Since it is poetry Friday I started to think about what I was going to write about today. I had children’s poetry books I got out of the library last week and could review one of those. I did really liked “The Free and the Brave: A Collection of poems about the United States” (2004). The reason I like this book was that it comes with author annotations regarding what type of poetry tool the poet used in his or her writing. Poems by Langston Hughes, Carl Sandburg, Aileen Fisher, and Francis Scott Key were included, among others. A few were familiar, but most were not. All were enjoyable to read.
Some of the tools used and suggested were metaphor, repetition, rhymes along with patterns or beats, alliteration, contrasts, imagery, meter, stanza, voice, structure, and free verse.
Additional tools that were mentioned but not shown as examples in the book were, onomatopoeia, personification, and simile. There were also suggested resource pages as well. I always like that in a book, especially if I want to use it as a mentor text or to plan a lesson.
But, the title of this book, as well as the title of an old book/album I have saved from childhood, called Free to Be, You and Me by Marlo Thomas and Friends, spoke to me this morning.
Whether it is writing a poem, playing a game, studying, laughing, talking, or singing, it is important in life to just be one’s self! Be who you are, not anyone else. Be proud of yourself; embracing both strengths and weaknesses. We all have them. No one else can be you!
This is a movement that is popular right now, but it is certainly not new – as the Marlo Thomas book shows. It was published in the 1970s! We all have a right to be who we are. For trying to be someone else or hiding your true self is nothing but being dishonest to yourself and others. So, in honor of that sentiment, I wrote a free verse poem today on this Poetry Friday. Thanks for hosting this week, Live Your Poem!
One Unique Person
Be you!
You are the only one of You.
You are Unique.
There is no one else like You!
Embrace your Uniqueness like no one else can.
For only You know how Unique you Truly are.
You are a gift – to others.
Just by being YOU!
Thank YOU for being YOU!
The Apples in My Orchard 
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