Instead of trying to come up and pontificate on what literature is, you need to talk with children, to teachers, and make sure they get poetry in the curriculum early.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
The attitude that poetry should not be analyzed is prevalent among many who consider themselves experts on children's literature. But I suspected that kids like to look closely at things and figure out what makes them go.
Besides the actual reading in class of many poems, I would suggest you do two things: first, while teaching everything you can and keeping free of it, teach that poetry is a mode of discourse that differs from logical exposition.
I want to write a book of poetry, as well as children's stories.
I think when kids just see well-crafted poetry, it's just obtuse to them. It's hard to relate to.
I think any good literature, whether it's for children or for adults, will appeal to everybody. As far as children's literature goes, adults should be able to read it and enjoy it as much as a child would.
Meet some people who care about poetry the way you do. You'll have that readership. Keep going until you know you're doing work that's worthy. And then see what happens. That's my advice.
Teach you children poetry; it opens the mind, lends grace to wisdom and makes the heroic virtues hereditary.
My view, as one who taught it, is that the whole purpose of a literary education should be to tell people that these things exist. I don't think any teacher should try to 'teach an author,' but rather simply describe what the author has written. And this is what I tried to do.
Children seem naturally drawn to poetry - it's some combination of the rhyme, rhythm, and the words themselves.
I don't think poetry is something that can be taught. We can encourage young writers, but what you can't teach them is the very essence of poetry.