Module 1: Poetry Choice: African American Poetry, Poetry Break

Honey, I Love
and other love poems
By Eloise Greenfield

Introduction
This poem comes from Honey, I Love and other love poems and shares the sadness of one child over the loss of an adult friend. Discuss what a keepsake is. A keepsake could be a favorite note, trinket, photo, or other object that holds a special memory or meaning to the individual. Brainstorm, with the upper elementary students, possessions that they hold dear to their hearts. After the discussion, read the poem.

Keepsake
Before Mrs. Williams died
She told Mr. Williams
When he gets home
To get a nickel out of her
Navy blue pocketbook
And give it to her
Sweet little gingerbread girl
That's me
I ain't never going to spend it.

Extension
Draw illustrations about students own keepsakes. Using a written copy of the poem Keepsake, hang students illustrations around it as a display in the classroom or hallway.

Greenfield, Eloise. 2003. Honey, I Love and other love poems. New York: HarperCollinsPublishers.
Photo courtesy of http://www.amazon.com/