Common Lit: David's Old Soul by Nikki Grimes

Grimes is well known for her award-winning books written for children and young adults. The poem "David's Old Soul" appeared in her book One Last Word, a collection inspired by poems from the Harlem Renaissance that follow the "Golden Shovel" form. In this poetic form, the poet takes a "striking line" from an inspirational poem and uses words from that inspirational line in a new poem. The striking line then appears, word for word, at the end of the lines in the new poem. This poem uses the third line of Langston Hughes's "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," as a speaker describes becoming a man. It also offers guided reading, an assessment, and discussion questions. [Free account registration required for specific tools.]