Poem

When I Grow Up

by Janet S. Wong

I want to be an artist, Grandpa—write and paint, dance and sing.

Be accountant.
Be lawyer.
5 Make good living,
buy good food.
Back in China,
in the old days,
everybody
10 so, so poor.
Eat one chicken,
work all year.

Reprinted with the permission of Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, from A SUITCASE OF SEAWEED AND OTHER POEMS by Janet S. Wong. Copyright © 1996 by Janet S. Wong. All rights reserved.

Grandpa, things are different here.

In Other Words
  • accountant someone who keeps track of the money a business makes and spends
  • lawyer someone who knows about laws
  • Make good living Earn a lot of money
Before You Move On
  • 1. Author’s Style How many speakers are in this poem? How does the author show this?
  • 2. Compare and Contrast How are the speakers’ ideas different?