What is poetry? Poetry is all around us -- in books, on walls, in the air, on TV, and in greeting cards. But what is it? In poetry, words are put together in a playful manner. When you go to a Rochester Red Wings baseball game and sing:
Take me out to the ball game
Take me out with the crowd
It has the style and spirit of a poem. You are singing a poem. Many songs are really forms of poetry. They have a rhythm and beat to them.

As young children, many kids learn nursery rhymes such as "Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall, / Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall." The poems didn't always make sense, but they were fun saying again and again. While growing up, we learned them, even ones about heavenly bodies, "Twinkle, twinkle little star, / How I wonder what you are.

On Valentine's Day, did you ever create cards? Remember those poems that started with "Roses are red / Violets are blue?" But did it have this end "Don't park your gum--/ In my shoe!" As a poet, you are the boss of your words. You can make them do anything you want them to do.

A student once wrote to me, "Thank you for coming to our school. I also thank you for being so funny. My mind almost exploded because you filled my mind with poetry. I hope you come back soon." That's quite a compliment. At least I think it is. Poetry is powerful. It can make minds "almost explode."

What is poetry? Poetry is a fun way to write, whether you want to be humorous or serious, or even mysterious. Poetry looks and sounds special. Poetry frequently stirs up our emotions. In Picture Poetry on Parade! I tried to create the feeling of worry in my poem, "On the First Day of School," with these beginning lines:
I was worried that Mom would forget to kiss me good-bye.
I worried the school bus would pass my stop.
I was worried I'd get into a fight at the bus stop.
I was worried that I had toothpaste on my cheek.
I was worried I'd never find my classroom.
Well, it has a happy ending.

What do famous poets say about poetry?
"Poetry is a packsack of invisible keepsakes." Carl Sandburg
"A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom." Robert Frost
"Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings." William Wordsworth
"Poetry is ordinary language raised to the Nth power. Poetry is boned with ideas, nerved and blooded with emotions, all held together by the delicate, tough skin of words." Paul Engle

As you can see, poetry is difficult to define. It's like the wind. You know when it's howling outside, but you can't see it or catch it. You can only see what it does -- bend the tree limbs, rustle the leaves in the air, and make a mess of your hair.

What are poets? That's a good question. I am sure you could be a poet if you like words, enjoy playing with them, and read and read, especially poetry books. Then you could probably become a poet. When I think about poets, this is what I think: By Joseph "Silly" Sottile

Poets are explorers
traveling in uncharted
chambers of the heart.

Poets are pilgrims
discovering new lands
and cultures.

Poets are observers
of what is on the surface
and what is buried deep below.

Poets are eavesdroppers
who hear bits and pieces of talk
that become poems.

Poets are truth-sayers.
They cannot put words on paper
without being completely honest.

Poets are plumbers
drilling their words into the earth
and showering us with insights.

Poets are maids
dusting away cobwebs
and making beds -- of roses.

Poets are perfectionists
looking for the perfect word
to complete their rhyme.

Poets are magicians
juggling rhythm and rhyme,
sense and sound.

Poets are kings and queens
of the written word
in all its sparkling forms.

Now, if you want to join the above club and become a poet, start reading some excellent poetry books. Here are twelve that I highly recommend:

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Shel changed poetry forever by writing poems that made kids laugh, giggle or ponder important topics. Shel wrote about all sorts of topics --from taking the garbage out to selling your little sister. By reading Shel's poetry I learned how to write poetry. So I consider him my "mentor." And his black-and-white sketches are bold and hilarious.

If I Were in Charge of the World by Judith Viorst
What's one of the best things about Judith Viorst? She remembers what it's like to be a kid growing up. Judith Viorst captures all the uncertainties of maturing. She writes knowingly about kids and for kids. Her poems frequently make you laugh or wince. Thank goodness, she understands kids so well.

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
Okay, do not yell, "This isn't a poetry book!" I know it is a novel, but it is really about seeing the beauty of poetry, whether you are a boy or girl, through a compelling story and some classic poems along the way. I always find magic on every page. Plus, it's one of my granddaughter's favorite books.

The 20th Century Children's Poetry Treasury by Jack Prelutsky
This poetry book is brimming full with 211 poems and 137 poets. These poems are delicious and fun, some from well-known poets, Shel Silverstein to Langston Hughes, and lesser known poets. The poetry is upbeat and delightful, just like the illustrations, which tie together various poems on each page. The book is a feast to behold for any poetry reader.

A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poetry by Paul B. Janeczko
Paul B. Janeczko has selected 30 concrete poems that will knock your socks off. The poems are truly "picturesque." The words themselves form pictures. Pictures of what? Pictures of a "weak" poem, a pigeon diving, a snake on a date, a stowaway, a skipping rope spell, merging traffic, a tennis match, and more. The eye-catching illustrations are done in watercolor, ink, and torn paper.

Knock at a Star, A Child's Introduction to Poetry by X. J. Kennedy and Dorothy M. Kennedy
The poems in this collection are interesting, but what I like best is what the authors say about poetry before you read the poems! The book contains great categories and insights into the world of poetry. It's all very informative and amusing at times, a must-read for any would-be-poet in the house.Poetry Matters: Writing a Poem from the Inside Out by Ralph Fletcher
This volume teaches kids how to write poetry. It's a nuts-and-bolts guide to writing poetry, from building powerful images to creating the sounds and rhythms of poetry. Ralph Fletcher discusses in detail how certain writing techniques actually function in poetry. He also draws on insights from interviews with three other poets: Kristine O'Connell George, Janet S. Wong, and J. Patrick Lewis. This book is meant for older kids, just like Fletcher's poetry.

If You're Not Here, Please Raise Your Hand: Poems About School By Kalli Dakos
Kalli Dakos was a teacher and she knows the real world of teaching" kids, parents, teachers, and principals! She has a keen eye for what goes on in a classroom, from the kid who starts all the other kids coughing to the kid who eats a worm at "Show and Tell." I met Kalli Dakos. She's a wonderful poet and performer.

Hailstones and Halibut Bones by Mary O'Neill
This classic needs to be in your library. Here's a poetry book bursting with color, all the colors of the spectrum and more. Each color is described in a magical way that is both simple and textured. As a classroom teacher, I used to encourage my own students to write about colors after reading Mary O' Neill's outstanding collection of poems to them. She really gives you the taste and feel of color.

Here in Harlem: Poems in Many Voices by Walter Dean Myers
Fifty-four poems about the people of Harlem from all walks of life. In Walter Dean Myers' introduction he says, "The characters in this book all represent the people I have known or lives have touched mine." In poetic form, he lets us know these people and their lives with well-chosen words that are strong and meaningful.

The Place My Words Are Looking For by Paul B. Janeczko
In this book, thirty-nine poets share poems and what inspired them to write them. You see their photos and what's inside their minds and hearts as writers. They invite you in to understand and enjoy poetry. Although published in 1990, it's a thrill to "meet" poets like Naomi Shihab Nye, William Stafford, Jack Prelutsky, Myra Cohn Livingston, Cynthia Rylant, William Cole, Eve Mariam, Gwendolyn Brooks, Karla Kuslin, and more. And it's fun to wonder what they are doing now.

Picture Poetry on Parade! by Joseph "Silly" Sottile (Grades 1-7)
Okay, this book is by yours truly. What's it about? It's "about" 112 pages. If you really want to know what it's about, please go to my website, www.joe-sottile.com and open to "About Me" and hit "What Kids Say." There you will find what kids think of my poetry and poetry performances.