Saturday, March 8, 2014

March 8 Ballad-like Poem, inspired by Reading Aloud to my children!


Last year I was helping the 6th grade students at my school understand what a ballad is - a songlike, narrative, poem that has rhyme, rhythm, and a refrain. In the process, I wrote this ballad-like poem, inspired by my daughters, Bridgit and Anne!! I love that it has recorded for me the best part of being a mom, getting to read-aloud so many stories filled with so many great characters to my two favorite readers.

My daughters, at 4 and 1
Licked their cone of ice cream
Listening to me read The Tweedle Beedle Battle
And the adventures of Spot and his mom, Sally,
While taking turns to open the flaps.
The clock chimed eight.
I said good night, sleep tight, and turned out the light.

Once they turn 6 and 3
They spooned their jello
As I read everything by Donald Crews.
We rode his train, plane, boat, bike, and carousel.
Then listened to the troubles of Arthur and DW.
The clock chimed eight.
I said good night, sleep tight, and turned out the light.

Soon both could read at 8 and 5
Yet, they still listened, munching on popcorn
As I read of Elmer on Wild Island
And we met Samantha, Molly, and Josephina
Living in another time.
The clock chimed eight.
I said good night, sleep tight, and turned out the light.

By the ages of 10 and 7
We met Ms. Jewels, Louis and the 28 students
in that tall, skinny wacky school.

Also, Anastasia and her funny brother, Sam.
The clock chimed eight.
I said good night, sleep tight, and turned out the light.

Time flew by, and suddenly they were 12 and 9.
They made the cookies we all munched on
As I read-aloud the adventures of their newest friends:
Harry, Ron, and Herminone.

The clock chimed eight.I said good night, sleep tight, and turned out the light.
Now, they are 25 and 23.
The clock chimes 2:00am.
I’ve been asleep for hours
Closing my eyes after reading a chapter alone on my kindle fire.
Bridgit tweets the latest news of the day.
Anne posts a TEDtalk video to her facebook wall and grabs a play to read.

Good night, great readers, sleep tight.

5 comments:

  1. What a great was to capture time. The moments and books they loved play well in this writing.

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  2. It's so fun to take that leap into poetry. Like jumping off a high dive, you have a moment of panic of what will you do while you're falling and how will you land, especially writing with your students. Thanks for sharing. What fun!

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  3. I can't help feeling a touch of melancholy as I read the last verse. You have captured time passing so eloquently.

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  4. What a beautiful tribute to your daughters. I hope you share this with them.

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  5. What a beautiful way to show how your daughters have grown. Love that they are now readers and writers.

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