Friday, November 20, 2015

"I Am Angry" by Michael Rosen

...spotted last week when I was visiting
my sister in Chattanooga! I love it!
Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect (who's been blogging for NINE years!!) for Roundup.

I can't help but think of those Poetry Friday friends gathered at NCTE... I sure do miss being there! Hope it's a great conference, and I can't wait to hear all about it.

Here, I've been making my Thanksgiving shopping list and dreaming about all those wonderments I am going to prepare and relish. :) I typically make two trips for all the required items and have already accomplished the first one -- for turkey, new spices, and other staples like sugar and cream cheese. Next trip, I'll get all the produce -- and the things I forgot the first go around. Our gathering will be small, and I am so looking forward to sharing that time in the kitchen and at the table with those I love best!

AND, I've been reading more CYBILS nominees. This week I'd like to share a favorite poem from A GREAT BIG CUDDLE: Poems for the Very Young by Michael Rosen, illus. by Chris Riddell, which is full of fun for the wee ones.

I Am Angry
by Michael Rosen

I am angry
really angry
angry, angry, angry
I'm so angry I'll jump up and down
I'll roll on the ground
Make a din
Make you spin
Pull out my hair
Throw you in the air
Pull down posts
Hunt for ghosts
Scare spiders
Scare tigers
Pull up trees
Bully bees
Rattle the radiators
Frighten alligators
Cut down flowers
Bring down towers
Bang all the bones
Wake up stones
Shake the tiles
Stop all smiles
Silence birds
Boil words
Mash up names
Grind up games
Crush tunes
Squash moons
Make giants run
Terrify the sun
Turn the sky red
And then go to bed.
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Here's how it appears in the book:


Funny thing: I tried to record this poem for Soundcloud, but 1) I kept losing my breath and 2) my voice doesn't lend itself very well to "angry." Possibly I can sound annoyed, but angry? Even when I AM angry, I don't sound all that angry. (Just look at her, though, my husband says....) This is the curse of quiet people. :)


9 comments:

  1. Bang all the bones
    Wake up stones

    Wow, sounds pretty angry! I can imagine that you wouldn't quite be able to pull that off, Irene :-)

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  2. Our Thanksgiving celebration will be small and simple this year, too. And yes, I'm looking forward to an easy holiday meal, sharing the cooking with my daughter, who has suddenly discovered she likes cooking. Her mother doesn't. This is a very cool anger poem. I like the way it looks on the page. Smiling at the curse of the quiet people.

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  3. The curse of the quiet people! Brilliant. Thanks for sharing this angry poem -- I really can't picture you being very angry, Irene. :)

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  4. This book sounds like another one for my grand girls, Irene, so fun. And I've seen them angry! They will love the poem. Happy Thanksgiving to you. I'm in charge of at least some of the pies!

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  5. What a great poem--it sure captures the feeling of anger and the sweetness of a young child at the same time. I'm glad to know about that book.

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  6. Now THAT's angry! I can't imagine you reading it either... though, sorry to say, I might be able to on occasion.

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  7. Much fun!
    "Scares alligators"

    "Grinds up games"
    were two I paid special attention to.

    I like M.R. lots & didn't know about this one.
    Appreciations.

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  8. I'm not a quiet person. I had a blast reading the poem aloud, and the picture made me laugh. I think students would enjoy reading it aloud too. Happy Turkey Day!

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  9. I sound angry all the time.... Or is it grumpy. Let's read a poems "I'm grumpy

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Your thoughts?