Poetry Performance: Vacant Houses - A Poetry Break

INTRODUCTION
This poem lets the imagination flow as shoes are seen as house for toes. Prepare for sharing this poem by bring in a few pairs of shoes that you own or found at a flea market or have the children bring a shoe (anyone’s shoes) from home. Also, bring other books to share like Nikki Grimes’ Shoe Magic.



POEM

Vacant Houses
By Stefi Weisburd

High hells
.........cliff-side beauty on stilts
.........toes might be cramped in the tiny basement

Flip-flops
.........great lakefront property
.........a drummer lives downstairs
.........so be prepared for swacking sounds

Sister’s pumps
.........pretty décor, new glossy finish
.........might not want to risk the high rental charges

Soccer cleats
.........very cozy
.........hit, humid, and stuffy three times a week
.........foundation a bit rickety

Sandals
.........good view of the stairs
.........not for the shy – no window shades
.........residents may get a tan lines

Boots
.........sturdy brown brownstone
.........but lack of skylights make it dark and gloomy

Dog-stolen old sneaker
.........fixer-upper
.........extensive saliva damage

Slippers
.........soft, luxurious carpeting
.........flimsy doors, not recommended for
.........cartwheelers or trampoline jumpers

Dad's shoes
.........lots of room to roam
.........in fact, too much square footage
.........but the floors are worm smooth as marble
.........feels like home

EXTENSION
Invite children to bring a shoe from home (dad’s shoes, mom’s or a brother or sisters’) or simply use their show, and have them come up with a description of what type of house they would be for the toes that would live in them. Have them create their own little poem for the description and include a nice picture of the shoe.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
This poem is from:

Weisburd, Stefi. 2008. Barefoot: Poems for Naked Feet. Illus. by Lori McElrath-Eslick. Honesdale, Penn: Wordsong. ISBN: 9781590783061.