Running Song
By Marci Ridlon
Prelutsky, Jack. The 20th Century children�s poetry treasure. Knopf: New York. 1999.
Introduction: Read the poem �Running Song� to the students. Provide copies of the poem to students. Have the students read through the poem by themselves. Ask for volunteers to read lines in the poem and assign the rest. Have the students read the poem with individuals reading each line.
Running Son
By Marci Ridlon
I am running, Now my feet are
Running, running. pounding pavement.
I am running Now my heart is
just for fun. pounding, too.
Through the grass I can feel the sidewalk searing
and through the gravel through the bottom of my shoe.
running faster How the wind is
see me travel whipping past me.
past the people How the trees are
staring, staring. whizzing by.
They are thinking Rushing rivers
something�s wrong. run forever.
I�m not looking. Maybe I can
I�m not caring. if I try.
I�m just running
hard and long.
Extension: Have the students switch lines with someone and read the poem again.