MODULE 2 MAJOR POETS AND AWARDS

        NCTE AWARD POET

Lewis, J. Patrick., and Lisa Desimini. Doodle Dandies: Poems That Take Shape. Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 1998.

ISBN: 0-689-81075-X

The book, Doodle Dandies: Poems That Take Shape, is a book of concrete poems written by J. Patrick Lewis and is a mix of creative words and illustrations which enables the reader to “picture” the poem.  It covers a variety of interesting subjects and a new way of looking at them.

Each poem in this book is written around or as part of an illustration. For example in the poem “Weeping Willow,” the trunk of the willow tree contains the words of the poem about a widow morning the loss of her loved. The branches of the tree delicately trail down the page containing the words “Her wind –woven hair softly weeping.” Another poem entitled “Skyscraper” is written in the shape of a skyscraper with the words becoming the skyscraper and the people and cars below small like “ants.”

Lisa Desimini has taken the poems and created images which will appeal to the creative mind. The illustrations are very appropriate for each poem and give a visual reinforcement to help the reader in comprehending the intent of the poem. Between the words of the poems and the pictures, each page has the ability to help the reader’s imagination soar with ideas of their own. Lewis has written poems on subjects ranging from seasons, animals, sports, swimming and much more. There is a poem in this book for everyone no matter what their interest. In fact, several of the poems have been published before. “Sky High” and “Winter” appeared in a 1995 issue of Storyworks magazine and “Giraffe” appeared in a 1994 issue of Ranger Rick magazine.

The book does not have access features such as page numbers or an index, nor does it seem to be arranged in any particular order. However this does not diminish the appeal of this book as a good example of concrete poetry. Many of these concrete poems will lend themselves for use across the curriculum.

SPOTLIGHT POEM

This book has many poems which can be used to enhance classroom learning but one of my favorites for a cross - curricular connection to Science would be the poem, “HALLEY’S COMET.”

HALLEY’S COMET

By J. Patrick Lewis

I AM

A COSMIC

SNOWBALL MADE

OF DUSTY ICE AND GAS.

ONCE OR TWICE A CENTURY

I PASS THE EARTH AND

SUN. SEE YA NEXT TIME AROUND…

IN 2061!

I would introduce the poem by playing a Youtube video of Hally’s Comet passing by the earth. After viewing the video, I would have the students read the poem. The students could then research and discuss exactly how often the comet passes, what exactly it is made of, how it was created and other information along these lines and put all the information they find  in a web based graphic organizer such as Popplet.

English/Language Arts connection:

After reading the poems and talking about concrete poetry, I would have students write and illustrate their own concrete poem. For younger students, I might have pictures already drawn and copied for them to choose from and have them write their poem about the picture they chose.