The Mighty Pen

Lori Verstegen, author of All Things Fun and Fascinating, Ancient History-Based Writing Lessons, Medieval-Based Writing Lessons, US History-Based Writing Lessons, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, Teaching with Games and Decorations, Dress-Ups, and Delightful Divisions, shares this end-of-the-year poem. Enjoy!

The Mighty Pen

by IEW author and instructor Lori Verstegen and her son, Jonathan


Listen my students, and you shall hear
The things to remember as we close the school year.
Skilled writing and speaking are sure keys to success,
And with structure and style you can compose with finesse.

No matter your essay, how huge or how small,
The right model of structure should be prior to all.
Without structure a reader cannot track, cannot follow,
And the substance of your work will be no better than hollow.

Once the right model of structure’s in place,
You can light up your work with style and with grace.

Dress-ups, you know, are essential to writing.
They make your words shimmer, yes, oh, so inviting.
They are very important, like the clothes you wear,
So don’t let your papers run naked and bare!

Now using banned words is tempting to some,
But these words suggest that your mind was quite numb.

Good, bad, nice, mean, pretty, ugly, big, a lot,
Go, went, come, came, say, said, get, got.
Please, DO NOT!

Sentence openers, numbered one through six,
Add variety of types and lengths to your mix.
Too much of the same would simply be boring,
And you want your readers awake, not snoring.

A decoration’s value is hard to replace,
But it’s a card to play well, just like an Ace.
To play five in a row does more harm than good,
So use decorations sparingly, and know when you should.

Stories have special elements of style.
Here are my favorites, you’ve done for a while:

Imagery—vivid descriptions through the five senses,
Paints pictures for your readers as it lends them your lenses.

Showing emotions, rather than just telling,
Makes a scene so much more compelling.
“He is happy” is vague—it’s hard to see.
Much better, “He jumped up and down, screaming with glee.”

There is so much to practice, but the reward can be great,
For with the power of words, you can play with fate.
Yes, we live in a world that is full of discord,
But, remember, "The pen is mightier than the sword."