Parents and grandparents alike filled the Poetry Cafe, or what is normally known as the 4th grade classroom. For this second annual event, the classroom was transformed with colored lights, flameless candles and buds in vases creating a café-like atmosphere.

Fourth grade teacher Mrs. Ciaramello welcomed guests explaining that each student had written four poems - two rhyming, one Haiku about spring and one free verse poem about where they like to relax. With their creative juices flowing, some students chose to write additional poems, sometimes following this year’s school theme of “Light the World.” Each student also chose a favorite poem to read from different poetry books.

The cafe had its own set of etiquette, as well. Instead of clapping at the end of each presentation, guests were asked to “snap” their appreciation. To decide which student would read next, Mrs. “C” read a descriptive poem written by each child and audience members tried to guess who it described. More often than not, audience members knew their child’s classmates and laughed at how accurately the children described themselves.

Children sang a familiar rhyme and asked their parents to help make the rhymes. First, they sang “There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly”....acted out complete with descriptive movements - a true effort in teamwork! They then asked their parents to sing along with them, so students sang “There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a ________ and parents were asked to fill in a word, which the children then had to rhyme. Many chuckles, hugs and congratulations on jobs well done later, everyone enjoyed refreshments since, after all, it was a café!