Poetry Friday: I Met a Man (With Six Eyes!)

As we continue to celebrate Oddballs and Misfits, the Surreal and the Peculiar, and Beautiful Strangeness, I unearthed this poetry collection for children entitled I Met a Man. Poems were written by John Ciardi and illustrated by Robert Osborn. I bought this book for a bargain at Book Off San Diego. I’ve never heard of John Ciardi, but the cover of his book intrigued me. Before I share a short background of the book, I invite you all to visit Jone at Check it Out for the Poetry Friday round-up this week.

“I Met a Man is especially designed for children who are just beginning to red. John Ciardi wanted to write a book for his own daughter—the first one she was able to read by herself. He began by composing the poems in this book with two basic elementary vocabulary lists containing just over 400 words… [John] Ciardi gradually introduces a slightly more difficult vocabulary while employing the basic devices of rhyme, riddle, context, and word games as important clues to help a young reader recognize new words without outside help…”

There are 68 poems in this collection. Some are short, while others take no more than three pages. Most poems have titles that begin with “I Met a Man” and all are just so silly and ridiculous. Even the Robert Osborn’s illustrations are silly! I was reminded slightly of Tim Burton’s The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories because each poem is about a certain character. I Met a Man is fun to read aloud to children. For today’s Poetry Friday offering, here’s This Man Had Six Eyes!

This Man Had Six Eyes!

I met a man that had six eyes
And still he could not see.
He lay in bed and hid his head
And would not look at me.

I pulled him up and took him home
(I don’t think I did wrong).
And I let him stay, and day by day
I saw his eyes grow long.

I saw them grow out of his head.
I saw them turn to me.
I saw them grow a foot or so.
And still he could not see.

“I think he could see the sun,” I said,
So I put him on the sill,
And gave him a drink. But what do you
think? —
His eyes kept growing still.

They grew as long as I was tall.
They grew like a sleepy tree.
They grew to the floor and out the door.
And still they could not see.

Now what do you think has eyes that long?
You may tell me now if you know.
Or look in the pot: there, like as not,
You will find MR. POT 8 OH!

*Book photos taken by me, edited through my phone.

What about you dear friends?
What is your Poetry Friday offering today?

Read-a-Latte Challenge Update: 58 of 150

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