Children's Poetry

Martha does Children's poetry and she does it from more than thirty years of teaching early childhood education. She has a tremendous empathy with the little ones and that is why the poems ring true.

What is Smart?

Grown ups think a test
can measure which kid's best.
And those who read and spell
will turn out very well,
and get to go to college
and get some extra knowledge.

But I know how to climb
and how to dance and rhyme
and fix a skinned up knee
and plant a seedling tree.
But that's not on the test
So I'm not smart, I guess.

by Martha Long

Our Martha, like Peter Pan, is “childlike but never, ever “childish. At day's end, she can be heard in deep conversation with Molly, discussing philosophical schools of the East, the reason for existence, and as the evening wears on, even the finer distinctions between Venus and Mars. Across the table the menfolk decide the larger questions: Who will win Sunday's game? Who should win the upcoming elections? Or who is the best-looking actress in Hollywood? But I digress.

Here she sits today in the Wee One's Room, poised upon a teeny tiny chair with a gaggle of enthralled small fry in a circle about her.

She is reading child's verse from Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, and other children's poets who she feels provide an excellent grounding in early childhood education. Being read to, of course, makes readers, and sooner than you think, they will be working their way through C.S. Lewis, J.R. Tolkien, and the Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant, in the original German, of course.

Have a cup of green tea and sit a while to recapture your own childhood. Watch their wide-open eyes as they listen to the child verse and silly poetry and clap in rhythm to the meter of the child verse put to music. Reading a child funny poetry is never a waste of time for there may come a day when they will perhaps engage in writing poetry, or reading child verse to their own small fry.

However, since Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein have left us bereft of their presence not too long ago, and their poetry accordingly still under copyright, we shall instead share with you Martha's original child verse, which is also excellent, and more often than not, intended for the reflection of young parents.

THANKSGIVING AT MY SCHOOL

Cut out some feathers and color them red
Glue to a band to stick on your head.
Then paint your face scary and fringe an old sack
And draw bows and arrows on front and on back.

Now we all look like Indians, she said to the class.
Is this Halloween? I thought it had passed.
And who are these Indians? Where are they today?
Did somebody scare them and chase them away?

Do they wear paper bags and sleep in a tent?
What happened to them and where have they went?
She talks about sharing and Pilgrims and corn.
She says this is how our great country was born.

I really don't get it— I'm lost in the middle
It must have been back when my mommy was little.

CHILD VERSE: THE CALENDAR

Our classroom has a calendar
And teachers says it's Monday.
So when I go back home for lunch it will be…
Maybe Sunday?

I wish we named the days we learn
And call them what they are
Like Paintday, Gymday, Churchday
That makes more sense by far.

Calendar time's important,
My teacher says it's true,
But when you're only four years old
—it seems a waste to you.

A MORNING WITH THREES

They ask and get answers
And zip their own pants
And measure and pour
And count and explore.
The write and they draw
And learn Social Law,
Like being a friend
And how to defend.

To take turns and wait—
And put the blocks straight
They read their own names
And make up some games
They set the snack table
And sort things and label
And roll the Play dough
And catch and they throw.

They lace and they string
Do puzzles and sing
And cook and clean up
And paint from a cup,
They laugh and get dirty
And it's only ten thirty!

SNACK

'Let's have a snack' the teacher says
'And sit down at the table'.
Here come the same old crackers
I can tell it by the label…

When I grow up I'll plan a snack
Of Popsicles and Trix,
And bubble gum and licorice
And sweet tarts in the mix.

The girls and boys will love it
And they all can eat their fill…
I'll be their favorite teacher
'Til somebody gets ill!

Have you enjoyed listening to topics about Child Verse, Dr. Seuss, and Shel Silverstein? Perhaps you now find yourself wanting more challenging reading? Step right this way to Cultural Literacy but visit the Child Verse page from time to time for additions.

More Children's Poetry

And Yet More