I am a firm believer that poetry is best learned by simply reading it and taking time with it. Why does an author use certain words? How does it make you feel? How it is set up? So I like to read poetry with my lad. :) Here's a sample of one we did today.
Wanted--A Witch's Cat
by Shelagh McGee
taken from Childcraft: The How and Why Library, Volume 3-Stories and Poems page 245
Wanted--a witch's cat.
Must have vigor and spite,
Be expert at hissing,
And good in a fight,
And have balance and poise
On a broomstick at night.
Wanted--a witch's cat.
Must have hypnotic eyes
To tantalize victims
And mesmerize spies,
And be an adept
At scanning the skies.
Wanted--a witch's cat,
With a sly, cunning smile,
A knowledge of spells
And a good deal of guile,
With a fairly hot temper
And plenty of bile.
Wanted--a witch's cat,
Who's not afraid to fly,
For a cat with strong nerves
The salary's high
Wanted--a witch's cat;
Only the best need apply.
by Shelagh McGee
taken from Childcraft: The How and Why Library, Volume 3-Stories and Poems page 245
Wanted--a witch's cat.
Must have vigor and spite,
Be expert at hissing,
And good in a fight,
And have balance and poise
On a broomstick at night.
Wanted--a witch's cat.
Must have hypnotic eyes
To tantalize victims
And mesmerize spies,
And be an adept
At scanning the skies.
Wanted--a witch's cat,
With a sly, cunning smile,
A knowledge of spells
And a good deal of guile,
With a fairly hot temper
And plenty of bile.
Wanted--a witch's cat,
Who's not afraid to fly,
For a cat with strong nerves
The salary's high
Wanted--a witch's cat;
Only the best need apply.
What we did with this poem
Discussion:
What did you think of this poem? I liked it!
What do you think about the cat wanted?
"I wouldn't want that cat. I want a cat that would be nice and kind with me, like Milo, but I would also want a cat that would attack people who wanted to hurt you. Milo doesn't do that mom".
Observation:
When you look at the poem, what do you see?
It's broken into sections.
Each section has six lines. "MOM? Do you think she did that on purpose"?
It doesn't rhyme.
Can you find words you don't know?
They described the cat.
Which means they are what? Adjectives.
How did the poem make you feel?
This type of question is always hard for my boy.
He said "the poem made me feel interested sort of". :)
What did you think of this poem? I liked it!
What do you think about the cat wanted?
"I wouldn't want that cat. I want a cat that would be nice and kind with me, like Milo, but I would also want a cat that would attack people who wanted to hurt you. Milo doesn't do that mom".
Observation:
When you look at the poem, what do you see?
It's broken into sections.
Each section has six lines. "MOM? Do you think she did that on purpose"?
It doesn't rhyme.
Can you find words you don't know?
- tantalize: torment or tease (someone) with the sight or promise of something that is unobtainable.
- mesmerize: hold the attention of (someone) to the exclusion of all else or so as to transfix them.
- guile: Sly or cunning intelligence
- hypnotic: of producing or relating to hypnosis
- poise: graceful and elegant bearing in a person.
- adept:very skilled or proficient at something.
- bile: anger, irritability
They described the cat.
Which means they are what? Adjectives.
How did the poem make you feel?
This type of question is always hard for my boy.
He said "the poem made me feel interested sort of". :)
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