Wednesday, April 26, 2017

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
[SOLD]


2 comments:

  1. Are the girls settled again and laying? You really are a wonderful teacher, know the days are zipping by but can you imagine what you will do when all that creativity flows towards your art. Will be awesome.

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    Replies
    1. The girls are settled and give me three eggs *almost) every day!
      Yes, I have 22 days left, and I look forward to finding out what will happen with that flow of creativity.

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