Poetry Folder

I always considered poetry to be an acquired taste. You either like it or you don't. I never really considered myself to be a fan of poetry, but oddly enough, while compiling this list of poems, I discovered that I actually recalled many verses from childhood. I even remembered instances when some of these poems came to mind for one reason or another. For example, I remember the first time I had the opportunity to look at the stars from the fantail of a navy battleship. People may not comprehend the immense size of an ocean, much less the open skies, but the first time I went out to the deck at night to look at the sky, it took my breath away. There were stars everywhere! I never imagined such an awe-inspiring view! Oddly enough, I remembered the poem, Twinkle, twinkle, little star, because of the words associated to it. Anyway, the stars actually looked like diamonds laid out on a deep black canvas. The reflective light from the stars was incredible! Anyway, this list of poems represent rhymes that I can actually identify with or that I feel can serve a purpose. Enjoy!

Table of Contents

Page Name of Poem
1 Hey! Diddle, Diddle
2 Peter Piper picked a peck of …
3 Mary Had a Little Lamb
4 Old Mother Hubbard
5 Hickory , dickory, dock
6 You-Tu
7 Jack be nimble
8 Humpty Dumpty
9 Little Miss Muffet
10 From English is a Pain! (Pane?)
11 Old King Cole
12 Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
13 Georgie Porgie
14 Pop! Goes the Weasel
15 The Period
16 The Question Mark
17 School Teacher
18 Hush Little Baby
19 Incy Wincy Spider
20 Poet


1 Hey! Diddle, Diddle

Wildsmith, Brian. Mother Goose: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes. New York, NY: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1964.

This is a basic nursery rhyme. A dog and a cat amuse themselves watching a cow jumping over the moon, while a dish runs away with a spoon. I always liked it, because it paints a ridiculous picture. It shows children that poems can be silly and fun.

2 Peter Piper picked a peck of …

Wildsmith, Brian. Mother Goose: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes. New York, NY: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1964.

No poem collection is complete without a tongue twister! Normally, this poem is the first tongue twister that children encounter in their literary lives. It is a classic, and the tradition should continue. Who can say it without stumbling?

3 Mary Had a Little Lamb

Katz, Bobbi. Pocket Poems - Selected by Bobbi Katz. Illus. Marilyn Hafner. New York, NY: Dutton Children’s Book’s., 2004.

Every poem collection needs variety. This rhyme is a twisted spin on a classic poem. People may think they know it, but then think twice. I like it, because it shows that nursery rhyme characters can have a dark side, even innocent Mary!

4 Old Mother Hubbard

Wildsmith, Brian. Mother Goose: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes. New York, NY: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1964.

This rhyming verse is one of my favorite poems. I do not remember when I first heard it, but it brought back fond memories when I read it again. I am an animal lover, and I always enjoyed the fact that this dog had human characteristics. Later in childhood, I became a big fan of Snoopy from the Charlie Brown comic strip.


5 Hickory , dickory, dock

Wildsmith, Brian. Mother Goose: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes. New York, NY: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1964.

This poem is another classic. A mouse runs up the clock and then runs down when it chimes. You can visualize a mouse running through the motions. In addition, it has a singing tone to it. It also indicates that all rhyming words do not have to be real words (dickory). This rhyme taught me that you have a creative license when it comes to writing poems.

6 You-Tu

Katz, Bobbi. Pocket Poems - Selected by Bobbi Katz. Illus. Marilyn Hafner. New York, NY: Dutton Children’s Book’s., 2004

I liked this poem, because it is bilingual. The U.S. population is forever changing, and it is important that we expose our students to Spanish. I think kids would enjoy dabbling with a different language, especially in a simple poem.


7 Jack be nimble

Wildsmith, Brian. Mother Goose: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes. New York, NY: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1964.

As a child, I watched a great deal of cartoons on the weekends. Sometimes, cartoons made spoofs out of classic nursery rhymes. I always remember this poem, because one of the parodies had Jack’s pants catching on fire after demonstrating his jumping skill. I always thought it was funny.

8 Humpty Dumpty

Wildsmith, Brian. Mother Goose: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes. New York, NY: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1964.

A poetry folder would not be complete without this traditional nursery rhyme about a living egg! Imagine! An over-sized egg topples over, and everyone is trying to put him back together. Yet, in some nursery rhyme spoofs, Humpty is not so fortunate!

9 Little Miss Muffet

Wildsmith, Brian. Mother Goose: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes. New York, NY: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1964.

What is a tuffet? This poem was always intriguing to me as a child, because it introduced words like tuffet, curds, and whey. I always thought that they were not real words, but then I found them in the dictionary. Where do people come up with these words!

10 From English is a Pain! (Pane?)

Katz, Bobbi. Pocket Poems - Selected by Bobbi Katz. Illus. Marilyn Hafner. New York, NY: Dutton Children’s Book’s., 2004.

Naturally, after reading Little Miss Muffet, this poor soul tried to explain how even real words can be perplexing. The English language has many words that sound alike but are spelled differently. Can you imagine the plight of a foreign student learning English!

11 Old King Cole

Wildsmith, Brian. Mother Goose: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes. New York, NY: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1964.

A jolly king, with his fiddlers three, simply having a good time! I read many books dealing with monarchs and royalty. It always seemed that these rulers were under great pressure and stressed. This poem painted a different picture, and I liked its cheerful tone.

12 Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Wildsmith, Brian. Mother Goose: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes. New York, NY: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1964.

Who does not gaze at the stars from time to time, and recall this sparkling gem of a poem? I actually recalled this poem, when I was star gazing late at night, in the middle of the Indian Ocean! The star-lit skies were a spectacular sight!

13 Georgie Porgie

Wildsmith, Brian. Mother Goose: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes. New York, NY: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1964.

Eventually, boys start to like girls. This poem played a part in my transition. It was a popular poem for teasing boys who started to associate with girls.

14 Pop! Goes the Weasel

Wildsmith, Brian. Mother Goose: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes. New York, NY: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1964.

I remember this popular rhyme from grade school. It has a singing tone to it, so it was great for sing-a-longs.

15 The Period

Katz, Bobbi. Pocket Poems - Selected by Bobbi Katz. Illus. Marilyn Hafner. New York, NY: Dutton Children’s Book’s., 2004

Sometimes, a poem serves a purpose. This one makes a point.

16 The Question Mark

Katz, Bobbi. Pocket Poems - Selected by Bobbi Katz. Illus. Marilyn Hafner. New York, NY: Dutton Children’s Book’s., 2004

Again, a poem can help make a point. In this case, this poem helps to answer the question, “When do you use a question mark?”

17 School Teacher

Lewis, Patrick J. Once Upon a Tomb – Gravely Humorous Verses. Illus. Simon Bartram. Cambridge, MA: Candlestick Press. 2006.

Sometimes, teachers have it tough. This witty poem indicates that a paper cut can be a dreadful thing.

18 Hush Little Baby

Wildsmith, Brian. Mother Goose: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes. New York, NY: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1964.

Every child should know this nursery rhyme. It is a touching verse about a daddy’s affection for his child.

19 Incy Wincy Spider

Poet Wildsmith, Brian. Mother Goose: A Collection of Nursery Rhymes. New York, NY: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1964.

This poem is a must for every poetry folder. All children will enjoy the hand motions for the “incy wincy” spider.

20 Poet

Lewis, J. Patrick. Once Upon a Tomb Gravely Humorous Verses. Illus. Simon Bartram. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press., 2006.

Finally, a true poet’s parting verse!