Read a selection of poems about food that are appropriate for young people like “Tamales on Christmas” by Christian Robinson, “This is Just To Say ” by William Carlos Williams, and more.

more poems for kids


Butter” by Elizabeth Alexander
My mother loves butter more than I do...

Tomato Pies, 25 Cents” by Grace Cavalieri 
Tomato pies are what we called them, those days...

Turtle Soup” by Marilyn Chin 
You go home one evening tired from work...

Ghazal of Oranges” by Jan-Henry Gray
On New Year’s Eve, my father overfills the baskets with oranges...
read the lesson plan

Applesauce” by Ted Kooser
I liked how the starry blue lid...

Eating Together” by Li-Young Lee 
In the steamer is the trout...

Cast-Iron Ghazal” by Michael McFee
My mouth won’t ever forget her skill with a skillet...

The Traveling Onion” by Naomi Shihab Nye
When I think how far the onion has traveled...

In Praise of Okra” by January Gill O’Neil
No one believes in you...

Tamales on Christmas” by Christian Robinson 
It is tamale Saturday...

Tender Buttons [Eggs]” by Gertrude Stein
Kind height, kind in the right stomach with a little sudden mill...

Four Sonnets About Food” by Adrienne Su
Words can’t do...

French Toast” by Cammy Thomas 
ah my mother used to make it...