Poetry is so linked into our lives by the natural rhythm of the seasons, waves, wind, birds and other beautiful things our Creator has chosen to line up for us to enjoy. Poems can also bring to us deep emotion that you would not readily be able to understand in the normal written language.

We always read poems one day a week when we have nothing on in the afternoon. We combine it with a tea time so that the children will be happy to sit still whilst munching a treat we baked and stirring their tea. I also have a nature poetry book in our nature bag that we can copy out of when we find a link. We use poems for copy work, for cards for birthdays and just to read.

Charlotte Mason also suggest good poems be used for recitation. The purpose of recitation is for the child to learn to speak effectively in public. Recitation and committing to memory is not the same thing. "It is good to store a child’s memory with a good deal of poetry learnt without labour." Charlotte Mason

Choose a poet to work through that will capture the child's attention.

Robert Louis Stevenson's "Child's Garden of Verses" is a wonderful starting point. Capture the child by telling them he was a sickly child who spent most of his early years in bed. All this time he stored in his memory and as an adult wrote down his delightful memories.

AA Milne’s poetic works have a wonderful music to them so that the child can pick up the intonations. Casually read or recite the poem whilst brushing teeth, hair, walking along the road or cuddling. After 8 or so times it will be committed to memory, along with the intonations. Later your child can then draw upon his those memorized at the appropriate times.

Sometimes my son enjoys limericks, so we make time for that too.

Choose a time where you can block of an hour or two either weekly or bi-weekly. We choose a Friday morning or afternoon.

Bake or buy a delicious treat.

Take out your best tea set – no plastic allowed.

Set the table with your chosen goodies and a vase of flowers the younger ones have collected from your garden.

Play some gentle classical music in the background.

Keep two or three age appropriate poems next to you.

When all are seated and tucking in, read to them.

Briefly discuss any vocabulary words or terminology that the CHILDREN bring up.

Revel in the music of prose and enjoy your tea.

You will find as your awareness of poetry grows, that there are many poems that link in with your Living books and history and geography studies. I think one of the greatest mistakes we can make is the "pulling apart" of poems.

At university I had many pieces of prose, poems and literature that I had to analyze. I am often tempted to do this to poems but with self restraint I allow my children to just enjoy the reading for poetry’s sake.

One exception to this was when our 11 year old daughter wanted to create her own poetry book. Here I taught her about rhyme patterns, line lengths and stanzas. This was not done during our poetry and tea time, though, as this time is set aside for the pure enjoyment of poetry.

Other pages you may be interested in:

Charlotte Mason Book Reviews
Best Charlotte Mason Quotes
Language Arts the Charlotte Mason Way
Poetry Book Reviews

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