In Celebration of “Talk Like A Pirate Day”

In honor of September 19 being “Talk Like  A Pirate Day,” here’s an “I Am” poem from a workshop I did with four kindergarten and first grade boys, including my four year old son. After we wrote the poem, my son wanted to make a video, so we did. He found and selected the images and the music, then we did the poem as a “call and response” where I did a line and he repeated it.

Just recently, his fourth grade class was doing “I Am” poems so I went in and shared the poem and video with them. They loved it! And we all got a kick out of how young my son’s voice was–and how creatively he “talks like a pirate.”

Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day! Enjoy!

I Am A Scary Smelly Skeleton PIRATE!

I am a scary, smelly skeleton PIRATE!
I wonder where the treasure is.
I hear black rusty shooting fire cannonballs and swords slapping.
I see other English ships to get their treasure.
I want treasure, a golden compass, and a golden ring.
I am a scary smelly skeleton pirate!

I pretend to play swords with you.
I feel my bones cracking.
I touch the shark’s teeth.
I worry about my pirate ship and how it will disappear one day.
I cry when my boat tips upside down.
I am a scary smelly skeleton pirate!

I understand that I know that you can be killed.
I say, “Aye Aye, matey, I believe in ghosts!”
I never dream about black treasure.
I try not to kill my pet octopus.
I hope to be free.
I am a scary smelly skeleton pirate!

Text By
Max, Charlie, Reed & Eli
Open Classroom K-1
September 2008

Video by Reed and Gwendolyn
https://artpredator.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/happy-halloween-from-a-scary-smelly-skeleton-pirate/

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