A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms Review by Elaine Alexander
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Janeczko, Paul B., and Christopher Raschka. A Kick in the Head: an Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2009. ISBN: 0763606626
SUMMARY
This illustrated collection features twenty-nine different forms of poetry by multiple popular writers in the genre. Not only does this book highlight the various formats and demonstrate the challenges of adhering to the rules, it also show how writers can creatively bend the rules within this art form in unique and clever ways.
ANALYSIS
While this book can serve as an excellent classroom resource to explain many different poetic forms, it also has strong appeal for upper elementary school students because a majority of the poems are humorous and make learning the structures an enjoyable, lighthearted experience. The selection of poems range from silly and whimsical, with an occasional more serious tone struck, such as the poem denoting the Vietnam Memorial. Overall, the language invites readers to have fun with words by playing within the rules and structures of different poetic expressions. One example is the Kristine O'Connell George's senryu that recounts a fresh new school year, with a "fossil...[of]...last June's cheese sandwich" (16) still tucked inside the student's backpack. Not only does the insertion of an old cheese sandwich make the senryu rather comical, but it also shows emerging writers that the format doesn't have to be serious in content. As long as it is be written in the 5-7-5 syllable structure and is about human nature, it counts as poetry!
This concept of playing with words and format is solidified in the introduction of this multi-author collection that prepares the reader for what they might find by suggesting that the rules of poetry are precisely what makes the art form more challenging and fun. Janeczko also points out that while the rules exist to provide structure and challenge, that a poet is not "a slave to every aspect...[and can]...break the rules and have fun doing so" (8). Instruction is suggested for making the most out of the experience in reading the book, to focus first on the poems, then on the explanation of the poetic form, before returning to the poem again for full enjoyment and comprehension. An example of how the format is bent for the sake of art is in Steven Herrick's limerick about a limerick called "Steven". Instead of strictly adhering to the rhyming structure of "aabba" the poet stops the rhyming sequence on the third line of the limerick in order to play up the comical message of the poem and emphasize how silly it is to have a limerick named Steven (Herrick 21). By breaking the rhyming structure, the poet shifts the emphasis on the silliness of the content, breaking the rules in favor of frivolity.
There are thoughtful teaching details throughout the layout. Each page of this collection has an instructive drawing at the top that tells what poetic form is being presented, along with a physical representation of the lines and meter. For example, on the page representing haiku, the corner drawing has three lines of flowers, each line representing the structure with a flower to indicate the individual syllables. This approach can help different types of learners, such as supporting visual learners by helping to reinforce how to count the syllables for a successful haiku. Further instruction is given regarding rhyming schemes. An explanation of the poetic form is at the bottom of each page. In addition, there is a progression in the difficulty level in the collection. The collection begins with the smallest poetic forms, the couplet, gradually moving into more complicated poetic forms, before ending on the most challenging form in the book, a pantoum. This layout would make the text an amazing classroom reference, with students moving through the book, continuing to be challenged by each new poetic form. Building in complexity over time is a sure method to help students embrace the formats and gain the confidence to try them out for themselves.
Use & Highlight Poem
Limericks are a fun form of poetry for kids to try their hand at. First, they are supposed to be humorous, so that makes them appealing. Second, the rhyming structure and rhythm of the format makes for a challenge that is perfect for beginning poets. Young writers can play with the format and ease into writing poems of their own, since they are light-hearted and meant to be fun.
For my highlight poem, I would choose the section that includes Edward Lear and Steven Herrick's limericks because it is such a great example of how to follow the format precisely and how to break the rules and grow as a poet. I would have the students read both examples and try their hand at modeling both the perfect representation of the limerick, with the aabba rhyming scheme, as well as an attempt similar to Herrick's, that bends the rules in favor of frivolity.
Limerick
There was an Old Lady whose folly
Induced her to sit in a holly;
Whereupon, by a thorn
Her dress being torn,
She quickly became melancholy.
Edward Lear
There once was a limerick called Steven
whose rhyme scheme was very uneven
it didn't make sense
it wasn't funny
and who'd call a limerick Steven anyway?
Steven Herrick
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