A poem to add to any teacher’s toolbox: maggie and milly and molly and may by e. e. cummings. Today’s choice is inspired by my daughter, Mia, whose closest friends’ names all begin with “M” (plus one friend whose name begins with “A”). When she speaks about her friends, ee cummings’ poem comes to mind each time. It’s an accessible poem that students could imitate using their name or their friends’ names – the alliteration wouldn’t necessarily work, but that’s okay. Other poetic techniques to try are simile, imagery, rhythm, rhyme, and many more. If four friends went to the beach, or the park, or the mall or the ballfield, what would they find? What would the ‘conclusion’ be? Cummings’ poem goes from the specific to the universal, and that is its appeal. I think this poem would make a fun creative writing prompt to help fill the end of the school year doldrums. Aren’t we all dreaming of the beach?
maggie and milly and molly and may
By e. e. cummings
maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day)
and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles,and
milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;
and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and
may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.
For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea
