ABSTRACT
Freer poetic forms have helped breathe new life into reading and writing poetry in the classroom. Modern poets choosing this approach are released from unforgiving patterns of rhythm and rhyme and there is much potential to create meaning, mood and atmosphere. The conversational cadences of some of this poetry appeal to children of all ages and help them to understand that poetry can be about everyday incidents, preoccupations and ideas. This, together with a freer form, opens up opportunities for children as writers of poetry, and encourages them to find their own ‘voice’ to express meaning and feeling about their own lives and experiences.
