Bad Poetry? Oh noetry!

Want to get an "A" in my class? Read some poetry that my kids have been reading....

Some classics:

The Jabberwocky- Lewis Carroll

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
  Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
  And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
  The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
  The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
  Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
  And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
  The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
  And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
  The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
  He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? 

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
  He chortled in his joy.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
  Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
  And the mome raths outgrabe.

Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out- Shel Silverstein

Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout
Would not take the garbage out!
She'd scour the pots and scrape the pans,
Candy the yams and spice the hams,
And though her daddy would scream and shout,
She simply would not take the garbage out.
And so it piled up to the ceilings:
Coffee grounds, potato peelings,
Brown bananas, rotten peas,
Chunks of sour cottage cheese.
It filled the can, it covered the floor,
It cracked the window and blocked the door
With bacon rinds and chicken bones,
Drippy ends of ice cream cones,
Prune pits, peach pits, orange peel,
Gloppy glumps of cold oatmeal,
Pizza crusts and withered greens,
Soggy beans and tangerines,
Crusts of black burned buttered toast,
Gristly bits of beefy roasts. . .
The garbage rolled on down the hall,
It raised the roof, it broke the wall. . .
Greasy napkins, cookie crumbs,
Globs of gooey bubble gum,
Cellophane from green baloney,
Rubbery blubbery macaroni,
Peanut butter, caked and dry,
Curdled milk and crusts of pie,
Moldy melons, dried-up mustard,
Eggshells mixed with lemon custard,
Cold french fried and rancid meat,
Yellow lumps of Cream of Wheat.
At last the garbage reached so high
That it finally touched the sky.
And all the neighbors moved away,
And none of her friends would come to play.
And finally Sarah Cynthia Stout said,
"OK, I'll take the garbage out!"
But then, of course, it was too late. . .
The garbage reached across the state,
From New York to the Golden Gate.
And there, in the garbage she did hate,
Poor Sarah met an awful fate,
That I cannot now relate
Because the hour is much too late.
But children, remember Sarah Stout
And always take the garbage out!

Jim (who ran away from his nurse, and was eaten by a lion)- Hilaire Belloc in Selected Cautionary Verses (no, I didn't actually have my kids read this, but it's quite amusing, so I'm having you read it instead...)

There was a Boy whose name was Jim;

His friends were very good to him.

They gave him Tea, and Cakes, and Jam,

And slices of delicious Ham

And Chocolate with pink inside,

And little Tricycles to ride,

And read him stories through and through,

And even took him to the Zoo--

But there it was the dreadful Fate

Befell him, which I now relate.

You know-- at least you ought to know,

For I have often told you so--

That Children never are allowed

To leave their Nurses in a Crowd;

Now this was Jims especial Foible,

He ran away when he was able,

And on this inauspicious day

He slipped his hand and ran away!

He hadn't gone a yard when-- Bang!

With open Jaws, a Lion sprang,

And hungrily began to eat

The Boy: beginning at his feet.

Now just imagine how it feels

When first your toes and then your heels,

And then by gradual degrees,

Your shins and ankles, calves and knees,

Are slowly eaten, bit by bit.

No wonder Jim detested it!

No wonder that he shouted 'Hi!'

The Honest Keeper heard his cry

Though very fat, he almost ran

To help the little gentleman

'Ponto!' he ordered as he came

(For Ponto was the Lion's name),

'Ponto!' he cried,  with angry frown.

'Let go, Sir! Down Sir! Put it down!'

 The Lion made a sudden Stop,

He let the Dainty Morsel drop,

And slunk reluctant to his Cage,

Snarling with Disappointed Rage.

But when he bent over Jim,

The Honest Keeper's Eyes were dim,

The Lion having reached his Head,

The Miserable Boy was dead!

When Nurse informed his Parents, they

Were more concerned than I can say:--

His Mother, as She dried here eyes,

Said, "Well-- it gives me no suprise,

He would not do as he was told!'

His Father, who was self-controlled,

Bade all the children round attend

To James' miserable end,

And always keep a-hold of Nurse

For fear of finding something worse.

I actually did have them read these two though:

The Tiger- Hilaire Belloc

The Tiger on the other hand,  is kittenish and mild,

He makes a pretty playfellow for any little child;

And mothers of large families (who claim to common sense)

Will find a Tiger well repays the trouble and expense.

The Elephant- Hilaire Belloc

When people call this beast to mind,

They marvel more and more

At such a LITTLE tail behind,

So LARGE a trunk before.

And this concludes my miniature collection of poetry that I've read to children. Later, I'll post some song lyrics of the different songs that I'm having them analyze. or maybe some of their original poetry (which I am somewhat excited for).