This was a set of Haiku's by the Japanese poet Issa. There were a collection of them and they are very good. I would use this poem, and the rest in A few Flies and I, for a couple of different reasons. One, because this is a great example of a Haiku. So if I was doing a poetry lesson I would definitely want to show Haikus as well, and this is a great example of one. I would also use this particular Haiku because of the figurative language with rat-a-tat-tat. When reading poems, you often learn and do lessons on figurative language, because they are so common in poems, and this poem is a great example of an Onomatopoeia. It is a fun way to connect an easy poem that is relatable to your students lives to language that they will need to learn.
Genre: Poetry ( )

This very simply illustrated, very simple book left me with a deep sense of peace. It is amazing how much can be conveyed in so few words. It is also interesting that this book, written so many centuries ago, still speaks to the quiet moments of life today. ( )