Stop Being Funny

When I've read children's writing in the past -- and this has been evident once again in my field experience this semester -- it is clear that many (if not most) children make humor their primary goal in writing. I'm sure studies have been done on this, but I'm curious as to why this is the case: is it that children find life as it is to be generally amusing? Is it a stress release? Is it to gain social currency? Is it an act of mimicry? Of cynicism? It's probably all these things and more. I wonder, though, if it doesn't often get in the way of expressing other thoughts. How can we -- at least on occasion -- help students to shelf the jokiness and access other emotions?

I appreciated Ms. Allen's cursory take on this in the Poetry chapter, particularly in the six room technique. I'm not entirely sure the exercise necessarily diverts students from the "silly" as she suggests, but it could if handled correctly. Ultimately, I hope students have an understanding that there are many voices to use and each can be appropriate for different contexts and poetry is a natural method of teaching these voices. Garrison Keillor writes:

"What makes a poem memorable is its narrative line. A story is easier to remember than a puzzle."

Poetry does not need to be (nor should it be) cryptic or inaccessible. For young students, poetic writing doesn't need to be separated from story writing -- it's only a shift in rhythm and structure. An emphasis on story combined with a paucity of language can be a key for entry to stories that might not be funny, but are important for a student to communicate. While children will often gravitate to silly if given free rein or exposed only to "silly" poems as is sometimes the case (the only poems I remember my teachers reading were the funny Shel Silverstein ones -- not the reflective and sometimes dark portion of his work), providing children a wider poetic spectrum to consider can help them understand the far-reaching resonances of poetic voice. And teaching certain structures, like six room or using repeated phrases for emphasis, or imitating the voice of another poet can help them bridge the gap.

Here's a favorite of mine that I would use when teaching the "non-funny" voice:

Slowly (James Reeves)

Slowly the tide creeps up the sand,

Slowly the shadows cross the land.

Slowly the cart horse pulls his mile,

Slowly the old man mounts his stile.

Slowly the hand moves round the clock,

Slowly the dew dries on the dock.

Slow is the snail - but slowest of all

The green moss spreads on the old brick wall.