Someday, Someone Will Bet That You Can't Name All The Fifty States

by Judith Viorst


Viorst, Judith. 1995. Sad underwear and other complications. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0-689-31929-0.


Introduction

This poem challenges its readers (or listeners) to name all fifty states.


Someday Someone Will Bet That You Can't Name All Fifty States


California, Mississippi,

North and South Dakota.

New York, Jersey, Mexico, and

Hampshire. Minnesota.

Vermont, Wisconsin, Oregon,

Connecticut, and Maine.

Hawaii, Georgia, Maryland.

Virginia (West and plain).

Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas,

Illinois, Alaska.

Colorado, Utah, Florida,

Delaware, Nebraska.

The Carolinas (North and South).

Missouri. Idaho.

Plus, Alabama, Washington,

And Indiana. O-

klahoma. Also Iowa,

Arkansas, Montana,

Pennsylvania, Arizona,

And Louisiana.

Ohio, Massachussetts, and

Nevada. Michigan,

Rhode Island, and Wyoming. That

makes forty-nine. You win

as soon as you say _________.


Extension

Read the poem out loud and see if anyone can name the missing state. How long does it take to find the missing state? If no one can find it on their own�without looking at a map�then go ahead and bring out maps, etc. to find the missing state. For fun, and on a related note on a cd entitled Animaniacs there is a song Wakko sings called "Wakko's America" which names all fifty states and their capitals--to the tune of "Turkey In The Straw." The cd was released in 1993.


Module 2 Poems:

Module One: The Poetry Environment Module Two: Major Poets
Module Three: Poetry Performance Module Four: Poetry Across The Curriculum
Module Five: Multicultural Poetry Module Six: Responding To Poetry
Author Study: Janet Wong

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