4. Tinkering. By Diane Dawber. 11. Advertisements for Poetry. By Steven Herrick.
3. How I Broke My Arm 7. By Steven Herrick. Grandma Dances Anagrams. 8.
Po e ms
That Do T heir Own T h i ng
B e etle
By Allan Serafino
My moccasi ns 4 have not walke d
By Duke Redbird
How I Broke My Arm
2
By Steven Herrick
7
8 s m a r g a n A s e Grandma Danc By William New
Advertisements for Poe tr y
By Steven Herrick
3
Tinkering 11
By Diane Dawber
Free Verse 1/11
B tle ee
A tiny fellow. I play giant to his wee world and turn him back
with his feet grasping for a hook of sky to right himself again.
on to upsidedness for beetles, on the grass. Who knows, maybe one day
What a surprise to slip on this floor so waxy and smooth
it will be his turn to look me in the eye, with his giant’s eye.
he must have wondered if the world had gone mad. Maybe it did.
I’ll be careful where I step the next time.
© 2008 Scholastic Canada Ltd. V002
“Beetle” Copyright © by Allan Serafino
A tiny fellow, a miniature tank overturned, so tiny I didn’t notice him
Illustration by Andrew Ebert
By Allan Serafino
Free Verse 2/11
Take two poems and see your doctor if pain persists.
By Steven Herrick
Start your day with a bowl of Special P (for poetry).
No added sugar, artificial flavours or colours poetry. Buy poetry,
Everyone around the world keeps singing McPoetry.
New improved formula.
It won’t happen overnight but it will happen
Chocolate-coated poetry.
A glass and a half of full-cream rhyme in every poem.
Lose 10 kilos in 5 weeks with low-fat poetry.
The taste that refreshes, drink poetry.
Poetry— it works for me, it could work for you too!
Poetry, don’t leave home without it.
Try Poetry, today.
A poem a day helps you work rest and play. Always poetry. Ready for a change, try poetry.
with poetry.
Note: Poetry should not be taken by people afraid to laugh, or those on a poetry-free diet. Nine out of ten doctors recommend poetry for a longer life.
Life would be pretty straight without poetry. Free Verse 3/11
“Advertisement for Poetry” from Poetry to the Rescue Copyright © Steven Herrick. Used with permission from University of Queensland Press.
Advertisements for Poetry
My moccasins have not walked My moccasins have not walked Among the giant forest trees My leggings have not brushed Against the fern and berry bush My medicine pouch has not been filled With roots and herbs and sweetgrass My hands have not fondled the spotted fawn
“My Moccasins Have Not Walked” Copyright © by Duke Redbird. Illustration by Ben Hodson
By Duke Redbird
Free Verse 4/11
My eyes have not beheld The golden rainbow of the north My hair has not been adorned With the eagle feather Yet My dreams are dreams of these My heart is one with them The scent of them caresses my soul
Free Verse 5/11
By Steven Herrick I wanted to fly or, at the very least, stay in the air longer than five seconds. So, it was either jump off the school roof which could be dangerous. I mean, I could land on someone Or float away on a strong breeze! or I could use a lever to shoot me in the sky (but not too high!) So Sarah and I got one long plank of wood two very solid house bricks and Peter Miski (the biggest boy in Grade 5).
“How I Broke My Arm” from My Life, My Love, My Lasagne Copyright © Steven Herrick. Used with permission from University of Queensland Press. Illustration by Amanda Woodward
How I Broke My Arm
Free Verse 6/11
Sarah placed the house bricks on top of each other and I laid the long plank evenly on the bricks and stood on one end. I told Peter Miski to climb onto the fence and when I said “GO” to jump on the other end of the plank, then I told Sarah and Peter to watch as I soared into the sky. (I assured them I’d wave, and be back before lunchtime ended!) I counted slowly to ten and shouted “GO” and that’s how I broke my arm.
Free Verse 7/11
By William New
There’s an ANT in ANTicosti And a MASK in AkiMiSKi There’s an ACROBAT in FORt MACleod AlBerTa There’s a MAN in MANitoulin And a PIG in WinnIPEG, and there’s a DANCE in CumbErlAND when Grandma dances
“Grandma Dances Anagrams” from Vanilla Gorilla Copyright © William New. Used with permission from Ronsdale Press. Illustration by HildaRose
Grandma Dances Anagrams
Free Verse 8/11
There’s a MISS in MISSissauga And a BATH in AthaBAsca There’s a KING who loves to SING in KapuskaSING There’s a EWE in NEW WEstminster And a RAM in Crysler’s FARM, and there’s a DANCE in KiNCArDinE when Grandma dances
Free Verse 9/11
There’s a CAN in the AtlANtiC And a GIANT in MeGANTIc There’s a BISON ON A VAN in BONAVIStA There’s a CART of ART in ARCTic And a CRAB in HarBour GRACe, and there’s a DANCE in DAwsoN CrEek when Grandma dances
Free Verse 10/11
Tinkering I love beginning with a clean sheet and laying down each grease-black cog and bolt and link aligning positions adjusting tensions and checking for wear. I love finishing in reverse order and picking up each clean, oiled sprocket, nut and washer spinning the wheel and hearing only the whirr of everything in place.
“Tinkering” Copyright © by Diane Dawber Illustration by Peter Cook
By Diane Dawber
Free Verse 11/11
