Susan's Homeschool Blog

My son Stephen (age 10) was halfway through writing a summary of Romeo and Juliet when he saw his older brother writing a poem. He asked me, “Can I write it as a poem, too, but can mine be funny?”

“As long as you keep the main plot line, you can add humor to it,” I answered, and he excitedly ran to get started.

His Romeo and Juliet poem for kids includes slapstick humor similar to the Three Stooges:

Once upon a time there was a fight
Because a Capulet bit his thumb.
A Montague tied his belt too tight,
And a Capulet fell on his bum!

A Montague named Romeo
Went to a Capulet ball.
He was handed some strawberry jello,
Which he dropped when he climbed the wall.

“What light through yonder window breaks?
‘Tis the east, and Juliet is the sun.”
“Not now, Romeo; my toe aches.
But I’ll marry you tomorrow at one.”

The next day they were wed.
But Romeo hit Tybalt with a frying pan
Because Romeo’s friend was dead.
So he was banished by a man.

Juliet in her grief and sorrow
Ran to the friar for relief.
“This potion you may borrow,
And your life will seem so brief.”

She drank the potion,
Was put in a crypt,
Romeo saw her without motion,
And on a banana peel he slipped.

He died by her side.
Juliet woke up, screamed, and died.

Related product: Romeo and Juliet Unit Study

My 9-year-old son Nathaniel also wanted to write his summary of Romeo and Juliet in poetic form. His poem ended up with very short lines, which were easier to write. He had a great time trying to rhyme all the action in the story. We made a list of the sequence of events on a sheet of paper, and he referred to the list as he wrote this Romeo and Juliet poem for kids:

Romeo arrived at a party
Dressed up with a mask.
He fell in love with Juliet.
Winning her heart would be a task

Because their families were enemies.
Later Romeo climbed the wall
To see Juliet at her balcony.
To her he did call.

They decided to get married
The next day on the morrow.
Juliet said to Romeo,
“Parting is such sweet sorrow.”

After marrying at the church,
Tybalt killed Mercutio.
So Romeo killed Tybalt
And was banished. Oh, no!

Because of Juliet’s grief
She drank a potion and fell asleep.
Her family thought she was dead.
All they could do was weep.

Romeo visited her grave,
Drank some poison and sighed;
While Juliet woke up,
Stabbed herself, and died.

Related product: Romeo and Juliet Unit Study