When someone writes a story using prose (language written or spoken in an ordinary way), the story is the most important thing.
But when an author uses poetry, the way the words read or sound is part of the goal, along with the story.
Let's explore some different kinds of poetry.
Rhyme
Most people think of poems as always rhyming, but they don't. Even when they do, there are different kinds of rhyming.
Perfect, such as moon and june
Sight, rhymes, such as though and bough. These words don't rhyme when we say them, but they look the same on the page.
Slant, rhymes, in which the last consonant is the same, such as whip and top.
Head, rhymes, in which the beginnings of stressed words sound the same, such as pretty as a picture. This is also called, alliteration.
Visual poetry
Visual, poetry is meant to be seen. For example, a poem about the ocean might be written in the shape of waves, or a poem about baseball might be written in the shape of a ball. This is also called a, calligram.
Concrete poetry
With, concrete, poetry, the author might arrange the words and letters on the page to make an interesting pattern. This is similar to visual poetry, but the picture doesn't go with the poem. It's usually just a neat design.
Sound poetry
This type of poetry uses noises that sound interesting together but may not mean anything. You can listen to examples of, sound, poetry from author Kurt Schwitters here: www.ubu.com/sound/schwitters.html.
Poetry terms
Assonance, is a vowel sound repeated within a line, such as How now brown cow?
Consonance, is a consonant sound repeated within a line, such as Pitter patter.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
POETS AND THEIR POEMS
Karla Kuskin (1932-2009) is a favorite children's author and poet.
I had a cat, grey, soft, fat, given to grrrring, quite softly and prrrring. Slipped off one morning, near the green glen. That was my cat, who was not seen again.
I had a dog, noisy and yellow, very cold nose, wonderful fellow. Trotted one evening out after a pack of dog-footed friends and never came back.
I had a bird, bright blue in a cage, sang without cease on his miniature stage. Sat on my shoulder looked in my eye, sailed out the window and into the sky.
I had a lion, furry and kind, sits on a shelf, near the autos that wind. Eyes wild and golden, tail like a tuft, he never will slip out and leave me. He's stuffed.
Valerie Worth (1933-1994) wrote poems about ordinary and sometimes small things, such as bugs and mud. This poem is called "Stars."
While weknow they are Enormous suns, Gold lashing Fire-oceans, Seas of heavy silver flam. They look as though they could be swept down, and heaped, cold crystal sparks, in one cupped palm.
Jack Prelutsky (1940---) loves to have fun with language. Here's his poem "It's Raining Pigs and Noodles":
It's raining pigs and noodles, it's raining frogs and hat's, chrysanthemums and poodles, bananas, brooms, and cats. Assorted prunes and parrots are dropping from the sky, here comes a bunch of carrots, some hippopotami. It's raining pens and pickels, and eggs and silverware. A flood of figs and nickels is falling through the air. I see a swan, a sweater, a clock, a model train--- I like this so much better than when it's raining rain.
Shel Silverstein's (1930-1999) poems have enchanted kids and adults for many years. Two favorites are "The Giving Tree" and "The Missing Piece." This poem, called "One Inch Tall," is from Shel's book "Where the Sidewalk Ends":
If you were only one inch tall, you'd ride a worm to school. The teardrop of a crying ant would be your swimming pool. A crumb of cake would be a feast and last you seven days at least, A flea would be a frightening beast If you were one inch tall.
If you were one inch tall, you'd walk beneath the door, and it would take about a month to get down to the store. A bit of fluff would be your bed, you'd swing upon a spider's thread, and wear a thimble on your head if you were one inch tall.
You'd surf across the kitchen sink upon a stick of gum. You couldn't hug your mama, you'd just have to hug her thumb, you'd run from people's feet in fright, to move a pen would take all night.
(This poem took fourteen years to write --- 'Cause I'm just one inch tall).
I had a cat, grey, soft, fat, given to grrrring, quite softly and prrrring. Slipped off one morning, near the green glen. That was my cat, who was not seen again.
I had a dog, noisy and yellow, very cold nose, wonderful fellow. Trotted one evening out after a pack of dog-footed friends and never came back.
I had a bird, bright blue in a cage, sang without cease on his miniature stage. Sat on my shoulder looked in my eye, sailed out the window and into the sky.
I had a lion, furry and kind, sits on a shelf, near the autos that wind. Eyes wild and golden, tail like a tuft, he never will slip out and leave me. He's stuffed.
Valerie Worth (1933-1994) wrote poems about ordinary and sometimes small things, such as bugs and mud. This poem is called "Stars."
While weknow they are Enormous suns, Gold lashing Fire-oceans, Seas of heavy silver flam. They look as though they could be swept down, and heaped, cold crystal sparks, in one cupped palm.
Jack Prelutsky (1940---) loves to have fun with language. Here's his poem "It's Raining Pigs and Noodles":
It's raining pigs and noodles, it's raining frogs and hat's, chrysanthemums and poodles, bananas, brooms, and cats. Assorted prunes and parrots are dropping from the sky, here comes a bunch of carrots, some hippopotami. It's raining pens and pickels, and eggs and silverware. A flood of figs and nickels is falling through the air. I see a swan, a sweater, a clock, a model train--- I like this so much better than when it's raining rain.
Shel Silverstein's (1930-1999) poems have enchanted kids and adults for many years. Two favorites are "The Giving Tree" and "The Missing Piece." This poem, called "One Inch Tall," is from Shel's book "Where the Sidewalk Ends":
If you were only one inch tall, you'd ride a worm to school. The teardrop of a crying ant would be your swimming pool. A crumb of cake would be a feast and last you seven days at least, A flea would be a frightening beast If you were one inch tall.
If you were one inch tall, you'd walk beneath the door, and it would take about a month to get down to the store. A bit of fluff would be your bed, you'd swing upon a spider's thread, and wear a thimble on your head if you were one inch tall.
You'd surf across the kitchen sink upon a stick of gum. You couldn't hug your mama, you'd just have to hug her thumb, you'd run from people's feet in fright, to move a pen would take all night.
(This poem took fourteen years to write --- 'Cause I'm just one inch tall).
EXCUSES, EXCUSES
by Patricia Misiuk
Pressing the mute button on the TV remote control perched on my armrest constitutes ---- at least in my book ---- strenuous exercise. So it shocked my husband when I mentioned the only item on my 2011 bucket list: join AND go to a gym.
"You, who wastes half a tank of gas while cruising for a parking space next to the store?" he asked.
"Yup," I said.
My lack of athleticism coupled with a body that should not wear sports attire jump-started painful memories of compulsory high school physical education. I was the queen of klutz.
My long jump distance was measured in single-digit inches. Ditto for the high jump. As my classmates ascended the school's version of El Capitan ---- a rope ---- I merely swung back and forth while my feet scraped the floor.
My coping mechanism to combat my shame was inventing excuses, a skill I have since fine-tuned to justify job snafus, marital minefields and culinary flops.
When the jock teacher noticed my bloomer-style gym-suit hadn't been near a washing machine, she asked, "What gives? Run out of quarters for the Laundromat?"
"The Maytag repairman is so busy making commercials he couldn't fix our machine," I lied.
She merely shook her head and barked, "Go! Grab a field hockey stick."
Within minutes I was the walking wounded, bruises reflecting all colors of the rainbow. Later when an archery bow vibrated and stung my upper arm, 'twas time to sit on the sidelines.
"Can't play," I said. "Got my period."
"You've had that for three weeks," she countered.
"Get on the field."
I thought outside the box and assumed Teacher knew little about the human brain. When Teacher ordered me to serve the vollyball, I had a ready response.
"No can do."
"Let me guess. Fallen arches."
"Nope. Medulla oblongata."
She bought it. Four years of gym helped me expand my repertoire of excuses. Tennis, anyone? Allergic to tennis ball fuzz. Trampoline? Not until my middle ear infection clears. Softball catcher? No way; no mitts for southpaws.
Nowadays a fictitious power outage caused a lopsided souffle. After I told the judge about chronic fibula metatarsus, he released me from jury duty.
This brings me back to my resolution to get into shape, or at least get moving.
"Welcome," the pert trainer gushed. "I need your weight."
When I lowballed the number by 15 --- O.K., I confess 20 pounds, I said, "My shoes are very heavy."
The excuses rolled off my tongue easily, just as they did years ago. And when you see me scarfing down Krispy Kremes after my workout regimen, you'll have no difficulty believing me when I blame my low sugar count.
Pressing the mute button on the TV remote control perched on my armrest constitutes ---- at least in my book ---- strenuous exercise. So it shocked my husband when I mentioned the only item on my 2011 bucket list: join AND go to a gym.
"You, who wastes half a tank of gas while cruising for a parking space next to the store?" he asked.
"Yup," I said.
My lack of athleticism coupled with a body that should not wear sports attire jump-started painful memories of compulsory high school physical education. I was the queen of klutz.
My long jump distance was measured in single-digit inches. Ditto for the high jump. As my classmates ascended the school's version of El Capitan ---- a rope ---- I merely swung back and forth while my feet scraped the floor.
My coping mechanism to combat my shame was inventing excuses, a skill I have since fine-tuned to justify job snafus, marital minefields and culinary flops.
When the jock teacher noticed my bloomer-style gym-suit hadn't been near a washing machine, she asked, "What gives? Run out of quarters for the Laundromat?"
"The Maytag repairman is so busy making commercials he couldn't fix our machine," I lied.
She merely shook her head and barked, "Go! Grab a field hockey stick."
Within minutes I was the walking wounded, bruises reflecting all colors of the rainbow. Later when an archery bow vibrated and stung my upper arm, 'twas time to sit on the sidelines.
"Can't play," I said. "Got my period."
"You've had that for three weeks," she countered.
"Get on the field."
I thought outside the box and assumed Teacher knew little about the human brain. When Teacher ordered me to serve the vollyball, I had a ready response.
"No can do."
"Let me guess. Fallen arches."
"Nope. Medulla oblongata."
She bought it. Four years of gym helped me expand my repertoire of excuses. Tennis, anyone? Allergic to tennis ball fuzz. Trampoline? Not until my middle ear infection clears. Softball catcher? No way; no mitts for southpaws.
Nowadays a fictitious power outage caused a lopsided souffle. After I told the judge about chronic fibula metatarsus, he released me from jury duty.
This brings me back to my resolution to get into shape, or at least get moving.
"Welcome," the pert trainer gushed. "I need your weight."
When I lowballed the number by 15 --- O.K., I confess 20 pounds, I said, "My shoes are very heavy."
The excuses rolled off my tongue easily, just as they did years ago. And when you see me scarfing down Krispy Kremes after my workout regimen, you'll have no difficulty believing me when I blame my low sugar count.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
NOW YOU KNOW
- On March 1, 1932, Charles A. Lindbergh Jr., the 20-month-old son of Charles and Anne Linderbergh, was kidnapped from the family home near Hopewell, N.J.
- On March 2, 1861, the state of Texas, having seceded from the Union, was admitted to the Confederacy. The Territory of Nevada came into existence under an act signed by President James Buchanan.
- On March 3, 1991, motorist Rodney King was severely beaten by Los Angeles police officers in a scene captured on amateur video.
- On March 4, 1789, the Constitution of the United States went into effect as the first Federal Congress met in New York.
- On March 7, 1911, President William Howard Taft ordered 20,000 troops to patrol the U.S.-Mexico border in response to the Mexican Revolution.
- On March 8, 1862, during the Civil War, the ironclad CSS Virginia rammed and sank the USS Cumberland and heavily damaged the USS Congress, both frigates, off Newport News, Va.
- On March 9, 1861, the Confederate Congress, meeting in Montgomery, Ala., authorized the issuing of paper currency, in the form of interest-bearing notes.
- On March 10, 1876, the first successful voice transmission over Alexander Graham Bell's telephone took place as his assistant heard Bell say, "Mr. Watson ---come here ---I want to see you."
- On March 11, 1942, as Japanese forces continued to advance in the Pacific during World War 2, Gen. Douglas MacArthur left the Philippines for Australia. MacArthur, who subsequently vowed, "I shall return," kept that promise more than 2 1/2 years later.
- On March 14, 1794, Eli Whitney received a patent for his cotton gin, an invention that revolutionized America's cotton industry.
- On March 16, 1802, President Thomas Jefferson signed a measure authorizing the establishment of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.
- On March 17, 1762, New York's first St. Patrick's Day parade took place.
- On March 21, 1866, Lucy B. Hobbs became the first woman to graduate from a dental school, the Ohio College of Dental Surgery in Cincinnati.
- On March 22, 1765, Britian enacted the Stamp Act of 1765 to raise money from the American colonies. (The Act was repealed the following year.)
- On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry delivered an address to the Virginia Provincial Convention in which he is said to have declared, "Give me liberty, or give me death!"
- On March 28, 1979, America;s worst commercial nuclear accident occured inside the Unit 2 reactor at the Three Mile Island plant near Harrisburg.
- On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot and seriously injured outside a Washington, D.C., hotel by John W. Hinckley Jr. Also wounded were White House press secretary James Brady; Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and District of Columbia police Officer Thomas Delahanty.
- On March 31, 2005, Terri Schiavo, 41, a Huntingdon Valley native and Archbishop Wood graduate, died at a hospice in Flordia, 13 days after her feeding tube was removed in a wrenching right-to-die dispute.
PICKY EATER ? CHEW ON THIS
You clip coupons, maneuver a full cart through a busy grocery store, scrutinize every piece of produce, load and unload, prep, cook, serve and clean. It's no wonder you're frustrated when your 3-year-old refuses to eat anything but macaroni and cheese. And when your 4-year-old son says he hates the food in front of him, you might even feel a twinge of heartbreak.
At least you're not alone. "Picky eating is a typical behavior for many preschoolers," according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) online at http://www.mypramid.gov/. "It is simply another step in the process of growing up and becoming independent. As long as your preschooler is healthy, growing normally, and has plenty of energy, he or she is most likely getting needed nutrients."
If you'reconcerned your child's eating habits are jeopardizzzzzzing his or her health and development, consult your pediatrician. But, it's normal for a kid to go through a picky eating phase. Your son or daughter likely will get over if before he or she starts school. In the meantime, take somesmall steps at home to promote healthy eating.
According to the article "Children's nuttrition: 10 tips for picky eaters" by Mayo Clinic staff (online at http://www.mayoclinic.com/), parents can help picky eaters eat a balanced diet using these common approaches.
At least you're not alone. "Picky eating is a typical behavior for many preschoolers," according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) online at http://www.mypramid.gov/. "It is simply another step in the process of growing up and becoming independent. As long as your preschooler is healthy, growing normally, and has plenty of energy, he or she is most likely getting needed nutrients."
If you'reconcerned your child's eating habits are jeopardizzzzzzing his or her health and development, consult your pediatrician. But, it's normal for a kid to go through a picky eating phase. Your son or daughter likely will get over if before he or she starts school. In the meantime, take somesmall steps at home to promote healthy eating.
According to the article "Children's nuttrition: 10 tips for picky eaters" by Mayo Clinic staff (online at http://www.mayoclinic.com/), parents can help picky eaters eat a balanced diet using these common approaches.
- Many children will eat only when they are hungry, so don't force them to clean their plates. (According to some studies, force-feeding may actually traumatize your child and contribute to an unhealthy attitude toward food later in life.)
- Children respond well to routines, so serve meals at about the same times every day and don't fill them up with snacks or juice within an hour of mealtime.
- Give kids time to warm up to new foods. "Your child may need repeated exposure to a new food before he or she takes the first bite," thearticle states. "Encourage your child by talking about a food's color, shape, aroma and texture --- not whether or not it tastes good."
- Make healthy foods fun. Serve vegetables with your child's favorite dip. Cut food into shapes with cookie cutters.
- Ask your child to help you select fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods at the grocery store, and assist with meal preparations.
- Be a role model. "If you eat a variety of healthy foods, your child is more likely to follow suit," states the article.
- Sneak healthy foods into your child's favorite meals, such as diced vegetables in spaghetti sauce or fruit slices in ceral. (Some psychologists argue against this approach.)
- Minimize distractions at the dinner table. This means no TV, no cell phones, no books and no toys during meals.
- Do not bribe a child to finish his or her plate by offering dessert as a reward. According to the article, "Withholding dessert sends the message that dessert is the best food, which may only increase your child's desire for sweets." However, you can serve healthy desserts like fruit and yogurt.
- Don't prepare your child a separate meal if he or she rejects what you've served. You're not a short order cook after all.
'FATAL' FACEBOOK OFFENSES
According to APFL (Academic Profiling Facebook Lifestyles), these are the 10 common Facebook activities that colleges are using to deny students admission:
But what so many kids don't know is that colleges are looking at more than your transcripts when deciding whether or not you get to go to your dream school.
April Foster, a straight-A honors student all through high-school, had been accepted to Franklin Roberts College in Connecticut with a partial scholarship.
As she put it, "I was so excited. F-R was literally my top school, and my first acceptance letter was from them, offering me a scholarship."
But April's excitement was short-lived, as the Wrightstown resident soon received a second letter from Franklin Roberts telling her that, due to information that had been gathered from her Facebook page via an independent consulting firm, her admittance was being revoked.
"I couldn't believe it!" April said. "I didn't think colleges could even look at my Facebook ---- and I didn't have anything bad on there anyway!"
On further research, April found out that colleges across the country are consulting with a company called Academic Profiling Facebook Lifestyles (APFL), a Kansas-based origanization that assesses propective students' Facebook pages.
April's case is hardly the only one. The APFL is gathering data from the Facebook of kids as young as 12 and 13 years old.
Gill E. Bell, a profiler for APFL, told me in a telephone interview that "colleges are interested in students' Facebook pages because it is a forum where teenagers often display what they manage to hide in the application process --- things colleges have a right to know."
He said that the organization gains access to our Facebooks by hiring other teenagers to pose as "friends" to people of interest; they then, of course, have complete access to our Facebook profiles.
- Chat-speak and cursing
- Overuse of emoticons
- Too many "friends"
- Excessive use of Farmville and other games
- Excessive time spent on Facebook (more than 10 hours a week)
- Politically incorrect humor
- TYPING IN ALL CAPS
- Poor grammar/speling
- Complaints about school and/or homework
- Pictures promoting undesirable traits or habits
But what so many kids don't know is that colleges are looking at more than your transcripts when deciding whether or not you get to go to your dream school.
April Foster, a straight-A honors student all through high-school, had been accepted to Franklin Roberts College in Connecticut with a partial scholarship.
As she put it, "I was so excited. F-R was literally my top school, and my first acceptance letter was from them, offering me a scholarship."
But April's excitement was short-lived, as the Wrightstown resident soon received a second letter from Franklin Roberts telling her that, due to information that had been gathered from her Facebook page via an independent consulting firm, her admittance was being revoked.
"I couldn't believe it!" April said. "I didn't think colleges could even look at my Facebook ---- and I didn't have anything bad on there anyway!"
On further research, April found out that colleges across the country are consulting with a company called Academic Profiling Facebook Lifestyles (APFL), a Kansas-based origanization that assesses propective students' Facebook pages.
April's case is hardly the only one. The APFL is gathering data from the Facebook of kids as young as 12 and 13 years old.
Gill E. Bell, a profiler for APFL, told me in a telephone interview that "colleges are interested in students' Facebook pages because it is a forum where teenagers often display what they manage to hide in the application process --- things colleges have a right to know."
He said that the organization gains access to our Facebooks by hiring other teenagers to pose as "friends" to people of interest; they then, of course, have complete access to our Facebook profiles.
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