Poetry as Play! - The Chicago Poetry Center

Poetry as Play!

In Ms Sanchez’s 5th grade classes, we read a short poem by Valerie Worth called “Safety Pin” that imagined a safety pin as some very different things (a shrimp! a fish!). We talked about how poetry lets us play with language and make even the most boring objects strange and unfamiliar. We wrote short poems imagining regular, everyday classroom items as new and surprising things.

Ms. Sanchez 5th Grade

Eraseboard Ayelin

The eraseboard is like

a lonely apartment

with no one in it.

The eraseboard is like a car.

The eraseboard is like someone floating

in space.

The eraseboard is like half a city.

Chair Jimena P

The chair is

like someone

in prison that’s

going to be there

for days.

The chair

is like

a deadly animal

going to eat

another animal

in the forest.

It also looks like it is ready

to eat.

Book Box Luis S

A simple book box

could be a bridge that goes up and down

could be a ramp you ride a bike off and you back down.

Could be stairs upside that you lead you up.

All of these lead you up.

Another way you could go up is if you do good in life.

You will ascend and be happy

At least I think.