Poetry Friday: Mary Ann Hoberman's "Fish"

My first-grade chums in a nearby city have learned about the ocean and marine life for almost an entire year. (One of their creative teachers applied for and received a grant for their studies, which supplement all the other material first-graders need to learn for state benchmarks and so on.) You should hear how much they know! This Poetry Friday selection is something I shared with a couple of them yesterday, at my weekly visit to their school: "Fish," by Mary Ann Hoberman. It starts,

Look at them flit

Lickety-split

Wiggling

Swiggling

Swerving

Curving

You can read the entire poem at the Poetry Foundation's web site; the work originally appeared in Hoberman's book The Llama Who Had No Pajama, which poetry maven Elaine at Wild Rose Reader has recommended. There's a kind of magic in Hoberman's economy of words.

Around my house, we're also fond of Hoberman's "Rabbit," which you can find in the anthology Poetry Speaks to Children.

You'll find all the other kidlitosphere Poetry Friday participants at A Wrung Sponge today.

Comments

[Elaine Magliaro]

Susan,

You think I'm a poetry maven? I was with Mary Ann Hoberman, the mother of poetry mavens, on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.

I know you really like the books in her You Read to Me I'll Read to You series. She had me read one of the tales from the fourth book, YOU READ TO ME, I'LL READ TO YOU: VERY SHORT SCARY TALES TO READ TOGETHER, with her at our council dinner on Wednesday. Judging from that short story in verse, I think I can safely say that this next book will not disappoint fans of the series.

[Susan]

Elaine, there is not way that you can convince me that you are not a poetry maven, too! Can't wait for Hoberman's new book. Thanks for the news. Is it due out in the fall?

[Elaine Magliaro]

Susan,

I believe the book will be released in August. As Mary Ann said: "Just in time for Halloween."

[Vivian]

I love the You Read to Me I'll Read to You series. Brilliant!