Today I bring you the groovy grook (or gruk), the ghazal as well (for NaPoWriMo), some gorgeous green books for TTT, and tons of gleeful delight, for I had a surprise waiting for me:

I can’t quite believe it, but today I’m the featured poet for NaPoWriMo! I have pinched myself a couple of times, and gone back to check the page to make sure that it is really my name there. It’s such an unexpected honor, and I am absolutely delighted. The NaPoWriMo community is full of poets whose talent leaves me in awe. Seriously, every single one of them is a master in their own right. I look at my work and feel like I’m still just reaching for something that might be more than a little out of my grasp—but that’s what keeps me going. And this is going to keep me going for a long while – a bolt of energy!!

Each day this April, we’re exploring the world of poetry one letter and one day at a time. Inside: a themed lesson plan, a fresh NaPoWriMo poem, and sometimes, a surprise or two.

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links, that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support. Please see the full disclosure for more information. I only recommend products I definitely would (or have already) use myself

😎🕺The Groovy Grook: A Fun Poetry Adventure

🍲 Lesson Plan: Groovy Grook

Grade Level: 3rd–5th
Time: 45–60 minutes
Subjects: ELA, Art

🎯 Objective

Students will discover the joy of grooks—short, clever poems accompanied by a quick sketch that teach life lessons in just a few lines. They will learn how to create their own grooks and understand how short poems can have big ideas.

🔗 Connections

• Learning Connection: ELA: aphorism; concise writing by focusing on brevity and word choice; Art: Pair grook writing with simple illustrations inspired by Piet Hein’s style. Critical Thinking: Discuss the deeper meaning behind grooks and encourage students to think critically about their own ideas.
• Poetry Connection: Explain how grooks are linked to other forms of brief poetry (haiku, epigrams, limericks, etc.)
• Books (and Grooks) for Grooks:
  • Grooks: A Small Window on a Large World (archimedes-lab)
  • Piet Hien’s Grooks
  • A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
  • Hard-Boiled Bugs for Breakfast: And Other Tasty Poems by Jack Prelutsky with illustrations by Ruth Chan 
• Note: Teachers to check the grooks for age and audience appropriateness

📚 Materials Needed

• Collection of Grooks by Piet Hein (see note above)
• Whiteboard/blackboard
• Markers/chalk
• Writing paper and pencils

📚 Lesson Details (45–50 min)

Introduction (10 minutes)

1. What is a Grook?:
   • Explain that a grook is a very short poem that gives a clever thought or idea, usually in just a few lines. It is usually accompanied by a quick black and white sketch to complement the idea.
     • Some say that the name is short for “GRin & sUK” (“laugh & sigh” in Danish), but Piet Hein, the creator of this form, said he felt that the word had come out of thin air (for more details, check out this post).
   • Example Grooks: (for ones by Piet Hien, check out archimedeslab). Below is one I wrote for an earlier post.

Grook Exploration (10 minutes)

1. Read Aloud: Share 2-3 grooks by Piet Hein or simple, short poems by Shel Silverstein.
2. Group Discussion:
   • What did the poem make you think of?
   • How do these short poems teach us something, even if they don’t say much?
   • Why do you think poems can be so short but still important?
   • Discuss how these poems can be short but still give us big ideas or make us smile.
3. Create Collaborative Grooks:
   • Work as a class to brainstorm ideas for a grook about a shared topic (e.g., school, friendship, nature).
   • Write one together on the board to model the process.

✍️ Write Your Own Grook (15-20 minutes)

1. Brainstorming:
   • Ask students to think about a topic for their grook: something funny, something they’ve learned, or something they love. Use prompts like
     • “Write a funny observation about school.”
     • “What’s a clever way to describe kindness?” (or laziness)
   • Example topics: friendship, dreams, animals, or seasons.
2. Writing the Grook:
   • Students will write their own grook (3-6 lines max). Encourage them to use their imagination, draw inspiration from their experiences, interests, and favorite books or poems, and to keep it fun!
   • They can add rhyme and rhythm too if they wish. Remind them brevity, wit, and wisdom are key!
   • Encourage them to illustrate their grook, as Piet Hein often paired his poems with simple drawings.

🗣️ Share and Celebrate and Reflect(15 – 20 minutes)

• Allow students to read their grooks aloud in small groups or during a class poetry reading.
• Invite students to share their grooks with the class (or in pairs) and discuss what their grooks mean.
• Reflect on what makes a grook fun and special.
• Share a final grook with the class to end the lesson:
  “Poetry is short, it’s quick and neat,
  It makes us think, and feel complete!”

🧩 Extensions/Adaptations

• Ask students to find a short poem they love (from a book, the internet, or one they write themselves) and share it with the class the next day.
• Provide templates/structure to use with younger kids or for those with special needs.
• Have older students analyze a grook (by Pat Hiek or random pick one written by their classmate) and write a short essay discussing it.
• Host a “Grook Gallery” where students display their poems and illustrations.

The Graceful Ghazal

Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt challenges us to try writing our own ghazal that takes the form of a love song – however we want to define that. Observe the conventions of the repeated word, including our own name (or a reference to ourselves) and having the stanzas present independent thoughts along a single theme – a meditation, not a story.

In English ghazals, the usual constraints are that:

• the lines all have to be of around the same length (though formal meter/syllable-counts are not employed); and
• both lines of the first couplet end on the same word or words, which then form a refrain that is echoed at the end of each succeeding couplet.

For inspiration, we have Patricia Smith’s “Hip-Hop Ghazal” as well as the whole Museum of Bad Art! Swamp Picnic in the Poor Traits collection (love that punny take on this set of paintings(?)!) caught my eye, and someday I have to attempt a verse inspired by that, maybe an ode?!

My Attempt

I wrote a ghazal-ish verse years ago, and today I attempt to rewrite it, or rather write its sequel, with the years having wrought changes of course. Then, both my kiddos were right beside me (almost always) and today, they are miles away, in college, exploring, learning, making me proud! A couple couplets veer from ‘light’ but I think it is al’right’ to take some poetic license always 🙂

Walking in Their Light
Fingers glid on keys in morning’s light—
once beside me, now in reels of light.

Tiny hands once clapped with joy and pride,
now a ping is music, pure delight.

No crayons now, no sticky-fingered art,
a “Love you, Mom” still sets me alight.

“Can I come home? Just because…” they ask—
they’re always welcome, always my light.

One writes code and one crafts policy—
each child a spark, both burning bright.

A call at dusk: “Just needed to talk…”
A sigh, a smile, and hearts feel light.

The fridge feels full, the house too still—
until they text, and all feels right.

LadyInRead, once their whole wide world,
now walks within her children’s light.
~ Vidya Tiru @ LadyInReadWrites

The Green Grass Grows All Around, All Around, and…

For this week’s TTT prompt of spring-y covers over at ThatArtsyReaderGirl as signs of spring surround us

• The Curious Garden by Peter Brown (3 – 6 years). Packs a lot inside.
• Garden Jungle by Hélène Druvert (4 – 8 years). Stunning artwork and full of imagination!
• The Gardener by Sarah Stewart and illustrated by David Small (5 – 9 years). So much within these pages.
• Goodnight, Veggies by Diana Murray and illustrated by Zachariah OHora (Baby – 3 years). Oh-so-cute!
• Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring written and illustrated by Kenard Pak (2 – 6 years). A beautiful capture of seasonal transitions.
• Grandpa Green written and illustrated by Lane Smith (3 – 7 years). So very sweet.
• Green on Green by Dianne White and illustrated by Felicita Sala (4 – 8 years). Detail-rich artwork and a celebration of seasons.
• Harlem Grown by Tony Hillery and illustrated by Jessie Hartland (4 – 8 years). Inspirational.
• Jayden’s Impossible Garden by Mélina Mangal and illustrated by Ken Daley (4 – 8 years). Friendship, hope, and community!
• Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner and illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal  (2 – 5 years). It is Kate Messner after all!

And Now, the End of This Post

Dear reader, what would you rather write – a grook or a ghazal (or both)? Do share your poem when you write it! And which book would you pick to read first – from all the ones listed today?

I am linking up to A-Z, Blogchatter, UBC, NaPoWriMo.

And you can find all my A-Z posts (this year and previous years’ as well) here:

A to Z Challenge Posts