The funny and fabulously talented Lisa Wheeler is today’s guest poetry poster! Why not check out (and LIKE) Lisa’s Facebook Page?
Mother Goose was my very first introduction to poetry. Equally attracted to both the metered rhyme and colorful artwork, I embraced the poems wholeheartedly.
I still do. I’ve been collecting Mother Goose books for nearly two decades.
Though most of these bouncy rhymes were not originally intended for children, I find they hold an appeal for readers of all ages.  For oldsters, they bring back fond memories. For young children, they hold a newfound delight in the rhythm and rhyme.
I often tell wannabe rhymers to study Mary Had A Little Lamb for an example of perfect meter. I recall my daughter’s preschool teacher walking around the story circle and gently patting out the beats on the children’s shoulders as they recited Mother Goose. She explained that a sense of rhythm in words is an important pre-reading skill.
As a poet and children’s book lover, I’ve always been intrigued by the parodies of Mother Goose in my collection. I wanted to do my own parody and that is how Spinster Goose: Twisted Rhymes for Naughty Children was born.  The premise being that Mother Goose is far too kind to ever punish the naughty children in Mother Gooseland. So she sends them to her sister, Spinster Goose, who runs a school for these horrid little urchins.
It is my hope that we keep Mother Goose alive for future generations of children and I implore poets, teachers, librarians, and parents to share these old favorites with the child in their lives.
In the meantime, try taking one of Mother Goose’s rhymes and twist into your own new creation—have fun!
 
Poets be nimble
Poems be quick
Verse-atile pun
Tongue-twister trick
Measured out meter
Cadence so slick
Poems be nimble
Poets be quick!