Yes, It Was My Grandmother - A Poetry Break

INTRODUCTION
March is National Women's History Month! As part of the celebration of women throughout is the ages is to reflect on those who are closest to you. This is a great poem about knowing that you share characteristics as your own grandmother who did things that were not necessarily lady-like. Share this poem with some historical pictures of cowgirls and wild horses. Remember to bring a picture of your grandmas too!


POEM

Yes, It Was My Grandmother
by Luci Tapahonso

Yes, it was my grandmother
who trained wild horses for pleasure and pay.
People knew of her, saying:
.....................She knows how to handle them
.....................Horses obey that woman.

She worked,
skirts flying hair tied securely in the wind and dust.
she rode those animals hard and was thrown,
time and time again.
She worked until they were meek
and wanting to please.
.....................She came home at dusk,
.....................tired and dusty,
.....................smelling of sweat and horses.

She couldn't cook,
my father said smiling,
your grandmother hated to cook.

.....................Oh Grandmother,
.....................who freed me from cooking,
.....................Grandmother, you must have made sure
.....................I met a man who wouldn't share the kitchen.

.....................I am small like you and
.....................do not protect my careless hair
.....................from wind or rain - it tangles often,
.....................Grandma, and it is wild and untrained.

EXTENSION
Invite ahead of time children to bring a picture or two of their grandmas to share with everyone. After sharing the poem allow everyone time to share fun facts about their own grandmas and if they think they have similar characteristics. They can do this in poetic form or just in a list. Remember you can do it too!

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hollyer, Belinda, sel. 2005. She's All That!: Poems About Girls. Illus. by Susan Hellard. Boston, Mass.: Kingfisher (Houghton Mifflin Company imprint). ISBN: 0753458527.