The SUNDAY EVENING POST turns poetic this week as I explore poetry as a venue for children's literature. As a child and young adult I was never very good at (traditional) poetry and just didn't get it. However, there are so many different forms of poetry now that I tend to enjoy it a little more. I now see poems in songs, books, social media and even dance. I have a cousin who has made connections with troubled youth through poetry by texting on cell phones and even shared some of his work at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

The Spoken Word Revolution:
slam, hip hop & the poetry
of a new generation.
Mark Eleveld (editor)

Speaking of youth and poetry, The Spoken Word Revolution: slam, hip hop & the poetry of a new generation is excellent to get youth to enjoy and appreciate poetry. This particular edition includes a CD that will allow listeners and readers to enjoy a wide variety of poetry. Styles range from traditional recitations to electrifying slam performances with some readings having wonderful musical accompaniments. All this adds to the raw text of a poem and brings the words to life. Isn't poetry supposed to be performed? Let's enjoy it that way!

Alligator Pie by Dennie Lee

Alligator Pie is the title of a poem and this anthology of children's poetry. The book includes lots of silliness with wacky illustrations by Frank Newfeld. Children will enjoy poems with titles like, On Tuesdays I Polish My Uncle, The Sitter and the Butter and the Better Batter Fritter and Willaby Wallaby Woo. There is a nice mix of short and long poems with some that make sense and others that are purely gibberish. So, serve up some alligator pie and let me know if it tickles your tastes buds!

Where the Sidewalk Ends by
Shel Silverstein

Published in the same year as Alligator Pie (1974), Where the Sidewalk Ends is another collection of children's poetry. In a 2007 online poll the National Education Association named the book as one of its "Teachers' Top 100 books for children." Accompanied by pencil drawings by Silverstein, the poems explore common childhood concerns as well as including poems purely for fun. The author feels that adults need to jump into the imaginative joyful world of children every once in a while to escape the doom and gloom of adulthood. So, go find out where the sidewalk ends....and grab a child to come along if you like!