Halloween is a special time of year full of spooky fun, trick-or-treating, and lots of tasty treats. But did you know that Halloween is also one of the best times to enjoy reading, sharing, and even writing poetry?
Halloween poems are full of ghosts, goblins, witches, and other monsters, and they can be just the right mix of fun and fright. They might give you a little shiver, but they also make you laugh out loud. Whether you like silly poems or spooky ones, Halloween poems can make your October even more exciting!
Why Read Halloween Poetry?
Halloween is the perfect time for reading poetry because it’s a holiday full of imagination. When you read a Halloween poem, it’s easy to picture black cats, jack-o’-lanterns, and haunted houses in your mind. The poems are often filled with words that create vivid images, and they make you feel like you’re right there on a spooky adventure.
Plus, reading poems together with friends or family can make Halloween even more fun. You could read poems around a campfire, by candlelight, or even as part of your Halloween night celebration. It’s all about having a little fun while getting in the spirit of the holiday.
Classic Halloween Poems
There are some classic spooky poems that have been loved for many years. One of the most famous is “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe. This eerie poem tells the story of a man visited by a mysterious raven on a dark, lonely night. The raven repeats the word “Nevermore,” and the poem gets spookier as it goes on, making it perfect for Halloween. Here’s how it begins:
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—
Only this and nothing more.”
Another classic is “Theme in Yellow” by Carl Sandburg. This poem describes the sights and sounds of Halloween, and it’s perfect for setting a Halloween mood. It talks about autumn scenery and children singing ghost songs, all from the perspective of a jack-o’-lantern.
Jack Prelutsky’s It’s Halloween!
If you love fun poems, you’ll want to check out It’s Halloween! by Jack Prelutsky. Jack is a famous children’s poet known for his silly, fun, and sometimes spooky poems. It’s Halloween! is a collection of poems all about Halloween night—full of trick-or-treaters and Halloween games. Each poem is short, funny, and captures something special about Halloween that makes it magical. One of the poems describes children dressed up as witches, pirates, and ghosts, while another talks about a haunted house with groaning doors and creaky floors. The poems are not too scary, but they’re just spooky enough to make Halloween even more fun.
My Spooky and Silly Poems
I also love writing Halloween poems! I even wrote an entire Halloween picture book poem called Believe it or Not, My Brother Has a Monster. And I have written dozens more Halloween poems, including “We Bought a Lot of Candy Bars,” “Incomplete Trick-or-Treat,” and this poem “On Halloween Night” from my book My Dog Likes to Disco:
On Halloween Night
A couple of demons,
on Halloween night,
showed up on my doorstep
to give me a fright.I smiled when I saw them.
I gave them a wink,
and handed them each
a delicious, cold drink.You might think it’s weird
but I wasn’t afraid.
When life gives me demons
I make demonade.
More Fun Halloween Collections
There are many other wonderful collections of Halloween poems for kids. One of them is Scary, Scary Halloween by Eve Bunting. It’s a story in poems that follows trick-or-treaters dressed up in costumes on Halloween night. The story is slightly spooky—just enough to be fun without being too frightening.
Halloween Night by Charles Ghigna is another delightful collection with poems such as “The Haunted House.” It’s full of short, fun poems that capture the magic and excitement of Halloween, from trick-or-treating to spooky surprises. The poems are filled with playful rhymes and colorful imagery that make them perfect for young readers to enjoy during the Halloween season.
One more wonderfully fun Halloween poetry book is Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex. It’s a hilarious collection of poems all about different monsters and the funny problems they have. For example, Frankenstein just wants to make himself a sandwich, but he keeps running into all sorts of ridiculous difficulties. There’s also a poem about Dracula having spinach stuck in his teeth. These poems are perfect if you like to laugh while reading about monsters.
Writing Your Own Halloween Poems
Halloween isn’t just a great time to read poetry—it’s also the perfect time to write your own poems! You can use your imagination to come up with all sorts of funny or spooky ideas. You could write a poem about your favorite costume, a haunted house, or a group of monsters having a Halloween party. Maybe you’ll write about a mischievous ghost who loves to play tricks on people. The fun part of writing Halloween poems is that anything can happen—there are no rules, and your poem can be as wild or silly as you want.
One way to start writing a Halloween poem is to think about something spooky or silly and imagine what could happen next. Here’s a tip: try starting with a question like, “What if a vampire loved hot chocolate instead of blood?” or “What would happen if a ghost got lost in a candy store?” Asking funny questions can help you come up with creative ideas for your poem.
Sharing Halloween Poems
After you write your Halloween poem, don’t forget to share it! You can read it to your friends or family, or even perform it as part of a Halloween party. You could also write it on a Halloween card to give to someone special. Sharing poems is a great way to spread Halloween cheer and make people laugh (or give them a little friendly scare!).
You could even have a Halloween poetry reading with your friends. Gather around, light some candles, and take turns reading your favorite Halloween poems. You can read funny poems, spooky poems, or even poems you wrote yourself. You could also dress up in costumes and act out the poems as you read them. It’s a fun way to make Halloween night even more magical and full of surprises.
Get Ready for a Spooky, Poetic Halloween!
This Halloween, why not add some poetry to your celebrations? Whether you’re reading Jack Prelutsky’s It’s Halloween!, laughing at my funny monster poems, or writing your own spooky verses, there’s no better time to get creative. Poetry can make Halloween even more special by adding a little magic, a little laughter, and maybe even a tiny shiver up your spine. So grab a book of Halloween poems, gather your friends, and get ready for some spooktacular fun!
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