This is a book of poems that I wrote in sixth grade. My teacher, Mrs. Crafton, was introducing us to different techniques used to write poetry. The first is of the form dada. It is entitled “A Poem of Nonsense.”

Hit I
You slap clap
Platypus bid
Kick the squid
Jump hug bite
A nap sleep kite
Joker pickle
Fee kid tickle
Me run

The next three are couplets.
“A Hook”
As I fell down the winding stair
A little hook pulled on my hair

“Cool Pool”
The little boy fell in the pool
Then he said “This is cool.”

“A Jigging Bird”
A bird in a tux danced a jig
As he danced off came his wig.

A couple of parodies for your amusement.

“Time to Talk”
“The time has come,” the baby said,
“To talk of little things,
Of mice — and lice — and chewing gum –
And little algae things —
And why a termite has large teeth –
And why don’t worms grow wings

“Socks and a Fox”
Hickory, dickory, dock!
I see a whole (sic) in my sock;
A fox wore one,
And away he (sic) run,
Lickety, splickety, spock!

And now for the ever-popular haikus.

“The Sun”
Sun bright in the sky
Shining down on all the earth
Brightens God’s creation.

“Exciting Things”
Pitching to win game
Hitting ball out of the park
All are exciting

What in the world are tankas?

“Baseball for a Day”
Baseball is a game
That’s played in spring through autumn
Hitting a home run
Making spectacular plays
That is baseball for a day.

“Ode to an Eagle”
Eagle king of birds
Symbol of a nation strong
Not frightened by man
Chases all the other birds
Eagle, most majestic of birds

I don’t remember what a clerihew is, either.

“A Blank Check”
Johnny Czeck
Wrote a check
It was blank
When it came to the bank

Alliteration is more of a technique than a form

“The Exploits of Amanda”
Amanda ate ants
Bought big Bonnie’s bands
Calmly chased Cris’ cat
Defined dis, dis, den dat

She even had us compose limericks

“An Adventure of Bill”
A chubby old man named Bill
Went out to look for Jill
While riding a horse
He sang till quite hoarse
And everyone called him a pill

“A Hog with a Knack”
While flying away from Kanack
I met a hog with a knack
To stand on his head
Until he looked dead
This amazing hog from Kanack

And finally, quatrains

A lively cat danced a jig
And sang until he was hoarse
He sang for the cow and an old pig
And for an old gray horse

The waves were crashing very near
O’er near the dune
Let’s don our swimming trunks and go
Swimming in June