This Is Just to SayThis Is Just to Say

"It's hard to say you're sorry. But when Mrs. Merz asks her sixth grade class to write poems of apology, they end up liking their poems so much that they decide to put them together into a book. Not only that, but they get the people to whom they apologized to write poems back. They even ask one of their artistic classmates to illustrate the poems. In haiku, pantoums, two-part poems, snippets, and rhymes, Mrs. Merz's class writes of crushes, deception, overbearing parents, loving and losing pets, and dodge ball accidents. Some poets are deeply sorry; some not at all. Some are forgiven; some are not. But each pair of poems reveals a relationship, a connection between sisters, brothers, father and son, teacher and student, and best friends. This mesmerizing collection from the inventive mind of award-winning poet Joyce Sidman is perfect for inspiring young writers to find the poetic voice within." --From book jacket.