Re: poem with metaphors

[Bonnie Dodge <bdodge@marion.k12.ia.us>]

> I use several small poems to reinforce metaphors and before my students write
> an extended metaphor poem.
> 
> There are several good ones in the book All the Small Poems by Valerie Worth.
> All are very short.
> Here¹s one:
> 
> Dandelion
> 
> Out of green space,
> A sun:
> Bright for
> A day, burning
> Away to     
> A husk, a
> Cratered moon:
> 
> Burst 
> In a week
> To dust
> Seeding
> The infinite
> Lawn with 
> Its starry 
> Smithereens.
> 
> And here is one of my favorite metaphor poems, although it¹s not in the book
> mentioned above. I¹m sorry I don¹t know the author. My students don¹t always
> get this one without some discussion.
> 
> Illusion
> 
> As I neared,
> the knots
> in the telephone wire
> became grackles.
> 
> With another step they were airborn:
>     a spoonful of poppy seeds catapulted at the sun
>     the spattering of a flicked paint brush
>     a tribe¹s simultaneous release of slings
>     a meteor shower in reverse
>     dozens of Mary Poppinses aloft
>     buckshot
>     a snapped string of black pearls bouncing high
>     off a tile floor
>     carboned leaves rising from a backyard of fire
>     Picasso¹s view of cast dice.
> 
> I watched;
> the wire
> reknotted
> a block away.
> 
> 
> Bonnie
> 
> 
> 
> Hi all--
> Can anyone recommend a poem which would be good for teaching metaphor?  I will
> also have my students memorize and recite it, so I'd like it to be of
> reasonable length.  Sylvia Plath's "Metaphors" came to mind, but I'm having
> second thoughts on whether or not it might be considered inappropriate or if
> it would make the kids uncomfortable to recite it.  Any suggestions would be
> GREATLY appreciated!
>  
> Cathy 
>