Calling All Poets

Ok, so this is not really a poem. :) But I got you here, so... As you know, April is National Poetry Month. I am about to begin our Poetry unit in my seventh grade ELA class, and I would love to have some input from YOU - the fine Poets of the WC.  For the next couple of weeks, the students will be pretty much immersed in verse - reading, reciting, discussing, interpreting, writing, even illustrating various forms of poetry. I have a collection that I have put together over the years of favorite poems and poets - from Dickinson to Silverstein, Poe to Prelutzky. I would like to know what some of your favorite poems are (I fear I may be missing some gems!) I would also LOVE it if you would be willing to have me share a poem that you have written. All credit would be given to you, of course. I fear that poetry is seen as an art form of yesteryear, a quaint pastime of a bygone age.  I want my students to see that poetry is alive and well, in all corners of the world, in all walks of life, feeding the souls and fueling imaginations of men and women alike! I am interested in sharing all types of poetry (rhyming, free verse, forms, prose...) The only limit is that it must be appropriate for 12/13 year old students. :) I appreciate any suggestions or shares. :) 

Author's Note

Thank you! :)

Reviews

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

I second what Chris said, you can use any of my poems of mine on here you feel appropriate. You know who is a great poet, the Singer Jewel Kilcher… or as she goes by "Jewel" I have one of her poetry books, in fact one of my favorites from her is posted in my bio.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thanks, Dale! I do like Jewel - great voice, great poet!

[Ravyne Hawke]

Rita, I think just about anything from Carl Sandburg would be appropriate for that grade level. He wrote beautiful, simple poetry that children can understand. I don't think I have anything age appropriate but feel free to take a look and use anything you find.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Lori! I like Sandburg, too - and I'll look in your pages, too! :)

[Ravyne Hawke]

You are most welcome, Rita...

[Zahra]

well i'm sure you've already got a huge list of english poets, i love iqbal, he's not an english poet but some people have written wonderful translations of his poems. I enjoy these english translations as well, you might wanna have a look http://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/bang/translation/

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you for your suggestion, Voice!

[Marie]

My favorite poem is The Mountain Whipporwill," By Stephen Vincent Benet. It is almost paralleled by Kipling's "Road to Mandelay," and "Gunga Din." I don'st see how a poetry class can be taught without Kipling. I think he is the greatest poet who ever lived.

So much for Kipling.

If you want, you can take the last poem I posted here ("First Signs") to show what simple, trite verse can be.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thanks for the suggestion, Marie - my husband's favorite poem is Kipling's "If". I like your poems; "First Signs" is a great example of simple verse. Thank you!

[Baby Ricochet]

Honestly I know next to nothing about the history of poetry. It's one of those things I keep meaning to get around to and haven't yet done. Owing to my liberal use of the F bomb and other colorful forms of verbiage I'm not to sure what poem of mine would be appropriate but if you like I'm sure I can find something

[Rita L. Sev]

Lol! I was thinking that, too, Mark - but you are such a great poet, and just the kind of writer I want my boys to read - a young man, Marine, nothing "sissy" about being a poet! If you think of anything (or feel like writing something for the occasion!) let me know. Thanks!

[Baby Ricochet]

Will do. Need something with no swearing. Right?

[Rita L. Sev]

Well, nothing beyond a "hell" or maybe a "damn..." :)

[kublakhan27]

Oh, another favourite I just thought of as well Rita, Goblin Market by Rosetti...the subject matter is moderately risque but I think it deals with some topics that teens should know about, especially through the aid of an allegorical context ;)

[Rita L. Sev]

Keep 'em coming, Steve!

[kublakhan27]

Oh my, I wish I had time to think about this haha I have this huge anthology titled World Poetry, which samples work from all parts of the world going back as early as Gilgamesh...I wish I had some time to skim through that...In terms of my own work, I'd like to suggest Discomfort Food...it's not my best by any means but I think it's one that would resonate best with the age group in question. In terms of more recent work, I would suggest Then Fall, Caesar, assuming that they've begun studying Shakespeare, or even if they haven't...but it was my first taste of Shakespeare in school many moons ago so maybe it could work in the context of what you have in mind...but these are purely suggestions :)

As for famous works, Sheila and I seem to have much in common, as I would have offered pretty much the same list of poets as she has haha Well we all know Poe, but I've always loved The Bells...it doesn't get as much attention as his more dour works and I tell people about it anytime someone asks me personal favourites. Another personal favourite is Coleridge's Ancient Mariner, and of course that other poem from which I took my online namesake ;) If you wanted to take them down the abstract road, a good one may by Cummings' "grasshopper poem"...the title is an anagram that I used to remember in a heartbeat, but my brain's not as reliable as it used to be.

And of course there is romantic poetry, and without hesitation I suggest You Have The Lovers, from my fellow countryman named Cohen...it's probably my all-time favourite love poem, at it may be slightly risque but I don't think it would be too much for a grade seven audience...actually I'd say that this is around the time they should be introduced to such works, but I'm not a teacher haha

Like I said, I wish I had more time to think about it and come up with some lesser-known gems, but these are the ones that came instinctively to my mind, meaning they are high on the shortlist of my all-time favourites.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you for giving this such in depth thought, Steve! Some great suggestions! I can't wait to put together the poems of my friends here, because I really think they will have the biggest impact on the kids. :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i think dickinson's "i'm nobody who are you?" and also Gwendolyn Brook's "we real cool"

a couple that might be good to use.

if you want to use one of mine...help yourself...i think any of us would love to see what kind of reaction we would get from your seventh graders..
jacob

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you so much, Jacob. Yours will be excellent examples of the use of metaphor at its best! Gwendolyn Brooks - great suggestion! I already include "I'm Nobody..." in the class - in fact last year one of the boys liked that one so much that he still will recite it when I ask him to. :) Thanks again!

[Sheila Kline]

Yep, you've got me......my favorite poets are Blake, Keats, Dickinson, Poe, and oh so many more!! You are free to use any of my poems which you deem suitable for your students. I have many of my poems unpublished at this time as I have been editing them, but there are a few that might be of interest. Please let me know if any of the titles of those unpublished are of interest to you, and I will unpublish any chosen. I only have 300 to 500 poems so feel free............lol

It is wonderful that you are teaching your students how "ALIVE" poetry is in this day!

Poetry speaks of life and death, of joy and sadness, of winning and losing, of good and bad, of reaping what we sow, and of gathering the good fruits of what we nurture........oh, how grand are the words of the poet who sees the reality of life in all of its beauty and in all of its ugliness, for that is LIFE!!!

[Rita L. Sev]

Sheila, thank you so much - I know I will find suitable poems among your works - I will let you know what I select. Also, you should know that the last paragraph in your comments is a perfect description of poetry, and I will be using your words (giving you credit, of course!) to introduce poetry to my students! Thank you, thank you!

[redflutterby]

You are welcome to use anything of mine Rita. And id like to recommend a poet as well. Ron Rash...I have one of his collections called Waking the Dead. He is a New York Times best selling author from South Carolina. (Angi told me about him). Many of his poems reflect life in the south. If you cant find any of his poetry collections at the library I'll see if I can come up with a few to send you.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you so much, Red! I have not read Ron Rash, but I will definitely check him out! And thank you for your consent to read one of your pieces, as well. :)

[Pryde Foltz]

Rita, you are welcome to use any of my works.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you so much, Pryde!