My Absolutely True Life Story
When I was a baby,
I liked to have fun
by racing with cheetahs.
They cried when I won.
I’m pretty creative
so, when I was two,
I also invented
the color called “blue.”
I once jumped so high
I got stuck on the moon.
I moved a whole mountain
with only a spoon.
I helped Santa manage
his reindeer and elves.
I read every book on
the library’s shelves.
I drank all the oceans
one day at high tide,
devoured a pizza
a thousand miles wide,
then learned how to speak
in the language of bees,
and thought up a way
to make cars out of cheese.
Then after composing
the world’s most famous song,
I made up THIS poem,
a million lines long.
This story’s a hundred
and ten percent true.
There’s no doubt about it.
Would I lie to you?
— Kenn Nesbitt
Copyright © 2024. All Rights Reserved.
Reading Level: Grade 3
Topics: Imaginary Poems, Wacky Weirdness
Poetic Techniques: Descriptive Poems, Hyperbole, Imagery, List Poems
Word Count: 148
About This Poem
This is what is known as an “exaggeration poem.” It uses something called “hyperbole“–extreme and obvious exaggerations that are not meant to be taken literally–in nearly every line.
Because hyperbole is a great way to make a poem funny, I have written many hyperbole poems such as “When Larry Made Lasagna” and “The Biggest Burp Ever.” In fact, I even wrote a lesson on how to write your own exaggeration poems by using hyperboles.
Usually when I write exaggeration poems, I pick a single subject to write about, such as the world’s largest lasagna or the world’s biggest burp. This time I thought I’d try something different. I decided to pack as many different exaggerations into a single poem as I could. What do you think?
If you like this sort of poem, here are a few more exaggeration poems you might also enjoy:
Use This Poem
Would you like to use this poem in your classroom? Would you like permission to reprint, record, recite or broadcast this poem, or set it to music? Please click on one of the following links for permissions and reprint rights information: