Poetry Book Review - Paul B. Janeczko Collection

A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems

by Paul B. Janeczko

Introduction

Before the group meets, reproduce one of the concrete poems in this book (or one of your favorites) on a large white board using colored dry erase markers - include an illustration, too. Discuss the concrete poem with the children - what do they notice about it? what shape does it form? how does the shape contribute to the poem? Draw arrows, circles, whatever, on the board highlighting the poem’s characteristics as they are discussed. Seeing you mark all over the board will illustrate that’s okay to do so, helping  your budding poets over the “blank page” hurdle when everyone tries creating their own concrete poems later.

Balloon 

by Colleen Thibaudeau

Extension

Download and print out the Candlewick Press Activity Kit available at the publisher’s website: http://www.candlewick.com/book_files/0763606618.kit.1.pdf

for tips and advice from Paul B. Janeczko for writing concrete poems and have students give their creativity free rein. Having a selection of color markers, color pencils, and white construction paper available will get things going, too. If time restrictions can’t be avoided, children can work on their poems in multiple sessions. Finished poems can be glued to colored construction paper sheets or wallpaper samples to give them frames or backdrops.

Be sure to share the companion volume by Janeczko and Raschka, too:

This title features twenty-nine different poetic forms ranging from the familiar haiku to the unusual pantoum (an interlocking series of quatrains) all designed to spark the imagination of the reader -- and make one start looking for a pencil to do one’s own!

Janeczko, Paul B., ed., and Chris Raschka. 2001. A Poke in the Eye: A Collection of Concrete Poems. Cambridge, MS: Candlewick Press.

-----, and Chris Raschka. 2005. A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms. Cambridge, MS: Candlewick Press.