This year’s summer writing competition celebrates poems. The theme – What does being Jewish mean to you? – gives plenty of scope for all sorts of ideas.Below are some tips from the competition judge you can share with your kids to help them decide on a style of poem and get started writing.
The beauty of poetry is the range of styles you can use – limerick, haiku and sonnet are just three examples!
Make your poem humorous or serious, long or short – it’s up to you! Quite a few of the PJ Library books distributed to families are poems, so you can use them as inspiration.
The first thing everyone thinks of when they hear the word poem, is that it has to rhyme but that’s not necessarily the case! Pick your topic and then brainstorm some words... My favourite thing about Shabbat, for example, is challah, but that really only rhymes with colour. However, if I widened it out to include all of Shabbat it would be easier to rhyme without sounding forced using words like prayer, bless and rest. If you decide to try a poem that rhymes, remember not every line has to rhyme. It might be every other line or the beginning and end of a verse. If you have a copy of Goodnight Sh’ma by Jacqueline Jules, this is a good example of a simple rhyme that works well with the theme.
“I climb into bed with a book and a bear.
After my story, it’s time for my prayer.”
A limerick is a great way of using rhyme, as it is short and often funny. It is only five lines long. The first, second and fifth lines rhyme. If you were writing about your rabbi, for example, you might want to use the words beard, feared, revered, peered, cleared or steered. If you start with a good line with a rhyme, this is a great way of writing a short poem on one idea. For example, My rabbi he has a long beard….
Another entertaining rhyming poem is a rap. You have to try and get a sense of rhythm into the verse, so that it sounds a bit like a chant. Bubbe’s Got the Beat by Judy Press is a simple example of a rap. It is not an easy choice to write a rap, but if you have a good idea, why not give it a try?
“Shakin’ and bakin’,
Talkin’ in rhyme.
Me and my Bubbe,
Have a good time.”
A haiku does not have to rhyme –it’s all about the syllables. It is only 3 lines long and contains 17 syllables in the pattern 5, 7, 5. This looks like it is easy, but it is actually harder to write with so few words. Hanukkah Haiku by Harriet Ziefert is a beautiful book you may have received at Hanukkah. Every page is a haiku and it goes through each day.
“For eight days and nights,
Special candles we will light.
It is Hanukkah”
An acrostic poem is another great way of structing a poem, particularly if you have a strong idea in mind. You put the letters of the word down the side of the page and then each line starts with that letter. For example, if the word is Jewish, your fist line has to start with a word that begins with J, then the next line E, and so on.
There are many different types of poems, and they are certainly not all mentioned here. Write about something that is meaningful for you and then use your chosen style of poem to get your idea across. You are welcome to get an adult to write it out for you if you find handwriting difficult, but you should write your poem yourself. Talk to your parents about your ideas but make sure it is your poem - don’t tell the adults, but children tend to write better poetry! Most importantly, enjoy writing it, because having fun creating a poem will come across in your writing.
Jacqueline Harris has worked for many years in education, firstly as a class teacher and then as a deputy head in a Jewish School for ten years before moving into consultancy work. She was a Literacy consultant for a local authority and is now working as a freelance consultant and writer. She is the author of Write Your own book and Spell Check, both published by DK.
July 6, 2018