>>As we grow older we leave these childish poems behind, and in my experience many forgo poetry after, unless they are required to read it for a class.<<
Well, some people do. Others don't. I wouldn't necessarily call poetry for children "childish." Some of it is.
But Dr. Seuss? He wrote about topics so heavy that people have censored them -- things like racism and surrogate motherhood -- subtly hidden by weird creatures and whimsical phrasing. Plus his grasp of linguistics is masterful if you look at the specific combinations of consonants and vowels chosen for different poems; that's what makes them so popular, they feel good to read based on how they activate the language centers in the brain.
Shel Silverstein is another poet largely remembered for his children's poetry. His topics often deal with childhood experiences or perspectives, but he pulls in more family aspects. Also, his literary grasp is terrific, more sophisticated in vocabulary than Seuss, but with a touch of the same linguistic aptitude that pulls people into the poems.
There's nothing simplistic or childish about the top end of children's poetry, just because it's written for children. I still list those two as significant influences on my work. If you look at my rhymed poetry, or speculative poetry, and especially wordplay poems written just for the fun of pronouncing the words, you can see glimpses of them.
>> What drew you to poetry? <<
My parents. My name (Elizabeth Barrette) kind of gives it away.
>> What keeps you interested? <<
The way that poetry sounds and feels when read. The fact that it can say sideways things that are difficult or impossible to say straight.
>> What are good ways to share of love with non-poetry enthusiasts?<<
First, choose good poems. Too many people have been told that lousy poems are great, and consequently conclude that poetry is stupid.
Second, choose poems that relate to the other person's experiences and/or interests. This is especially important if they're outside the privileged height of society, you need poems written by people like them. I've gotten black students hooked on Langston Hughes, for instance, who cared nothing for the white canon.
Third, put poetry where they're already looking. Put it on billboards or buses. Put it on your blog. Tape it in elevators. Print it on bookmarks at a library. Then it will catch their attention.
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
Thoughts
Date: 2012-04-10 07:43 pm (UTC)Well, some people do. Others don't. I wouldn't necessarily call poetry for children "childish." Some of it is.
But Dr. Seuss? He wrote about topics so heavy that people have censored them -- things like racism and surrogate motherhood -- subtly hidden by weird creatures and whimsical phrasing. Plus his grasp of linguistics is masterful if you look at the specific combinations of consonants and vowels chosen for different poems; that's what makes them so popular, they feel good to read based on how they activate the language centers in the brain.
Shel Silverstein is another poet largely remembered for his children's poetry. His topics often deal with childhood experiences or perspectives, but he pulls in more family aspects. Also, his literary grasp is terrific, more sophisticated in vocabulary than Seuss, but with a touch of the same linguistic aptitude that pulls people into the poems.
There's nothing simplistic or childish about the top end of children's poetry, just because it's written for children. I still list those two as significant influences on my work. If you look at my rhymed poetry, or speculative poetry, and especially wordplay poems written just for the fun of pronouncing the words, you can see glimpses of them.
>> What drew you to poetry? <<
My parents. My name (Elizabeth Barrette) kind of gives it away.
>> What keeps you interested? <<
The way that poetry sounds and feels when read. The fact that it can say sideways things that are difficult or impossible to say straight.
>> What are good ways to share of love with non-poetry enthusiasts?<<
First, choose good poems. Too many people have been told that lousy poems are great, and consequently conclude that poetry is stupid.
Second, choose poems that relate to the other person's experiences and/or interests. This is especially important if they're outside the privileged height of society, you need poems written by people like them. I've gotten black students hooked on Langston Hughes, for instance, who cared nothing for the white canon.
Third, put poetry where they're already looking. Put it on billboards or buses. Put it on your blog. Tape it in elevators. Print it on bookmarks at a library. Then it will catch their attention.