“Snow Dust” by Robert Frost is a the perfect poem to energize kids who are sluggish after break. It is short enough to pair with one or two other poems, but also complex enough to stand on its own. Students can grasp the meaning of the poem and list imagery words. Then they can think of days in their lives that they regretted, or weren’t looking forward to. Did anything happen to make them feel better? What could make a bad day better? Do they have a friend who is like the crow? Instead of snow, what would make them laugh at themselves, or see a difficult situation in a new way? Maybe a favorite song, or chocolate, or some other indulgence. Frost reminds us to find joy in simplicity and happiness in nature.
