Rhyme and Reason

Spend the morning with Kenn Nesbitt and it makes you want to write in rhyme. He’s the author of more than a dozen poetry books filled with the hilarious and silly, who likes to tell kids you can find a poem in any old thing.

On Friday morning he was finding poems with the students at Mt. Pleasant Elementary School. Funny poems, about chocolate and football, that sing.

“Poems don’t have to be funny to be good, but I happen to like poems that are funny,” Nesbitt said.

Lenore Picccoli, the librarian who has been sharing his poetry with classes,  found her muse writing a special introduction for the visiting author:

     MPE welcomes Kenn Nesbitt.

A writer, an author … a poet.

    He started out as a computer guy

And asked himself how, what and why

    You see, doing that wasn’t very much fun

So he packed his bags to explore and run

    And settled back to Washington to live his life

With 2 cats, 2 kids, and his lovely wife.

    He admired Prelutsky, Silverstein and Seuss

Do you think he also read Mother Goose?

    He said I could do that and began a career

Cause ideas are just about EVERYWHERE

    So If your tighty whiteys get stuck in a bunch

Or you hippo has hiccups and sandwiches for lunch

    Or Aliens land at your school one day

And lunch ladies revolt and run away

    You can find a poem in any old thing

Take it from Nesbitt and start writing!

"This is not rocket science, Nesbitt said. “The easiest way to get an idea is to write about your favorite thing."

For a group of fourth and fifth graders that meant sports and chocolate. “I’m not kidding when I say you can write a poem about anything,” said Nesbitt. "Just pick an idea and stick with it."

He showed them how it's done, quarterbacking their ideas to craft a poem about how it would feel to play football, make an amazing catch and nearly score a touchdown, but missing by an inch when you get sick from all the candy you’ve had for breakfast. Pretty silly. But perfect for kids.

“This is a first draft,” he said. “It’s not enough to give it a title or draw a pretty picture.  You have to, have to, have to, redo it at least one time.”

The finish product?

    I ate all my candy this morning

The day after Halloween

Then went to the football game

And made an embarrassing scene.

    I ran down the football field

And caught a beautiful pass

   So I almost made a touchdown

But then I threw up on the grass.

Nesbitt is the author of numerous books of poetry for children, including Santa Got Stuck in the Chimney (2006), When the Teacher Isn’t Looking: And Other Funny School Poems (2005), and The Aliens Have Landed at Our School! (2001). Nesbitt has written lyrics for the music CDs Snail’s Pace, Snowy Day, and Monkey Business by Eric Herman and the Invisible Band. He's has also created an online “Funny Poetry Playground” at Poetry4kids.com. It features funny poems, lessons, games, and poetry-related activities.

Nesbitt’s visit was arranged by Piccoli with funding from the school’s Parent-Teachers Association. “It’s very exciting when an author comes to school,” Piccoli said. In addition to meeting with each class, the poet also enjoyed lunch with a small group of students.