Poet of the Month

August's Featured Poet: Jack Prelutsky

Jack Prelutsky (1940-) hooks kids on poetry. He honors their feelings and encourages them to think with formal and informal poetry that’s funny — frightening funny, scary funny, strange funny and everyday funny. He reaches kids without false sentiment or talking down, building vocabulary with laughter. Last year the Poetry Foundation officially named him the first Children’s Poet Laureate — a well-deserved honor.

The Bogeyman
In the desolate depths of a perilous place
the bogeyman lurks, with a snarl on his face.
Never dare, never dare to approach his dark lair
for he's waiting . . . just waiting . . . to get you.

He skulks in the shadows, relentless and wild
in his search for a tender, delectable child.
With his steely sharp claws and his slavering jaws
oh he's waiting . . . just waiting . . . to get you.

Many have entered his dreary domain
but not even one has been heard from again.
They no doubt made a feast for the butchering beast
and he's waiting . . . just waiting . . . to get you.

In that sulphurous, sunless and sinister place
he'll crumple your bones in his bogey embrace.
Never never go near if you hold your life dear,
for oh! . . . what he'll do . . . when he gets you!

Further Reading: Our library’s children’s section has 32 titles by Jack Prelutsky that make fun reading for parents with kids at their sides. Among them: The Frogs Wore Red Suspenders, Pizza the Size of the Sun, My Parents Think I’m Sleeping, New Kid on the Block.

Coming in September: Lucille Clifton

Content Developed by local resident and poet Leland Jamieson