Mother's Day Poem

What You Need:

• Copy of Edgar Allen Poe’s To My Mother
• Pencil
• Paper
• Music (optional)

What You Do:

1. Read Edgar Allen Poe’s poem, To My Mother, and encourage your child to analyze his style and tone. Consider the following: What literary devices does Poe utilize in his poem? How does the use of literary devices enhance the meaning of the poem? How does Poe define the word “mother” in the poem? How many types of love appear in this poem (parent-child, husband-wife, etc.)? How many syllables does Poe use in each line? What is the rhyme scheme, if any?

2. Invite him to pick three aspects of Poe’s poem that he wishes to emulate in his own work. For example, maybe he wants to use the same number of lines and syllables, but create his own unique definition of “mother.”
3. Next, ask him to write a poem using these guidelines. Encourage him to refer back to Poe's work as he authors his poem. Remind him that he shouldn't copy it, but instead he should use it as inspiration for his own individual poem.
4. After he's happy with the structure of the poem, have him make any last changes or final edits.
5. Finally, he can write the finished poem on a piece of nice card stock or other sturdy paper. Have him give it to Mom on Mother's Day! He'll be astounded by the "oohs" and "ahhs" of his thoughtful, personalized gift.