ネイティブが教える英会話のジェムスクール☆Teachers☆

Ever since I was a little girl I've always liked writing and reading poetry. What is poetry you ask? Poetry is a type of literature. It focuses on artistic writing and putting words together just for it's meaning, sound, and rhythm.

Some poems are simple and funny, like a nursery rhyme.

The Incy Wincy Spider

The incy wincy spider went up the water spout
Down came the rain
And washed the spider out
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
And the incy wincy spider went up the spout again


While other poems are long and with lots of symbolism. Symbolism is when a person, place or thing represents another object. For example:

“Hope” is the thing with feathers
By Emily Dickinson

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.

In this poem symbolism is used to compare wishing for something or hoping for something to a little bird. Like a little bird, hope or wishes "perches (sits) in the soul and sings a tune (song) without words." It also goes as far as to say hope or wishes can be heard in the "chilliest (coldest) lands (places)" and never asks for a crumb (a little food) from anyone.


Other poems have a structure to it like a haiku with seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five. Here is an example of an American poet named Richard Wright writing in a haiku style:

Spring begins shyly
With one hairpin of green grass
In a flower pot.

Like all forms of literature, all poems have something different to bring the reader. They can be short and sweet or long with symbolism. Poems can describe an object, a moment in time, and a loved one. In fact, there is no rule in poetry that says you have to write about one specific thing. A poem can be funny, happy, and sad.

Also, Poems are so inclusive that even a child can get creative and write a poem. As a fun activity, I encourage families to try and write short poems together. After all, poetry is for everyone! I think that's why I like it so much!