[upbeat music]
>> With the popularity of game boys
after school sports and TV.
How easy do you think it is to motivate young people
to sit down and write poetry?
In an attempt to introduce them to the pleasures
of the written verse,
Wisconsin Public Television partnered with 4H
to create a project called Poetic License.
The project includes poetry workshops held in schools
across the state
many of which involved the State Poet Laureate Ellen Kort.
Ms. Kort joins us now,
along with two Sheboygan students
who participated in their school's poetry slam
Abby Ott, who's in the fifth grade,
and Danny Malczewski, professional skateboarder
who was in the fourth grade.
They both attend Grant Elementary School in Sheboygan.
Welcome everybody.
Ellen, let's talk with you.
Poetic License,
What is it?
>> Well, Poetic License was a wonderful project
where I got involved.
I got to go across the state and work with kids
and do writing workshops with them.
And they wrote poems and we polished and edited.
And the culmination of that
is two poets here tonight,
two really fine poets from Sheboygan.
>> How easy is it to get kids?
I mean, all the jokes aside
how easy is it to get kids interested in poetry?
>> It's easy.
Kids are really, really willing and eager
to write poetry.
And they're all poets.
They're the real true poets with no layers over them.
And so the words get on paper and they come out
and they're willing to write poetry.
All they need is permission.
Someone to say, you can do this, let's do this exercise.
And they take off and ride the wild ride
of language.
>> Is it easier to get children
young people interested in than old people like you and I?
[Ms. Kort laughs] >> I think it is in a way
because they aren't layered over yet.
You know, they've got inside
and it's ready to come out
and all they need is for someone to say,
let's do it.
Let's try it.
>> Danny let's talk with you first,
What did you think when you heard your teacher say
we're gonna learn about poetry today?
>> Well, I was surprised
and I don't know,
just started writing poetry.
>> Didn't some of the guys give you a hard time and go up
poetry that's for girls.
>> No
>> Really?
>> Well, some of them were like
they were giving me ideas
and I was giving them ideas.
How to write like poems and stuff.
>> Abby, what do you like about poetry?
>> I like trying to fit my ideas onto the paper
trying to get the words.
And it's just fun to share them with everybody
when you're done writing them.
>> Jerry Huffman: Where do you get your ideas from?
>> Everyday things
>> Like what?
>> I don't know.
School?
>> Yeah. School, life, news.
Doesn't matter really.
>> Jerry Huffman: Danny. What about you?
Where do you get your ideas?
>> From my friends, skateboarding from my family.
>> Jerry Huffman: Little bit everywhere.
>> Yeah.
>> How do you know when the poem is good?
>> I don't know.
you can just feel it.
That it's good enough.
>> interviewer: How about you, Abby?
How do you know when you got it just right?
>> When it flows good and it sounds good.
And it's what you're saying.
It was what you're trying to say.
And it sounds good.
>> Jerry Huffman: Now you wrote a bit about September 11th,
didn't you?
Why don't you reach a poem for us?
>> Okay. I wish I wish
I wish I wish
most people have
that the twin towers
didn't crash.
I wish that people would never cry
that people would be honest
and never lie.
A wish that cancer would be beaten
that the world's people would've all eaten
I wish there was no such thing as wars.
So everybody could have open doors
I wish for life without hatred or need.
There would be no place for prejudice and greed
remember peace begins with me.
I a child,
you a friend,
us all together
Peace.
>> That's very cool, Danny.
Why don't you read yours?
>> My poem is called "A Closet."
There's a closet in me that holds a key
to all the passages inside of me
No one knows just what's inside
So where all my feelings and dreams hide
the feelings I sometimes keep to myself
and hide them away on my closet shelf
The dream of being a skateboarding Pearl
and the dream of being my big brothers, bro
there are some feelings I'd like to share
and some id never dare to share
the dreams of being accepted
Not for people to y'all rejected.
That is what my closet holds
my secrets that will never die
until I'm very, very old.
>> Is that wonderful?
>> They're the real thing.
>> You bet they are.
You bet they are.
That was one of the exercises we did
was to pretend
that you had a secret closet
and what was on the shelves.
We also talked about
if you had a box inside you that wanted to be filled
what would you fill it with?
And so all they needed was an idea
to go and and they went
and you can see what they did.
>> It's gotta do your heart good Ellen
to see kids like this,
taking an interesting poetry.
>> It does. It really does.
Coz they're the true poets.
>> Do you think you're gonna keep studying poetry
or stay with poetry, Abby?
>> Yeah.
Why?
>> Coz I just like it
and I just like writing it.
Makes me feel good
>> Jerry Huffman: Danny, you gonna stay a poetry?
>> Yeah.
>> I think one of the things
is that poetry allows kids to travel someplace
to find their own stories and their own feelings.
And someone once said that as adults
we have to keep their passports current.
So it's important that adults and kids work together.
I think with poetry
>> Jerry Huffman: Ellen, was a pleasure to have you on WeekEnd.
>> Thank you.
>> Abby and Danny, you did it.
You did good.
Thanks very much.