You Can Paint the World Glad
Poetry is about words becoming friends. When you have a friend, you have things in common. Things you both enjoy; things you like to do together. When words become friends, they have a similar sound. When words have a similar sound, we say the words rhyme.
Here are a few rhyming words: cat and hat, bug and hug, spider and beside her, go and snow. You can see how fun it is to find rhyming words, and maybe you’re already getting ideas for your own poem. Because, you see, it’s fun and easy to become a poem-maker.
I believe, everyone is a poem-maker, also called a poet. That includes you! You’re a poet, and you didn’t even know it! So, here are five things to do if you want to write a poem.
- Think about something you like. Maybe something you enjoy doing. Let’s say, going to the beach.
- Collect words about the beach. How about: sun, ocean, water, sand, spray, splash, boat, shell, crab, sky. Those are great words! They make you feel like you’re on the beach!
- Now find words that rhyme with these words. Sun, fun; ocean, motion, water…uh oh, can’t think of a word. Just keep going. Sand, man. Oops. Those don’t really rhyme. Keep thinking. Okay, sand, hand. Spray, play; splash, crash; boat, float; shell, swell; crab, stab; sky, good-bye. Sky and good-by don’t match perfectly, but you might still be able to use them.
- Use your imagination. You’re at the beach, maybe with your best friend. Now that you have the setting, get ready to make sentences with rhyming words at the end of each sentence. Before you start, remember that you’re telling a story, with a beginning, a middle, and an end. In my poems, I like to make the end something funny, or sweet, or clever. Or maybe a twist in the story the reader didn’t expect.
- Write your first sentence. This is the hardest part. Kind of like sticking your toe into cold ocean water at the beach! It’s best to jump right in. Start with whatever comes into your mind, knowing that you can rewrite it later. I’ll get it started for you. Let’s see…
If you’re looking for a place in the sun,
A place to swim and play and have fun,
The beach is a great place to be,
With the sand, the waves, and the sea.
The words “sea” and “be” came to me as I was writing. That’s the fun of poem-making. You never know where the words will lead you. Okay, tag, you’re it. Will you finish the poem for me?