Some of my favourite list poems from a bonanza challenge – wow!

This was a record BREAKING POEM arrival in my email box -the most popular challenge this year.

I loved reading ALL the poems because you showed me that list poems can do anything. You were so inventive and you used your eyes and ears well.

I am sending a copy of The Letter Box Cat to Ameer.

 

 

 

A list to make a treehouse

Wood from the digger
A tree from the other side of town
Some T.L.C.
Carpet of the red and blue
A shelf from Dad
Pillows from Mum

Aine, age 9, Fendalton Open Air School, Christchurch

 

A List For A Lonely Turtle

Sea lettuce.
Juicy leaves.
Safety.
Vet checks.
7 safe places.
A scattery pond.
Friends.
A place to sleep.
Things that cheer her/him up.

Ameer  Ilam Primary School Age : 6

 

A List for Stationery

Stationery is a wild thing. It does what it wants. If you don’t let it, it scribbles everywhere so I made it a list to calm it down:

A Pencil Case for its home
A couple more pencils for friends
Some paper for keeping them busy

They loved it because they wanted a home and some friends, so they cuddled at night and sung at day.

Maia, age 8, Ilam School, Christchurch

 

Challenge List for a Tiger

Sharpening my broken claws

Pouncing angrily

Stomping anxiously

Bumpy orange fur

Roaring into darkness

Glaring rudely at a deer

Waiting hungrily

Running ferociously

Lucy  8 Years Old Fendalton Open Air School,

 

A List for a Wizard’s Sleeve

Weaving forth and back,
stitching, one robe,
swish-swish over arm
patterns of swirling stars,
fabric of flowing satin,
open jar, open sleeve,
things in there,
acrid, bubbling, split on sleeve ,
discovering,
sleeve waving, wand waving,
sleeve ripping, swords waving,
crackling, burning a on a stake.

Luca Fear-Ross Year 6, age 11, Thorrington School

 

A List of Endangered Animals and Their Needs

Lost Panda – Bamboo
Bold Eagle – A Mountain
Blind Cat – Love
Grey Elephant – Security
Lonely Dog – Someone Nice
Striped Tiger – Food
Puzzled Penguin – Help
Terrified Seal – Peace
Long Giraffe- To be Shorter

Jamie  8 years ILam School

 

 

A list for a Fairy

A bottle of laughter;
A bag of glitter;
A spell for frogs;
The fluttering fairy wings;
The Queen’s command;
The higgity piggity road;
The old witch’s shop;
The slime from a slug;
The burp from a frog;
The dew drop from a spider’s web;
The lollypop from an elf;
A garden full of flowers.

Violetta Age: 8 Fendalton Open Air School

 

Storm

Thunder.
Crash.
Soaking.
Fallen.
Black.
White.
Umbrella.
Boom.
Howling.
Wind.
Cold.
Muddy.
Bang.
Thud.

Stormy Days.

Jayashri  Age: 10 Ilam School

 

A list for a lonely hat

Loud music
Someone to wear him
A floaty feather
A delicate ribbon
Some autumn weather
A strong breeze
Silky fabric
A warm closet

By Maia-Sophia Age:7 School: Ilam

 

 

The List of the Universe
Us,
The Villages,
The Towns,
The Cities,
The Countries,
The Continents,
The World,
The Moon,
The Sun,
The Solar System,
The Universe.
Who circles who?
We think that we are the centre.
We think,
That the sun revolves around us,
We trust that it will go at night
And we trust that it will be back in the morning.
But no,
We move slowly,
Around them.
It is funny to think
That we aren’t the centre.
No,
We are the smallest
On the list

Sophie  age 10, Selwyn House School

 

Life without love is barely living

Spells

School

Suffering

Snakes

Slytherin

Seven

Sacrifice

Elder

Cloak

Deathly

Hallows

Azkaban

Prison

Horcrux

Werewolf

Muggles

Pureblood

Half-blood

Death

Mudblood

Patronus

Marauders map

Moony Wormtail

Padfoot prongs

Unicorns

Dragons

Resurrection

Professors

Magic

Fighting

Life

Ravenclaw

Hufflepuff

Weasley

Latin

Friends

Enemies

Chamber

Romance

Lestrange

Cruciatus

Charms

Hexes

Potions

Jinxes

Herbology

Astronomy

Cirses

Darl arts

Die;;omg

Fantastic

Beasts

It’s

All

A

Legendary

Master

Piece.

 

By Cale Age 12, Year 8 Rangeview Intermediate School

 

The Last Dragon

• Dark Scales
• Blue Fire
• Heat of scales
• Shadowy night
• Isolated eyes
• Toasted bananas
• Thundering wings
• Ashes swirling above
• Iridescent claws
• A fleeting memory
• Glinting blades honing

Natalie. age11. Year 7. Mindplus School for Gifted Children

 

Fly’s New Diner

Welcome to Fly’s New Diner

Come in, come in

Here is our menu

Feel free to order

If you can be heard above the din

 

Menu

Cheese and shrew sandwich

Roasted branch with honey fried eel

Scorpion tails and roasted quails

Rat meat sausages

Caramelized snails

Toads’ eggs and turtle brains

Boiled tarantula with hemlock sauce

Ants’ legs, bat’s teeth burger

Mice innards on noodles

Meerkat’s paw in frog’s eye soup

Nightshade and fishbone pie

Elephant ear and duck’s foot gloop

Fly Agaric mushrooms with lentils

Lettuce fries and curdled carrots

Nettles, broccoli and cabbage on noodles

For the vegetarians among you

Purple hyacinth cake

Caramel cheesecake with snakeskin flakes

Marshmellows afloat in curdled milk

Raspberry avocado cream

Guacamole jam

Starshine and sun’s essence

Melted eye of lamb

Aloe vera and spider spit tea

Seaweed sauce

Essence of flea

 

Come in Come in

Would you like to taste?

“Sorry, sir. I’m late today”

 

Do come back another time

“No thank you, sir.

I’ll stay away.”

 

by Sarah-Kate, age 12, Year 8, homeschooled

 

Riding Out

 

Catch horse,

Put on halter,

Lead,

Take off blanket,

Brush,

Put on:

Saddle blanket,

Saddle.

Do up girth,

Loosely does it,

Bridle on,

Do up:

Throat lash,

Nose band.

Reins over ears,

Lead into arena,

Arm up,

Check stirrups,

Tighten girth,

Lead to mounting block,

Reins back on neck,

Hold…

Foot in stirrup,

Jump…

Leg over,

Other foot in stirrup,

Gather reins,

Squeeze,

Walk away,

Steer,

20-meter circle,

On the lunge,

Hold monkey strap,

Sitting trot,

Bounce, bounce,

Posting trot,

Up, down,

Over to gate,

Feet out,

Leg over,

Slide…

Reins over,

Bridle off,

Take off:

Saddle blanket,

Saddle.

Blanket on,

Halter on,

Put in paddock.

Well done!

You rode a horse!

Nell Age: 9 Year: 4 Homeschool

 

Turtle

Squeaky sand
Eggs in secret sand holes
Crashing hatchlings and yoga necks
Jellyfish pie for lunch
Swishing ocean swims
Old wrinkly turtles with sad eyes and slow bones

Amélie Age 7 St Andrew’s College Christchurch

 

Some AMAZING poems from Room Class 3/4 at Paparoa St School:

 

Frosty Wind

“chata chata” the frosty wind shivers down my spine.

Children getting sick all winter. Coughing and spewing.

The frosty wind blowing snow down for ages.

Some children have to walk to school in the freezing cold.

Frosty wind is very strong to push you over.

You can get very sick.

By Maddy Age 8

 

My Cat Chloe

My cat Chloe died from cancer.

My cat Chloe was so fluffy.

My cat Chloe liked to sleep.

My cat Chloe was so fluffy.

My cat Chloe died when I was three.

By Liam  Age 8

 

My Small Brother

 

He is as small as a skunk.

He is as small as my cat.

He is as small as out of date milk.

He is small as a fish food packet.

By Toby Age 7

 

My Dog

My dog is very very fast.

My dog dribbles so much.

My dog does not like cats!

My dog loves the water.

My dog loves me feeding him.

My dog likes to smell everyone.

My dog loves the river so much.

By Benji Age 7

 

Some MORE AMAZING poems from Room Class 3/4 at Paparoa St School:

 

Pain

Kicked in the face by a rugby boot

Falling off my skateboard

Cracking my head open on the concrete

Deep scratches on my legs thanks to thorny bushes

Ouch

 

Billy Year 3, Age 8

 

Circus School

At Circus School, I hear the call to run

At Circus School, I smell the horrible smell of sweaty feet

At Circus School, I see silks, lycra and trapeze artists hanging from the air

At Circus School, I feel excited and my heart racing

At Circus School, I play and create

Neve Year 4, Age 9

 

Falling off a scooter

Prickly bushes

Bee stings

Pinching

Sun burn

Bug bites

Bumping heads

Stove burns

Grazed knees

Staple pokes

Ouch

William Year 4, Age 9

 

Happy

To be happy is fun

To be happy is life

To be happy is beauty

To be happy is lovely

To be happy is to sing a song

 

Tempy Year 3, Age 8

 

Some  AMAZING poems from the Samoan Unit at Richmond Road School:

Yellow

Yellow is the colour of my chicken noodle soup.
Yellow is the colour of my yellow dog.
Yellow is the colour of the lion that is scared of people.
Yellow is the colour of stretchy cheese.
Yellow is the colour I like best.

Alani Rm 7 Age 9

 

Green

Green is the colour of a pear.
Green is the colour of the grass.
Green is the colour of an apple.
Green is the colour of a turtle.
Green is the colour of my favourite book.
Green is the colour of an emerald.
Green is the colour that I like the best.

Jada Rm 9 Age 9

 

Red

Red is the colour of my bed.
My friend Jed always wears red.
Red is the colour of steak.
Red is the colour of lava.
Red is the colour of strawberries.
Red is the colour of rubies.
Red is the colour of my car.
When my cat gets angry, his eyes turn red.
Red is the colour I like best.

Kingston Rm 8 Age 9

 

Some  AMAZING poems from Westmere School:

 

The Garbage Bin

I look in the garbage bin and see …
Fleas, fleas, leftover peas, some smelly cheese
banana peels, old old meals
Flies
and pies.
Then I fall in
eeeeeeooooowwwwwwwww
Poo!

By Jimmy, LS 6, Age 10

Mylo

Mylo is a cavadoodle,
Mylo is as soft as a panda.
Mylo is a labradoodle,
Mylo is gold like caramel.
Mylo is a scrambledoodle,
Mylo has a shiny, wet black nose.
Mylo is a smackadoodle,
Mylo loves his toy, Drooly.
Mylo is a boodledoodle,
Mylo loves food.
Mylo is a spoodledoodle,
Mylo is a teeny tiny dog.
Mylo is all the kit and kaboodle.
By Timmy, LS6, Age 9

 

Art Gallery

Abstract lines on a canvas
Lines with an intent
A story
Sculptures with an untold legend
Colour splattered on a canvas
Ribbons
Curves
Shapes
Mediums
Sequences
Concepts
Rigid
Frigid
Complexities
When I go to the Art Gallery
I don’t look at the art.
I see the story behind it.

By Nina, LS7, Age 10

 

Maths

Sequences
Formulas
Rhythms
Patterns
Untold genius
Shapes
Dimensions
Symbols
9 million 700 and 94 thousand 352
Minus
Plus
Multiply
Capacity
Conversions
Divide
Maths is not hard
Maths is just a key to solve any problem.

By Nina, LS7, Age 10

 

The Wonderful World in my Hair.

I pull out a coin but this is no magic trick.
As the comb comes down
I start to frown.
Sticky
Icky
Knotty
Grotty
Tangled
Mangled
Chewy chewing gum
Bibbitty bobbitty bobby pins
Creepy crawlies
Mum!!!
I scream
It was only a dream.

By Boh, LS7, Age 10

 

The Food I Own

Mum! I’m hungry!
Then have some food…
I look in to the bowl
I can’t see anything nice.
But lice and mice.
And some other things like…
Rotten apples
Blue pears
With some of my brother’s hairs
Bananas, mangoes
That are supposed to be ready for me
When I am on the go.
Grapefruit, orange
mandarins
Nothing else but citrus.
Everything’s got worms
Wriggling and twiggling.
I grab the bowl and throw the contents in to the garden.
Mum! There’s nothing there!
Only chips, sugar and a cookie.
OK, please don’t eat the lot.
Just gnaw on the pot.

By Lily, LS7, Age 9

 

 

August challenge: list poems

 

 

 

I am a big fan

of list poems

because they might

play with sound

the way  a poem flows

collect things

twisty endings

twisty beginnings

the way rhyme can leapfrog through a list

collect more things

open up a topic

show what’s in your fridge

or under your bed

or in the sky

or red

or soft

or noisy

or swift moving

or makes you angry

or sad

or happy

or tastes good

or reminds you

of something or somwhere

 

a list poem

might be like

an old junk shop

or the back of a truck

or the sandpit

or inside my head

when I am thinking of a really really really long line that wants to stretch wide

or a short

snip snap

l

i n

e

because list

poems can do

anything

 

you just need

to look

and list

en!

 

Send to paulajoygreen@gmail.com by 29th August. I will post some favourites on 31st August and have a book for at least one reader.

Please include your name, age, year and name of school. I won’t post poems if I don’t have these details.

IMPORTANT:  Put LIST challenge in the subject line of the email please.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

List poems can SOUND so good — give it a go

 

February is our month of exploring how poems sound. List poems are great way to make a poem sound good. I think it is the pattern that makes music in your ear. List poems can stick to a pattern and then change in the last line. Or list poems can stay the same all the way through. They might rhyme but they might not rhyme.

Here are some starting points for a list poem:

1. The first word or words might stay the same or the last word might stay the same.

2. Think of a bird. Then pick one word to go with it all the way down the page. then change the last line!  It might start:

Black owl

White owl

 

3. Think of what the sky looks like at night:

The night sky sparkles like glitter

the night sky hides things that flies

 

4.  Or you can make a pattern where every line has an action or a thing or a feeling:

Jump went the old grey kangaroo

Hop went the puffy white rabbit

 

or

the clock ticks

the phone rings

the dog barks

 

or

My feet like squishy green grass

my ears like squeaking summer crickets

my nose likes freshly baked biscuits

6. LISTEN to each line and make sure you like the sound of it

7. Or any other idea for a list you can think of. have fun!

 

You can enter you list poem in the February sound-poem competition.

Deadline: February 27th

Send to paulajoygreen@gmail.com. Include your name, age, year and name of school. You may include your teacher’s name and email address.

I am posting my favourites and will have a book prize for one yourung poet

Ewen’s endless poem

I like the way Ewen’s list poem changes its beginnings. Try doing a list poem and playing around with the beginnings. Make a pattern. Send to paulajoygreen@gmail.com with your details.

Endless

My eyes are like water, sailing the seas
My eyes are like cameras, flinching in summer
My eyes are like telescopes, watching where I go
My eyes are like a crocodile’s mouth, opening and shutting

My eyes are cold ice and warm sun

Endless.

I am the gold in happiness

I am the wind brushing peoples coats
I am the snow, trickling down on my birthday

I am the colour, that lightens people when they are sad

I am the future, that tells all

Endless.

There is always fun made from boredom
There is always blood, which resembles suffering
There is always a puddle of words that have meaning
There is always a gate which looks shut but is actually flimsy
There is always light in the darkest of times

Endless.

 

Ewen W aged 10, Year 6, Fendalton Open Air Primary School

Skye’s list poem from Redcliffs School

OOh I liked this list poem so much I am sending Skye a copy of my book Macaroni Moon!  I commented it on my last post. I only have a few copies left!  Redcliffs School you have a done a great job with all the poems you sent in.

The Race

The gun goes

The splash comes

Nervous parents

twiddle thumbs

closing in

on the line

almost there

fastest time

golden cup

flashing brightly

I skipped back

Very sprightly.

Skye. Aged 8, Year 4, Redcliffs School.

List Poems that Leap in Your Ear on Poetry Box Bravo young poets

List poems are such fun to write and are the perfect opportunity to play with words.

List poems can have set patterns but you can play with the pattern. List poems often sound really good when you read them out loud because they can have great rhythm. Some list poems come alive with delicious rhyme. List poems often surprise you but some list poems can make you laugh or remember things that put a smile on your face.

 

I had such fun reading all your list poems it was hard picking my favourites. You all did an amazing job. So bravo to you! It was such a popular challenge I think we will do it again later in the year.

 

Sam S from Ohaupo School has already been a winner on Poetry Box but his list poem, ‘Life is Trouble’ ticked all the right boxes for me. Poems come alive with great detail and Sam was an expert at finding great examples of things going wrong. I loved the way the poem changes track at the end and surprises you (not that poems always have to do this!). The poem sounds really good too. Great job Sam. I will send you a copy of my book Flamingo Bendalingo thanks to Auckland University Press.

 

 

Life is trouble

I hurt

When I do something wrong

When I flip off my bike

When my guinea pig died

When my sister is bossy

When I flew off the flying fox

When I get stuck in a fight

When I bang my toe on the door

When I get a whooper cold

When I got my warts freezed off

When I see something funny

I laugh

By Sam S 8yr Year 4 Ohaupo School

 

 

Skye hasn’t written your usual list poem with a set pattern but as a list of things happening at a race it works magnificently! I love the pace, the tension, the sound, the rhythm, the words chosen. Great job Skye!

 

The Race

The gun goes

The splash comes

Nervous parents

twiddle thumbs

closing in

on the line

almost there

fastest time

golden cup

flashing brightly

I skipped back

Very sprightly.

Skye. Aged 8, Year 4, Redcliffs School.

 

 

Ewen sent in three list poems but this was my favourite. The poem really makes the clothes come alive  — from the ones she loved to the ones that weren’t so good to wear! This poem also has great detail and has a great ending! Great job Ewen.

 

Clothes of inheritance

The grubby size six Popeye shirt

that I had two of.

The mickey mouse t-shirt and shorts

that I used to wear as pyjamas.

The blue and orange skate boarding top

that I couldn’t recall wearing.

The navy blue denim jacket

that made me feel all stiff.

The orange and black pants

that were prickly and hairy.

The browny grey jeans

that were so prodigious.

The dull red shirt

that was as thick as snow.

These inherited clothes are history

but the next lot is a mystery.

 

Ewen W aged 10, Year 6, Fendalton Open Air Primary School

 

 

Patrick has written a thoughtful list poem that brings together opposites so it really makes you think. List poems can be really good at that. He has ended up giving a fuller picture of what music might be. Great job Patrick!

 

 

Music Is

Music is the rising sun,

But also the dark side of the moon,

Music is the beauty of nature,

But also pollution of the planet,

Music is the spirit of life,

But also the coming of death,

Music is the greatest happiness,

But also the strongest sadness.

By Patrick K, aged 10, Room 11, Fendalton Open Air School.

 

 

And here are some more poems from Redcliffs School. I think I had as much fun reading these as you had writing them! Great job! I love Hamish’s ‘carpet of sand’ and Olivia’s mouth watering chicken list and I really loved Mitchell’s line “Hey don’t wear those, throw them in the bin” kind of shoes. Bravo Redcliffs School and bravo to your teachers Ann and Dion!

 

 

The beach

I see …..

shells

waves crashing

dogs playing

friendly faces

stones

carpet of sand

stones

boats

whales

the setting sand.

Hamish Aged 8 Redcliffs School.

 

My Brother

He is …

Kind

Caring

Annoying

Friendly

Playful

Loving

That’s my awesome brother.

Raffy, aged 8 Redcliffs School.

 

Chicken

I eat chicken

Chicken noodles

Crispy chicken

Marinated chicken

Battered chicken

Spicy chicken

Kentucky fried chicken

Chicken nibbles

Butter chicken

Nando chicken

I like chicken.

 

Olivia  C  Year 6,  Aged 10, Redcliffs School.

 

I like Beans.

Cocoa beans

Green beans

Canned beans

Humungous beans

Tiny beans

Frozen beans

Baked beans

BOOM !!

Mark, Year 6, Aged 10 Redcliffs School.

 

Fav Food.

I eat eyeball

I eat fish

I eat everything

That is delish

I eat ice cream

I eat mince

Best of all

Smoores yum!!

 

Charli, Year 4, Redcliffs School, Aged 8

 

Shoes

Sneakers

High heels

Ugg boots

Jandals

Gumboots

Sandals.

Shoes.

Emma, Aged 8 Redcliffs School.

 

Cheese

I eat cheese

Mozzarella cheese

Edam cheese

Blue brie cheese

Camber cheese

Colby cheese

Tasty cheese

Gourda cheese

I like cheese.

Olivia C, Aged 9 Redcliffs School.

 

Lollies 

I like lollies

Spinning tops, Lolly Pops

Smelly pops

TNT like

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM

I like lollies

But not too many!

 

By Charlie H aged 7, Year 3 Redcliffs School

 

I like colours

Sparkly Blue

Leafy Green

Crunchy Red

Pretty Pink

Primrose Purple

Sun Yellow

Bright Indigo

Lava Orange

First Gold

Paper White

Second Silver

Dark Black

Dolphin Grey

Bull Brown

Jewel Emerald

I like colours

 

By Siena C aged 6, Year 2 Redcliffs School

 

 

I Love shoes

Yellow shoes

Black Shoes

High Heeled Shoes

Smelly Shoes

Stinky Shoes

Worn out shoes

“Hey don’t wear those, throw them in the bin”

All kinds of shoes

I love shoes

 

By Mitchell aged 6, Year 2 Redcliffs School

 

Books 

Small books

Big books

Cool books

Funny books

Bunny books

Sea books

Animal books

Silly Books

Fish Books

Wish books

Nonfiction books

Fiction books

Thinking books

I like fiction books

 

By Ethan aged 7 Year 3, Redcliffs School

 

 

 

 

John Parker & Elena de Roo go listing

If you go hunting for list poems by other poets you will discover a real treasure trove. Reading poems by other writers is such a great way to take your own writing on adventures. Try doing your version of the poem you discover. Change things about it. Use their pattern, but put your own words in it.

 

Elena de Roo has written a list of green things, but she has played with the pattern a little and not every line begins with green (both ways work!). She has some great rhyme that helps glue the poem together (soar, draw) and (castle, freckle).

Green, My Crayon

I choose green with dappled speckles

green as sea glass

green as green grass

green as leaves with yellow freckles

Green as sea, and sky, and shore

green, the tower and turret door

in winds of green, its banners soar

green, my castle

green, I draw

©  Elena de Roo

John Parker has written a really cool list poem that is made up of dialogue! It has a definite pattern and a surprising but perfect ending (especially if you are like me and like crisp apples).

Drop, Drop

‘Drop drop,’ said the wind to the seed.

‘Reach, reach,’ said the earth to the root.

‘Drink, drink,’ said the rain to the plant.

‘Up, up,’ said the sun to the tree.

‘Out, out,’ said the tree to the branch.

‘Burst, burst,’ said the branch to the bud.

‘Open. open,’ said the bee to the blossom.

‘Ripen, ripen,’ said the blossom to the apple.

‘Eat, eat,’ said the apple to me ——

So I did!

©  John Parker

Poetry Play # 5 pond a ring poetry

Poems are like a breath of fresh air when I am feeling tired.

Poems take me to the moon and then let me stand on my head.

Poems are my secret kitchen.

I like poems that cover my eyes  for a moment and then say ‘surprise!’

Poets often like to write poems about writing poems or what they think makes a good poem or what poetry is like or what it feels like when they write a poem.

My new book (The Baker’s Thumbprint) has a poem on this very subject!

I have been rolling a poem about in my head as I walk on the beach that looks at what a poem is again. Differently! I am jotting lines in my little notebook and soon I will begin writing.

What happens if you play around with ideas about what a poem is? Put them into a list poem. One poet I know said writing a poem is like riding a bicycle down hill (wow!). Another poet said a poem is like a dehydrated vegetable opening.

Remember you can play around with how you set your list out on each line.

Send your poems to paulajoygreen@gmail.com and I will post some of my favourites.

Include your name, age, year and name of school. You can include your teacher’s name and email if you like.

A Hat Poem

I decided to write a poem with a list of things somebody keeps in a very tall hat. I wanted the things to rhyme in different parts of the poem. I kept playing around with where I would put the things in the poem. I had a whole list of things Mrs Magee might keep in her hat and then I chose the ones that worked the best.

Feel free to write your version of my poem and send it to me: paulajoygreen@gmail.com. Don’t forget to include your name, age, class and school. You can include your teacher’s name and email address if you want.

The Hat

Inside Mrs Magee’s hat

you will find a cat

a door stop, a rolling pin

a rubbish bin, a floor mop

a game of Pictionary

an English dictionary

some very baggy pants

and an overcrowded nest of ants,

some bickering bees

and a nephew that’s hard to please.

With such a menagerie

the hat is terrifyingly tall

and Mrs Magee keeps

her poor head bald!

© Paula Green  Macaroni Moon illustrations by Sarah Laing published by Random House 2009

 

 

Starting Points for List Poems

My partner Michael used to make heaps of lists when he was a little boy: rivers, animals. capitial cities and made-up things. Here are some starting points for list poems:

A list of your favourite food.

A list of your favourite books.

A list of your favourite places in books you have read or your favourite characters (you could use words to add more than a name or just the name!).

A list of marvellous adjectives or verbs or nouns.

A list of what you like to do in the holidays.

A list of what you would do in the holidays if you could do anything.

A list of strange machines (what can they do?) or machines not yet invented.

A list of sounds you like or sounds you don’t like (or smells!).

A list of wonders of the world (they don’t need to be the Seven Wonders — make up your own!).

A list of your favourite toys or toys no-one has yet invented.

A list of what you like about your mum or your dad (I challenge you to think of real things they have done that show the way they are kind or funny or love you).

A list of what you see if you stand on a tall chair in your back garden.

A list of what you see at the beach or in the mountains or bush.

A list of your favourite clothes.

THIS LIST has got really really LONG so it is time to STOP and for you to give it a GO!

…  and don’t forget to have FUN!