Fun With Poetry

by Teresa McEntire | More from this Blogger

Poetry can be a lot of fun to write and read. Try some of these types of poems with your family. Then listen in amazement as your children surprise you with their creativity.

Limerick Limericks are fun to write, but can be more difficult. They are usually humorous. The trick to writing a limerick is getting the pattern right so that the limerick flows in the familiar singsong way.

All limericks have five lines. The last word of lines one, two, and five rhymes. The last words of lines three and four rhyme. The pattern of stressed (S) and unstressed (U) syllables must be as follows. U S U U S U U S (8 syllables) U S U U S U U S (8 syllables) U S U U S (5 syllables) U S U U S (5 syllables) U S U U S U U S (8 syllables)

Limerick Example: There was an old man from Peru Who dreamed he was eating his shoe He awoke in the night With a terrible fright To discover it was totally true. -Author Unknown

Haiku A Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry that is usually about nature. It has only three lines. The first line has 5 syllables. The second line has 7 syllables. The third line must contain 5 syllables also.

Choose a topic that your child wants to write about like the sky, a tree, flowers, rain, etc. Think of a line with just a few words in it. Then have your children clap to see how many syllables the line has. If there are not enough then add a descriptive word. If there are too many take a word out.

Haiku Example: The tree sways slowly As wind blows through its branches Rustling the leaves.

Acrostic Acrostic poems use the first letters of a word to create a poem. The poem usually describes the object whose letters are being used to write the poem.

Acrostic Example: Frost fills the air. Acorns cover the ground. Leaves turn bright colors. Life is settling down.

Cinquain Cinquains have five lines. Each line has a different number of words and uses different ways to describe the subject of the poem. Line 1: 1 word that is a noun (subject of the poem, person, place, or thing) Line 2: 2 describing words Line 3: 3 action words Line 4: 4 feeling words or a phrase Line 5: 1 word that is a synonym (similar) to the first word or same word

Cinquain Example: Bear Brown, big Growling, pawing, hunting Hungrily searching for food Bear

Learn more about Teresa McEntire

Teresa McEntire grew up in Utah the oldest of four children. She currently lives in Kuna, Idaho, near Boise. She and her husband Gene have been married for almost ten years.

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