Week 7

Literacy - Week 7

Poetry

This poetry lesson has been split into sections to help you divide the work over several days

Read the two poems below and then complete the related tasks.

(printable link at bottom of page)

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Backyard Acrobat

I made the birds a tasty treat,

With bagel, seeds and string

And peanut butter thickly spread

To make the birdseeds cling.

But before the backyard birds could sup

Upon this wintry feast

From far below came darting up

A different kind of beast.

He nimbly balanced on a branch

And stuffed his cheeks with seeds

Then swinging like an acrobat

He ate the whole trapeze!

And when he’d finally had his fill

Of my sticky birdseed ring

He scurried back from whence he came

Leaving only crumbs and string.

• Backyard Acrobat - How do you know that this is a poem and not a story? What is the poet describing? What are some interesting words the poet used? What do they mean? What is the problem in the poem? How does the poet feel about the Backyard Acrobat? What makes you think that?

The King of the Forest

With a hint of pride and a little smile, I have to admit

That despite my 200 years, I’m still quite fit.

Many are those who follow the twisting trail

That leads to the depths of the forest to take my picture.

Once at my feet, with emotion they loudly exclaim:

“This tall, amazing maple is so old, so handsome!”

Hesitant, they touch my rough, chapped bark.

Then their eyes travel up my long, slender trunk

To the deep fissure, an old wound.

And it’s there, high up, that they discover beneath the fork

The life that thrives in my leafy mane.

My tenants love me; I have many branches.

During the summer, a mother robin built

With mud and twigs, a little nest.

On the floor above, her neighbours are busy;

A squirrel family runs all day

And on the highest of the long branches

Roosts a black crow who loves to loudly call.

In the fall, some of my friends leave for new horizons.

I say goodbye and wish them a pleasant journey.

My roots run deep, so at home I stay;

This beautiful time of year brings me great joy.

Like a glowing sunset sky, for a brief time

I proudly display my cloak of many colours.

But a heavy downpour and a violent wind

Carry my leaves away and tell me it’s time

To conserve my strength, to keep warm.

Ah! If only I could wear a hat!

Then begins the season of snow squalls and endless nights

When I listen to the stories of my cousins, the poplar, the oak and

the pine.

And at long last comes the thaw; I feel very lightheaded.

The sap rises in my veins and revives me.

I stretch my limbs, I bloom, I grow and I say to myself

I am really fortunate, I love life so much.

One of these days, no matter the season, come and visit me.

You’ll always find me here in the woods, where I plan to stay.

• King of the Forest - How do you know that this is a poem and not a story? What is the poet describing? What are some interesting words the poet used? What do they mean? What is a tenant? Who are the tree’s tenants? Why is the tree called the King of the Forest? Find some evidence for this. How does the tree feel about the changing seasons? Prove why you think this.

• Read the poems out loud again. What patterns do you notice? Is there a beat or rhythm to the way you say the words? Find an example of a different poem and compare it to this one. (e.g. Shape Poems, Haiku, humorous, informational, or cinquain poems...) Do all poems have the same rhythm? Do all poems have to rhyme? Do all poems look the same on the page? Do they all have verses? Why do you think people write poems? Which poem do you like better and why?

• Choose an interesting object. Observe it carefully by yourself. Talk with someone else about what you notice. Does it remind you of anything? Brainstorm a list of interesting and descriptive words, phrases, or thoughts that you have about that object. If it helps, sketch a picture of the object and add details that might help you with the list of words and phrases you could use. Share your list with another person and add any more ideas you come up with.

• Decide what kind of poem you would like to write. Will it rhyme? Will it have verses? Will it have any repeating parts or patterns? How might it look on the page? Look at your list of ideas and remember what you’ve learned so far. Create a rough draft of your poem.

• Read your poem over again to yourself and someone else. Make any changes that you think will make your poem better. Think about and create an interesting title for your poem. Create a good copy and illustrate it if you wish. Practice reading your poem with expression. If you choose, you could choose some background music. Choose some people to be your audience and present your poem to them. Ask them how it made them feel and which words or phrases helped them make pictures in their minds. You may like to add a picture to go with your poem.

• Literacy week 7 printable