Poetry for Drama

Poetry and Drama: Combining Art Forms

As an alternative to stories, we also offer this original collection of poems. This colorful and humorous collection includes topics that vary from animal adventures to anti-bullying to the frustrations of family.

These poems provide rich opportunities for students to practice skills like imitation, collaboration, and transformation while continuing to hone the three drama tools:  body, mind, and voice. Throughout, there is an emphasis on narrative skills and reader’s theater techniques.

Our collection also provides opportunities for you as the instructor to integrate additional academic subjects, including Language Arts, Social Sciences and Character Education. We have poems tailored to each grade level from K-7, as well as customized journal pages to help your students reflect on and solidify what they learned in drama.

View our original collection of drama poetry below. Use the search bar to find specific topics, skills, or concepts.

“Poetry is Play”  Robert Frost

A Shark’s Tale Poem

A Shark’s Tale Poem Have you ever met a shark so charming and sincere? Great for grades 3-7, this suspenseful poem tells the tale of a cunning shark who tricks an unsuspecting swimmer. Students will have opportunities to practice emotions, transformation, narrator skills, and conflict/resolution …
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An Absolutely Gorgeous Day Poem

An Absolutely Gorgeous Day Poem Students will love this globe-trotting poem, packed with action and humor! The narrator wants to run away but can’t decide where to go: Tokyo or the Midwest? Timbuktu or the Florida Keys? In this exciting adventure for grades 2-6, students …
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An Absolutely Gorgeous Day Poem

  An Absolutely Gorgeous Day Poem  Students will love this globe-trotting poem, packed with action and humor! The narrator wants to run away but can’t decide where to go: Tokyo or the Midwest? Timbuktu or the Florida Keys? In this exciting adventure for grades 2-6, …
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Band-Aids Poem

Band-Aids Poem  What if every band-aid were a badge of honor? This heartfelt poem for grades 3-6 tells the story of an accident-prone child who comes to view boo-boos as stories of bravery. Students can practice action/reaction, body objects, problem solving, and/or narrator skills. We …
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Bath Poem

Bath Poem “Splash Splash Splash Splash!” When a younger sister splashes her sibling in the eye during bath time, she pays the ultimate price. Students in grades 1-3 will have a blast with this hysterical poem. They have the opportunity to practice imitative action, emotions, …
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Beaching Advice Poem

Beaching Advice Poem This short but sweet poem provides a great reminder of all the items beachgoers need for a relaxing day! Students in grades 1-4 can practice sequencing, setting, transformation, or body object skills. In addition, students may choose to imagine how each item …
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Bon Voyage Poem

Bon Voyage Poem Have you ever gotten so fed up with your family that you just wanted to mail them away? In this hilarious poem, perfect for grades 2-6, the narrator mails family members to far off places—fromNebraska to Alaska, from the zoo to Peru! …
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Bubble Bath Poem

Bubble Bath Poem What’s more fun than a bubble bath? This simple poem captures the joy of bubbles and laughter! Students in grades 1-4 can practice action-reaction skills and review collaboration, concentration, and/or imitation. Additionally, students can learn Language Arts skills by identifying cause and …
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Careful Spider Poem

Careful Spider Poem What happens to a careful spider when they confront a big bird? Nothing good! Students in grades 1-3 can practice animal characters, imitative action, and dialogue skills in this exciting poem. This piece includes opportunities for integrating Language Arts through discussing story …
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Chores Poem

Chores Poem What’s worse than a full day of chores? How about being bamboozled by sixteen baboons! Full of action and humor, this poem provides a great opportunity for students in grades 2-5 to practice animal characters, transformation, conflict/resolution, and emotions. You may integrate Language …
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Crocodile Poem

Crocodile Poem Even a little crocodile can have a terrible bite! This quick poem is a perfect way for students in grades 1-5 to practice animal characters or imitative action. We have also included some recommended step-by-step delivery ideas to help you turn the poem …
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Do Not Open Poem

Do Not Open Poem Is there anything more tempting than a “Do Not Open” label? This poem tells the story of a mysterious package that arrives on the narrator’s doorstep. Is it a dog, a cat, a book, or a hook? There’s only one way …
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Food Poem

Food Poem Is the narrator a picky eater, or are they being served green mold on a silver platter? This poem tells the hilarious tale of the trials and tribulations of mealtime. Students in grades 1-7 can practice playwriting skills, dialogue, transformation, and/or using the …
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Frog Poem

Frog Poem Is the frog a prince, or just an ordinary croaker? This clever poem references the story of The Frog Prince. There are so many ways for this story to end, and students might try their hand at playing out the different scenarios! Students …
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Get Me Out of Here Poem

Get Me Out of Here Poem What’s worse, a yearly check-up or being attacked by every animal in the zoo? For this narrator, it’s clearly the former! This poem paints a vivid picture of many different animal characters, from scurrying mice to menacing grizzly bears …
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Getting Dad to Play Poem

Getting Dad to Play Poem Any kid who’s ever struggled with getting their parents unstuck from the television will relate to this fun-filled poem! This narrator steals the remote away from Dad on New Year’s Day in an attempt to get him to stop watching …
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Grandpa Poem

Grandpa Poem A game of “Cat and Mouse”! A chase! A battle! This heartwarming poem describes a fun-filled visit with Grandpa. Students can practice imitation and narrator skills, as well as build on their imagination and negotiation skills. We have also included some recommended step-by-step …
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Hat or No Hat Poem

Hat or No Hat Poem To Hat or Not to Hat? That is the question… This poem deals with the age-old conflict between parents and children over whether to wear a hat in cold weather. Students in grades K-1 can practice imitation skills with this …
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Hide and Seek Poem

Hide and Seek Poem There’s nothing better than a cup of tea with a spoonful of revenge! This narrator locks their sister in the bathroom after a game of Hide and Seek goes awry. The poem provides a great opportunity for students in grades 3-7 …
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Ice Cream Poem

Ice Cream Poem Will life ever be the same again? This silly poem about a child mourning a melting ice cream cone is perfect for grades 2-5. Actors can practice collaboration, believable action, narrator skills, and problem solving as they create a dramatic scene. We …
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It Was A Silly Afternoon Poem

It Was A Silly Afternoon Poem A raccoon dressed to the nines? An armadillo in a pillow hat? A whooping crane with a cane?—What could possibly be going on? This poem is a great way for students in grades 2-6 to practice their transformation skills …
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Lizard Poem

Lizard Poem A lizard causes chaos in the classroom in this quick poem! Students in grades 2-7 can practice transformation and playwriting skills. In addition, you may play a fun tag game inspired by this poem that students will love! We have included some recommended …
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Metamorphosis Poem

Metamorphosis Poem What happens when a mischievous child messes with the wrong witch? This poem tells the cautionary tale of a troublemaker who can’t seem to follow directions, with vivid imagery and a shocking ending! Students in grades 1-5 can practice action/reaction, problem solving, and …
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Payback Poem

Payback Poem This older brother should have thought twice before picking on his younger sibling! This dynamic poem has many exciting moments for students to act out, including a magic spell and a dramatic animal transformation. Students in grades 2-6 can practice action/reaction, adding detail, …
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Sick Poem

Sick Poem This student can’t wait to go to school and play with their friends… until they remember they have a big test scheduled. Students in grades 1-5 may work on understanding conflict, incorporating dialogue or identifying story elements with this goofy poem.We have also …
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The Old House Poem

The Old House Poem This haunted house contains a surprise that no one could ever guess… In this poem, two kids visit a spooky old house where there may or may not be a ghost. Students in grades 3-7 will have so much fun with …
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The Playground Poem

The Playground Poem Will this kid ever put down the game controller? It seems unlikely, until they meet a new friend who changes everything. This thrilling poem describes what happens when two children bond over their shared love of video games and bring their virtual …
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What to Feed a Tarantula Poem

What to Feed a Tarantula Poem This tarantula proves to be a very loyal pet… perhaps to a fault! In this poem, the narrator has a very sweet friendship with their pet tarantula, until a bullying cousin comes to visit and things take an unfortunate …
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