The Brothers' War Civil War Voices in Verse

Bibliography
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2007. The Brothers' War Civil War Voices in Verse. National Geographic Society: Washington, DC. ISBN: 978-1-4263-0037-0. 

About the Book
The wonderful wordplay of J. Patrick Lewis gives a new perspective on the speeches of Lincoln, the letters of Grant and Lee, and the drama of America's Civil War. Well suited for students in grades 4 through 8, Lewis' poetry gives readers a vivid insight into the conflict that tore our country apart. The book, including eleven poems, and other features, is a beautiful representation of that era. The book's extra features, including a map and a timeline of the Civil War, notes about the photography, notes about the poem's forms and inspirations, as well as an introduction to the book, add much to the depth and significance of the book.

One Poem
Down on the Plantation

I stopped to stoop
And stooped to chop,
Then clipped to scoop
The cotton crop.

The way it went 
Long after dark.....
A woman bent
Like a question mark.

Activities
*Poetry break - read the poem, set in the early 1860s near Savannah, Georgia, and discuss the rhyme and rhythm. 
*Read other poems in the collection and compare their style and subject matter.  
*Lead students to conduct research about the Civil War era and tie the poems to social studies lessons.  Challenge students to write a poem about an aspect of the Civil War era that they learn in their research. 
*Find another collection of poems by J. Patrick Lewis and discuss how the subject matter changes the impact or purpose of the poems.