Childrens' Poetry from Around the World

Poetry is the color of music, the rhyme of the rainbow, and the rhythm of life. Poetry is ambrosia and nectar, the food of the gods, nourishment for the soul. Children feel poetry in their souls. Poetry is dance and movement and music and art all in one. Here are some collections of poetry which you can celebrate with a child.

'A Child's Garden of Verses' - Robert Louis Stevenson. The renown author of Jekyll and Hyde was a loving father as well and composed these lovely verses for his children. Filled enchantment and wonder, these stories hark back to a gentle, pastoral time when children frolicked in the garden after supper,built castles, sailed the wide ocean and went off to be pirates, all before bedtime.

'Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle'- I bought my copy for 35 cents from Scholastic flyer from my teacher back in 1974. The pages are falling out and creased. This collection should be on every child and teen bookshelf. Authors include William Carlos Williams, Saki, Emily Dickinson, Carl Sandburg, T.S. Eliot, Langston Hughes and Hafiz.

Joyful Noises: Poems for Two Voices' - 1989 Newbery Medal. Paul Fleishmann (twice winner of Newbery Award), Paul Beddows. Collection of dialog poems based upon creatures from the insect kingdom. There are all sorts of onomatapeia and metaphor in these poems.Perfect for Reader's Theater.

'The Prophet' and 'Song of the Rain' - Kahlil Gibran. Written in the 1920's by the Lebanese mystic, Kahlil Gibran, these poems, while deep and soul-searching, have a cadence and lyrical tone that will appeal to a child. Teenagers, especially, will love Kahlil Gibran. His poems describe nature in an allegorical way. He writes about life, faith, work, family, money, travel, time and love. Gibran's imagery is breath-taking.

'Red Dragonfly on My Shoulder' - Sylvia Cassedy. A collection of Haiku translated from the Japanese. The haiku is the essence of the Orient with its stark simplicity, economy of words and pleasing order. Just as a Japanese floral arrangement has only one lotus blossom or pussywillow branch artistically arranged, haiku poems focus the mind on one simple idea. Children love haiku because it is easy read and write. The simplicity of the syllable patterns and lines make Haiku one of the most satisfying forms of poetry to write.

'Shadow'- 1982 Caldecott. Marcia Brown, from the poetry of Blaise Cendrars. Illustrated in brilliant colors and woodcut pictures. Depicting the splendor of life on the Central African Savannah.

'A visit to William Blake's Inn' - 1982 Newbery. Nancy Willard. This volume with Regency England illustrations features a delightfully whimsical feast of poetry from Mr. William Blake and his wonderfully quaint inn, where lives a 'tyger' and a 'man in a marmalade hat'. Gentle, joyful imagination.

These poems will soothe the soul, tickle the imagination and delight the heart of any child!