I love poetry and so does Crystal. I really love the one Marty's dad quoted. I reminded Bobby of that very poem recently when he was having a rough time. It is actually called, IF. I have always loved reading poetry, but don't want to pick it apart or worry about what the writer meant by it. I just like to cherish the poems that touch my heart or make me laugh. I think public school killed or at least seriously wounded my girls love of reading with the AR program and they are just now beginning to heal and read for pleasure. I sure don't intend to spoil poetry for them now by over doing it. I love the poem a day idea someone mentioned. I think we may try that for a while and see how they like it.
You can go through life without poetry, but why would you want to? Poetry is everywhere. If you have purchased greeting cards or listened to lyrics in a song you have experienced poetry. I married a poet - not a professional poet or anything. Being the recipient of poetry has given me a deeper appreciation for the craft as well as the writer Maybe you had a dull teacher back in the day. I haven't taught the mechanics of poetry to my kids yet or exposed them to a great deal of poets. Perhaps there is a curriculum out there that will approach the subject in a fun and interesting way for you and your child.
I used to think that poetry had to be all starcrossed lovers and contractions like e'er and ne'er and eye rhymes and such - because of public school - despite the fact that I read and enjoyed poetry at home from childhood. My favorite has been "My Shadow" (I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, and what can be the use of him is more than I can see"). But everything from Dr. Seuss (To think that I saw it on Mulberry Street) to the Charge of the Light Brigade has intrigued me with rhythm and rhyme -- without having to dissect it at all! I heartily endorse just reading some for the sheer enjoyment of it, without doing "deep studies". As a teacher (during the last nine years, since I started schooling Other People's Kids), I've learned to appreciate poetry so much more after using the Christian Light reader series. Their approach to poetry is so gentle, yet thorough like everything else they do, and fitted in between the stories in the reading series providing a good variety. They cover Hebrew poetry, as well as many varied forms of English poetry, a bit at a time.
I think maybe it would be good to study it in a converational form and touch on the major aspects of poetry, just for some exposure. All in all, I don't think that poetry is necessary to life or even education, but at sometime in the future they may have to study it for college (famous for making us learn unecessary things) so maybe some knowledge of it would be good. I think a lot of things are unecessary, but might be needed simply because someone else says, "Everyone should study this or that." Who are these people and who gave them all the power?
As with any form of art, some poetry resonates with us and some does not. In general, I am not a big lover of classical poetry, but some poets speak quite deeply to me - and I've tried to pass them along to our children. My favorite poet has no poems currently in print! His original writing can be found in a library in Redruth, Cornwall. His name was John Harris, and he was a Cornish miner. Climbing down ladders into deep tin mines to work 12 hours a day underground, he'd sometimes write snippets of poetry on his hand using blackberry juice. He was a Christian, and this saturates his writing - in addition to his love for the wildness of the Cornish countryside, of family, and he'd capture the hardships of being poor in the 19th century. One little couplet that I particularly love is "Gain a higher footing; breathe a purer air." This is exactly what he did. For an example of his writing, you can find his Story of Carn Brea online. (Carn Brea is a famous hill in west Cornwall.) From the first part of this work: How many are there living thus obscure, Scarce known on earth, but much esteem'd in heaven, The gems of Adam's race, whose royal names Are deep engraven in the Book of Life!
And here's a longer excerpt from Harris' Carn Brea. This, to me, is what poetry is all about: capturing the essence of life and relating it to everyday circumstances. More, more of Thee, my Saviour: though the winds Howl, and the waves rise higher than the land; Though poverty come rushing like a blast, Or persecution meet me on my way, Or pain or weakness; Saviour, more of Thee! Even like the mariner upon the plank, Whose bark has founder'd and whose mates are drown'd, Not heeding the full moon on the cloud's crest, Or the bright stars above him, but whose eyes Are rivetted on the approaching ship, Steering to save him, so would I behold The Man of Sorrows crucified for me. More, more of Thee, my Saviour, when the morn Breaks o'er the mountains, or hot noontide pants Along the dingles, or pale Evening sits Singing her vespers by her glow-worm lamp,— More, more of Thee, my Saviour! Though I learn But little of the world and the world's ways, And men pass by me in their rush for fame, And friends forsake me, leaving me to pine Where leafless branches rustle, and the ice Of cold neglect hangs on the wither'd spray, And hungry beasts are prowling, roaring loud,— More, more of Thee, my Saviour! Though the bars Of some dark prison shut me from the light, And chains press on my limbs, and I sit there, An utter outcast, gnawing a dry crust, And sipping stagnant waters, while the hands Of Want and Woe pluck off the wasted hair,— More, more of Thee, my Saviour! Seas are cross'd, And lands are traversed, for the dust of gold. Bright blades are bared, red armies meet in strife, Dark plots are laid, and, O, what blood is shed! Men ponder night and day, and day and night, How they may fill their coffers. "Give me gold, O give me gold," cry out the multitude, Pursuing gain in paths all dark with gloom. I sigh not for earth's treasures. As Thou wilt, Thou great Disposer, give or take away. More, more of Thee, my Saviour! If I walk Through thorns and briers, or o'er beds of moss; Where Plenty spreads her table; if my path Is rough with trial, or all smooth with joy; If Favour sing my praises in her poems, Or Calumny deface the precious page; Whatever be my lot, where'er my place, If high or low, or be it rich or poor, In cloud or light, in sunshine or in shade,— More, more of Thee, my Saviour, till I gaze Upon Thy glory in the land of love!
I never really thought of it this way, but many songs ARE POETRY! DUH! I love the old hymns that the author really had to think and spend time with God to come up with!
No, ALL songs are poetry! As are the Psalms and Proverbs. Take your typical verse in Proverbs. It often compares/contrasts two things: "He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father" Prov. 28:7. There's like three different styles of Hebrew poetry in Proverbs. It's really quite fascinating (IF you're interested in poetry, at least!)
Absolutely right! Indeed, one of the most beautiful love poems ever written in ancient literature is the Song of Solomon. To current 'Christian culture', this OT book tends to be pushed under the carpet or explained away as allegorical - which is a shame. In the original language (so I'm told, because I'm not a Hebrew scholar), it's a beautiful work of poetry.
I think it is important to at least give some exposure to poetry. I don't know what grades your children are in but in the elementary grades, we use the books by Steck-Vaughn called Comprehension Activities in Poetry. Last year my oldest son was in 9th grade and he used The Grammar of Poetry by Matt Whitling. This book is well written and will help you understand everything about poetry.
Songs are poems set to music, and one of the key points of poetry is rhyming obviously. It is important to teach kids to rhyme. Why? well, for me, when I got into high school and started taking more difficult tests, I cold more easily remember answers if I made a rhyme out of them. The other thing you can do is make a list of answers and capitalize the first letter of each answer and then make a word, poem or saying out of it. There is a a fancy name for that, but I don't remember it right off. for example, you have to remember what are the five foods mentioned in the story XYZ... Apples, Chicken Poridge Corn cakes and Spinich If you can remember APCPS, it will help you remember the rest of the words. My daughter likes to set things to music to remember them. Remember the alphabet song? You remember faster if it rhymes or is to music. Psalms, Ecclesiastics, Proverbs are all poetry.
And Job!!! The poetic parts of Job are, to me, some of he most incredible literature written. Oh, and Song of Solomon is also considered poetry. While I agree that rhyming is important to learn, most of the poetry I wrote as a young teen didn't rhyme. I had a rather unique style back then, with short one-to-three word lines.
I love Poetry, I don't feel a child has to write poetry. I love reading and writing poetry. So introduce it and let you child decide if this is something they would enjoy. If not move on
