Here are some of my favorite poems I’ve used as a teacher over the past 40 years. It’s funny that some days I can’t remember my neighbor’s names, but these poems flow easily out of my mouth and brain! Proof once again of the power and beauty of giving children a poem and a song!!!!
I bought a wooden whistle,
But it wouldn’t whistle.
I bought a steel whistle,
But it still wouldn’t whistle.
I bought a tin whistle,
And now I “tin” whistle!
I see the moon,
And the moon sees me.
God bless the moon,
And God bless me!
Star light,
Star bright.
First star I see tonight.
Wish I may,
Wish I might,
Have this wish come true tonight!
Find a penny.
Pick it up.
All day long
You’ll have good luck!
But if you give
It to a friend
Then your luck
Will never end.
Lady bug, lady bug
Fly away home.
Hour house is on fire
And your children are lone.
A peanut sat on
A railroad track
His heart was
All a-flutter.
Down the track
Came a choo-choo train.
Toot! Toot!
Peanut butter!
It’s raining.
It’s pouring.
The old man
Is snoring.
He went to bed,
And he bumped his head,
And he couldn’t get up
In the morning!
Rain, rain,
Go away.
Come again
Another day.
I’ll ride my pony
To London town.
Clippity, clippity, clop.
I’ll ride my pony
To Derby Down.
Clippity, clippity, clop.
I’ll ride my pony
To Timbuctu.
Clippity, clippity, clop.
Then I’ll ride my pony
Back home to you.
Clippity, clippity, clop.
I am momma circle
Round like a pie.
I am baby triangle.
Three sides have I.
I am papa square
My sides are four.
I’m cousin rectangle
Shaped like a door.
I am brother oval
Shaped like a zero.
I’m sister rhombus
with a sparkle and a glow.
Inside out side,
Upside down,
You put in a penny
And it turns around.
Inside, out side,
Upside down.
You take out the penny
And it winds – right – down!
I’ve got jelly on my mouth
And jelly on my nose.
Jelly on my hands
And jelly on my toes.
I’m as happy
As happy can be
Cause’ I’ve got jelly
All over me!
Very soon it will be spring
And I’ll be doing my gardening.
I won’t be planting corn and peas,
I’ll be planting jelly beans!
Oh, look in my mouth
And what do you see?
A great, big hole
Where a tooth used to be.
I wiggled it and jiggled it
Until it was free.
Now there’s a window
And I’m happy as can be!
I had a little turtle.
His name was Tiny Tim.
I put him in the bathtub
To see if he could swim.
He drank up all the water.
He ate up all the soap.
And now he’s sick in bed
With bubbles in his throat!
B-b-b-b-b-b-b!
I saw a little gray mousie,
I saw a little gray mousie,
I saw a little gray mousie,
Come squeaking by my door.
So I said to the little gray mousie,
I said to the little gray mousie,
I said to the little gray mousie,
Come back and squeak some more.
Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!
Lions and tigers and bears,
Oh, my!
In my box,
That’s what I spy.
Take the out,
One by one.
Gobble them up!
Yum, yum, yum!
I have a little puppy.
He has a stubby tail.
He isn’t very chubby.
He’s skinny as a rail.
Although he’s just a puppy.
He’ll never be a hound.
They sell him at the butcher shop
At 90 cents a pound.
Bow-wow, bow-wow, bow-wow,
Red, red,
It’s the color of my head.
Blue, blue,
It’s the color of my shoe.
Green, green,
It’s the prettiest I’ve seen.
Black, black,
It’s the color of my cat.
Brown, brown,
It’s the color of my town.
Purple, purple,
Is not maple syrple!
Orange, orange,
Is the color of my porridge.
Yellow, yellow,
Is a very happy fellow.
Red light, red light,
What do you say?
I say, “Stop!”
And stop right away!
Yellow light, yellow light,
What do you mean?
I mean wait
Till the light turns green.
Green light, green light,
What do you say.
I say, “Go!”
But be careful all the way.
Stop, look, and listen,
Before you cross the street.
Use your eyes,
Use your ears,
And then use your feet!
Nobody loves me,
Everybody hates me.
Guess I’ll go eat worms.
Short, fat, squish ones,
Long, skinny, slimy ones,