Let’s take a minute to talk about poetry. We read nursery rhymes to very little ones. Why do we seem to stop reading poems as our listeners grow older? I think sometimes both adult and child have a sneaking feeling that poems are not fun or cool. Actually they can be both.
Poems are word pictures. You get to hear the words, and their meanings, but you also get the musical rhythms and rhymes. It is really a feast for your ears. So if regular books are meat and potatoes, poetry is chocolate covered trail mix. It’s sweet, salty, fun, and nourishing all in little bite sized morsels.
Poetry might require a little prep by the reader so that it sounds right when read. And here, as we have said before, the reader’s attitude is contagious. So pick a few poems you like and read them through once or twice before presenting them to your audience. There is a lot to choose from. Here are a few of my favorites.
A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson is a classic. Some of the language is old (’tis for it is…) but that no reason to ignore these poems. In fact, one of the very best reasons to read poetry is that we don’t speak this way anymore. It gives us a chance to get good language into little minds. I love reading Windy Nights. Many listeners from many backgrounds have all enjoyed it too.
Jack Prelutsky is one of my favorite modern poets. His poems are funny and the rhythm is great. Children enjoy the silly subjects and the cadence keeps them engaged. He has several collections available and they are all good.
As your listeners grow, don’t give up on poetry. I love reading Poe’s The Raven to older audiences. They are usually spellbound.
Embrace the language of poetry and serve your listeners a balanced diet with dessert!