April 7, 1770 is the birthdate of the English poet Wiliam Wordsworth, and Cindy at Dominion Family is putting together a bound family poetry book consisting of a few favorites from each member of the family. One of Cindy’s favorites is Lucy II by the birthday boy himself.

Semicolon Family’s Favorite Poems:

Z-Baby: Drummer Hoff by Ed Emberly is her current favorite. She’s also quite fond of Green Eggs and Ham.

Betsy-Bee says she likes Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe the best (her mother’s favorite). She’s at the time in her little life and has the sort of personality that likes to like whatever Mother likes. Sweet little mommy-shadow!

Karate Kid:

Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye;
Four and twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
They all began to sing.
Now, wasn’t that a dainty dish
To set before the King?

The King was in his countinghouse,
Counting out his money;
The Queen was in the parlor
Eating bread and honey.
The maid was in the garden,
Hanging out the clothes.
When along came a black bird
And snipped off her nose!

He especially likes the “snipped off her nose” part.

Brown Bear Daughter:

Rules by Karla Kuskin
Do not jump on ancient uncles.
Do not yell at average mice.
Do not wear a broom to breakfast.
Do not ask a snake’s advice.
Do not bathe in chocolate pudding.
Do not talk to bearded bears.
Do not smoke cigars on sofas.
Do not dance on velvet chairs.
Do not take a whale to visit
Russell’s mother’s cousin’s yacht.
And whatever else you do do
It is better you
Do not.

Organizer Daughter says her favorite poet is Arnold Spilka. (I think she likes the sound of his name as much as she likes his poems.) He writes silly poems for children; you can find many of them included in any modern anthology of children’s poetry. But Organizer Daughter says she’s actually, usually, kidding about it. She really just likes the name and thinks his poetry is funny.

Dancer Daughter: My Last Duchess by Robert Browning, the lyrics of Sufjan Stevens, Christina Rossetti

Computer Guru Son won’t admit to liking any sort of poetry. However, he likes some musical artists and lyricists quite a bit.

Eldest Daughter: waiting for an answer from France about her current favorites. She likes T.S. Eliot’s The Wasteland.

Semicolon Sherry: Since Bee took Annabel Lee, I can choose another: Renascence by Edna St. Vincent Millay

The world stands out on either side
No wider than the heart is wide;
Above the world is stretched the sky,—
No higher than the soul is high.
The heart can push the sea and land
Farther away on either hand;
The soul can split the sky in two,
And let the face of God shine through.
But East and West will pinch the heart
That can not keep them pushed apart;
And he whose soul is flat—the sky
Will cave in on him by and by.

Engineer Husband: When Daddy Carves the Turkey by Jack Prelutsky