Poetry Night

Tonight was Fine Arts Night at the boys' school. All the kids' framed art was on display and available for purchase throughout the school. Their art teacher is fabulous!

First grade does a Poetry Slam every year, which is really a highlight of the year. Seven's class was transformed into The Steaming Cup. They hung black paper all over the walls, spread white Christmas lights everywhere, served coffee, hot cocoa and baked goodies, and built a stage for the kids to read selections from their favorite poets and an original poem they wrote. Oh, they also decorated the room with little beatnik cartoons they drew. Seven's has a speech bubble which says,

"I just wrote a new song. I think you'll probley dig it."

So cute.

Here's the poem by Jack Prelutsky that Seven chose to recite:

Something big has been here,
what it was, I do not know,
for I did not see it coming,
and I did not see it go,
but I hope I never meet it,
if I do, I'm in a fix,
for it left behind its footprints,
they are size nine-fifty-six.

His original poem was about a kind of bird, the Hammerkop. He had to research it in Science class and then write this poem about it.

Hammerkop

Trees are home for this dome-shaped nest.
Better and stronger than all the rest.
Strong enough to hold a man.
Try to break it if you can.
And I don't think that's a very good plan.

Wading in water to find his treat.
He rarely goes deeper than his feet.
Catching fish with his hook-shaped bill.
Watching him is a thrill.
Hammerkop is the kind of bird you want to meet.

The kids (and many parents) dressed in all black tonight and wore berets. Since my camera is totally messed up, my friend Shelly took these pictures for me.