Did you know that song lyrics are very often poems? Take Bridge Over Troubled Water, written by Paul Simon, for example. Each stanza of the song acts as a stanza of the poem. There’s a simile, a rhyme scheme, and punctuation to mark the end of the verses. If you skip the refrain, everything there is what you need to have a poem.
Spot the Simile
Can your child spot the simile in this poem? Remind them that metaphors describe something as something else, while a simile uses “like” or “as.”
Explain that Semicolon
Anytime you can ask your child about punctuation, take the opportunity and run with it. Why is there a semicolon in the second sentence of this poem? What other type of punctuation might they consider? What would they need to change in order to use that?
Name the Theme
The theme is what a work is about. Charlotte’s Web is about animals on a farm at one level, but the story is about friendship. Anne of Green Gables is about an orphan and her adjustment to life with the Cuthberts, but the story is one of family. What about this poem?
Read it Aloud
Do you notice anything else? Maybe repetition? Or assonance? Or alliteration? At the very least, listen to the words and experience the way Paul Simon takes you into the experience.
Bridge Over Troubled Water
When you’re weary, feeling small,
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;
I’m on your side. When times get rough
And friends just can’t be found,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
When you’re down and out,
When you’re on the street,
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you.
I’ll take your part.
When darkness comes
And pain is all around,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Sail on silvergirl,
Sail on by.
Your time has come to shine.
All your dreams are on their way.
See how they shine.
If you need a friend
I’m sailing right behind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.
Bottom Line
A poem can bring you into a moment. It can bring sensory details. It can convey emotion. It can paint a picture in your mind. Does Bridge Over Troubled Water do any of those things for you?