Some Magnet Poetry

By Mr. Chafe

There is a large metal book cabinet in my classroom. It is the kind with locking metal doors that is only seen in classrooms. Last year, I was given a pack of magnetic words. I've decorated the front of the cabinet with these words. I never once mentioned it to the gremlins.

But I've been watching.

 Before (and sometimes during) class, some of the gremlins have been moving the words around, combining the words in ways that make sense to no one but themselves. I hesitate to call these word combination sentences sentences because most are devoid of meaning. On the surface at least.

I have been writing down what the gremlins have been composing. It has just been the occasional phrase here and there. I only do it whenever something really catches my eye. I looked at the gathering of words that I had; I added a few line breaks and some punctuation. Before I knew it, a pretty darned good poem had written itself.


Know to Like Deep Joy

By The Gremlins

Create a life full of art and music.
Approach joy, grace, passion.
But then you appear.

Dazzle!
Drawing surreal blue color.
Original shard.

Experiment!
Write about metaphor.
Compose my glorious dust masterpiece from the loom.

Observe!
I always scream in harmony;
My instrument is an angel silhouette.

Investigate!
Which sculpture said empty rhythm?
"Too bold," says you.