YEAR 4
POETRY BOOK
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Haikus have a very special rhythm, can you count the syllabus?
A kingdom of wings,
The voice of wings fluttering,
A tune gathering
Strong wind. Whips up
leaves,
Blows the washing off the
line,
And roars with pleasure.
My battered bike groans
Two wandering wheels wobble
Twisted spokes shout ‘No!’
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Writing a Haiku
Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry, which is made up of three lines of 17
syllables. It goes in a pattern of 5, 7, 5. It made up of a simple image of
a particular theme, person or is object. A haiku describes one moment of
time.
What do you think this Haiku is about?
Hot day. Burning sun
Dries the soil to yellow dust
And toasts the pavements.
What about this one?
Ice on the front step Two men slip as they bring in
A new cold freezer
the scene
what happens
feeling
Writing our own haiku
Step one
Decide on a theme.
What is your theme? _______________________________________
Step two
On line one think of a scene
On line two describe what happens
On line 3 describe how it feels.
Let’s have a go together.
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Have a go at writing your own.
Line 1
4
Now count the syllables.
Line 2
Line 3
Total
Writing you own haiku
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Extension: Make up a haiku for each season of the year.
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Kenning is an Old Norse term. It is use in writing to describe something
without giving the name away. It looks at the characteristics of a subject
and then describes the qualities of what the thing is or what it does. It is
a poetic phrase that is used instead of the name for something.
Writing a kennings
Try to think of a title first. Then try to describe it without using title.
We are going to use a thesaurus. We are going to build a picture of the
thing. It is almost like a riddle. It is in a list format mostly consisting of
two words in a line.
Examples- what is the title?
Razor teeth
Grey missile
Button Eye
Sharp fin
Cold killer
Sea scavenger
Dustbin of the deep
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A toe-nibbler
A dark-dreamer
A paw padder
A floor scratcher
A warm sleeper
A night creeper
A fur- cleaner
A flea-finder
A mouse-hunter
A house-minder
A secret-hoarder
A china- breaker
A back street wailer
A four-foot-lander
Think of some words to describe these things. Try to just use two words-
Wave machine
The sea
Salt maker
The sun
A ship
A king
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Extension: Make up four other kennings. Give them to a friend to work
out their meanings
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A narrative poem is a poem which tells a story. Highlight all of the words
that you don’t understand.
Macavity's a Mystery Cat: he's called the Hidden Paw For he's the master criminal who can defy the Law.
He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair:
For when they reach the scene of crime - Macavity's not there!
Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity,
He's broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity.
His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare,
And when you reach the scene of crime - Macavity's not there!
You may seek him in the basement, you may look up in the air But I tell you once and once again, Macavity's not there!
Mcavity's a ginger cat, he's very tall and thin;
You would know him if you saw him, for his eyes are sunken in.
His brow is deeply lined with thought, his head is highly domed;
His coat is dusty from neglect, his whiskers are uncombed.
He sways his head from side to side, with movements like a snake;
And when you think he's half asleep, he's always wide awake.
Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity,
For he's a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity.
You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square But when a crime's discovered, then Macavity's not there!
He's outwardly respectable. (They say he cheats at cards.)
And his footprints are not found in any file of Scotland Yard's.
And when the larder's looted, or the jewel-case is rifled,
Or when the milk is missing, or another Peke's been stifled,
Or the greenhouse glass is broken, and the trellis past repair Ay, there's the wonder of the thing! Macavity's not there!
And when the Foreign Office find a Treaty's gone astray,
Or the Admiralty lose some plans and drawings by the way,
There may be a scrap of paper in the hall or on the stair But it's useless to investigate - Mcavity's not there!
And when the loss has been disclosed, the Secret Service say:
`It must have been Macavity!' - but he's a mile away.
You'll be sure to find him resting, or a-licking of his thumbs,
Or engaged in doing complicated long-division sums.
Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity,
There never was a Cat of such deceitfulness and suavity.
He always has an alibi, and one or two to spaer:
At whatever time the deed took place - MACAVITY WASN'T THERE!
And they say that all the Cats whose wicked deeds are widely known
(I might mention Mungojerrie, I might mention Griddlebone)
Are nothing more than agents for the Cat who all the time
Just controls their operations: the Napoleon of Crime!
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Comprehension questions
1. What animal is Macavity?
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2. How do you know?
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3. What is Macavity’s nickname?
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4. Can you find 3 ways the author has described Macavity’s appearance?
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5. Can you find all of crimes that Macavity is accused of committing?
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6. What animal are Macavity’s movements compared to?
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7. Where might you find Macavity?
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8. What has gone missing from the foreign office?
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9. What is Macavity found to be doing when the crimes are uncovered?
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10. Why is Macavity described as “the Napoleon of Crime”?
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11. What two reasons are given as to why Macavity couldn’t have committed
the crimes?
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Use the descriptions in the poem to write a wanted poster for Macavity
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Can you find any rhyming words in this poem by Dr Seuss?
I do not like them
in a house.
I do not like them
with a mouse.
I do not like them
here or there.
I do not like them
anywhere.
I do not like green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
Not in a box.
Not with a fox.
Not in a house.
Not with a mouse.
I would not eat them here or there.
I would not eat them anywhere.
I would not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
I could not, would not, on a boat.
I will not, will not, with a goat.
I will not eat them in the rain.
I will not eat them on a train.
Not in the dark! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! You let me be!
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox.
I will not eat them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.!
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Internal rhyme is when there are rhymes within the
same line
Dinner-time Rhyme
Can you tell me if you please?
Who it is that likes mushy peas?
Lois likes peas.
How about Sam?
Sam likes…………
How about Vince?
Vince likes……………
How about Kelly?
Kelly likes…………..
How about Trish?
Trish likes……………
How about Pips?
Pips likes………………
How about Pete?
Pete likes………………
How about Sue?
Sue likes…………………
How about Greg?
Greg likes………………
How about Pam?
Pam likes…………………
Write your own version of the poem.
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Rhyming couplets are when two lines rhyme.
The barber cut off all my hair.
I haven't anything to wear.
I caught my finger in my fly.
I'm so embarrassed, I might die.
Think of some words that rhyme with
Dark
Sky
Honey
Fun
Hat
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Create your own rhyming couplets using the rhymes from the last
page.
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Use some of the styles of poetry that we have learned about to write
your own poem.
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