A visit to south wayne's poetry cafe

With students dressed in black and teachers decked out in French berets, South Wayne Elementary School was transformed into a poet’s paradise last night.  The “Poetry Café” was a well-attended and well-developed event for students and their families.  Quality time was first spent in individual classrooms, with each teacher instructing students and their families how to write a particular style of poem.  Various poems were read and discussed from a small booklet distributed to each family, then families worked together to create their own poem to be read in the “Poetry Café.” 
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As I entered the “Poetry Café” I was amazed that a typical cafeteria could be converted into an elegant French bistro-type setting complete with black table clothes, carnation centerpieces, mood lighting, and a stage for poets.  Excited volunteers lined up beside the darkened stage as the standing-room only audience patiently waited to hear the newly created poems. Families enjoyed mini-eclairs and crème puffs as they listened to family and friends present their works of art. 

Carmello presented his poem…
                Roses are Red
                Violets are Blue
                You should love your mom and dad
                Too
 
Jaslyn choose a repetitive poem format…
                I like cats
                I like dogs
                I like cats
                I like dogs
                And I like Mommy
 
A mother/daughter team choose the “poem of opposites.” Their poem began…
                I am the mother
                I am the daughter
                I am the mean one
                I am the cool one
 
As each presenter exited the stage, the Master of Ceremonies, aka the principal, commended the presenters and gave them a “high 5” as they exited the stage.  The program was concluded with the principal reinforcing the intent of the evening:  “Read and write lots with your kids.”

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