Arnold Adoff City Poem

Home

About Me | Favorite Links | Contact Me | Poetry Breaks for Module #1: The Poetry Environment | Poetry Break #1: Classic Poem (by a dead poet) | Poetry Break #2: Picture book with poetry breaks | Poetry Break #3: Song with poem line breaks | Poetry Break #4: A Mother Goose Poem | Poetry Break #5: A Folk Poem | Poetry Breaks for Module #2: Major Poets | Jack Prelutsky | Shel Silverstein | Lee Bennett Hopkins | Douglas Florian | Judith Viorst | Poetry Breaks for Module #3: Poetry Performance | What is Poetry Performance? | Poetry Break #6: Poem with a refrain | Poetry Break #7: Poem accompanied by movement | Poetry Break #8: Poem for two groups | Poetry Break #9: Poem ideal for solo/linearound | Poetry Break #10: Poem to sing | Poetry Breaks for Module #4: Poetry Across the Curriculum | Poetry Break #11: Poem Relevant to Social Studies | Poetry Break #12: Poem Relevant to Mathematics | Poetry Break #13: Poem Relevant to Science | Poetry Break #14: Poem to Use With a Novel or Picture Book | Poetry Break #15: Poem Matched With a Nonfiction Book | Poetry Breaks for Module #5: Multicultural Poetry | Poetry Break #16: African American Poetry | Poetry Break #17: Hispanic American Poetry | Poetry Break #18: Native American Poetry | Poetry Break #19: Asian American Poetry | Poetry Break #20: International Poetry | Poet Study: Arnold Adoff | Arnold Adoff Complete Bibliography | Arnold Adoff Seasons Poem | Arnold Adoff Culture Poem | Arnold Adoff City Poem | Arnold Adoff Chocolate Poem | Arnold Adoff Food Poem | Arnold Adoff Senses Poem | Arnold Adoff Sports Poem | Poetry Breaks for Module #6: Different Forms of Poetry | Poetry Break #21: A Shape Poem | Poetry Break #22: A Free Verse Poem | Poetry Break #23: Poem Written and Published by a Child | Poetry Break #24: A Stump the Teacher Poem | Poetry Break #25: An Original Poem by Mrs. Mann | Complete Website Bibliography
Mrs. Mann's Poetry Corner

Introduction: This poem describes a bus ride. It would be a good idea to read this poem just before or just after your class has gone on a bus ride.

From This Bus Window

From this bus
pulling away from the curb
I can stretch
my neck. I can just stare into
the eyes

of a bicycle
messenger:
he is the
meat

of
the
sandwich
between
this bus and the moving van
on his other side.

Then he blows the whistle glued between his lips,
and sprint-pedals out of the sandwhich
and slides ahead of us both: bus and van,
and around
his corner.
We ride on.

by Arnold Adoff
from "Street Music: City Poems"
by Arnold Adoff
illustrated by Karen Barbour
(HarperCollins Publishing, 1995)

Extension: After reading this poem to your class (and after they have gone on a bus ride), ask students to recall things they saw on the bus ride. It is a good idea for the teacher to make a list as children give answers. Then students can draw a picture or write about their bus ride.