Children's poems in English.
Last fall, my children and I decided to organize a small poetry marathon - every day during the holidays we taught 1 verse a day. And not just children’s rhymes, but rather serious ones.
I talked about this on my Instagram account @lingvakids and posted a video of the result and the text of the poem there.
And since I continue to receive letters with questions on this topic, I decided to write a short blog article about it.
Collections of poems that I used:
1) Julia Donaldson's book “Wriggle and Roar” is simply gorgeous - and these are the easiest poems I chose. Colorful illustrations for each verse by Nick Sharratt, an excellent selection of poems that are suitable for younger children. We learned one verse from this book at a party and even our friend’s daughters joined us, although they are at a beginner level
Examples of pages:
2) C collection of poems compiled by Julia Donaldson, Poems to Perform
There are many wonderful authors here, including her. But this is more serious than a poem, the meaning is deeper and the text is more complex. There are few illustrations and they are black and white. Most of the poems that we learned were from this collection.
Example page:
3) Poems by Robert Louis Stevenson:
A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson
They are easy to find on the Internet, for example, on the Lit2go website they have voice acting, or just in a search, if you select with pictures, you will find direct scans of pages from books. The poems are also quite long and complex, but if you search, you can find short and simple ones, for example, about a swing:
4) And one more of my favorites - Shel Silverstein.
We have his collection of poems: “, again, if you type this into Google, then scans of the pages will also appear directly in the results (just select the “pictures” tab)
His humor is often dark - but I like it myself and the children almost always understand (at the same time they develop a sense of humor :))
For example:
Why these particular verses?
Once again I will say that these are not exactly nursery rhymes. This is already serious, high-quality literature. I chose them because the children somehow rebelled, that they didn’t want to learn kindergarten poems (there was some kind of crisis period), that they were bored. Then I said that it was too early for them to learn real serious poetry, that it would be difficult for them. For my children, such an answer was like a red rag to a bull, and of course they began to argue that it would not be difficult for them. I offered to try - they agreed. I won’t say that it was very easy, especially at first. If your children are still small or you have recently started learning English, choose poems, songs, rhymes, nursery rhymes, simple Nursery Rhymes - they are ideal.
What can help
- Joint selection of poems— we leafed through the collections together or I showed several to choose from and they decided what we would teach. As a rule, the shortest one was chosen))
If there is a board, write on it and place it next to the dining table - since it can be repeated at least 3 times a day. If you don’t have a board, just print it out on a sheet of paper and attach it to the wall in the kitchen.
Here is one of our poems on the board, although only one half of the verse fit.
- Drawings and visual aids— for some poems I found pictures online, for some we all drew together ourselves if we had free time. When children draw illustrations themselves, they remember the words very well.
Our illustration for Julia Donaldson's poem Handy Work
Why learn poetry at all?
The idea, to be honest, is not mine, I came across an article from Western colleagues about a morning ritual - teaching a verse every morning (we were talking about homeschooled children) - it seems like the morning has just begun, but something useful has already been done. This is why I liked this idea for the holidays - while everyone is ready in the morning and has not yet run away like cockroaches to their own affairs and games, it is easy to organize and even if you do nothing else, there is already something to praise yourself for at the end of the day :)
During my practice of studying foreign languages and teaching them, I noticed that learning by heart greatly helps in mastering the language. Memory develops, vocabulary grows in context, and the structure of the language (grammar) is naturally acquired - this is what is called the sense of language.
One caveat - the process must be voluntary, otherwise there will only be a negative attitude. It’s difficult to give specific advice here - try to persuade the children, take them lightly, tell them what benefits this will bring for their development - you know better than anyone what will hook your children, so I’m sure you’ll figure out how to start the process.
And then it is very important that everything goes smoothly, with laughter and always without pressure. Don't focus on the result, enjoy the process, here and now. If you see that a verse doesn’t work at all, say that you don’t like it, that it’s some kind of harmful verse and doesn’t want to be remembered. This will prevent them from feeling dissatisfied with themselves due to failure. Remember - success inspires.
If you are interested in watching our videos, look on my Instagram - I posted 8 videos there. @lingvakids
If you still have kids, then don’t worry - how old are you! In the meantime, check out this set of illustrated cards featuring traditional nursery rhymes.
English for children, regardless of age, has long become a significant part of preschool education and a necessary subject for schoolchildren. Now almost all parents are thinking about this... Songs, riddles, poems, short videos, audio tales surround the modern child from the earliest years. Poems and songs in English for children in the era of rapid development of modern technology may seem old-fashioned and unnecessary. But this is only at first glance. Poems and songs develop a child’s memory, imagination, hearing, expand vocabulary, and the elements of songs in English for children they also help to understand certain grammatical structures, introduce them to the culture, habits, and traditions of the English and their families, which always adds flavor, originality and originality to the process of learning English.
Assignment for parents: learn these poems and songs in English with your children and make illustrations for them together.
1.Johny, Johny!
-Johny, Johny!
- Yes, Papa.
— Eating sugar?
- No, Papa.
— Telling lies?
- No, Papa.
- Open your mouth!
- Ha! Ha! Ha!
Translation into Russian “Johny, Johny!”
- Joni, Joni!
- Yes, dad!
- Do you eat sugar?
- No, dad.
-Are you telling lies?
- No, dad.
- Open your mouth!
- Ha-ha-ha!
2. Three wise men of Gotham
Three wise men of Gotham,
They went to sea in a bowl,
And if the bowl had been stronger
My song has been longer.
Translation into Russian “Three Wise Men”.
Three wise men in one basin
We set off across the sea in a thunderstorm.
Be stronger than the old basin,
My story would have been longer.
Translation by S. Marshak
Words " Three wise men of Gotham" with the translation
wise wise
men men
Gotham [ʹgəutəm] Gotham (name of a fictional city)
a man of Gotham, a wise man of Gotham - simpleton, fool
went to sea - set off on a journey by sea
a bowl
strong
a song
long long
3. Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?
Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?
I’ve been to London to look at the queen.
Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you do there?
I frightened a little mouse under the chair.
Translation into Russian “Visiting the Queen.”
-Where were you today, pussy?
- The Queen of England.
- What did you see at court?
- I saw a mouse on the carpet!
Translation by S. Marshak
Words " Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?" with the translation
pussy [‘pusɪ] pussy, kitty
Where have you been? - Where have you been?
I've been to London. — I visited London.
queen queen queen (female monarch)
frighten [‘fraɪt(ə)n] to frighten
a little mouse under the chair - little mouse under the chair
4. Solomon Grundy
Solomon Grundy,
Born on a Monday
Christened on Tuesday,
Married on Wednesday,
Took ill on Thursday,
Grew worse on Friday,
Died on Saturday
Buried on Sunday.
This is the end
Of Solomon Grundy
By James Orchard Halliwell in 1842.
Translation into Russian of “Solomon Grundy”.
Monday is a hard day,
Monya was born
And on Tuesday, unfortunately, he
He was baptized in the church.
On Wednesday Monya took his bride
And he led him to the crown.
Their happiness did not last long,
Because by Thursday
Our Monya fell ill with a strong fever,
I was delirious.
It didn't get any easier by Friday...
Having curbed his ardor, Monya uttered two words
And completely... cooled down.
Monya died
And on Saturday I was already lying in a coffin,
Leaving all his relatives unhappy.
On Sunday morning Monyu
They carried him on his last journey, -
Life has flown by for a week,
And not a day can be returned.
Translation by L. Zhemchur
Words " Solomon Grundy" with the translation
born born
christen [‘krɪs(ə)n] to baptize, to perform the rite of baptism
marry [‘mærɪ] to marry (to sb.) ; marry (someone)
to be taken ill - to get sick
to grow worse - to worsen, to become worse
die to die
bury [‘berɪ] to bury
this is the end - this is the end
Monday [‘mʌndeɪˌ ‘mʌndɪ] Mon Monday
Tuesday [‘t(j)uːzdɪ ], [‘ʧuː-]Tues., Tue. Tuesday
Wednesday [‘wenzdeɪ] Wednesday
Thursday [‘θɜːzdeɪ] Thursday
Friday [‘fraɪdeɪ], [-dɪ] F, Fri. Friday
Saturday [‘sætədeɪ]Saturday
Sunday [‘sʌndeɪ], [-dɪ] Sunday
5. Humpty-Dumpty
"Humpty-Dumpty" contains a veiled description of a broken egg. It has been a great favorite among children for several hundred years.
Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall;
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn't put Humpty together again.
Translation into Russian of “Humpty Dumpty”.
Humpty Dumpty was sitting on the wall.
Humpty Dumpty fell in his sleep.
All the royal cavalry
All the king's men
Can not
Humpty,
Can not
Chatting,
Humpty Dumpty,
Dumpty-Humpty,
Collect Humpty Dumpty.
Translation by S. Marshak
Words "Humpty-Dumpty" with the translation
sat - sat
on a wall - on the wall
to have a fall - to fall
All the king’s horses - all the royal horses
put together - collect
6. Two Legs Sat Upon Three Legs
Two Legs Sat Upon Three Legs is a popular riddle, which dates back at least as far as 1600.
Two legs sat upon three legs
With one leg in his lap;
In comes four legs
And runs away with one leg;
Up jumps two legs,
Catches up three legs,
Throws it after four legs,
And makes him bring back one leg.
“Two legs” refers to a man, “three legs” to a stool, “four legs” to a dog, and “one leg” to a joint of meat.
7. The Crooked Man
There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile,
He found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile;
He bought a crooked cat which caught a crooked mouse,
And they all lived together in a little crooked house.
Translation into Russian “There was a crooked man”
Once upon a time there lived a crooked man on a bridge.
He once walked a crooked mile.
And suddenly on the way between the pavement stones
I found a tarnished fifty-kopeck note that was crooked.
He bought a crooked cat for fifty dollars,
And the cat found him a crooked mouse.
And so the three of them lived little by little,
Until their crooked house collapsed.
Translation by S. Marshak
There lived a man
twisted legs,
And he walked for a whole century
Along a crooked path.
And beyond the crooked river
In a crooked house
Lived in summer and winter
Crooked mice.
And they stood at the gate
Twisted Christmas trees,
We walked there without worries
Crooked wolves.
And they had one
crooked cat,
And she meowed
Sitting by the window.
Translation by K. Chukovsky
Korney Chukovsky’s poem “Once upon a time there lived a man with crooked legs” is a free translation of the English poem “There was a crooked man...”, which tells the story of the Scottish general Sir Alexander Leslie, thanks to whom Scotland gained political and religious freedom. Under Crooked stile (stile 1) a) steps for crossing the fence (fence, wall); stile b) A-shaped crossing 2) turnstile) meant the border between Scotland and England. And living together in one house And they all lived together in a little crooked house is a reconciliation of old enemies - England and Scotland.
“There was a Crooked Man” originates from the English Stuart history of King Charles I. The “crooked man” is said to allude to Scottish General Sir Alexander Leslie, who signed a treaty that secured Scotland’s freedom. “The crooked stile” represents the border wedged between England and Scotland. The English and Scots agreement is represented within the line “They all lived together in a crooked little house.” The rhyme refers to the uneasy peace between the two countries.
8. A sailor went to sea
A Sailor went to sea sea sea
To see what he could see see see
To see what he could see see see,
But all that he could see see see
Another sailor went to sea sea sea
To see what she could see see see,
But all that she could see see see
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea.
The sailors went to sea sea sea
To see what they could see see see,
But all that they could see see see
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea
Words " A Sailor went to sea" with the translation.
sailor [‘seɪlə] sailor, sailor
sea sea
see see
deep deep
blue blue
9.Doctor Foster
Doctor Foster went to Gloucester
In a shower of rain;
He stepped in a puddle,
Right up to his middle,
And never went there again.
DOCTOR FOSTER
Doctor Foster
Went to Gloucester.
It rained all day long.
He fell into a puddle,
Got even worse wet
And he never went there again.
Translation by S. Marshak
10. Robin the Bobbin
Robin the Bobbin, the big-bellied Ben,
He ate more meat than fourscore men;
He's a cow, he's a calf,
He ate a butcher and a half,
He ate a church, he ate a steeple,
He ate a priest and all the people!
A cow and a calf,
An ox and a half,
A church and a steeple,
And all good people,
And yet he complained that his stomach wasn’t full.
ROBIN-BOBBIN
Robbin-Bobbin
Somehow
Refreshed
On an empty stomach:
Ate a calf
Early in the morning
Two sheep
And a ram
Ate a cow
Entirely
And the counter
With the butcher
A hundred larks in dough
And horse and cart together,
Five churches and bell towers -
And I’m still dissatisfied!
Translation by S. Marshak
11. The Old Woman in a Shoe
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe,
She had so many children she didn’t know what to do;
She gave them some broth without any bread;
She whipped them all soundly and put them to bed.
TALE ABOUT THE OLD WOMAN
Once upon a time there lived an old woman with a hole in her shoe.
And she had guys like minnows in the river!
She flogged them all, cooked jelly for them
And, having fed them jelly, she ordered them to go to bed.
Translation by S. Marshak
12. Elizabeth, Elspeth, Betsy and Bess
Elizabeth, Elspeth, Betsy and Bess,
They all went together to seek a bird’s nest;
They found a bird's nest with five eggs in,
They all took one, and left four in.
Elizabeth, Lizzie, Betsy and Bass
In spring with a basket
We went to the forest.
In a nest on a birch tree,
Where there were no birds
They found five pinkish eggs.
All four of them
Got it in the testicles
And yet four
Left in place.
SOLUTION
At least different
Names are named here
(Elizabeth, Lizzie, Betsy and Bass),
But that's what it was called
The girl is alone.
She went
With a basket into the forest.
Translation by S. Marshak
13. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Like a diamond in the sky.
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Then the traveler in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you didn't twinkle so.
In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.
As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveler in the dark.
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
How I wonder what you are.
How I wonder what you are.
Translation into Russian: “Twinkle, twinkle, little star.”
You blink, night star!
Where are you, who are you - I don’t know.
You're high above me
Like a diamond in the darkness of the night.
As soon as the sun goes down,
Darkness will fall on the earth,
You will appear beaming.
So blink, night star!
The one who spends the night on the road.
I know I can't take my eyes off you:
He would get lost and disappear
If your light didn't shine.
In the dark sky you don't sleep,
You look out the window towards me,
You can’t close your wide-eyed eyes,
Apparently you are waiting for the sun.
These clear rays
They shine for the traveler in the night.
Who are you, where are you - I don’t know
But blink, night star!
Lyrics from the song “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” with translation
twinkle [‘twiŋkl] to glitter, sparkle, twinkle, blink
little [‘litl] small
star star
how
I I
wonder [‘wʌndə] to be interested
what what
you you
up [ʌp] from above
above [ə’bʌv] above, above
world world
so so
high high
like how
diamond [‘daiəmənd] diamond
sky sky
14. Mother may I go and bathe?
Mother may I go and bathe?
Yes, my darling daughter,
Hung your clothes on yonder tree,
But don't go near the water.
Warning
- Mom... can I go for a swim?
- Yes, daughter, run...
Hang your clothes on the bush,
But don’t go into the pond, no, no...
Translation by L. Zhemchur
15. If you are a gentleman
If you are a gentleman,
As I suppose you to be,
You'll neither laugh nor smile
At the tickling your knee.
If you are a true gentleman,
Of which we have no doubt,
Then you won't giggle,
If they tickle you.
Translation by V. Lunin
Poems and songs in English for children are a great way for adults to learn and improve English. Choose a short song and listen to it 5-6 times in a row, preferably 8). And in a minute you will be humming it at ease, reinforcing new phrases, and the day will become happier and more enjoyable.
As you know, foreign languages are easiest to learn in childhood. The poems we have collected in English for children will be a good helper in this process.
And don’t worry if you yourself are not familiar with foreign words. You can read these poems with your baby without any problems.
Each poem in English is written with translation. However, the translation is not exact, as they say word for word, but approximate. This is done to ensure that the rhyme is maintained.
In parentheses it is written in Russian letters how to pronounce certain words correctly. Thanks to this, any adult, even if he himself does not know a foreign language, will be able to pronounce all the words more or less correctly without any problems.
By the way, my six-year-old nephew is delighted with learning English on the computer. You can also try working with children, this is a very good investment in the child’s future. Now without this it’s difficult to get a good life in life) To register for the classes I’m talking about, follow this link.
You will find the poems just below on this page. We also recommend looking at this topic:
Methodologists highlight the use of poetic text as one of the effective methods of teaching a foreign language. Working on poems and rhymes allows you to solve a number of practical problems: practice pronunciation, learn and consolidate vocabulary, develop expressive reading skills, develop grammatical skills, as well as basic speaking/listening skills. Poems in English significantly enliven the course of the lesson, increase the activity of students, contribute to the development of their linguistic and creative abilities, and relieve fatigue and tension.
For the little ones
Rhymes in English for kids are a great way to instill a love of language from early childhood. While learning English poems and rhymes, the child will unconsciously memorize foreign words and grammatical structures. Tell poems, agreements and nursery rhymes while dressing your child, during games, while swimming, on a walk, on the way to kindergarten, etc.
Hi Mary!
How are you?
Fine, thanks.
What about you?
One, two, three, four, five,
Once I caught a fish alive,
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
Then I let it go again.
Fly, little bird, fly!
Fly into the blue sky!
One, two, three,
You are free!
Rain on the green grass,
Rain on the tree,
Rain on the house-top,
But not on me.
My cat is black,
My cat is fat
I like my cat
It is my pat.
Rain, Rain
Rain, rain,
Go to Spain
Fair weather
Come again.
The bear is white.
The bird is blue.
The dog is black.
The puppy is, too.
The cow says, "Moo, moo,
I have some milk for you."
Two big apples
Under a tree.
One is for you
And one's for me.
Little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are.
Good - bye
Good - bye,
Good - bye,
Good - bye
My doll.
Good - bye,
Good - bye,
Good - bye
You all.
Good night
Good night mother,
Good night father,
Kiss your little son.
Good night sister,
Good night brother,
Good night everyone.
Also, for children who are just beginning to get acquainted with a foreign language, for students following an individual curriculum, or simply for a fun learning English, you can offer poems based on a familiar language. Such verses contain only a few words or expressions in English. Such material is necessary in order to motivate ordinary children and educate special ones, that is, children with special needs.
Rolled up from afar
four wheel car,
There is a Siamese cat sitting in it,
Laying a blanket under the ponytail.
Doll Katrin got sick -
Dissolved aspirin.
The doctor ordered that every day
They gave her tea with honey.
The house is quiet and dark,
Moon looks out my window.
Mother, turn off the moon,
I won't sleep in the light.
Ten hares boarded the tram
There are enough free places for everyone.
The controller entered the carriage:
“Whoever doesn’t have a ticket, get out!”...
Thank you
I ate breakfast with gusto:
Yogurt, bun and biscuits.
Remove the foam from the milk with a spoon
And he said: “Thank you! Thank you!”
Goodbye
Be polite and don't forget
When saying goodbye say: "Good-bye!"
Please
Don't be lazy about being polite.
Every day at least once up to a hundred,
If you ask, the word “please”
Please speak.
Crocodile
There lived a crocodile.
He was kind and very sweet.
In the morning I lay alone
On green grass - green.
He was cheerful in the morning:
Green is the grass and green is he himself.
Dress
In English, dress - dress
Pink - pink.
In it, I decided, I think,
Best of all princesses.
Watch
They have neither arms nor legs.
At the wall clock, clock.
But when the clock starts,
They walk, walk, walk...
The cat is not to blame for anything.
He was always white.
But he climbed into the pipe on the roof,
Black, black, came out of there.
There is a football game in the yard.
We are chasing a ball, ball.
I made a pass on the corner
And the glass broke, glass.
Cat and fish
Fry, cat, lives in a pond,
fish, fish, - on land.
I won't say that yet
Don't listen to me.
Hedgehog
The ball is prickly, not simple
I see thick grass.
My legs are curled up
Small hedgehog
Grasshopper
Met in the tall grass
I am a grasshopper, grasshopper.
He played the violin
Little snail.
Ant
Call the ant for dinner
The anteater wanted it.
Didn't go to that lunch
Smart ant, ant.
Poems in class
When learning a foreign language, even a small poem can be of great service: poetic texts contribute to faster acquisition of vocabulary and grammar. Poems in the lesson serve as phonetic warm-ups; they are pronounced and memorized during physical education. They allow you to improve pronunciation, entertain, are easy to remember, learn by heart, and fuel children’s interest in learning the language.
And keep the rule:
Always come in time to school
Keep track of time
And make it a rule:
Always be on time for school.
Let's go on a trip!
Let's pack our bag!
Take your trainers,
Take your shoes.
Take your skirt and take your shirt.
Take your dress! Off we go!
Oh, what a mess!
Let's go for a walk!
Let's pack our bag!
Take your sneakers
Take your shoes.
Take your skirt and take your shirt.
Take your dress! We're already leaving!
Oh, what a mess!
One, two, three, four, five,
Once I caught a fish alive,
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
Then I let it go again.
Why did you let it go?
Because it bit my finger so.
Which finger did it bite?
The little finger on the right.
She sells sea shells at the sea shore.
The shells she sells are surely sea shells.
So if she sells shells on the seashor,
I’m sure she sells seashor shells.
Monday for health
Tuesday for wealth
Wednesday the best day for everyone
Thursday for crosses
Friday for losses
Saturday not luck at all
See a pin and pick it up
All that day you will have luck
See a pin and let it lay
You'll have bad luck all that day
Open the window.
Touch the table.
Touch the floor.
Open your books.
Open the window.
Touch the table.
Touch the floor.
Open your books.
Head and Shoulders,
Head and Shoulders,
Eyes, ears, mouth and nose.
Rhymes+drawings
So that the teacher can control the students' understanding of English speech by ear, the degree of proficiency in their lexical and grammatical material, and rhymes are supplemented with drawings. For example, the teacher or one of the students reads a rhyme, while the rest draw its content. Here are examples of such poems:
Draw the sun, a car, a house,
Draw a sea, a boat, a mouse,
Draw a tree, a girl, a boy.
In their hands they've got a toy.
A circle, dots, a mouth, a nose,
Two big ears, a neck, a rose.
Arms, two legs, a body, feet,
What's his name?
His name is Pete.
Draw a table, chairs, lamps,
On the table draw some stamps.
Draw two pictures on the wall,
A vase with flowers and a ball.
Draw a stool and a TV set,
A carpet, an armchair and a bed.
The pen is white,
The pencil is blue,
The pencil case is green and new.
The bag is black,
The ruler is yellow,
The chalk is white,
Our best school fellow.
The blackboard is brown,
And the sharpener is grey,
The lamp is orange,
So bright like a day.
Felt-tip pens are purple and red,
They belong to boy called Ted.
What is on the table, Kate?
Some salt, a glass, a fork, a plate.
And what can you see there, Jack?
Spoons, a cup, and a toast rack.
I see knives, a coffee pot,
Napkins, saucers and a teapot.
Working with poetry in class
However, poetry can be used in the classroom not only as a fun method of language learning. Taking a short poem as a basis, you can do serious work, touching not only phonetics, but also such aspects of the language as vocabulary and grammar.
Often, working with poetry is limited to only the most common techniques: familiarization with new vocabulary, reading the poem by the teacher/students, memorizing.
In the meantime, there are exercises that could enliven work with poetic text and allow students to develop and deepen their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, as well as activate their thinking and creative skills in the English lesson.
We present to you several such examples with translation into Russian and with variants of tasks for them.
- Change the Present Simple forms to the Past Simple ones;
- Change the underlined words to the synonyms from the list.
Are ringing loud and gay.
To hills and forests they are bringing
Sweet melody today.
The bells of spring are ringing,
Are ringing far and wide.
Nice days they are bringing
To people and the countryside. (clamorous, jolly, pleasant, afar, everywhere, beautiful, village)
The bells of spring are ringing
They call loudly and cheerfully.
To the hills and forests they bring
Today a sweet melody.
The bells of spring are ringing
They are calling everywhere.
Good days they bring
To the people and the countryside.
The given verses are designed to work with students in grades 5–6. For older students, more serious poetry may be used, with exercises involving analysis and discussion of the poem.
The reasons for learning poetry in English are the same as for using songs: any authentic material allows you to hear what “real English” sounds like, not adapted for foreigners.
Why learn poems in English
Memory and pronunciation training are not all the benefits of English poetry as an element of learning. Working with poetry provides many opportunities to personalize classes: you can write an essay based on a poem you like, discuss poems in English with friends or classmates, practice artistic writing, and get to know the culture of English-speaking countries better. Poems will help break up boring classes and add a touch of aesthetics to the learning process.
How to learn poems
- Choose a poem. The first thing you should focus on is your level of language proficiency. If you are just at the beginning of learning English, long classical poems will not be suitable for you, as they contain many outdated words and complex speech patterns. Therefore, choose short poems with short lines. However, it is important to maintain a balance here, because very simple nursery rhymes will not be interesting to learn and read. Stick to poems that you can get the gist of or that have a Russian translation.
- Write or print the chosen poem on a piece of paper and cut it line by line to make a kind of puzzle. Mix all the lines and try to put them in the correct sequence. This will help you learn the poem and remember new vocabulary at the same time.
- Read English poems out loud to develop correct pronunciation and learn to speak without unnecessary pauses.
- Record on a voice recorder how you read the poem with expression. Listen to your own voice, try to find errors in pronunciation and correct them. Repeat this until you can read the poem perfectly.
- Write your own poem. Choose a simple topic and try to create at least a couple of rhyming quatrains. Don’t chase deep meaning, your task is to learn how to choose a rhyme for English words. To make it more interesting, write a humorous epigram to your friend.
- Choose a poem with dialogue and perform it in a short performance with friends or family. Let everyone learn a small role and try to act it out like in the theater. Excerpts from Shakespeare's classic plays are suitable for this purpose.
Free lesson on the topic:
Irregular English verbs: table, rules and examples
Discuss this topic with a personal teacher in a free online lesson at Skyeng school
Leave your contact details and we will contact you to sign up for a lesson
5 short poems for children
5 short poems for beginners
| A Farewell |
|---|
| My fairest child, I have no song to give you; No lark could pipe to skies so dull and gray; Yet, here we part, one lesson I can leave you For every day. Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever; Do noble things, not dream them all day long: And so make life, death, and that vast forever One grand, sweet song. Charles Kingsley |
| Parting |
| My wonderful child, I have no song to give you; There is no joke to dispel the dullness and boredom of the sky; But before we part, there's one lesson I can leave with you. On every day. Be kind, dear, and let the other one be smart; Do noble deeds, don't dream about them: And thus make life, death, and everything after, One big, beautiful song. Charles Kingsley |
5 short poems for intermediate level
5 difficult poems
| Damœtas |
|---|
| In law an infant, and in years a boy, In mind a slave to every vicious joy; From every sense of shame and virtue wean’d, In lies an adept, in deceit a fiend; Vers’d in hypocrisy, while yet a child; Fickle as wind, of inclinations wild; Woman his dupe, his heedless friend a tool; Old in the world, though scarcely broke from school; Damœtas ran through all the maze of sin, And found the goal, when others just begin: Ev’n still conflicting passions shake his soul, And bid him drain the dregs of Pleasure’s bowl; But, pall’d with vice, he breaks his former chain, And what was once his bliss appears his bane. Lord Byron |
| Damet |
| Disenfranchised, like a child, and a boy in years, Soul devoted to murderous passions, Not knowing shame, not believing in virtue, A demon of deceit and a sympathetic witness of lies, A skilled hypocrite from the earliest days, Changeable like a whirlwind in the wildness of the fields, Deceiver of modest maidens, unwary friends, From school years, an expert in false light conditions, - Damet experienced the path of vice to the end And before the rest he reached his crown. But passions, still tormenting the heart, imperiously They tell him to partake of the scum of the passionate cup; Permeated with lust, he breaks chain after chain And in the cup of the former bliss he drinks his destruction. Lord Byron |
| The heart of a song |
|---|
| Dear love, let this my song fly to you: Perchance forget it came from me. It shall not vex you, shall not woo you; But in your breast lie quietly. Only beware, when once it tarries I cannot coax it from you, then. This little song my whole heart carries, And ne’er will bear it back again. For if its silent passion grieve you, My heart would then grow too heavy;- And it can never, never leave you, If the joy of yours must with it go! George Parsons Lathrop |
| Heart of the Song |
| My love! Let this song fly to you You will probably forget that she is my creation... I don’t ask for love and kind words in return, I only know: your heart will become a little warmer. My love will not remain in you forever, It will evaporate and turn into a gray haze on a rainy day... With this song I wanted to tell about the soul, I don’t expect your reciprocity at all, my dear... Tell me, please, to throw off a heavy stone from my soul, Tell me, I pray, I don’t offend you with submissive quiet passion? You are happy - and a fierce flame blazes in your heart! It will be with you both on a hot day and on a stormy day... George Parsons Lasrop |
| Nurse's Song |
|---|
| When voices of children are heard on the green, And laughing is heard on the hill, My heart is at rest within my breast, And everything else is still. ‘Then come home, my children, the sun is gone down, ‘No, no, let us play, for it is yet day, ‘Well, well, go and play till the light fades away, William Blake |
| Evensong |
| Echoes of the game fly from the mountain, The darkening meadow is heard. After a hard day I have no worries. It’s quiet in the heart and quiet around. - Children, children, go home! The day goes out behind the mountain, - No, oh no, not now! The bright day has not faded. - Okay, let's wait, but with the last ray William Blake |