Where the Sidewalk Ends

by Shel Silverstein

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

This is another wonderful poem to exam and reflect on life!  The video is a cute and interactive way to get involve people into the work without literally reading the material. 

The Pedigree of Honey

THE PEDIGREE OF HONEY

BY EMILY DICKINSON

The pedigree of honey
Does not concern the bee;
A clover, any time, to him
Is aristocracy. 

 

Who doesn't wonder about the Pedigree of Honey Bees?  Why not utilize Emily Dickinson's poem to find a deeper meaning in the life of bees.  Think about how this can apply to any life form!

No Thank You

No Thank You

No I do not want a kitten,

No cute, cuddly kitty-poo,

No more long hair in my cornflakes,

No more midnight meowing mews.

No more scratchin’, snarlin’, spitters,

No more sofas clawed to shreds,

No more smell of kitty litter,

No more mousies in my bed.

No I will not take that kitten—

I’ve had lice and I’ve had fleas,

I’ve been scratched and sprayed and bitten,

I’ve developed allergies.

If you’ve got an ape, I’ll take him,

If you have a lion, that’s fine,

If you brought some walking bacon,

Leave him here, I’ll treat him kind.

I have room for mice and gerbils,

I have beds for boars and bats,

But please, please take away that kitten—

Quick—’fore it becomes a cat.

Well…it is kind of cute at that.

~Shel Silverstein

I think this is a fun poem to start a class with.  It's a fun way to introduce students to poetry without diving deep into the metaphorical world poetry has. 

The Road Not Taken

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

This poem is a wonderful poem about life and choices.  It is great for all ages and at any age people have to make difficult choices.  This poem helps all people to reflect on why and how they are making choices.