How does a Poem Pick You?

I am convinced that I need to dig into more Latin American/Spanish Poets this year for my Spanish classes.  I miss poetry in my classroom so much. 

My favorite days were when we studied for Poetry Out Loud.  Ok ok - I hated having to listen to my students whining about having to study poetry, but I was always rewarded in the final days of the program when students would recite their poetry.  

Students always found the best poems.  I remember the first time I heard this poem; I loved it.  

Sadie and Maud 

 

By Gwendolyn Brooks

Maud went to college.   

Sadie stayed at home.   

Sadie scraped life

With a fine-tooth comb.

She didn’t leave a tangle in.   

Her comb found every strand.

Sadie was one of the livingest chits   

In all the land.

Sadie bore two babies   

Under her maiden name.   

Maud and Ma and Papa   

Nearly died of shame.

When Sadie said her last so-long   

Her girls struck out from home.   

(Sadie had left as heritage

Her fine-tooth comb.)

Maud, who went to college,   

Is a thin brown mouse.

She is living all alone

In this old house.

I wondered how my student picked this poem to recite.  She never told me why she chose this poem to share with the other 8th graders in 6th period.  But, she picked it - and that added a layer to my enjoyment of the poem.