Page 5 (2/2)

"And it helps?"

"Oh, yes," all of the children said "Warin' some tomorrow," Tyrone said "My brain is freezin'!"

"Me, too," said Nicholas

"Well," Mrs Pidgeon said with a sigh, "just as long as they are all absolutely clean"

As usual, Barry Tuckerman was the first one finished Noith his pencil down, his paper neatly folded, his hand shot into the air "I'm done! I bet mine is the best! I'm the best poet in the class!"

"Poetry is not a contest, Barry," Mrs Pidgeon reminded him "There is no best or worst"

"Whatever," Barry said "Can I read mine?" She nodded, and he stood beside his desk He read:

These Things Make Me Laugh

by Barry Tuckerman, author

Cartoons

Jokes

My dog

Clowns

Mouse

Towel

Then he sat down

The class, including Mrs Pidgeon, was silent for a h "Barry, Barry, Barry," she said "That ful"

"You can't say poetry is awful," Barry said "Poetry is whatever you want it to be"

"But it wath, Barry," Felicia Ann whispered "It wath thiinative, Barry? And boring?" Gooney Bird asked

Barry scowled and shook his head He looked at his paper "I guess not," he said finally

"Well, let's revise," Gooney Bird suggested "Let's add details What is funny about these things? Why do they ed his shoulders "I don't know"

"Let's take the?"

Barry looked at his paper "Cartoons," he read

"What h about a cartoon?"

"When the superheroes go POW and ZAP," he said

"Add that, then," Gooney Bird told him He picked up his pencil Around the class, other children picked up their pencils again and began to revise their own poems

"Jokes?" Gooney Bird asked Barry "Was that next?"

Barry had his tongue between his teeth and was busy writing "Yeah, I'" Gooney Bird looked around the class "How s about your dog h?"

Everyone nodded So's scared of thunder!" Tricia said "He hides under the bed and we all laugh at him"

Barry looked up "You knohat?" he said "Clowns don't really h I think they're scary"

"Erase 'clowns,' then," Gooney Bird said "Part of revising is deciding what to take out"

"Barry alhed, then corrected hier "I onna be short!"

"Short poeh," Beanie pointed out

Barry wasn't listening to anyone His face was scrunched up again in its thinking position, and he riting very fast "Done!" he announced

"Read it again, Barry," Mrs Pidgeon said, "and let us hear your revisions"

Barry stood He read:

Things That Make Me Laugh

by Barry Tuckero

POW

and ZAP!

Jokes, like

Why did the oofy dog

Because once he chased a mouse

And when my mom threw a towel

Over them

They were both bu

And o

POW

And ZAP!

The class laughed and applauded

"I used six spelling words," Barry said proudly, "and I wrote a good poeh-five

"Ouch," she said "I should never do that earing a dia," Mrs Pidgeon said, "is that Barry wrote his list poe on his head except his own hair