Welcome to Poetry4kids. I’m Kenn Nesbitt. I’ve always loved cheese. Today, as I was eating an especially cheesy pizza for lunch, the idea of an artist creating entire sculptures out of cheese seemed irresistibly whimsical and delicious. There has been a long tradition among children’s poets, such as Colin West in the UK and Jack Prelutsky in the US, of creating poems about unusual characters with strange and funny talents. I thought Skylar the Sculptor would fit perfectly into this tradition, using her imagination (and a ton of cheese) to make incredible, edible art.
Although this poem is completely absurd, it is also meant to remind us that art doesn’t always have to be serious—it can be temporary, tasty, and loads of fun! I hope you enjoy it. This is…
Skylar the Sculptor
When Skylar the Sculptor makes statues,
she doesn’t use metal or stone.
She doesn’t use clay, wood, or plaster.
She doesn’t use plastic or bone.
No, Skylar is such a strange sculptor,
she makes all her artworks from cheese.
She chisels reliefs out of cheddars,
and vases and bowls out of bries.
She’ll carve a few columns from colby,
a bust from a big piece of blue,
or fashion a fountain from feta,
and fill it with gouda fondue.
Although she makes hundreds of sculptures
from cheese that she buys by the ton,
you won’t find her works in museums.
She eats them as soon as they’re done.
— Kenn Nesbitt
