Poem Memorization

Poem memorization is something that I was introduced to while using Susan Wise Bauer's, First Language Lessons. My kids actually loved most of the poems and have since it's introduction, enjoyed reciting poems.
I have found some curriculum online, but never really anything that I felt passionate about buying. Since finishing First Language Lessons, I have pieced together my own set of poems that we tackle together each year.

The way we approach learning them is simple. We practice a poem by reading it through about three times every lesson day until we have it down. Then we move on to the next. Every lesson we repeat all the ones we have learned and then the one we are currently memorizing. After we have about five poems under our belt, we move on to the next five. We come back and repeat EVERY poem we have learned so far about once a month to keep them fresh in our minds.

I'm not sure how many of these poems will stick with the kids as they grown into adults, or if it is really that important to memorize the poems I have selected. I do know that we are having fun with our selections! I will leave you with our current poem:

The Yak

By Hilaire Belloc (1896)

As a friend to the children commend me the Yak.

You will find it exactly the thing:

It will carry and fetch, you can ride on its back, 

Or lead it about with a string.

The Tartar who dwells on the plains of Thibet

(A desolate region of snow)

Has for centuries made it a nursery pet.

And surely the Tartar should know!

Then tell your papa where the Yak can be got, 

And if he is awfully rich

He will buy you the creature - or else he will not.

(I cannot be positive which.)

Happy Homeschooling!

-Michele