb creature who makes its home in sss-sweltering tropical climates, hunts-sss for its dinner in the dark of night, and sss-swallows its prey whole. Gulp! Mama Boa may give birth to sss-sixty sss-small sss-social boa babies at a time; however, adult boas prefer sss-solitude and are sss-sizeable, sss-sometimes weighing more than one hundred pounds and sss-stretching to a length of thirteen sss-stealthy, sss-slinky feet! Take a look at Julia (poetry narrator), Casey (unsuspecting reader), and Ana (homemade boa) performing Boa Constrictor by Shel Silverstein:

It’s the stuff of legend: dragons, serpents, and multi-armed beasts! Nautical folklore is full of slimy, scaly, slipper sea monsters, creatures who threaten storm-tossed ships, spout jets of water, and make all manner of maritime mischief. Kevin, Stella, and Brian entertain us with Slithery Dee by Alvin Schwartz:

Our final poem for the day transports us from the depths of the deep blue sea to the depths of our domestic Frigidaire! Peyton, Casey, and Mr. Cleary present Deep in Our Refrigerator by Jack Prelutsky:

The milk may be soured and the quiche may be congealed; the casserole may be curdled and the macaroni salad may be spoiled. There may be too many cooks in the kitchen... but there are never too many poetry enthusiasts in the LMC, and a good poem is never past its sell-by date!

Celebrating Spring with Poet-Tree in the LMC!

April is National Poetry Month! Spring is springing all around us, and Lafayette is celebrating the season with a hand-clapping, foot-stomping, rhythm-jamming, rhyme-slamming Parade of Poetry. We are reading poems, writing poems, performing poems, and sharing poetry with family and friends:

Poetry on Parade is all about creative thought, wonderful words, and getting everyone involved in the poetic experience. Take a look at One, Two... written by one of Lafayette's favorite poets, Shel Silverstein, and performed by Mr. Cleary and Kyra:

Check out this Poetry on Parade Exclusive: 
An Interview with Shel Silverstein, 
featuring Julie Cif and Mike E.

It’s springtime in the LMC!

The air is filled with poetry.

With books in bloom,

a happy scene-ing:

bees are buzzing,

grass is greening. 

As for us,

we’ll spend some time

with words that sing

and lines that rhyme.

It’s springtime in the LMC!

And Look!  

We’ve grown a Poet-Tree! 

The Crowd Goes Wild: Good Sports, Good Poetry

Good Sports, Good Poetry!

Today, Poetry on Parade visits the wide world of sports.  We'll fill our duffel bags with rhythm and rhyme. We'll be a traveling team of poetry writers and performers!

Let's get the ball rolling with Soccer Land, written by Karen Jo Shapiro and performed by Colleen and Erin:

Next up, take a look at an original poem by Lafayette's Sean L:

Football
The football,

soaring

across the field,

about to start its descent,

down

down

down

into Number 24's hands.

Sprinting across the field,

running

running

running

into the end zone.

The crowd goes 

wild,

cheering for

number

24....

Talk about tackling a poem!  
Here, Sean reads his poem for Lafayette Live:

Let's Hear It for the Home Team!

The clock is winding down on this blog post, and it's time to head to the locker room and pack up our poetry. But remember: legendary New York Yankee catcher Yogi Berra once said, "It ain't over 'til it's over." So keep practicing, keep playing, and keep performing poetry!

Celebrating Earth Day Today and Every Day

Going Green and Going Strong: On April 22, 1970, the United States held a one-day national event intended to encourage appreciation of our planet and to increase awareness of Earth’s environmental issues. By 1990, Earth Day had gone global, growing into an international celebration that included over 140 countries around the world.  In 2009, the United Nations declared April 22 International Mother Earth Day, with over 175 participating nations.  As we celebrate Earth Day with original poetry, we declare that we are Poetry Paraders, not polluters!

Nico shared his original Earth Day poem on Lafayette Live:

Some communities extend Earth Day into Earth Week, planning seven days of environmentally-friendly activities.  But why stop at one day or one week?  Let’s make Every Day Earth Day!