Funny poetry is like a magic wand that can transform our lives in seven ways:
- Kids love hilarious poetry. They enjoy laughing and giggling at funny poetry. If the poems in a book tickle their funny bones, they want to read more and more of that author, and then other humorous authors. After awhile, they will not only read to laugh, but they will read to succeed in school and life. Ah, the power of funny poetry!
- The late Shel Silverstein has sold millions and millions of books. You can find his poetry books in libraries, schools, homes, and in all kinds of bookstores, including airport bookstores. When local authors are starving for shelf space, what makes his hardcover only poetry books so popular? Yes, he has unusual black-and-white sketches, but the real secret of his success is that Shel was a kid advocate. He wanted to empower kids more, and adults less, and kids knew it. When kids feel no one understands them, they can turn the pages of Shel's books and find a friend. That's the power of funny poetry.
- Knock-your-socks-off poetry, as I sometimes call it, creates a special bond between reader and poet. I know a popular elementary teacher who credits his good rapport with students from the first day of school on because he read funny poetry to his class whenever there was a schedule break or change. His students begged him to read all of Shel's poetry books, and other funny poets like Jack Prelutsky, Judith Viorst, Kalli Dakos, Ralph Fletcher, Bruce Lansky, and Sara Holbrook. The kids wanted to hear poems from these authors because their poetry encouraged them to laugh and see another side to life.
- If a poet earns the umbrella hat of a "funny poet," the poet can also sprinkle in some rather serious verses in his garden of poetry. Shel was the master of this. For example, in Falling Up, the poem "The Voice" Shel ends the poem with: "What's right for you-just listen to/The voice that speaks inside." Funny poetry can lead to serious or mysterious poetry, thus expanding the reader's poetry horizon.
- Crack you up poetry is like a good entertaining movie. It can help us escape our immediate world and become part of the poet's imaginary world. There are times in the lives of kids and adults when escaping reality for awhile is a good coping technique. Funny poetry can afford a little needed escapism.
- All kinds of whimsicle poetry can be memorized and shared whenever life's situation seems to call for some levity. The nature of poetry itself teaches kids about rhythm, rhyme, cadence, alliteration, and the power of repetition. All of these characteristics of poetry make it easier for kids to memorize poetry than prose. Because of this, Mother Goose has survived and thrived from generation to generation.
