Need some suggestions on poetry (Decision made Pg. 4)

[parallel]

My boy attends a Communications Arts Magnet School and is to be a contestant in an oratorical contest. He'll be competing in the kindergarten grade level which means that he only needs to recite one stanza of a poem that is NOT a song or nursery rhyme. We must submit our choice of which stanza from which poem (our boy is VERY well spoken so an entire short poem could work as well) as soon as possible so that he'll have time to practice his delivery of said poem.

What I'm asking of my S&W forum brethren is to suggest material from which he could choose.

 

[yaktamer]

Avoid anything involving the word "Nantucket."

 

[A10]

Something from Whitman, like "O Captain My Captain"? One of my favorites.

 

[feralmerril]

Are limeric`s okay? We might be seeing you on the evening news!

 

[parallel]

Avoid anything involving the word "Nantucket."

I have this same request on another forum with that reference in the thread title... I thought better of it here... LOL.

 

[Rule3]

Something from Whitman, like "O Captain My Captain"? One of my favorites.

Mine also, and I can still recite it after so, so many years. I think a bright youngster would not find it a hard and hopefully most grade K kids know of Lincoln.

Here are some basic ones.

Kindergarten Poems

 

[CelticSire]

Something by Shel Silverstein would be a good choice.

 

[feralmerril]

I still remember my first christmas piece.

I have a little puppy dog
His manners never fail
I just say merry christmas
and he wags his tail.

 

[P&R Fan]

Here's one I put on a card to Missus P&R Fan along with a rose during an extremely stressful time.
"This rose I bought, in fervent hope, to cheer you just a bit.
Cause I just really don't know why we're going through this @#$%".
She gets poetry personally written by me all the time. Guess it's my gift.
She really liked that one.
Jim

 

[P&R Fan]

Well, maybe my original one above won't work for a kid.
Here's one my Dad read to me when I was that age. It's by Robert Service, who was his favorite poet. (And today is mine). This is the start to "The cremation of Sam McGee".
"There are strange things done in the midnight sun, by the men who moil for gold.
The arctic trails have their secret tales, that would make your blood run cold.
The Northern lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see.
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee".
I guarantee that will get their attention. And if it doesn't, look up "The shooting of Dan McGrew". That ones even BETTER.
Jim

 

[forindooruseonly]

How about some Bukowski? That'll shock 'em into paying attention. Just joking, he's way too young for that.

Maybe "Eldorado" by Poe? It's simple, lyrical and short, but can be spoken with great emotion.

 

[snowman]

"The Village Blacksmith" by Longfellow. Google it; I would think it would be great for a boy that age.

Andy

 

[rocketdog]

The Tiger by William Blake

489. Tiger. William Blake. The Oxford Book of English Verse

 

[Andy Griffith]

When I was a boy, I had to learn lots of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost poems. Some things are never forgotten no matter how many years go by.

Chartless has become one of my favorites- it certainly wasn't then.

I think The Battle of the Kegs by Francis Hopkinson, while my favorite poem, my be a bit much for kindergarteners.

 

[Onomea]

I think at that age Robert Louis Stevenson, A Child's Garden of Verses, is perfect. Perhaps "Windy Nights?"

10. Windy Nights. Stevenson, Robert Louis. 1913. A Child's Garden of Verses and Underwoods

 

[nicky4968]

+1 on RLS

The Swing by Robert Louis Stevenson

 

[dnonac]

My grandmother used to recite "Abou Ben Adhem"
when we were little and I'm doing the same for my grandkids. Its got a good rhythm and a great ending.

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold:—
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the Presence in the room he said
"What writest thou?"—The vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered "The names of those who love the Lord."
"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so,"
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerly still, and said "I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow men."

The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,
And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.

James Henry Leigh Hunt

 

[Armyphotog]

I was raised with Sgt. Joyce Kilmer's "Trees" and sang it after it was put to music in my Primary School choir. A beautiful piece. A great thought to grow up with.

 

[GNLaFrance]

Cottleston Pie

Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie,
A fly can't bird, but a bird can fly.
Ask me a riddle and I reply
Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie.

Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie,
Why does a chicken? I don't know why.
Ask me a riddle and I reply
Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie.

Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie,
A fish can't whistle and neither can I.
Ask me a riddle and I reply
Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie.

-- A A Milne, creator of Winnie the Pooh

 

[ACP230]

Some of Kipling's verse might serve.

Or Ogden Nash or e.e. cummings.