Nye, Naomi Shihab. 2000. SALTING THE OCEAN: 100 POEMS BY YOUNG POETS. Ill. Ashley Bryan. New York: Greenwillow Books.
ISBN 0-688-16193-6
Review:
While working with students in several different states as a writer-in-the-schools, Naomi Shihab Nye collected many, many poems from students. She used those poems to build this collection of 100 poems written by children.
Nye begins her book with an introduction where she addresses people of Nova Scotia, teachers, librarians, parents, poets, and anyone else who may pick up the book. She describes her life as a writer-in-the-schools.
The book is separated into four sections: "My Shadow Is an Ant's Night" - poems about the self and the inner world; "Think How Many Stories Are in Your Shirt" - poems about where we live; "My Grandma Squashes Roaches with Her Hand" - poems about anybody's family; and "Silence Is Like a Tractor Moving the Whole World" - poems about the wide imagination.
Nye begins her book with an introduction where she addresses people of Nova Scotia, teachers, librarians, parents, poets, and anyone else who may pick up the book. She describes her life as a writer-in-the-schools.
The book is separated into four sections: "My Shadow Is an Ant's Night" - poems about the self and the inner world; "Think How Many Stories Are in Your Shirt" - poems about where we live; "My Grandma Squashes Roaches with Her Hand" - poems about anybody's family; and "Silence Is Like a Tractor Moving the Whole World" - poems about the wide imagination.
Highlighted Poem:
Pictures
by Lori Herrell
There are three windows in my room.
Nobody understands
my windows unless they
see them.
One holds
the entire upper floor
of my mother's
scarlet Japanese maple
tree.
And some of the backyard
and the snow-white
garden gate
wedged between the overly
abundant green hedge.
Another window frames
the tightrope
where my bushy-tailed
acrobat friends
scurry along,
giving no thought to the fact
taht down below awaits
not a circus net,
but a sidewalk.
My third window
can be my favorite
when I look down to see my father
and mother
in the early morning sun
sitting on the patio
with their cups
of coffee.
Pictures
by Lori Herrell
There are three windows in my room.
Nobody understands
my windows unless they
see them.
One holds
the entire upper floor
of my mother's
scarlet Japanese maple
tree.
And some of the backyard
and the snow-white
garden gate
wedged between the overly
abundant green hedge.
Another window frames
the tightrope
where my bushy-tailed
acrobat friends
scurry along,
giving no thought to the fact
taht down below awaits
not a circus net,
but a sidewalk.
My third window
can be my favorite
when I look down to see my father
and mother
in the early morning sun
sitting on the patio
with their cups
of coffee.
Possible Uses:
When they are learning to write poetry, students often feel they have nothing to say, or they can't think of a topic. Pictures would be a great poem to use to give students an easy topic.
Have students write about what can be seen from their bedroom or classroom windows.
When they are learning to write poetry, students often feel they have nothing to say, or they can't think of a topic. Pictures would be a great poem to use to give students an easy topic.
Have students write about what can be seen from their bedroom or classroom windows.
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