April 2025 - Margin Notes

Margin Notes
► Archives

IN FINE FORM: A CONTEMPORARY LOOK AT CANADIAN FORM POETRY

Spanning a range of poets and time-periods, In Fine Form: A Contemporary Look at Form Poetry includes 180+ poems organized by their form. There are the usual suspects such as ballads, acrostic poems, haikus, and sonnets. However, there are some other forms that I had never come across before. I was also introduced to Canadian poets that were unfamiliar to me.

The editors, Kate Braid and Sandy Shreve, have done a wonderful job creating a collection that, I think, is perfect for high school ELA teachers. Each chapter of the book begins with a brief introduction of the form’s origins, a description of how the form works, as well as traditional and non-traditional examples of the form by a range of poets. There are New Brunswick poets included in this anthology as well. There are two Stanzas by Bliss Carman, an Epigram by Alden Nowlen, and a Madrigal and a Sonnet by Herménégilde Chiasson.

I could see ELA teachers using this book in a variety of ways:

as mentor texts for any poetry form you are teaching
as part of an author study
to study a well-crafted essay (The introduction of the book is beautifully written)
as part of a unit on Canadian poets

There is so much richness to be found in this book that I highly recommend you add it to your poetry shelf and use it frequently in the classroom!

Literacy Reflections 0 Comment

TRY THIS TOMORROW: POETRY PAUSE

Apr

The League of Canadian Poets’ mandate is to “elevate the cultural significance of poetry and champion the role of poets. Working to nurture and expand poetry communities and audiences, the organization cultivates the local, national, and international publication, performance, and recognition of poetry…”

As part of their work to expand audiences for Canadian poetry, they have a daily email service called “Poetry Pause”. Each day, subscribers receive a poem in their inbox.

This is a fantastic way to become more familiar with current Canadian poets and also grow your pool of possible poems for use in the classroom. It also gives up-and-coming poets an audience for their work!

You can subscribe for Poetry Pause here.

Try this tomorrow!

Literacy Reflections 0 Comment

BOOK RECOMMENDATION: OUT OF WONDER BY KWAME ALEXANDER

Apr

Are you looking for a book that will inspire both you and your students to fall in love with poetry this April? Kwame Alexander’s Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets and Poetry is a vibrant, creative resource that belongs in every teacher’s library. This beautiful collection, co-written with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth and illustrated by Ekua Holmes, is not just a celebration of poetry—it’s a gateway to helping students connect with language, creativity, and the art of expression. Not to mention, it is the dream text for teaching looking to teach poetry through mentor texts!

Out of Wonder features original poems that pay homage to famous poets such as Pablo Neruda, Langston Hughes, and Mary Oliver. It’s an excellent way to introduce students to a variety of poetic voices and styles and it shows students how they can use mentor texts to help create their own unique piece of writing. The book is separated into three parts, one that emulates the use of famous poets’ styles, the next about emulating themes & feelings, the last about responding to the poets with our own work. Just check out how he introduces these things in a way you can take and instantly put in your lesson!

This book is the perfect way to show students how we can use mentor texts in many ways and is chocked full of examples that the authors demonstrate for us! It is accessible for grades 4 & up and for subjects beyond just literacy, as you could use this book to discuss the lives and works of the celebrated poets and the historical and cultural contexts they represent. Out of Wonder isn’t just a book to read—it’s a tool for teaching, creating, and celebrating the beauty of poetry. Add it to your shelf & your poetry lessons and watch your students’ love for the genre grow!

Book Recommendations 0 Comment

TRY THIS TOMORROW – HELPING STUDENTS UNLOCK POETRY

Apr

Start With This Shared Text:
Tomorrow, begin by reading the introduction How to Read a Poem from The Poetry Pharmacy (found at the end of this post). William Sieghart offers practical, empathetic advice for engaging with poetry, encouraging readers to slow down, read aloud, and revisit poems over time.

What to Do Next:

Model the Method:
Choose a poem (visit the poetry round-up for ideas). Read it aloud to the class, demonstrating Sieghart’s advice to “perform it properly.” Share what you notice about the rhythm, the sound of the words, or any emotions that arise.
Invite Students to Explore:
Give students time to read the same poem quietly to themselves. Encourage them to whisper it aloud if they feel comfortable, as Sieghart suggests. Pair them up to read it again with a partner, listening for changes in the sound or meaning when someone else reads it.
Reflect and Share:
After several readings, ask students to respond to one or more of these questions:
- What line or word stands out to you most, and why?
- How does the poem make you feel? What does it remind you of?
- What did you notice on the second or third reading that you didn’t see at first?

Share responses as a class to highlight the multiple layers and interpretations of the poem.

Plant the Seed for Repetition:
Challenge students to “live with” the poem for the week. Encourage them to reread it at home. Ask them to jot down notes about how their understanding or feelings evolve with each reading.

Student Choice:

We often listen to the same song on repeat, finding something new to love or relate to with each play. Offer students the chance to choose their own “poem on repeat.” Ask them to live with their chosen poem/lyrics for a week, revisiting it daily.

Afterward, encourage them to share:

How did your relationship with the poem/lyrics change?
Did it remind you of anything in your life, or help you see something differently?
What line or phrase stayed with you, and why?

Why This Approach Matters:
Sieghart’s approach aligns with what we know about making poetry accessible: slowing down, engaging repeatedly, and allowing personal interpretation to emerge. It creates a low-pressure environment for exploration while honoring the layered beauty of poems. Tomorrow, try it out—give your students the tools to read poetry in a way that feels meaningful, not intimidating.

How to Read a Poem

*from Poetry Pharmacy: Tried and True Prescriptions for the Heart, Mind and Soul by William Sieghart

People are always telling me that they worry about their ability to read a poem. They don’t really know how to. It’s almost as though when they’re faced with a poem they’re instantly intimidated, even though of course they can read and write like the best of us.

When I’m asked for tips, I always give the same advice. Don’t read the poem like you would a newspaper or a novel. Read it almost like a prayer. Say it aloud in your head as if you’re speaking it to somebody else – somebody interested, who makes you want to perform it properly. Or, of course, read it truly out loud if you want to, and if you’re not on the bus. Either way, it’s the reading aloud that will allow you to properly hear it; that will make you understand the rhythms, cadences and musicality of the words and phrases.

When people tell me they don’t understand poetry, I have another recommendation. I tell them to read the same poem night after night. Keep it by your bed, and read it before you switch out the lights. Read it five nights in a row, and you’ll find you discover a totally new flavour and feeling from it every time.

How you experience a poem depends on your own inner rhythms: what you’ve been through and what your mood is that day. But more than that, a really good poem is layered. It uncovers itself bit by bit by bit, never finished but always rewarding. That’s why the joy of a really concise and brilliant poem is that you get more out of it every time.

Read the poems in this book however you like. Keep them in your desk drawer for when you feel shaky, or memorize them so you always have them on hand. Read them in the bath until the pages are crinkled beyond repair. But however this book works for you, remember that no poem deserves only a single visit. Come back, try again, approach them in a new frame of mind or with a new openness. If you persevere, you may be surprised at how many new friends you make.

Literacy Reflections, Try This Tomorrow 0 Comment

THE POETRY PHARMACY: TRIED AND TRUE PRESCRIPTIONS FOR THE HEART, MIND AND SOUL

Apr

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, anxious, or just in need of the right words to make sense of your emotions, The Poetry Pharmacy by William Sieghart is a book worth picking up. It pairs poems with everyday struggles—stress, heartbreak, self-doubt—offering comfort, clarity, and a fresh perspective.

Each entry starts with a short description of the emotional challenge at hand, followed by a poem that speaks to it. Sieghart’s commentary explains why the poem resonates and how its words can provide support, making this book feel like a trusted friend offering advice at just the right moment.

Designed to be read in small doses or all at once, The Poetry Pharmacy is perfect for high school students and adults alike. Sieghart believes poetry is for everyone, and this book proves just that—offering a reminder that sometimes, the right words can make all the difference.

Here are a few examples from the Instagram @thepoetrypharmacy:

Book Recommendations 0 Comment

TRY THIS TOMORROW: HOW TO MAKE POETRY COMICS

Apr

Grant Snider, creator of Poetry Comics, has crafted an inspiring resource for anyone curious about blending poetry and comics. His guide, How to Make Poetry Comics, introduces six creative exercises that invite readers to experiment with words and images and transform blank pages into expressive and visual poems.

How to Try This Tomorrow:

Teachers can use these six activities to spark creativity, encourage storytelling, and connect students to both writing and visual expression in new ways. Activities like Four Senses and Here & Now help students focus on observation and reflection, while Horizontal/Diagonal/Vertical Movement and Zooming In/Out prompt them to explore how physical movement or shifting perspectives can shape a narrative. Poem + Comic challenges students to balance the interplay of text and imagery, and Haiku offers a structured yet imaginative way to weave nature, poetry, and visuals together.

Snider emphasizes that these exercises are just a starting point, urging creators to push boundaries and consider fresh possibilities, like reimagining a comic page as a three-dimensional object or “breaking the fourth panel” to surprise and engage the audience. This makes his guide not just a tool, but an invitation to creative discovery.

These activities are an accessible way to engage with creativity, offering opportunities for storytelling, self-expression, and play. Perfect for teachers or anyone looking to explore the magic of poetry comics!

Try This Tomorrow 0 Comment

POETRY COMICS BY GRANT SNIDER

Apr

If you’ve ever wondered how to capture the fleeting magic of seasons or turn everyday moments into vibrant works of art, Grant Snider’s Poetry Comics is the book you didn’t know you needed. Through whimsical graphic panels and evocative verse, Snider invites readers to explore the world with fresh eyes—whether it’s pondering the secrets of clouds, the thrill of a new school year, or the quiet wonder of a perfect pumpkin. The book weaves together the rhythms of nature and childhood, making it a delightful read for anyone seeking to reconnect with curiosity and creativity.

What makes Poetry Comics truly unique is its seamless blend of poetry and comic art, offering a new way to approach poetry—especially for students who might find traditional forms less interesting or accessible. Each poem, paired with bright, cartoon-style illustrations, stands as a mini-narrative that encourages readers not only to enjoy but also to create. There’s a poem in each season on “How To Write a Poem”, so inspiration is always just a page away.

In an interview, Snider shared how this concept of poetry comics came to life. Inspired by childhood favorites like Sing a Song of Popcorn and the comics of Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbes, he combined his love for words and visuals into something entirely his own. Snider often found inspiration outdoors, sketching ideas on hikes or dictating poetry to his phone—a process he admits sometimes led to “garbled results”! His reflections remind us that creativity often comes from unexpected places (and maybe even a healthy dose of procrastination snacks).

Whether you’re a fan of comics, a budding poet, or just someone who delights in seeing the world differently, Poetry Comics is a joyful reminder of the beauty in the small things—and an invitation to make art of your own. Learn more about Snider’s creative process in the interview here.

Book Recommendations 0 Comment

CRAFT STUDIO: MY HOOP DREAMS

Apr

What I Was Reading

In his recent collection, Excuse Me as I Kiss the Sky (button poetry, 2023), Rudy Francisco has grouped the poems by form, introducing each section with an explanation of the form and a brief description of his experience with it.

The obit poem, made popular by Victoria Chang, “is an ode to something surprising or out of the ordinary) confidence, doubt, appetite, a house, a laptop, a phone) that has died, no longer exists, or has been damaged.” Francisco sees the obit poem as one that “challenges us to understand everything around us as living, breathing things with a beginning and an end.’

My Hoop Dreams

died unexpectedly on April 8^th, 2010 at the age of twenty-four.

survived by a pair of gray Kobe 9’s and a Wilson evolution basket-

ball. Sports kept many neighborhood kids out of trouble; my

brother decided to pass that savior down to me. I was taught the

subtle art of shooting a jump shot when I was six years old. Bend

the knees, tuck the elbow, follow through, and snap the wrist. Let

it hang in the air if you’re feeling fancy, yell Jordan on the fadeaway,

smile when the ball goes in and hits nothing but the lowest part of

the net. A ritual I still perform at least twice a week. In my spring,

I made fun of the older men who just played for the cardio and

moved like cold maple syrup. Now, I’m almost winter, and the

waffles are ready. Today I told my body to run faster. My legs acted

like they didn’t hear me.

Craft Moves I Notice the Author Making

The title “My Hoop Dreams” also serves as the first line of the poem.
The first sentence uses the traditional language of obituaries.
The poem then moves to the speaker’s relationship with basketball, beginning more generally before introducing a specific memory that is described in detail.
The speaker brings us back to the present by informing us that he still plays basketball twice a week. He contrasts his present age and his youth with the metaphor of seasons: his spring and winter.
He uses word play to expand on this contrast with “like cold syrup” and “the waffles are ready.”
The final two lines reveal that he hasn’t fully accepted this reality—he still thinks he can tell his body can move faster, but when he did, his legs ignored him.

Possibilities for Writers

Students can write their own obit poem about something or someone that is no longer in their life (my old sneakers, the house I used to live in, my Grade 2 teacher), or a time period or experience that has come to an end (elementary school, Grade 9, piano lessons).
Use this form of poetry as a memoir or an ode.
Notice and name other craft moves in the poem.
Revise a draft in your writer’s notebook by incorporating some of the craft moves you notice Francisco making.

Craft Studio 0 Comment

APRIL IS POETRY MONTH 2025

Apr

April is Poetry Month and Margin Notes will be featuring ideas for celebrating poetry this month…and all year long.

We’ve updated our Poetry Month Resource Round-Up. You can access it here. You will also find many poetry ideas in our Craft Studio and Try This Tomorrow posts and in the archives of A 30-Day Writing Habit.

For the past few years, I’ve challenged myself to write beside the same poem every day during Poetry Month. This has become a daily ritual I look forward to as I discover something new in the poem with every reading over the 30 days. This year, I’m inviting you find a poem that resonates with you and join me.

Happy Poetry Month!

Literacy Reflections, Try This Tomorrow 0 Comment