Favorite Poems

Favorite Poems – Everybody has them! It's a GREAT idea to read to your children from a variety of genres, including poetry.

My students LOVE being read to! And while "Annabel Lee" and "The Road Not Taken" - poems on this page - are not read to the first graders, they are included here because they are two of my favorite poems ...

What are yours?

The Power of One

One song can spark a moment.

One flower can wake the dream.

One tree can start a forest.

One bird can herald spring.

One smile begins a friendship.

One handclasp lifts a soul.

One star can guide a ship at sea.

One word can frame the goal.

One vote can change a nation.

One sunbeam lights a room.

One candle wipes out darkness.

One laugh will conquer gloom.

One step must start each journey.

One word must start a prayer.

One hope will raise our spirits.

One touch can show you care.

One voice can speak with wisdom.

One heart can know what's true.

One life can make the difference.

You see, it's up to YOU!

        -Author is unknown.

The Power of Words

A careless word may kindle strife;

A cruel word may wreck a life.

A bitter word may hate instill;

A brutal word may smite and kill.

A gracious word may smooth the way;

A joyous word may light the day.

A timely word may lessen stress;

A loving word may heal and bless.

        -Author is unknown.

I Would Be True

I would be true, for there are those who trust me;

I would be pure, for there are those who care;

I would be strong, for there is much to suffer;

I would be brave, for there is much to dare.

I would be friend of all - the foe, the friendless;

I would be giving, and forget the gift;

I would be humble, for I know my weakness;

I would look up, and laugh, and love, and lift.

I would be faithful through each passing moment;

I would be constantly in touch with God;

I would be strong to follow where He leads me;

I would have faith to keep the path Christ trod.

        -Author is Howard Arnold Walter.

Annabel Lee

Here's one of my favorite poems by Edgar Allan Poe.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

        -Author is Robert Frost.

Your Favorite Poems

Now, go grab your favorite poems and - if appropriate - read them to your child.

Let them see how poetry fuels you emotionally, and hopefully they'll catch the spark and be interested in poetry, too.

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