Hen on the Hay

In my class we've recently finished our unit of poetry.  We read poetry. We talked about poetry. We thought about poetry.  We wrote poetry. 

Humor poems... classic poems... poems with rhyme and rhythm... free verse poems... narrative poems... odd poems... poems that made us wonder why they were poems...

This was one of the first poems that we read that made the kids go... huh?

The Red Wheelbarrow

so much depends

upon

a red wheel

barrow

glazed with rain

water

beside the white

chickens.

          - William Carlos Williams

But, then I introduced a strategy for close reading called I Wonder statements.  Once the kids started, they never stopped!

I wonder why he wrote that poem.

I wonder why he left it out in the rain.

I wonder what was in the wheel barrow.

I wonder how many chickens there were.

I wonder why he didn't capitalize his first word.

I wonder why the chickens stay beside the wheel barrow.

I wonder what depends on the wheel barrow.

I wonder if it will rust.

I wonder ...

Of all the odd poems for them (both classes) to fixate on!  When we began writing innovations or poems inspired by famous poems, they often came back to this one with their own versions.

so much depends

upon

a warm

donut

glazed with brown

chocolate

beside the white

milk

--

so much depends

upon

a blonde Barbie

doll

dressed in a ball

gown

beside the white

teddy bear

--

so much depends 

upon

the red tractor

covered with 

mud

beside the pink

pigs. 

If I read 5 of these, I read 50 of them!

So, here's one from me.

-

The Straw Hay Bale

(Inspired by William Carlos Williams)

so much depends

upon

a straw hay

bale

glistening in sun

light

beneath the red

chicken

Thanks to Jackie from Welcome Home Retreat.  This is her gorgeous hen!

Original Oil Painting on 14"x 18" Wrapped Canvas

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