Check Out This Original Read Across America Day Poem!

We celebrate National Read Across America Day in March, usually close to March 2, to mark Dr. Seuss’s birthday. To get in the spirit, we wrote a Read Across America Day poem in the style of Dr. Seuss’s “Green Eggs and Ham,” about a student who tells their teacher that they have no reason to read. 

Share this poem with your class and explore the topics linked within, like snow, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and self-driving cars! Then, encourage your students to write poems in the style of a famous author.

No Need To Read

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Tell me, would you like to read?

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I have no need,

No need to read.

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Would you read about the snow?

Never ever. Nada. No.

I have no need,

No need to read.

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Would you read about a cell?

How about the Liberty Bell?

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I’d never read about a cell

Or some silly Philly bell.

I’d never read about the snow.

Never ever. Nada. No.

I have no need,

No need to read.

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Would you read about Dr. King?

Or about birds that sing?

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Not Dr. King. Not birds that sing.

Not a cell. Not a bell.

I’d never read about the snow.

Never ever. Nada. No.

I have no need,

No need to read.

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Would you read about a car?

On a journey very far?

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You may like it, you will see.

Just try reading about a tree.

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I will not read about a tree.

Or a car. Just let me be.

I will not read about Dr. King.

I will not read about birds that sing.

I will not read about a cell.

I will not read about a bell.

I’d never read about the snow.

Never ever. Nada. No.

I have no need,

No need to read.

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A train! A train!

Would you read about a train?

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Not a train! Not a tree!

Not a car! Let me be!

I will not read about kings and sings.

I will not read about cells and bells.

I’ll never read about the snow.

Never ever. Nada. No.

I have no need,

No need to read.

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You say you do not need to read,

But if you try it, you will see,

Reading can be lots of fun.

There’s something out there for everyone.

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Teacher, if you let me be.

I will try it. You will see.

You’ll see I do not need to read.

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Say, I think I like to read.

I do! I like it! Silly me!

I think I’ll read about the rain,

And a big cross-country train.

I’ll read some stories that are free.

Even ones about a tree!

I’ll read about a planet far,

And even about a self-driving car.

I’ll read about Shakespeare’s kings,

And choruses with songs to sing.

I will read about my cells.

I will read about “The Bells.”

I’ll even read about the snow.

And the grass that grows below.

I’m sorry that I made you plead.

I guess I do,

Need to read.

Get your students excited about reading with Newsela ELA

While this poem may be silly, getting your students excited about reading isn’t! With Newsela ELA, you can drive meaningful student outcomes with content-rich literacy instruction while providing students with interesting, engaging content. 

Not a Newsela customer yet? Sign up for Newsela Lite to start your free 45-day trial of our premium products. You’ll have access to all the engaging content needed to get your students excited to read about anything from rain to trains or football games.