Six-year-old burgeoning poet

Posted on by ben Alexander

A couple of days ago, you provided me with an outpouring of wonderful advice, as to how I might nurture and develop my six-year-old daughter’s poetry talents. Truly, the many suggestions for approaches, games, techniques… were simply amazing. Thank you so very much.

By coincidence, the very following day my six-year-old told me that she wanted to write a free verse poem with me (“a poem that doesn’t rhyme,” she said). I explained to her that poetry doesn’t have to follow the rules of grammar and that lines can break wherever the poet so choses. Also, I emphasized that poetry is intended to express feelings ~ that the most important thing is to feel the words.

Shortly after completing our first collaborative free verse poem (which she deliberately wrote in a silly way), she asked me if she could try to construct a poem with me online on MagneticPoetry, as she had seen me do several times myself. To be honest, I was somewhat hesitant about this because I thought that the aspect of playing with the magnets would distract her from attempting to construct a poem, but many of you (and my mother) had suggested than I just let her play and learn by doing… so I agreed.

Below are our latest pieces, both free verse:

Two poems, a collaboration

by David (41) and Liorah (6)

1.

The car found a cat
The bar found
a bat
The bat was hanging
The cat was
banging
The bat said “can you stop that?”
The cat said
as he walked
on the bar to the car, “I
don’t want to!”
“Why?
Are you not going to stop that?”
Atop the car, beside
the bar, the cat
stared at the bat
from afar
He said to the bat, “I do not want to
because I like it.”
He banged on the bar; it
made the bat cry.
“I am so 
sorry!”
For the cat was now
worried about 
what he did.
The 
bat 
said, 
“Why 
did 
you 
do
that?”
The cat sat
then lay flat
on a mat
near the bat;
put on his hat
and said to the bat,
“Sometimes
it’s hard to control
myself, you see.”
The bat
said, “Yes
I do see.”

NOTES:

I was not the one who began this poem ~ she deliberately wrote something silly about a car finding a cat because she liked the concept and because the two words sound similar. Following her lead, I wrote: “The bar found a bat.” After all, fair is fair – am I right? 😉

Liorah and I took turns with this piece, and upon writing the ending, she asked me, “Do you like my ending?” I smiled. “Very much,” I said and hugged her.

2.

Liorah’s first Magnetic Poem (Feb. 16, 2021)
bluest sky the girl sees
spring goddess in diamond red
gown let storm beauty soar
sweeter and music mist spray
on those forest lake winds

NOTES:

I had to teach her about the magnets with word endings like ‘est’, ‘s’, and ‘er’, as well as how to manipulate the mouse to drag the virtual magnets to the left side of the screen.

Also, when it was my turn to add some words to the poem, she became a bit impatient as I scrolled through all of the available words looking for some that spoke to me. I had to explain to her that this is how I personally write Magnetic Poetry, but she remained rather irked with me. I guess I’m just an old fuddy duddy.

75 thoughts on “Six-year-old burgeoning poet”

      1. David, my daughters are now in their late 40s. They fondly remember some things I never thought were important. They remember the times when they were five or six and I would put them in one of their Dad’s old t-shirts. I would fill a table outside with shaving cram and let them create art masterpieces.

        2. I liked to think so. Another activity I did all through their growing up was the “taste test.” I would get three different types of peanut butter, ice cream, string beans, etc. and have them try them without knowing which was which. It was fun when the “store brand” was their favorite. It even got them to try some foods they were sure they wouldn’t like. I can proudly say they liked my matzoh balls better than the canned ones. LOL

        1. We all can use something that gives us the grace to see better!
          Thank you for sharing your experience. 😄 It gave me a smile with my morning coffee.

  5. Awww… And now the cat and the bat become friends. 😄😄 It is a bliss to read her poems. I am in love with her poems already. ❤️❤️ Sending her love and hugs 🤗💕

  6. Wow, amazing! I love her intrinsic motivation to write poetry, that this is all coming from her, her curiosity to explore the world of words. A born poetess!

  7. Such lovely collaborative poetry. It’s inspiring me to get my daughter, Klara, in on some poetry writing. She loves strumming guitar with me so I could see her taking to magnets. 🙂

        4. Yes! Classics. I’m work as a reading specialist, so I get to see a lot of picture books. Some great new ones include: Stop that yawn, super potato, mixed: a colorful story. But, they’re all time favorite is Something for Nothing. My son is four so he likes all these, too.

  10. The first one is worthy of Dr. Seuss. I like that you are letting her take the lead, your mother gives good advice. And using the Oracle is a great idea too-a fine effort. This only reinforces the fact that children watch their parents carefully and and parents can spark curiosity and learning simply by what they do with their lives. (K)

  13. So many positives here, David! Building your relationship with your daughter, self-directed learning, creativity, language skills, initiative, confidence…The two poems are amazing and fun to read! ❤ Way to go, you two!

  16. I don’t know why
    or I do
    but it brings tears
    to my eyes.
    What a beautiful pair of feelings
    and tunes,
    your daughter and you.

    Her name is Liorah!? So lovely. Age 6… and so naturally adept already… wow. She will go far with this love, attention and encouragement from her family.

    And dragging the pieces to the left!!! Omg. Now I see how. 😂🙏 (So you taught all us fellow fuddy duddies, and not just your daughter, this way… 🤓👌🌷)

    I love the way you weave it all the parts together… poetry and process… you have a rare gem of a blog, David. And this fantastic teamwork is inspiring. 🙌🏰🦇💞🐈💗

  18. I love the imagination when children write. Thank you for sharing, and I am happy to know you’re encouraging your daughter to write at an early age. I hope you can save everything she writes. I started writing at 15 and am 72. I saved everything I wrote. I must buy the magnetic poetry kit. Saw it online. Stay well, keep sharing your thoughts. You have a friend in North Carolina.

    1. Sheila, thank you so much for your kind comment! I really appreciate it 🤎

      Also, I am seriously impressed that you’ve saved everything – how is that even possible?! I have pretty much none of my writing from earlier stages of my life.

      Yours,
      David

  19. I found myself smiling throughout your entire post. Children are natural artists, in one form or another.
    Too often their innate artistic gifts are not encouraged. Bravo to you and your wife for encouraging and inspiring your daughter, and for giving her the tools that allow her to express herself. 💖

  20. Hello “Fuddy Duddy”
    Trying to remember the name for Grandpa you created for yourself but it escapes me at the moment. Congratulations on creating a relationship where she takes the lead and she could shine. I so much remembering my Dad wanting to teach me tennis his way which I steered clear of as soon as I could. Had he heard me and been patient it may have been otherwise. More imortantly you have created a relationship of mutual love and respect. I can just see her at the key board now which is so heartwarming. Love this line “I had to explain to her that this is how I personally write Magnetic Poetry, but she remained rather irked with me”.

    Get used to it. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 💖💖💖💖💖

      1. Okay ‘saba’chka’

        I like it.
        I’da had to look it up 🤣

        Oye Vey! I love to use that term but most raise their eye brows and I feel a litte like I’m not allowed ot use it since I’m not jewish.

        Hey, how do I get italics and bold in comments.. I just hit command i and ended up posting our pic in FB. I think. OYE VEY!!!!🤣

        1. Well, as a female, if you were to use my system, you would be a ‘savta’chka’ 😉

          In order to use italics and bold in comments, you have to use html tags like <strong> and <em>

  24. I see so much passion in this poetry, so much love, so much patience… But yet, so much cleverness. I love seeing how you and your daughter interact through such an art as poetry…

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