Poetry Day 2011: Keeping the Tradition Alive by Posting Extremely Late

[kaybiff]

So, again, to preface: I work in a high school library, and in that high school library National Poetry Month is an event. It is important to me that each year be bigger and better than the last, so for the last two years I have tried my darnedest to make our culminating Poetry Day extravaganza a fun and engaging time for the students and staff. For the last two years I have perhaps been a bit--how to say?--overly excited. Some of you may remember my giant, fire-breathing Shakespeare and Vanilla Ice display (  ); others may remember my giant, enraged Shakespeare and Lady Gaga display (  ). This year, my third year, I created a giant Lady Gaga (our returning champ) and Emily Dickinson display.

And I have close-ups this year!

Lady Gaga wearing a delicate metallic tissue and construction paper mask


"BORN THIS WAY" detail cut on heel


Emily Dickinson with motherlovin' pin-tucked paper tuxedo bib and paper lace


close up of her desire to WIN

Just look at that intensity!

In addition to the paper display I made a "meat dress" ¹, a steak sauce head piece, a white wrap dress, and a skeleton plush named Yorick. It was a lot of work, but it was all worth it. Everyone had a blast, and the kids surprised us all by voting Emily Dickinson as the new Poetry Day champion. If any of you are interested, here is a dramatic reading from Poetry Day!

BONUS: ACTION SHOT

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You can see a blown up version of my original sketch in the background.

1. It was a shift dress made of felt in the shape of one extremely large steak.

[mingus107]

I love educators who find ways to keep kids engaged! Well done!

[sarabunny]

Holy cow, I wish you worked in the Library Media Center at the high school where I work! The little old ladies there try so hard, but one of them can't even spell Dickinson, let alone do anything this awesome. Nice work!

[kaybiff]

Thanks! I have to admit that Poetry Day is pretty much my favorite day of the year. It's a day full of the cheekiest shenanigans.

[kcartwright856]

This is an awesome thing that you do for the kids! And it looks GREAT, too! I would totally fight people to take those home!

[Tygermane]

Those are all fantastic!  Great job!  I wish we'd had something like this at our high school!  How fun!

[Phizzychick]

Fabulous idea! How inspirational the library and this competition must be for the pupils!

[hgddm]

This is soooo cool! Way to go!

[kaybiff]

Thank you, everyone, for your kind words!

Fabulous idea! How inspirational the library and this competition must be for the pupils!

So many more students stood up to read their favorite or original poems this year, which was really just a beautiful display of expression. I am so pleased to have been a witness to it. I am also pleased that it seems that Poetry Day is picking up more momentum. We library folk as the hosts hardly had to read any poems as icebreakers or filler. Such was the spirit of the audience!

[javarose]

This is brilliant.  Utterly brilliant.