1. You know, poetry is not always about words…

2. "Poetry should be like fireworks, packed carefully and artfully, ready to explode with unpredictable effects." -Lilian Moore

3. 1. CAREFULLY pay attention to what you see in the following images. 2. Then without talking please write down your own interpretations. We will talk about it shortly!

4. Image One

5. Image Two

6. Image Three

7. Did you see that? “Poetry is not always about words.” How does this fit here? What does this say about perception and/or perspective? What does this have to do with decoding meaning? Why would I have showed you these images before beginning a poetry lesson?

8. Shel Silverstein American poet, songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter, and MOST FAMOUSLY author of children's books. No direct or formal style of poetry writing. Commonly known for writing and illustrating children’s literature. One of most famous publications: This book was banned in some libraries…WHY?

9. The Little Boy And The Old Man Said the little boy, "Sometimes I drop my spoon." Said the old man, "I do that too." The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants." "I do that too," laughed the little old man. Said the little boy, "I often cry." The old man nodded, "So do I." "But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems Grown-ups don't pay attention to me." And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand. "I know what you mean," said the little old man.

10. If this is what you see then… what do the words mean?

11. YOUR TURN! Lets split in half Using Shel’s poem “Weird Bird” we are going to find out what we SEE and what it can MEAN! Group One: Create what you see! Draw…Write…Act…Be creative! Group Two: Create what it means! Draw…Write…Act…Be creative! There is NO wrong answer so have fun please!

12. Weird Bird Birds are flyin' south for winter. Here's the Weird-Bird headin' north, Wings a-flappin', beak a-chatterin', Cold head bobbin' back 'n' forth. He says, "It's not that I like ice Or freezin' winds and snowy ground. It's just sometimes it's kind of nice To be the only bird in town."

13. You know I had to do it... FOR HOMEWORK TONIGHT Choose a simple and short form of poetry. Can be anything from a haiku to a song verse. Become your own “Meaning Making Machine!” Use your own personal experiences, perspectives, and background knowledge to come up with a specific interpretation of the given poetry. NO ANSWER IS WRONG!

14. "I would hope that people, no matter what age, would find something to identify with in my books, pick up one and experience a personal sense of discovery.” -Shel Silverstein