“Among my most prized possessions are words that I have never spoken.”
-Orson Rega Card

April was National Poetry Month and April 21-25 was School Library Week. The librarian at my children’s school had a week of fun activities, called “Catch the Reading Wave,” planned for the students. They could wear something beach themed on their library day and bring a beach towel to sit on, they could fill-out a paper surfboard with a book recommendation and they could try to guess the number of books in the library.

My favorite activity they did was getting caught with a poem in your pocket. The administration would go around at different times during the week and ask students if they had a poem in their pocket. If they “got caught” with one, they won a prize. My kids took this very seriously and had a poem folded up in their pocket all week. By the end of the week, not only did they earn a prize, but they had memorized their poems! What a creative way to instill a love of poetry in children. Here is one of the poems by Shel Silverstein that was carried around all week in a pocket.

As an educator and writer, I was looking at the deeper meaning for kids of having a poem in your pocket. Here are my thoughts:

Keep words close to you.
They are your friends. Words can comfort and heal. Words can empower and strengthen. Words can brighten and lift. Words can take you away. Being able to write and read gives you confidence and power. Power to change your life and follow your dreams. Love them, use them, choose them wisely. They will serve you well in life. Keep reading. Keep writing.
Keep words close to you.
Even if you start with a simple poem in your pocket.

What are some of your favorite poems that you think kids would love?