One of the most impactful ways that you can teach kids the power of the written word is through poetry. That’s why we’ve put together this list of fun second grade poems to help you get started. You’ll find poems that are short and sweet and others that will jump-start those growing minds.
1. Second Grade Superstars by Anonymous
“I’m a success!”
2. The Porcupine by Ogden Nash
“Any hound a porcupine nudges …”
3. At the Zoo by William Makepeace Thackeray
“First I saw the white bear, then I saw the black …”
4. Mary’s Lamb by Sarah Josepha Hale
“Mary had a little lamb …”
5. I Taught My Cat To Clean My Room by Kenn Nesbitt
“… to use a bucket, brush and broom.”
6. A Silly Crow by Andrea Crawford
“Here is a very silly crow …”
7. Snakes by Mariah Deitrick
“A snake can glide from side to side …”
8. [An ancient pond!] by Matsuo Basho
“With a sound from the water …”
9. The Crocodile by Lewis Carroll
“How doth the little crocodile …”
10. My Dog Does My Homework by Kenn Nesbitt
“… at home every night.”
11. My Big Fat Cat by Christian M. Mitewu
“I own a big fat cat- / The fattest for miles around.”
12. The Parakeets by Alberto Blanco
“They talk all day …”
13. The Pasture by Robert Frost
“I’m going out to clean the pasture spring …”
14. How Not To Have To Dry the Dishes by Shel Silverstein
“(Such an awful, boring chore)”
15. The Goops by Gelett Burgess
“The meanest trick I ever knew …”
16. If I Were in Charge of the World by Judith Viorst
“I’d cancel oatmeal …”
17. My Best Friend by Abby Jenkins
“Black and white / Thick and furry …”
18. Eletelephony by Laura Elizabeth Richards
“Once there was an elephant …”
19. The Forest by Annette Wynne
“The forest is the town of trees …”
20. The Butterfly Ballad by Guy Belleranti
“Butterfly starts as an egg …”
21. I Made a Meme This Morning by Kenn Nesbitt
“I posted it online.”
22. In cold spring air by Reginald Gibbons
“white wisp- / visible …”
23. The Storm by Dorothy Aldis
“In my bed all safe and warm …”
24. Seashell by James Berry
“Shell at my ear –”
25. A Jelly-Fish by Marianne Moore
“Visible, invisible …”
26. Rain Sound by Lillian Morrison
“At first it’s like drumming …”
27. Nicknames by Kenn Nesbitt
“My aunt calls me ‘Elizabeth.'”
28. Dirt on My Shirt by Jeff Foxworthy
“There’s mud on my boots …”
29. Tiger by Valerie Worth
“The tiger has swallowed a black sun.”
30. Your Best by Barbara Vance
“If you always try your best …”
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