A Teenager's Grump Meter Poem

A teenager wrote the poem below about the Grump Meter. You’ll see how the poem describes the five Grump Meter colors. Kudos to Asa—and thank you to her for sharing her writing with us. How great to be able to be able to write about anger with some lightness!

“When you’re on blue
You’re nice and cool
When you’re on blue
You’re not acting a fool

When you’re on green
You’re a bit of a grump
You can get over it
It’s just a little bump

You’re on yellow
You’re now on caution
Put your foot on the brake
Please start stoppin’

Now your on orange
You’re almost to red
Please stop
Rethink it in your head

Now you’re on red
You’ve clearly lost your temper
If you would’ve stopped sooner
Life would’ve been simpler.”

Here’s what we think is so vital about this poem: it identifies feelings and state of being with language, with words. Until we name our feelings, we can’t talk about them. We can only act them out. So introducing the Grump Meter colors into your family, or with any kids you work with, gives everyone a whole new language to talk about and listen to difficult feelings.

You can ask each other what color you’re on, and why. You can let a child just get his or feelings out, and listen. You can give another person space to come back down the Grump Meter and calm down. All of this becomes possible when we can name our feelings, and the colors give us an easy language to use.

If anyone writes a Grump Meter poem in your family, class, or group, send it along. We’d love to see it!