As part of their literacy lessons, Year 4 looked at forms of poetry. They studied several different forms, including:
• Rhyming couplets
• Shape or concrete poetry
• Haiku
• Epitaphs
• Limericks
• Narrative poetry
They then tried to write poems using some of the forms we have studied. Have a look below and see what you think.
HAIKU
Haiku poems originate in Japan. The success criteria for writing haikus is:
• 3 lines long
• 5, 7, 5 syllable pattern
• Often about nature
• Does not usually rhyme
Birds are beautiful
They fly up high in the sky
Angels of the air
Red, white and orange
Gliding with grace in the wind
Red Kites are the best
EPITAPHS
Epitaphs are short poems that are written on gravestones. The success criteria for writing haikus is:
• 4 lines long
• A, B, A, B or A, B, C, B rhyme pattern
• Funny
• Use abbreviations, nicknames, etc
Here lies James –
He had a bad life
He went outside
And got cut by a knife.
Here I am
Lying in this grave
I was in a car crash
But was very brave.
LIMERICKS
Limericks originated in Limerick, Ireland. The success criteria for writing a Limerick is:
• 5 lines long
• Lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyme
• Lines 3 and 4 rhyme
• Very distinctive rhyme
• Funny
There was a young girl from Winlaton
Who waited for a bus to the station
There was a big fuss
And she missed her bus
And ended up going to Blaydon.
I saw a fat lazy cat
That sat on a precious door mat
It fell down a hole
And made friends with a mole
And that was the end of that.