I Got Carried Away

Introduction:
THIS IS JUST TO SAY, is a collection of poetry written by sixth-graders as part of a poetry unit. The book has two parts: one, apologies and two, responses. During the writing of the book Anthony K., the student who was in charge of the introduction page commented on that a bad thing was going to happen, didn’t and a mystery was solved.

I Got Carried Away
By Reuben

To Kyle

Kyle, I’m sorry
For hitting you so hard in dodge ball.
I just really get carried away
In situations like that.
Kids are screaming and ducking,
Coach bellowing,
All those red rubber balls
Thumping like heartbeats
Against the walls and ceiling,
Blinking back and fourth
Like stop lights
(that really mean
go,
Go,
GO!)
See,
I even got
Carried away
In this poem.

[from THIS IS JUST TO SAY by Joyce Sidman, Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, Houghton Mifflin, 2007. ISBN:0618616802]

Extension:
Have students pair up and act out the poem, one student playing the part of Kyle and the other playing the part of Reuben.

Sidman, Joyce. 2007. THIS IS JUST TO SAY. Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0618616802.