Heading to the Zoo this summer with your kids? Read this little poem about a Giraffe first!
The short poem The Giraffe, by Ron Padgett, is about, you guessed it, a giraffe. Your kids will love it and the 5 minutes you spend *reading it will be a forever memory of fun learning.
Poetry is often called the most concentrated form of literature because every syllable and every letter is carefully designed by the poet to create one exquisite effect. In The Giraffe, renowned American poet Padgett presents brilliantly humorous wordplay that brings his readers to the very essence of the giraffe. See and hear for yourself:
The Giraffe by Ron Padgett
The 2 f’s
in giraffe
are like
2 giraffes
running through
the word giraffe
The 2 f’s
run through giraffe
like 2 giraffes
Read the poem aloud with your children. Read it several times.
By the 2nd or 3rd time, you’ll be smiling and laughing at the childlike fascination of those 2 f’s in giraffe and the poet’s effect will be as clear as a sunny day on the savanna.
You and your kids will see the word giraffe exactly as the poet sees it and marvel at the discovery. And to think that 2 letter f’s could bring so much fun to your day.
Remember, it’s all about the WORDS. The fun. The sharing. The “Oh, I get it!” feeling of language and words and syllables and, in this case, 2 letters that just happen to run through giraffe.
Your trip to see the giraffes at the zoo will never be the same!
Kids love this poem. Have fun with it at home and at the zoo!
*Sharon Couto graduated from Rhode Island College with a degree in Education/English and holds a Master’s Degree in K-12 Reading/Education from Boston University. Sharon taught high school English & Reading for 30 years. She has 4 adult children, 4 in-law children and 12 cherished grandchildren. Promoting Literacy is Sharon’s mission.
