8th Grade 303
Maritza G.
Ode to apple
Your color makes me
think of a
rose
I look up in a
tree and say
soon you will
come back
you have so
many colors
you are a rainbow
when someone
bites into you
I see your inside
that can
be sweet or
sour I
see you when you're
hurt and
see I must
give you away
sweet and sour
apple I can't wait
till you
come back to me.
Demi R.
Ode to an Orange
That soft outer core
a peanut shell waiting
to be opened
your sweet nector puts
me in a hypnotic trance
You are like a big sun
shining down upon
the land when I look
at you, I feel
all warm inside
Every part of
you is so gorgeous
I would just like
to stare at you
all day.
Bridgette B.
Ode to Oreo
Oreo is a milks best
friend, and mine
When you dip it in
milk the world sops and
doesn't turn anymore
Its delicious two layers
white and the best part
the cookie
It is beautiful with it
and scary without it
I is good when You
have one, but it is better with
the whole box!
When you are finished
you have a size that
you need back in.
Goodbye earth's creation
that shouldn't stop.
7th Grade 309
Jesus U.
Ode to Pizza
I love your triangular curves
The softness of your bread.
Fluffly like a cloud.
I haven't even mentioned your cheese
assign beauty and dressing to
the soft fluffy bread
When I see you
My heart jumps in joy
I grab a plat and eat
But during those amazing minutes
that I enjoy you
I am also in agony
because I see other people
eating you
You should belong to me and no one else
Don't worry my pizza
One day we will leave together
Just you and me
Ana U.
Ode the Cherry pie
It's the king of delights,
The fruit high up in the tree,
Glowing, a topaz covered with
mercury or blood
A blanket surrounds it's glory.
A treasure on the countertop.
You're sweet sweet sweet!
I need your sugary goodness.
Dipping my face and hands
into the softness of your surface.
But when you're gone only a
porcelain plate is remnant.
Henry C.
Ode to Mango
I look at you
my mouth starts to drool
A tropical island
Sun in my hand
You look like an
over sized olive
You surface is slippery
slimy but sweet too.
You're cotton sandy
with more than one color
I could have you sliced
I could have you as one
I could have you plain or
with salsa, limon and some salt.
7th Grade 311
Tashay
Ode to candy
Candy I love you
so sweet, chewy, soft
Hard, hot, cold
A sweet ball of sunshine
A hot ball of hell
A chewy square of heaven
a soft cloud of cotton
candy, I love you!
Brian M.
Ode to Arroz con lo Pobre
Arroz con lo pobre I love you.
Why? Because you have meat.
Why? Because you have eggs that
taste so tasty that I love it.
Why? Because you are hot
and so yummy to my stomach.
Why? Because you taste that
I am an in my country.
Why? Because when I smell you
you make me hungry.
Why? Because you make
me so good and happy.
Melissa S.
Cookies
It's a treat from the heavens
It's the chocolate from night
Your are the sand over the beach
with fresh coconuts all over.
Cookies I love the chocolate in your chips.
I love your warmness and how
you melt when you get out
of the stove.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Odes to Good Things
8th Grade 303
Maritza G.
Ode to apple
Your color makes me
think of a
rose
I look up in a
tree and say
soon you will
come back
you have so
many colors
you are a rainbow
when someone
bites into you
I see your inside
that can
be sweet or
sour I
see you when you're
hurt and
see I must
give you away
sweet and sour
apple I can't wait
till you
come back to me.
Demi R.
Ode to an Orange
That soft outer core
a peanut shell waiting
to be opened
your sweet nector puts
me in a hypnotic trance
You are like a big sun
shining down upon
the land when I look
at you, I feel
all warm inside
Every part of
you is so gorgeous
I would just like
to stare at you
all day.
Bridgette B.
Ode to Oreo
Oreo is a milks best
friend, and mine
When you dip it in
milk the world sops and
doesn't turn anymore
Its delicious two layers
white and the best part
the cookie
It is beautiful with it
and scary without it
I is good when You
have one, but it is better with
the whole box!
When you are finished
you have a size that
you need back in.
Goodbye earth's creation
that shouldn't stop.
7th Grade 309
Jesus U.
Ode to Pizza
I love your triangular curves
The softness of your bread.
Fluffly like a cloud.
I haven't even mentioned your cheese
assign beauty and dressing to
the soft fluffy bread
When I see you
My heart jumps in joy
I grab a plat and eat
But during those amazing minutes
that I enjoy you
I am also in agony
because I see other people
eating you
You should belong to me and no one else
Don't worry my pizza
One day we will leave together
Just you and me
Ana U.
Ode the Cherry pie
It's the king of delights,
The fruit high up in the tree,
Glowing, a topaz covered with
mercury or blood
A blanket surrounds it's glory.
A treasure on the countertop.
You're sweet sweet sweet!
I need your sugary goodness.
Dipping my face and hands
into the softness of your surface.
But when you're gone only a
porcelain plate is remnant.
Henry C.
Ode to Mango
I look at you
my mouth starts to drool
A tropical island
Sun in my hand
You look like an
over sized olive
You surface is slippery
slimy but sweet too.
You're cotton sandy
with more than one color
I could have you sliced
I could have you as one
I could have you plain or
with salsa, limon and some salt.
7th Grade 311
Tashay
Ode to candy
Candy I love you
so sweet, chewy, soft
Hard, hot, cold
A sweet ball of sunshine
A hot ball of hell
A chewy square of heaven
a soft cloud of cotton
candy, I love you!
Brian M.
Ode to Arroz con lo Pobre
Arroz con lo pobre I love you.
Why? Because you have meat.
Why? Because you have eggs that
taste so tasty that I love it.
Why? Because you are hot
and so yummy to my stomach.
Why? Because you taste that
I am an in my country.
Why? Because when I smell you
you make me hungry.
Why? Because you make
me so good and happy.
Melissa S.
Cookies
It's a treat from the heavens
It's the chocolate from night
Your are the sand over the beach
with fresh coconuts all over.
Cookies I love the chocolate in your chips.
I love your warmness and how
you melt when you get out
of the stove.
Maritza G.
Ode to apple
Your color makes me
think of a
rose
I look up in a
tree and say
soon you will
come back
you have so
many colors
you are a rainbow
when someone
bites into you
I see your inside
that can
be sweet or
sour I
see you when you're
hurt and
see I must
give you away
sweet and sour
apple I can't wait
till you
come back to me.
Demi R.
Ode to an Orange
That soft outer core
a peanut shell waiting
to be opened
your sweet nector puts
me in a hypnotic trance
You are like a big sun
shining down upon
the land when I look
at you, I feel
all warm inside
Every part of
you is so gorgeous
I would just like
to stare at you
all day.
Bridgette B.
Ode to Oreo
Oreo is a milks best
friend, and mine
When you dip it in
milk the world sops and
doesn't turn anymore
Its delicious two layers
white and the best part
the cookie
It is beautiful with it
and scary without it
I is good when You
have one, but it is better with
the whole box!
When you are finished
you have a size that
you need back in.
Goodbye earth's creation
that shouldn't stop.
7th Grade 309
Jesus U.
Ode to Pizza
I love your triangular curves
The softness of your bread.
Fluffly like a cloud.
I haven't even mentioned your cheese
assign beauty and dressing to
the soft fluffy bread
When I see you
My heart jumps in joy
I grab a plat and eat
But during those amazing minutes
that I enjoy you
I am also in agony
because I see other people
eating you
You should belong to me and no one else
Don't worry my pizza
One day we will leave together
Just you and me
Ana U.
Ode the Cherry pie
It's the king of delights,
The fruit high up in the tree,
Glowing, a topaz covered with
mercury or blood
A blanket surrounds it's glory.
A treasure on the countertop.
You're sweet sweet sweet!
I need your sugary goodness.
Dipping my face and hands
into the softness of your surface.
But when you're gone only a
porcelain plate is remnant.
Henry C.
Ode to Mango
I look at you
my mouth starts to drool
A tropical island
Sun in my hand
You look like an
over sized olive
You surface is slippery
slimy but sweet too.
You're cotton sandy
with more than one color
I could have you sliced
I could have you as one
I could have you plain or
with salsa, limon and some salt.
7th Grade 311
Tashay
Ode to candy
Candy I love you
so sweet, chewy, soft
Hard, hot, cold
A sweet ball of sunshine
A hot ball of hell
A chewy square of heaven
a soft cloud of cotton
candy, I love you!
Brian M.
Ode to Arroz con lo Pobre
Arroz con lo pobre I love you.
Why? Because you have meat.
Why? Because you have eggs that
taste so tasty that I love it.
Why? Because you are hot
and so yummy to my stomach.
Why? Because you taste that
I am an in my country.
Why? Because when I smell you
you make me hungry.
Why? Because you make
me so good and happy.
Melissa S.
Cookies
It's a treat from the heavens
It's the chocolate from night
Your are the sand over the beach
with fresh coconuts all over.
Cookies I love the chocolate in your chips.
I love your warmness and how
you melt when you get out
of the stove.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
"The Fork", or everyday monsters
We read Charles Simic's grotesque take on silver ware "The Fork." The poem re-imagines this common object as a monster - and so students looked to things in their classroom to see if they could bring any of the monsters out.
8th grade 303
Jorii W.
Lonely Crying Sink
The crying sink
sheds a tear once in a while
because no one touches it
or shows it care
so it just sits their
rusting and crying its
life away
Eduardo S.
The radio
radio got to black
eye that send you Devil
message you hear the
message you go to Devil
cribs
Gabina S.
Garbage
It has a big mouth that anything could fit in
nasty and smelly with toilet paper in it
Get rid of it, it comes band and gets
bigger each time you see it.
The used only smelly stuff makes
your room stink like your enemy.
It would eat all the stuff that
you don't want no more with you or even
think of it…so if you want to dump your boyfriend
you know what to do with it.
Luis S.
Windows
It keeps staring at me
with its eight eyes.
Blows the wind in my face recklessly.
Squishes my fingers with its small
sharp claws.
7th grade 309
Anjelica A.
The walls
They're there, blind, yet watching us.
they're just there absorbing loads of information,
They're hearing all our lies and laughing
They're so quiet we can't hear them,
But I know they're there making fun of us
Sometimes when you leave something on the floor too long
They swallow it, and it becomes part of them
I am afraid that maybe,
One day, when I disappear
just know the walls have taken me,
they all closed in and took me,
and now you should be careful I can
hear you, I can see you, I'm just like
The walls
Alberto G.
U.S.A.
It is a horrible place
It has a person in the middle
A frogs head right by the sea
Monsters stomping over out grounds
Giving us no peace at all
Always screaming never letting is sleep
We'll never know what will happen the next day
Until it happens…
Hopefully it will stop someday
Jair O.
Mindeater (T.V.)
A little box sleeping 'till your
arrival.
Awakening and enticing you to
look into its eye.
Going through the doors
that are your eyes.
Rotting you brain, strangling
creativity, poisoning your mind,
Everyday it awaits your
return to continue
where it left off.
Nipping away at your mind 'till
there's nothing left.
Even then there's still
a cure…
the outside.
Glenda C,
Ode to Anger
When anger falls upon you
like a strike of
lightening, don't take it out on
anyone. The only one you're
hurting is yourself.
Anger is like lightening
that can strike at any
moment. But after the rain
and lightening is gone, a
rainbow falls upon you with
happiness, joy and forgiveness.
So don't forget when the
rain and lightening passes
all that is left is a beautiful
rainbow!
Estephanie B.
Ode on guilt
Though shall not let
thy conscience get to thee
you dwell with guilt -
that must disappear
so easy as it appeared.
7th Grade 311
Xadrien M.
The stack of chairs
The body is like four hungry
beaks with jaw gropping teeth
the legs are about two dozen
knives that
step on you
the eyes are like
the fiery boiler in
basement.
Zacarra S.
Monster B.
This scary creature must have
crept right out of the library
It represents pages with
thousands of big words that have
lots of meaning
As it chases you
he or she screams out big words
It is not even possible to even think
of what happened to the rest of the words
buried under the monster gooey green
glob melting or shrinking with
every step it takes!
8th grade 303
Jorii W.
Lonely Crying Sink
The crying sink
sheds a tear once in a while
because no one touches it
or shows it care
so it just sits their
rusting and crying its
life away
Eduardo S.
The radio
radio got to black
eye that send you Devil
message you hear the
message you go to Devil
cribs
Gabina S.
Garbage
It has a big mouth that anything could fit in
nasty and smelly with toilet paper in it
Get rid of it, it comes band and gets
bigger each time you see it.
The used only smelly stuff makes
your room stink like your enemy.
It would eat all the stuff that
you don't want no more with you or even
think of it…so if you want to dump your boyfriend
you know what to do with it.
Luis S.
Windows
It keeps staring at me
with its eight eyes.
Blows the wind in my face recklessly.
Squishes my fingers with its small
sharp claws.
7th grade 309
Anjelica A.
The walls
They're there, blind, yet watching us.
they're just there absorbing loads of information,
They're hearing all our lies and laughing
They're so quiet we can't hear them,
But I know they're there making fun of us
Sometimes when you leave something on the floor too long
They swallow it, and it becomes part of them
I am afraid that maybe,
One day, when I disappear
just know the walls have taken me,
they all closed in and took me,
and now you should be careful I can
hear you, I can see you, I'm just like
The walls
Alberto G.
U.S.A.
It is a horrible place
It has a person in the middle
A frogs head right by the sea
Monsters stomping over out grounds
Giving us no peace at all
Always screaming never letting is sleep
We'll never know what will happen the next day
Until it happens…
Hopefully it will stop someday
Jair O.
Mindeater (T.V.)
A little box sleeping 'till your
arrival.
Awakening and enticing you to
look into its eye.
Going through the doors
that are your eyes.
Rotting you brain, strangling
creativity, poisoning your mind,
Everyday it awaits your
return to continue
where it left off.
Nipping away at your mind 'till
there's nothing left.
Even then there's still
a cure…
the outside.
Glenda C,
Ode to Anger
When anger falls upon you
like a strike of
lightening, don't take it out on
anyone. The only one you're
hurting is yourself.
Anger is like lightening
that can strike at any
moment. But after the rain
and lightening is gone, a
rainbow falls upon you with
happiness, joy and forgiveness.
So don't forget when the
rain and lightening passes
all that is left is a beautiful
rainbow!
Estephanie B.
Ode on guilt
Though shall not let
thy conscience get to thee
you dwell with guilt -
that must disappear
so easy as it appeared.
7th Grade 311
Xadrien M.
The stack of chairs
The body is like four hungry
beaks with jaw gropping teeth
the legs are about two dozen
knives that
step on you
the eyes are like
the fiery boiler in
basement.
Zacarra S.
Monster B.
This scary creature must have
crept right out of the library
It represents pages with
thousands of big words that have
lots of meaning
As it chases you
he or she screams out big words
It is not even possible to even think
of what happened to the rest of the words
buried under the monster gooey green
glob melting or shrinking with
every step it takes!
This is Just To Say
We read William Carlos William's "This Is Just To Say" - a brief epistolary poem in the form of an apology note that manages not to be sorry for doing anything. Here are student responces:
8th grade 303
Justin A.
I have talked
in the hallways
while the teacher Ms. Jackson
said not to.
You said
not to talk
for like a
hundred times
I am sorry
I had to
It's hard
So I talked.
Janelle S.
This is just to say
I have used
your phone
that was
on the table
it was looking
at me but
I knew it
wasn't free
please forgive me
important phone call
needed to an
important person.
Briana S.
This is Just to Say
I did not listen
to you Ms. Jackson
I talked to Crystal
In the hall
We just had
to talk about
our myspace music
page
with all new
songs no one
in school even
knows about duh!
7th grade 309
Diana P.
This is just to say
I put gum
in your hair
during your sleep
And which
probably you hat to cut
bald
I'm sorry
It was funny,
is it too late to
APOLOGIZE?
Estephania B.
I took over
the world
that was inside
your mind
And which
you were probably
in charge of
before I came along
Forgive me,
but now
I own
your world.
Emmanuel R.
I have sold
your phone
to the
neighbor
and you
were probably
going
to buy a new plan
Forgive me
I got a lot of
money for
that phone.
7th Grade 311
Edwin D.
I have taken
your gel
from your room
I know you
only had a
little
I used
it all.
Forgive me
the gel made
my hair
Really spikey.
Seciley V.
I'm sorry
I have taken
your boyfriend
and which you
were wondering
where he was
and forgive me
he was so fine
now he is mine.
Lissette S.
I have taken
your dollar
from the
table
I needed
one more
dollar
for me
I am so
sorry but
I enjoyed
wasting your
money.
8th grade 303
Justin A.
I have talked
in the hallways
while the teacher Ms. Jackson
said not to.
You said
not to talk
for like a
hundred times
I am sorry
I had to
It's hard
So I talked.
Janelle S.
This is just to say
I have used
your phone
that was
on the table
it was looking
at me but
I knew it
wasn't free
please forgive me
important phone call
needed to an
important person.
Briana S.
This is Just to Say
I did not listen
to you Ms. Jackson
I talked to Crystal
In the hall
We just had
to talk about
our myspace music
page
with all new
songs no one
in school even
knows about duh!
7th grade 309
Diana P.
This is just to say
I put gum
in your hair
during your sleep
And which
probably you hat to cut
bald
I'm sorry
It was funny,
is it too late to
APOLOGIZE?
Estephania B.
I took over
the world
that was inside
your mind
And which
you were probably
in charge of
before I came along
Forgive me,
but now
I own
your world.
Emmanuel R.
I have sold
your phone
to the
neighbor
and you
were probably
going
to buy a new plan
Forgive me
I got a lot of
money for
that phone.
7th Grade 311
Edwin D.
I have taken
your gel
from your room
I know you
only had a
little
I used
it all.
Forgive me
the gel made
my hair
Really spikey.
Seciley V.
I'm sorry
I have taken
your boyfriend
and which you
were wondering
where he was
and forgive me
he was so fine
now he is mine.
Lissette S.
I have taken
your dollar
from the
table
I needed
one more
dollar
for me
I am so
sorry but
I enjoyed
wasting your
money.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
More new uses for old words
7th grade 311
Lissette S.
Memories
When I
was a
kid I
played and
laughed and
talked and
didn't want
to stop
Daniel M.
Man, school
usually makes
me angry,
it is
cold outside,
don't want
to be
here today.
Samuel G.
I was good
in school
eating chips
like wood
next to
class locker's
look like
grass.
8th grade 303
Jenise K.
Love Poem
I walk
down the
street wanting
to see
the one
for me
but I
see nothing.
Bridgette B.
Love
The girl
saw a
boy kool
but all
about trouble
the same
thing feeling
weird, school.
Jay C.
Love
Love is
a golden
couple with
the color
of morning
and the
fun of
school, Love.
Lissette S.
Memories
When I
was a
kid I
played and
laughed and
talked and
didn't want
to stop
Daniel M.
Man, school
usually makes
me angry,
it is
cold outside,
don't want
to be
here today.
Samuel G.
I was good
in school
eating chips
like wood
next to
class locker's
look like
grass.
8th grade 303
Jenise K.
Love Poem
I walk
down the
street wanting
to see
the one
for me
but I
see nothing.
Bridgette B.
Love
The girl
saw a
boy kool
but all
about trouble
the same
thing feeling
weird, school.
Jay C.
Love
Love is
a golden
couple with
the color
of morning
and the
fun of
school, Love.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Found poems - finding new meaning in words
We discussed the idea of a palimpsest - of writing over words, reusing text to find new meanings. Students spent ten minutes on a free write about their school and their school day. Then I asked them to use the text they had written, and only that text, to create a new poem - either a poem on anger, love or an equally strong emotion, or a poem about a strong memory.
7th grade - room 309
Jair O.
Cold
Cold killing
off everything.
Nothing but
cold. Icy
chilliness filling
in all
the space
kill grass.
Jesus U.
Love poem
My inside
is cold
I don't
feel good
you left
and I
don't laugh
I've changed
Efrain S.
Feeling happy
a lot
of leaves
look trashy
in the
morning
Estephanie B.
Memory
And yeah.
It was
brown, cold
lonely, and
full at
the same
time, it
was grass.
Glenda C.
Love poem
You made
me run
to a
freezing alley
yelling nasty
blocking the
sidewalk to
happy hearts
7th grade - room 309
Jair O.
Cold
Cold killing
off everything.
Nothing but
cold. Icy
chilliness filling
in all
the space
kill grass.
Jesus U.
Love poem
My inside
is cold
I don't
feel good
you left
and I
don't laugh
I've changed
Efrain S.
Feeling happy
a lot
of leaves
look trashy
in the
morning
Estephanie B.
Memory
And yeah.
It was
brown, cold
lonely, and
full at
the same
time, it
was grass.
Glenda C.
Love poem
You made
me run
to a
freezing alley
yelling nasty
blocking the
sidewalk to
happy hearts
Metaphors
We read Sylvia Plath's wonderful riddle of a poem, "Metaphors" after which students wrote exploring aspects of their appearance through metaphoe
8th Grade - Room 303
Diana P.
I'm a riddle in six metaphors
My hair is a puffy coat, a dress
My hair is a wavy plant
My forehead is a pink polka-a-dot dress
My eyes are a honey river with cinnamon on top
My lips are a cracked side-walk
My teeth are a crooked desk
Liz M.
My Eyes
My eyes are the twinkle to my soul
My eyes are a microscope
My eyes play follow the leader
My eyes are animals inside
My eyes are two brown cookies
My eyes are the sun shining bright
My eyes are two bright light bulbs
Abigail C.
Metaphor
My hair is a long path
also calm seas
that fly in the wind
and the sweet, sweet chocolate
moves around, the seahorse swimming
I feel my hair, an endless path
my eyes wide cherries in spring
strings of sparkles against the sun
8th Grade - Room 303
Diana P.
I'm a riddle in six metaphors
My hair is a puffy coat, a dress
My hair is a wavy plant
My forehead is a pink polka-a-dot dress
My eyes are a honey river with cinnamon on top
My lips are a cracked side-walk
My teeth are a crooked desk
Liz M.
My Eyes
My eyes are the twinkle to my soul
My eyes are a microscope
My eyes play follow the leader
My eyes are animals inside
My eyes are two brown cookies
My eyes are the sun shining bright
My eyes are two bright light bulbs
Abigail C.
Metaphor
My hair is a long path
also calm seas
that fly in the wind
and the sweet, sweet chocolate
moves around, the seahorse swimming
I feel my hair, an endless path
my eyes wide cherries in spring
strings of sparkles against the sun
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