October is a month to celebrate masks. And whether you dress up for Halloween or not, it's a great time to teach young people about the power of metaphor. Here's an activity for you and your kids that suits the season.

Forget the store bought costumes, and turn your classroom or home into a tribal celebration with Metaphor Masks. A metaphor is a comparison that talks about one thing as if it were another.

Give everyone a big piece of cardboard and tell them they can be anything they want - an animal, a force of nature, a powerful or valuable object. Decorate the mask with paints, crayons, streamers, beads, feathers, anything at all.

Make a long list of words and phrases associated with the metaphor. Tell them to go wild here - action words, descriptive words, feeling words, people and places associated with their image.

LizardGreen YellowCamouflageTrees
RocksHideSlitherScaleQuick
ClimbEat BugsDesertRainforestTongue

Now take some words and create some playful combinations. Some poets write in long flowing lines. Others compose with short succinct phrases. No matter what the length, a good poetic line stands out and captures the audience's attention.

I'm looking for parents and teachers to help me fill the Arlington Height's Metropolis Theatre with kids on Sunday, February 22nd for a new poetry show called Radio Poetry.

This performance includes a poetic cast of characters and will benefit Ameriface, a charity that helps young people with facial differences.

If you are interested in reserving seats for Radio Poetry, go to Radio-Poetry.com or call 847-797-0625.

I hope you enjoyed the monthly update. Encourage your friends to visit our website. This Fall we will featuring poetry podcasts. Keep your eyes and ears open for Radio Poetry.

Until next time...Kiss The Fish,

Bill Buczinsky
A Child's Voice

Visit us at www.childs-voice-poetry.com