Randy Seldomridge RE 5130 October 30, 2002 Personal Poetry Read the following poem from the book Love that Dog (pages 68-72)by Sharon Creech. MY SKY We were outside And I saw Sky in the street going after the ball me and some other kids wag-wag-wagging kicking the ball his tail before dinner and I called him and Sky was “Sky! Sky!” chasing chasing chasing and he turned his with his feet going head every which way but it was too late and his tail because the wag-wag-wagging blue car blue car and his mouth splattered with mud slob-slob-slobbering hit Sky and he was thud thud thud all over the place and kept on going smiling and wagging in such a hurry and slobbering so fast and making so many miles to go us laugh it couldn’t even stop and my dad and came walking up the street Sky he was way down there was just there near the end in the road I could see him lying on his side after he got off the bus with his legs bent funny and he was walk-walk-walking and his side heaving and I saw him wave and he looked up at me and he called out and I said “Hey there, son!” “Sky! Sky! Sky!” and so I didn’t see and then my dad the car was there coming from the other way and he lifted Sky until someone else – out of the road one of the big kids – and laid him on the grass called out and “Car!” Sky and I turned around closed his eyes and saw a and blue care blue car he splattered with mud never speeding down the road opened them again ever. Randy Seldomridge RE 5130 October 30, 2002

This is a poem written by the main character in the story. In the beginning, he hates to write poetry, but changes his mind as the story progresses.

Notice how the boy writes his poem in shorter lines, his poem does not rhyme, and it is all one sentence. The poem is about an event that happened in the boy’s life that has made him sad. The boy adds emphasis to his poem on the speeding blue car, splattered in mud that is forever etched in his memory.

Think of an event (either happy or sad) that has occurred in your life. Write a poem about this event like the character’s poem called My Sky.

Plan to share your poem with the rest of the class. You will not be noted as the author if you choose.

Rubric

Your poem is neat, legible, and not rushed.

Your poem stays on one topic, and is about an event from your life.

You have made the reader feel as if they were there with you when the event occurred.