Poets of Nature, Revelry, and Rhyme Nature, Revelry, and Rhyme    

Lesson 17: Japanese Lullaby

by Eugene Field

Performer: Librivox - Becky Miller

Directions

Study the poem for one week.

Over the week:

• Read or listen to the poem.
• Review the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Read about the poet.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

A lullaby poem describes the beauty of the night and encourages 'little pigeons' to sleep.

Vocabulary

Pigeon: A stout seed- or fruit-eating bird with a small head, short legs, and a cooing voice, typically having gray and white plumage.
Velvet: A closely woven fabric of silk, cotton, or nylon, that has a thick short pile.
Yonder: At some distance in the direction indicated; over there.
Dew: Tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces at night.
Moonbeam: A ray of moonlight.
Anguish: Severe mental or physical pain or suffering.
Mournful: Feeling, expressing, or inducing sadness, regret, or grief.
Darling: Used as an affectionate form of address to a beloved person.

Concepts

1. Eugene Field was born in 1850 in Saint Louis, Illinois. See his picture below.

2. Zoom in and find Field's birth state of Illinois (IL) on the map of the continental United States.

3. Field was afraid of the dark as a boy and hated studying. His mother died when he was six, and his father sent him to live on his cousin's farm.
4. Field wrote his first poem on the farm about his cousin's dog, Fido.
5. Field married young and had eight children, five of which survived beyond childhood.
6. Field published poems beginning in 1879, when he was 29. One of his most famous poems is, 'Wynken, Blynken, and Nod'.
7. Field died of a heart attack at the age of 45 in Chicago, Illinois.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Recite the Title, the Poet's Name, and the Poem

• Each day this week, recite aloud the title of the poem, the name of the poet, and the poem.

Activity 2: Study the Poem Picture

• Study the poem picture, and describe how it relates to the poem.

Activity 3: Narrate the Poem

• After reading or listening to the poem, narrate the poem events aloud using your own words.

Activity 4: Color the Poem   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 19 of 'Poetry Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the poem?

1 / 6

Answer 1

The title of the poem is 'Japanese Lullaby.'

1 / 6

Question 2

What is the name of the poet who wrote 'Japanese Lullaby?'

2 / 6

Answer 2

The name of the poet is Eugene Field.

2 / 6

Question 3

What happens in the poem?

3 / 6

Answer 3

The lullaby poem describes the beauty of the night and encourages 'little pigeons' to sleep.

3 / 6

Question 4

Where does the poem take place?

4 / 6

Answer 4

The poem most likely takes place in a child's bedroom.

4 / 6

Question 5

Who are the characters in the poem?

5 / 6

Answer 5

The characters include the little pigeon, the mother-bird, and the narrator.

5 / 6

Question 6

Does the poem teach us anything?

6 / 6

Answer 6

The poem teaches us that the night can be beautiful, magical, and restful.

6 / 6

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the poem? The title of the poem is 'Japanese Lullaby.'
2. What is the name of the poet who wrote 'Japanese Lullaby?' The name of the poet is Eugene Field.
3. What happens in the poem? The lullaby poem describes the beauty of the night and encourages 'little pigeons' to sleep.
4. Where does the poem take place? The poem most likely takes place in a child's bedroom.
5. Who are the characters in the poem? The characters include the little pigeon, the mother-bird, and the narrator.
6. Does the poem teach us anything? The poem teaches us that the night can be beautiful, magical, and restful.

References

'Eugene Field.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.