A POCKETFUL OF POEMS by Nikki Grimes

Grimes, Nikki.2001. A Pockeful of Poems. Ill. by Javaka Steptoe. New York: Clarian Books. 0395938686

A Pocket Full of Poems by Nikki Grimes is a collection of children’s poetry pairing the strict structure of haiku with a complimentary free verse poem on each topic. The book follows the story of Tiana, a young girl growing up in an urban setting, from spring to the New Year. The short poems tell the reader of the adventures and the mixed media illustrations compliment the works adding an element of visual interest. 

A favorite pairing in the book is “Pigeon” with its comparison of the words Tiana carries with her pecking at her pocket like this familiar city bird.  

PIGEON
Ouch! This word pecks at my pocket

like some wild thing, anxious to go free.

PIGEON.

Its speckled sister paces along

the windowsill, staring at me.
 
The haiku pairing:
Pigeons masquerade

as wildlife. They can’t fool me.

We’re all city folk.

This work serves to introduce younger children to the endless possibilities of poetry. By offering pairings in an open free verse and then adhering to the structure of haiku, she is able to allow the reader to see both sides of the genre.  A way to introduce the piece may be with a magnetic poetry activity.  Students could arrange words into their own pieces of poetry.  They could begin with a free verse piece and progress into the more challenging haiku structure.  They could later illustrate the original pieces with mixed media materials reflective of the illustration technique used by the illustrator.  

With the inclusion of such bright and magnificent artwork, Grimes boost comprehension and interest with this format. The author gives a fun portrait of the urban experience. By comparing the words in her pocket to common things like pigeon, it allows a wide audience to find commonality with the work. She says, “This word pecks at my pocket like some wild thing anxious to go free.” This work serves as a great introduction to poetry and will allow students to explore the topics and elements in new and unusual ways.