Fractured Fairy Tale Poems

Hello, poetry friends! Welcome back to Northfield Elementary School.Today, the third graders are sharing some of their fractured fairy tale poems. This is an exercise in point of view.We started the workshop by gathering in groups, each assigned to a classic fairy tale. The students brainstormed a list of characters in, for example, Jack and the Beanstalk -- characters who never get to tell their side of the story.Our model poem for this workshop was "Bears in the News," from Marilyn Singer's wonderful book of reverso poems, Mirror Mirror. The students were awed by this form! You can read Marilyn's description of the form here.From there, our imaginations were off and running. As you can see, the poets had a lot of fun getting into their retellings and the voices of their characters.Poet: BenThe Three Little PigsThe wolf is looking for building suppliesto build his house. He is happythat he will be able to build his houseand guilty that he destroyed the pigs houses.He will help rebuild them a house.The pigs become his friends and neighbors.***Poet: NicoBeanstalkA long, long climbby a guy named Jack.He weighs a tonlike an anvil in a pack.If I could,I would make him fall down.He would go farbut hit the ground.Unfortunately, I can’t.I’m just a beanstalk.I’m frozen still.I can’t even talk.So he got off me.Wait. He’s got an ax.He’s chopping me.Get off. I’m not a tree.***Poet: EthanThe WizardOnce upon a timeI’m not a real wizard.They think I am.I don’t want to lieabout who I am.I’m not scientific.They think I am terrific.Just why do I lie.Yes, I will confess.It makes so much sense.***Everyone in Ms. Zimmer's class was *wowed* when Julia stood up and sang her retelling of Mary Had a Little Lamb.Poet: JuliaRevenge of the Little LambPlease get your hands off mehands off mehands off me.Please get your hands off meor else I will bite you.I will follow you to schoolyou to schoolyou to school.I will follow you to schoolto trash your classroom.I am trashing your classroomyour classroomyour classroom.I am trashing your classroomthen going to the cafeteria.I am in the cafeteriathe cafeteriathe cafeteria.I am in the cafeteriaand eating all your food.Revenge is sweet. It really is.***Poet: EllisA Tiny Human BoyI was sleeping when my wifelet in a tiny human boy.He was about three feet talland I out-matched him 50 to 1.He found the family vaultand started looting it.My wife was nowhere nearenough to stop them.But when he was getting coins out,he dropped one to the floorand if anything can wake me upit’s money. I chased himacross my yard and he climbed downa small beanstalk.But when I was halfway downhe cut it and I fell all the way downand I died. But then in giant heavenI launched missilesand killed all the humans.Thanks once again to the Northfield community for allowing me to publish the third graders' poems.Posts in the “Poems from the Northfield Third Grade” 2018 series:Poetry Friday List Poem LessonA Garden of Words: 3rd Grade List PoemsThe Pool Is the Capital of My Summer: Odes to PlaceThird Grade Odes from Northfield E.S.Fractured Fairy Tale PoemsPoetry Friday: Once Upon a TimeA Gallery of Poems