Zoila M. Brown
Introduce
free verse
by integrating science with weather as the theme. Read aloud one of two poems taken from Arnold Adoff's
In for Winter, Out for Spring
. These poems relate a young girl's experience of turbulent spring weather in her rural Midwest setting.
Arnold Adoff has remarked that the physical shape of a poem should contribute to its meaning. Students should use the sensory details in the poems to make a drawing of what they think the illustration should look like. Reveal an illustrated copy for students to compare with theirs. Discuss with students what makes this poem unusual. Here is a short excerpt of both poems.
(1) My Brother Aaron Runs Outside To Tell Us There Is A Severe
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Thunder
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Storm
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Warning
(2) Clouds Are Black
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And
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Dark Green This Afternoon
Have students draw conclusions about the poet's purpose for the shape of the poems. What clues does the poet give about the speaker's feelings? Another free verse poem that is appropriate for this theme comes from sequential poems written also by Adoff. These are collectively titled "Tornado! Poems".