Jack Prelutsky

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On September 8, 1940, Jack Prelutsky was born in Brooklyn, and attended Hunter College in New York City. Although he claims to have hated poetry through most of his childhood, he rediscovered poetry later in life, and has devoted many years since to writing fresh, humorous poetry aimed specifically at kids.  After stints as a truckdriver, photographer, folksinger, and more, he is now the author of more than forty collections of original verse and anthologies of children's poetry, including: Stardines Swim High Across the Sky: and Other Poems (2013); The Swamps of Sleethe: Poems From Beyond the Solar System (2009); Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry: How to Write a Poem (2008); Be Glad Your Nose Is on Your Facey And Other Poems (Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, 2008); Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant and Other Poems (2006); The Beauty of the Beast: Poems from the Animal Kingdom (2006); The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983); Nightmares: Poems to Trouble Your Sleep (1978), and The Queen of Eene (1976).  In 2006, Prelutsky was named the first Children’s Poet Laureate by the Poetry Foundation. He lives in Seattle, Washington, and spends much of his time presenting poems to children in schools and libraries throughout the United States. Source

I Wave Good-bye When Butter Flies

I wave good-bye when butter flies

and cheer a boxing match,

I've often watched my pillow fight,

I've sewn a cabbage patch,

I like to dance at basket balls

or lead a rubber band,

I've marvelled at a spelling bee,

I've helped a peanut stand.

 

It's possible a pencil points,

but does a lemon drop?

Does coffee break or chocolate kiss,

and will a soda pop?

I share my milk with drinking straws,

my meals with chewing gum,

and should I see my pocket change,

I'll hear my kettle drum.

 

It makes me sad when lettuce leaves,

I laugh when dinner rolls,

I wonder if the kitchen sinks

and if a salad bowls,

I've listened to a diamond ring,

I've waved a football fan,

and if a chimney sweeps the floor,

I'm sure the garbage can.

Published:

1990

Length:

Regular

Literary Movements:

Children's

Anthology Years:

2023

Themes:

Food

Humor & Satire

Literary Devices:

Personification

the attribution of human qualities to a non-human thing

Rhetorical Question

a question asked for effect, not necessarily to be answered

Rhyme

correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words, especially when these are used at the ends of lines of poetry