Poetry Friday - May Swenson's Sense of Play

In honor of Poetry Friday, and in honor of the last weekend of summer, I offer up this wonderful poem by American poet May Swenson (1919-1989), a woman who knew how to play with words. If you're a teacher, try using it to help your students forge a new relationship with words as malleable objects. I see both delight and mystification (each has its appeal and its purpose) in the faces of kids when I share it with them. Some are immediately pleased; with others it takes a little time for the light bulb to go on. I guarantee you that once that happens, once they understand what kind of power we have to make words "play," kids are simply lit from within about it. As a teacher you can sleep nights knowing you've taken children one step closer to loving the language they speak.


SUMMER’S BOUNTY

berries of Straw
berries of Goose
berries of Huckle
berries of Dew

berries of Boysen
berries of Black
berries of Rasp
berries of Blue

berries of Mul
berries of Cran
berries of Elder
berries of Haw

apples of Crab
apples of May
apples of Pin
apples of Love

nuts of Pea
nuts of Wal
nuts of Hazel
nuts of Chest

nuts of Brazil
nuts of Monkey
nuts of Pecan
nuts of Grape

beans of Lima
beans of French
beans of Coffee
beans of Black

beans of Jumping
beans of Jelly
beans of Green
beans of Soy

melons of Water
melons of Musk
cherries of Pie
cherries of Choke

glories of Morning
rooms of Mush
days of Dog
puppies of Hush

—May Swenson

Poetry Friday today is hosted by Laura Shavon at Author Amok.

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Speaking of kids and their imaginations, their innate sense of play, their delight and vulnerability, I offer up this photograph, which commemorates a sad day in history - 19 September 1941, exactly sixty-seven years ago today - when Nazi's first forced German Jews to wear yellow stars on their clothing. Look at those sweet faces.



IN SOME WAYS, I THINK MY WRITING IS BEYOND THE WORLD OF POLITICS. IN OTHER WAYS, WHEN I THINK OF CHILDREN AND THE FUTURE, I BELIEVE ALL WRITERS MAKE A POLITICAL STATEMENT BY BEING ARTISTS IN THE WORLD. SO I OFFER YOU THIS WEBSITE, MAINTAINED BY THE AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS FOR CHILDREN ORGANIZATION. I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER ADDING YOUR NAME TO THE LIST AND GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT TO LIBRARIANS AND TEACHERS AROUND THE COUNTRY: http://www.aiforc.org/obama/index.html