NCTE Award Poetry: A Pocketful of Poems

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Grimes, Nikki. 2001. A pocketful of poems. Ill. by Javaka Steptoe. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0780395938683

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Harlem-born Nikki Grimes, the 2006 NCTE Poetry Award Recipient, presents A Pocketful of Poems, a collection of free verse and haiku poems. The poems, inspired by a single word taken from Tiana’s “pocket”, describe urban life in Harlem throughout the year.  Each word features two poems—one in free verse, the other haiku.

Grimes’ haiku follow the rules for syllabication, creating the 5-7-5 rhythms. The free verse poems vary in length although none is longer than ten lines.  Regardless of the form, Grimes paints beautiful pictures with her words. Tiana’s word “Harlem” captures the city on July 4^th in haiku: “fireworks rainbow the night with / bursts of dazzling light” (p.17). Also describing a summer event in “Hot”, Tiana goes to “the water fountain where my / face goes for a swim” (p.15). Grimes uses ordinary words to produce magnificent language illustrating common events.

Children will appreciate the brevity of the poems especially since Grimes packs an immense amount of detail into so few lines and syllables. Young readers will relate to ordinary topics such as the moon, spring, angels, pumpkins, and snow. Even if the reader is unfamiliar with urban life, Grimes’ words and Steptoe’s illustrations provide a crystal-clear depiction of Tiana’s point of view. The free verse “Harlem” portrays the city as “a restless word” that “kicks up its black heels / day and night.” The two poems expand the reader’s impression of Harlem and enrich the mind with dual techniques of writing in verse.

The poems tell of various occasions throughout the year, which stimulate emotions associated with special events. For example, Tiana savors the “last sip of summer” (“Homer”, p. 20), shares her joy of pumpkin carving in the fall (“Pumpkin, p. 22), and the delight that comes from gifts (“Gift”, p. 28). Without being overly sentimental, Grimes captures Tiana’s spirit at these important times, so elegantly accounted with modest words.

Each poem’s layout holds some element of uniqueness. Within the free verse poems, the title word is in capital letters. In the poem “Caterpillar” (p.18), the letters take the shape of the creature. Some of the haiku poems’ text varies in line orientation. The type aligns with raindrops in the haiku “Shower” (p. 9). The haiku “Gift” (p. 29) is typed on a gift tag. “Harlem” lines are bursts of light from fireworks. These special features add charm to the already delightful poems.

Equally captivating are Steptoe’s detailed collages made from a range of materials that include string, paperclips, faucet handles, painted toothpicks, felt, and hand-shaped alphabet letters. Rather than only providing a background to the page, the illustrations are active participants in the poems. The torn paper stream in “Hot” acts as a mount for the haiku.  In the spirit of words in pockets, “Shower” (the free verse poem) is typed onto a piece of denim shaped like a pocket. The arrangement of text and collage draw the reader’s eyes to both the lyrical words and corresponding illustration.

Grimes’ wonderful collection of poems can be shared individually in connection with one specific area of study or all together for a year-round celebration of words!

POETRY SPOTLIGHT

“Shower”
(Free verse)

This word wets my pocket.

I have to stay indoors

until my blue jeans dry.

SHOWER is a clean word—

soap and water for the sky.

(Haiku)

April showers scrub

the air. No wonder I can

run now. I can breathe!

To introduce the pair of poems (and the entire book), dramatically pull out from your pocket and randomly arrange magnetic alphabet letters on a cookie sheet (or other large metal surface). Position the letters to spell a word (preferably a noun) such as flower, book, or cloud. Ask students to name items, actions, or feelings associated with that word. Rearrange the letters to spell “shower.”  Ask students for related words.

Explain that you will read two poems with two forms (free verse and haiku) that were inspired by the word “shower.” Read the free verse poem aloud, slowly, without displaying the page from the text. Repeat the free verse poem to allow the words to soak in.

Switch gears from free verse to a poem that follows a pattern—haiku. Read the haiku once, slowly. Before rereading the haiku, explain the syllable pattern. Display the poem so students can count the syllables for each line on their fingers. Repeated readings may be required.

Nikki Grimes, in her author’s note, encourages readers to read and attempt writing haiku. Allow students time for brainstorming and sharing of ideas for their haiku. As students begin to write their haiku, highlight how many of Grimes’ haiku lines do not complete a thought in one line but carry it over to the next line. (Many children limit themselves to completing a thought in a single line. This can also restrict their choice of words resulting in less expressive work.)

In addition to writing haiku, students can generate a complementary collage similar to those Steptoe created. Provide various items and ask the children to collect assorted objects to share.

Allow students to present their haiku and display their “Pocketful of Words Collage and Haiku Combo” in the library!