I encourage my children to read and write poetry. One of my sons really admires Robert Louis Stevenson. When he was just 7, he memorized, "We Built a Ship Upon the Stairs" which is really lovely. When he recited it over the phone for Grandmama, well, we were all very proud!

His little sister loves Edgar Allen Poe. I showed her "Annabelle Lee" a few years ago, and she was hooked. So, for Christmas, her brother gave her a leather-bound copy of the complete poems by Poe!

She treasures it, and I think she always will.

My younger daughter won an award for a poem she wrote when she was five.

I find that appreciating the poetry of people who aren't famous is as rewarding as reading the 'classics'.

Here are some of my personal favorites:

Jon von Gunten

Kevin Taylor

Alice Pero