Eve Merriam was a versatile writer, author of plays and fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for adults and children of all ages. Not only did she write poetry for children, she also used to go into schools to "spread the good news that reading and writing poetry is fun."
"Once upon a time
I caught a little rhyme
I set it on the floor
but it ran right out the door
I chased it on my bicycle
but it melted to an icicle"
An excerpt from from "Catch a Little Rhyme"
Read
Read "Profile: Eve Merriam" by Glenna Sloan in the November/December 1981 issue of Language Arts. Watch then this video interview "Spotlight on NCTE Poet Eve Merriam" with Lee Bennett Hopkins, created by author Renee LaTulippe.
Classroom Connections
Read aloud Merriam’s poem, "A Rhyme Is a Jump Rope." Next, have students put their rhyming—and singing—skills to the test with this activity.
Your Two Cents
Eve Merriam urged: "Whatever you do, find ways to read poetry. Eat it, drink it, enjoy it, and share it." What poem inspires you in that way?
