Write a Poem of Spring

I’ve been preparing for the class I’m teaching tomorrow…a writing workshop for 15 children, ages 6-14.  This is my second session with them and their moms.  It’s refreshing to see them embrace creative writing and delved into poetry, fiction and non-fiction.

Tomorrow we’re going to write poems about Spring.  I shall  encourage their moms to try, too.

The simple poems, such as “skinny” ones, shaped ones and acrostic, seem some of the easiest and most fun  for youngsters to start with.

• For skinny, line or list poems, simply have the youngsters write SPRING across the top of their paper.  Then list 10-12 words they can think of that relate to spring.  Eventually they may find words that rhyme every so often to make a pattern.
• Shaped poems are another fun type.  Start with one word, two on the next line, three, then four.  Reverse it and write three words, two, and end with one…all relating to the topic you’ve chosen.  In this case it would be spring.
• Acrostic poems might rhyme or be free verse.  Write the word SPRING vertically along the margin.  Then begin each line with the letter that spells the word and describes something about it.  Here the first line starts with S, then P, next R, etc.
• Younger children like to decorate their pages with images and color these.

Have fun with poetry yourself.  I know the youngsters and I will tomorrow. (I even had to write some of these poems myself so I’d have examples to show the class.)