An Easter for Two Voices

     Today's poetry form is the poem for two voices.  Above, you saw a video of two girls performing Paul Fleischman's poem "Water Striders."  Poems for two voices are just that....poems for two people to perform together.  When you see the poem, you see different columns.  One column is for speaker one to read, another column contains the words for speaker two to read.  The middle column has the words that both readers say together.  If you haven't read this type of poetry before, check out Joyful Noise by Paul Fleischman.  My children have also enjoyed the "You read to me" books by Mary Ann Hoberman.    

     These poems seem perfect for comparing and contrasting two different items.  They are also a clever way of showing two different perspectives.  I chose to write about a popular Easter tradition.

Easter Seek and Find

I am an egg.                                                                                  I am a child.

I am plain, fragile                                                                          I am bold, strong.

                                                    I can't wait for Easter

First, I have to bob around                                                          First, I have to clean my room,

a large pot, sweating as the bubbles                                             get a hair cut and find my 

spill over.                                                                                   striped tie.

                                                  The wait is killing me.

I get dipped, dunked and cracked.                                              I get kissed, hugged and pinched.

                                                  Everyone is so happy

                                                        to see me.

Now, they stick me under there,                                                  Here I am, stuck at the small wobbly table

behind that and out of the way.                                                    away from the chatty adults and stinky                                   

                                                                                                   aspargus.

                                                   It would be okay

                                                    if no one every 

                                                    found me.

     This is my first ever poem for two voices.  I used this clever site to learn How to write a poem for two voices.  You might want to check it out.  After considering a few topics that easily have similarities and differences, try your own poem.  Remember, the fun of this type of poetry is reading it with someone else.  Now, I must find someone to be my egg!