A KNOL IN FOUR PARTS
Introduction
The language of poetry uses images to express our inner most thoughts, our feelings, and our perceptions so that others who read a poem for generations to come may share our unique experiences too. Just as an artist paints a picture on canvas using a paintbrush and color organized in a certain fashion, a poet uses words arranged in a particular manner to create images on paper. Words are powerful tools that a poet uses to communicate an idea, thought or an experience. The poet also uses words to create a mood, or feelings in the reader so that a poem can leave a lasting impression or in some way change us.
I have intentionally tried to select poems diverse in nature and many which have a meaning to convey to children which benefit their life in some way. Whether it be to enhance their self-image, help them to see that others struggle with the same difficulties they have, show them that their lives are very significant, to reflect upon something more seriously, or to inspire them, I feel that these poems are most relevant to these topics.
The poems are also divided into three groups respective of age. The first group being appropriate for younger children, (3- 7) and the second group being more appropriate for children, (8- 10) and the final group being commensurate with the comprehension level of older children, (11-14).
I have included a guide for you to follow in helping your child get the most out of the poem, and in the final objective of acquiring a true enjoyment or love of poetry throughout their lifetime. Wait till you've finished reading the poem to them or when they have finished (in the case of an older child) then use this guide to ask your child questions relating to the poem, and his feelings about it. There are no wrong or right answers; what is important here is just getting them to think about the poem and what it might be trying to communicate.
After reading a poem with your child ask them the following questions but do it in an informal manner.
- What kind of images do you get from reading this poem?
- Do you think that the poem has a message to convey?
- What kind of feelings does the poem express? (happy, sad, or thoughtful)
Then after reading and discussing the above questions, do a fun little exercise in asking your child if they can find words that rhyme in the poem.
Rhyme serves two main functions in poetry. It calls attention to words as sounds which can be enjoyed for their own sake. There is a certain aesthetic pleasure or satsifaction from the matching of sounds that occurs with rhyme. Rhyme also serves as a marker, often signaling the ends of lines. The particular rhyming pattern in a poem is often the basis for dividing the poem into stanzas. A stanza is a group of lines which frequently share words which rhyme with breaks between them; also known as a verse. They function much like a paragraph in an essay or story.
Types of Rhyme used in poetry are End Rhyme and Internal Rhyme.
End Rhyme: rhyme ocurring of words at the end of lines:
Example-
"In the great forest canopy
I looked up to see
gold, red and yellow in the trees
as the light filtered through its leaves."
Example-
"She tidied up picking a fresh bouquet of buttercup;
ribbons were hung and balloons strung...
she heard the doorbell ring and what presents did they bring!"
"She'd do kind deeds
like planting flower seeds
where e'er she would reside-
spreading beauty far and wide."
"There once was a frog
who was born to orate;
although born in a humble bog-
he could speak authoritively on any subject to date."
"Important is my life I see...it is not such a small thingto make a heart sing,and be able to alter a destiny."
"Every note plays its part
to create the loveliest song...
so does nature intricately woven
in the fabric of this earth to which we belong."
Free Verse
This is poetry which has no regular rhyme pattern throughout
the poem, or doesn't rhyme at all. A poem doesn't have to rhyme in order
to be a wonderful poem. There are many poems that are considered
great poems that don't rhyme or have a consisent rhyming pattern.
That's why it is called free verse. What's really important in poetry are
the images, the feelings, or the message that is conveyed through the poem.
"She could create wonderful culinary delights,her rose garden was truly a magnificent sight;she loved to write poetic verse,and on the meaning of many she loved to converse."
Andreas Kemper
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Best Knol of the Month Contest - March 2009
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Andreas Kemper
Rebecca Wells
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I Loved What You Had to Say about Poetry and Your Choice of Poems for Your Knol
I really want to compliment you on a knol that encourages more people to read and appreciate poetry. The introduction of your knol and the anology of a poet creating imagery with words in a poem as an artist creates a lovely painting using brush strokes is lovely and emphasizes that poetry is, indeed, the artful use of words. I think you have chosen a wonderful selection of poems for each part and the age group that it is intended for. The poems in part two with their catchy rhyme and imaginative imagery will have young children smiling and soon trying to come up with their own rhymes. In part three, a mixture of poems which are humorous, inspirational, and are a little more challenging, as far as understanding the meaning of them, makes poetry both fun and interesting for children who are ages 8-10.
I think these poems and the way you have organized them in such a thoughtful progression relevant to the age of the child can cultivate a genuine love of poetry and will definitely help them develop their language skills as well. The fourth part of your knol is great for teens and adults as it really has many poems written by poetry masters, and challenges us to think about their message and how we might apply their insights to our own lives. I like the fact that you included in this part lesser known poets whose work really should be read by the public as I found them to be very profound and moving. I love the way you concluded your in depth knol of poetry by saying that, in the end, that may be poetry at its core is trying to help us find meaning in our existence and in helping us to discover our full human potential.
Julia Richards
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Love Your knol about Poetry and Your Selection of Poetry is Wonderful!
We now get more pleasure from reading poetry since we have become more enlightened about it. I have a younger daughter who just loves the poems in part one of your knol and has committed many of these to memory. My older daughter is was so impressed by your lovely introduction in part four on how poetry can make us reflect more deeply on subjects and expand our humanity, that she is now writing her own poetry!
I would also like to compliment you on a great selection of poetry- well known poems by famous poets, and very thought provoking and insightful poems by lesser known poets, especially in parts three and four. Thank you for including these as well. We especially loved the poems by Marie Lawrence. Thanks again for a wonderful knol which can be used as a poetry resource for both students and adults alike.