by Betsy Franco

The chair has
arms.
The clock
a face.
The kites have
long and twirly tails.
The tacks have
heads.
The books have
spines.
The tool box has
a set of nails.

Our shoes have
tongues.
The marbles
eyes.
The wooden desk has
legs and seat.
The cups have
lips.
My watch has
hands.
The classroom rulers all have
feet.

Heads, arms, hands, nails,
spines, legs, feet, tails,
face, lips, tongues, eyes.

What a surprise!

Is our classroom alive?

Copyright © 2009 Betsy Franco. From the book Messing Around on the Monkey Bars: and Other School Poems for Two Voices. Candlewick Press.  Reprinted by permission of the author.

About this Poem

I walk to an elementary school every morning, and many of the poems in this collection are based on what I observed, although I took a playful tone and exaggerated everything.  The poems can be read in two voices.

About The Author

Photo by Jim Warren

Betsy Franco is the author of over 80 books, including a number of  poetry collections.  Her first was Mathematickles!–math haiku.  Others include A Curious Collection of Cats, A Dazzling Display of Dogs, Messing Around on the Monkey Bars and Other School Poems in Two Voices, Counting Our Way to the 100th Day!, and Bees, Snails, & Peacock Tails. She also wrote a book especially for teachers of grades K-12, Conversations with a Poet.

Making math and science creative, sassy, and beautiful through poetry is one of her main goals.  She even included poetry in her novel, Metamorphosis, Junior Year.  Betsy encourages children to use her poetry as a jumping off place for their own creativity.  Their poems are always delightful and insightful!

Where to Buy this Book