Poetry Friday: “This is Just to Say”
I love the William Carlos Williams poem, “This is Just to Say”. I was thrilled to have Joyce Sidman’s boook This is Just to Say win the 2007 CYBILS Award for poetry.
In honor of poetry month, my 4th and 5th graders have been using it as a model to write a poem for next Thursday’s “Poem in Your Pocket” Day.
Here are some selections:
This is Just to Say
I have eaten
All the chocolates
That were in
Your room
And which
You were probably
Saving them for
Mother’s Day.
Please forgive me
They were
So rich and creamy
It was the best chocolate ever.
–Megan, 3rd grade
This is just to say
I’m sorry for being a dork.
Please forgive me, I was just
Trying to get a laugh
I have realized now that
You were trying to teach
A lesson and my dorkness
Ruined it.
That was not okay, it was
Actually downright disrespectful
Of me.
And which your lesson you
Were probably saving a prize
if we did good and I
Jinxed everyone’s chances.
Forgive me, the urge was
Just irresistible.
–Kenese
This is Just to Say
I have eaten all
Your strawberries
That were in the
Refrigerator
And which
You were probably saving
For dinner
Forgive me
They were juicy
And scrumptious
By the way
Go buy more.
–Gabriela, 4th grade
This is Just to Say
I have taken
Your 10 lb. block of chocolate
Please forgive me. I ate
The whole thing but please
Don’t hide your chocolate
Under your bed.
I had to fight a dirty
Sock to get it.
–Delaney, 5th grade
This is Just to Say
I have stolen all the candy
That was in the candy jar.
And which you were
Probably saving for my
Birthday.
Forgive me.
They were the best.
But now I got
A stomach ache.
–Madeline, 3rd grade
This is Just to Say
I have stolen your love
That was in your heart
Which you probably
Were saving for me
Forgive me, it was everything
I wanted
It was beautiful and comforting.
–Yana, 5th grade
There are more fabulous poems here.
Happy Reading.
MsMac
Poetry, School, Uncategorized |9 Responses to “Poetry Friday: “This is Just to Say””
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Hug the kid for me who had to fight the dirty sock for chocolate. I love these poems, and your brave, talented students—as always!
These are really delightful. Are your kids going to pull them out and read them to their families at dinner? That would be so perfect!! And what if a parent wrote back, like in Sidman’s book? Cool!
We are doing PinP day on Tuesday because of field trips, etc. It’s going to be FUN.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing these! Your students did such a beautiful job blending humor, heart, and courage. I feel honored.
OOhhh! I may have to extend National Poetry Month for one more week so that we, too, can write poems of apology! These are GREAT!!!
These are great! I had fun reading the poems. I’m sure your students had fun writing them.
Jone,
I wanted to let you know that I included a link to this post in my interview with Joyce Sidman at Wild Rose Reader.
http://wildrosereader.blogspot.com/2008/04/interview-with-joyce-sidman.html
Oh! what a great idea! we have read that book with the class and the kids just loooove it! what an original extension to the book! thanks for sharing.
Wow to Yana’s, in particular.