NPM Project: Jumping Into Form - Reverso

The reverso is actually two poems in one. Read it down (in the normal fashion) and it has one meaning. Read it again from the bottom up, this time with changes only in punctuation and capitalization, and you have a different poem. Generally these poems are written as a pair so that the inversion (reversal, hence revserso) is easy to see and appreciate.

Invented by Marilyn Singer, her author's note gives readers some insight into the form and her process. Here's what she says.

We read most poems down the page. But what if we read them up? That's the question I asked myself when I created the reverso. When you read a reverso down, it is one poem. When you read it up, with changes allowed only in punctuation and capitalization it is a different poem.

The first reverso I wrote was inspired by my cat, August:

A cat without a chair: incomplete

Incomplete: a chair without a cat.

Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reverso Poems (2010), written by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Josee Masse, is a collection of fairy tale inspired poems written in the reverso form. This means that each poem is presented twice, once read in the traditional manner (down), and once read from the bottom up (though presented in a traditional top to bottom form). Confused? Don't be. Presented together, readers get two perspectives on a story, told with the same words but meaning different things. Here is an example.

In the Hood

In my hood,
skipping through the wood,
carrying a basket,
picking berries to eat—
juicy and sweet
what a treat!
But a girl
mustn’t dawdle.
After all, Grandma’s waiting.

After all, Grandma’s waiting
mustn’t dawdle...
But a girl!
What a treat—
juicy and sweet
picking berries to eat,
carrying a basket,
skipping through the wood
in my ’hood.

I can't imagine how difficult it is to write a poem in this fashion. The fact that it makes perfect sense in both directions and tells two sides of the same story is quite remarkable. Here's one more, the poem that gives the book its title.

Mirror Mirror

Let me help you get some rest.
Mother knows best.
Listen to me,
Snow White.
Sleepy, Dopey, Happy,
you've been working day and night.
You look worn out.
A long nap?
A blanket?
An apple to eat?
What would you like?
Time to get off your feet.

Time to get off your feet.
What would you like?
An apple to eat?
A blanket?
A long nap?
You look worn out.
You've been working day and night
Sleepy, dopey, happy
Snow White,
listen to me.
Mother knows best.
Let me help you get some rest.

You can read and listen to some examples at Marilyn Singer's site. You may also want to check out the educator's guide for the book.

Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems (2013), written by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Josee Masse, is the sequel (dare I say follow up?!) to Singer's first book of reverso poems. Fairy tale poems in this new collection tell opposite sides of the stories from Thumbelina, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Princess and the Pea, The Little Mermaid, The Golden Goose, Puss in Boots, and others.

Ready, Steady, Go!

That ridiculous loser!
I am not
a slowpoke.
Though I may be
the smallest bit distracted,
I can’t be
beat.
I’ve got rabbit feet to
take me to the finish line.

Take me to the finish line!
I’ve got rabbit feet to
beat.
I can’t be
the smallest bit distracted.
Though I may be
a slowpoke,
I am not
that ridiculous loser.

You can read and listen to some examples at Marilyn Singer's site.

All poems ©Marilyn Singer. All rights reserved.

**EXTRA EXTRA ** If you read Marilyn Singer's interview yesterday, you'll have noticed that she has a third book of reverso poems, entitled Echo Echo, coming out next spring! This collection of poems is based on Greek myths.


I'm not only enamored with this form, but also the subject matter. After all, one of my favorite books of poetry is The Poets' Grimm: 20th Century Poems from Grimm's Fairy Tales, edited by Jeanne Marie Beaumont & Claudia Carlson.

Incorporating fairy tale poetry in the classroom is a great way to spark interest in poetry itself. The topic is familiar and lends itself to examination from multiple perspectives. That's one of the reasons that these books work so darned well. The unexpected second perspective is often surprising and funny.

Whether your state uses Common Core or some other set of standards, the study of fairy tales and fables is an important part of English/Language Arts curriculum. Teachers have become pros at integrating fairy tales from other cultures and "fractured" fairy tales. It is high time for poetry to take its rightful place as part of this study. 

For some ideas on integrating fairy tale poetry into the curriculum, check out these resources.

• Teacher's Guide for The Poets' Grimm - While the book is decidedly for older students, there are some great ideas that could be implemented in the elementary classroom.
• Try this lesson plan on writing a fairy tale poem (Word download).
• Explore Point of View in Fairy Tales - A good lesson that encourages kids to write fractured fairy tales. This can easily be adapted to writing poems!
• Fractured Fairy Tale Interactive - An online tool for writing a fractured fairy tale. This can also be adapted to writing poems.
• The Journal of Mythic Arts: Fairy Tale Poems - If you are looking for poems to share, you'll find work here by Neil Gaiman, Margarita Engle, Margaret Atwood, Holly Black and others.
• Kenn Nesbitt has a classroom activity on fairy tales and poems.

If you're feeling brave, perhaps you'll even try writing some simple reverso poems with your students!