
a whisper,
a sigh,
a dream
a sweet,
sweet hug
a rainbow
you see,
after a cool rain
a soft cloud,
a white wind,
a memory that lingers
By Thalia, 1st grade
Image by Olya Adamovich from Pixabay
a whisper,
a sigh,
a dream
a sweet,
sweet hug
a rainbow
you see,
after a cool rain
a soft cloud,
a white wind,
a memory that lingers
By Thalia, 1st grade
Image by Olya Adamovich from Pixabay
Hope for the World
(Inspired by a Mark Rothko Painting)
Anger, what has our world become?
Pollution, smoking, and all sorts of bad
Things. What has our world become?
As Earth orbits the sun, as more time
Passes, anger conquers our
World. What has our world become?
Look at our oceans. There’s trash
As far as the eye can
See. What has our world become?
You hear sounds of anger
All around. Even you have felt the
Pain. What has our world become?
But do you see that white line?
That is hope. Hope for our world.
So, as you look around, ask yourself,
“What can I do to help this world
To conquer anger, as it did conquer us?”
By Sophie, 4th grade
I looked up into the sky,
And saw a young star.
I asked the star to speak to me
of freedom,
And the star replied,
Nothing in the world will
ever be given to you, Gabe.
Everything, you must fight for.
You see…the world will put
chains with locks on you…
And everything you love.
To find freedom, find the key.
To find happiness, overcome depression and anxiety.
To find yourself, accept your identity.
To love your family, accept your culture.
To be free, find the key.
Fight for your freedom.
by Gabe, 12th grade
Someone brought me a sunflower.
Bright yellow like shiny gold.
The fragile petals tickle my hand.
My heart fills up with seeds starting to sprout.
Someone brought me a sunflower
and I put it in my hair.
By Helen, 2nd grade
Anger, what has our world become?
Pollution, smoking, and all sorts of bad
Things. What has our world become?
As Earth orbits the sun, as more time
Passes, anger conquers our
World. What has our world become?
Look at our oceans. There’s trash
As far as the eye can
See. What has our world become?
You hear sounds of anger
All around. Even you have felt the
Pain. What has our world become?
But do you see that white line?
That is hope. Hope for our world.
So, as you look around, ask yourself,
“What can I do to help this world
To conquer anger, as it did conquer us?”
By Sophie, 4th grade
WITS Writer Marcia Chamberlain shares this blessing: a 2nd grader wrote this beautiful poem for Mr. Sanchez, the custodian at Oak Forest Elementary.
May you always walk with pride.
May you always dream of brooms and mops.
May your friends have respect for you.
May the wind push you on.
May you never feel you don’t belong.
May the universe support you.
May your house be full of ideas.
And finally, may you have a Merry Christmas.
by Galeairy, 2nd grade
#blessings #inspiredbyjasonmraz #haveitall #wits
Why?
1. Why do I always __________ ?
A. Fall in love
B. Fall for the wrong one
C. Sleep
D. Cry
2. Why am I always ___________ ?
A. Getting hurt
B. Crying
C. Catching feelings fast
D. Stressed
3. Why didn’t he ___________ ?
A. Tell me
B. Show me
C. Love me
D. Love me like he said
4. Why are there __________ boys?
A. Unfaithful
B. Stupid
C. Lying
D. Cheating
5. Why can’t we just ____________ ?
A. Be together
B. Work it out
C. Love each other
D. Stay together
by Dariana, 8th grade
A nine-year old girl
Face light and smiling
Yet a line of regret on her face
Rushing to hug her mommy
Laughing and laughing and laughing
Because she is so relieved
In the bright and beautiful
shine of the sun
A mother asking, shouting,
“Where have you been?”
In the familiar light
Of her home.
by Jiho, age 9
The trees sway in the wind, dancing upon our eyes. The joy-filled kids swarm past us like a flock of angry geese. The mud bestows heavy layers of stains at the tips of my shoes, leaving them with a brown bumpy concoction. The blades of grass at my feet tickle my toes, while the mulch does its job and makes the grass disappear. The fresh air roars through my skin, making its way into the roots of my hair. The sweat forms on my skin like rain in a thunderstorm, the warmth of the sun works its way down to the tips of my toes, to the roots of my fingernails. The pasty wind runs through my nostrils, leaving me with a sudden surge of cold. The creaks of the monkey bars crack through my ears, as love-filled kids rock upon them. The shrieks of laughter reach my ears like a mighty roar of thunder. The teachers happily talk to one another as if just meeting an old friend. The birds chirp above us sitting on trees stuffed to the brim with leaves. The playground is a place that makes any visitor feel free.
By Ella, 4th grade
If I were the dog, at Thanksgiving I would say:
That chopped liver smells good.
I hope they drop some turkey.
I want to taste that.
I think I see dessert.
This is so noisy.
When is it going to be over?
I think I like everything here.
I will just jump on the table.
Ooooooooh cake.
I can fly like a bird. Whee!
I am invincible like a zombie.
Splat! Sorry about that.
Darn, that was strawberry icing.
By Benjamin, 2nd grade
from the WITS archives, 2010
Death is not
a tall figure dressed
in black.
It doesn’t have an intimidating
black cloak
or a skull for a face,
and it doesn’t bear a scythe to kill you.
We shouldn’t have to see Death as
this monster,
this scary,
violent,
ruthless
monster.
Maybe if we saw
Death
in a different light, not as a scary
entity, but as a small
but strong,
kitten
with dark–but not black–fur
and large, white, caring eyes,
we wouldn’t be so afraid
when Death crawls into our laps
to take us away.
by Cheyenne, 7th grade
I once met a tiny
strange martian
named Louie.
He told me
he had a
deep temptation
to leave
his home
and escape
to the lush
green world
of sonic lime.
The beautiful sunset
making shades
of blue,
green,
red,
pink,
yellow,
and orange,
eyes of the wandering beings
opening,
looking,
watching
from their windows,
the golden yellow tree,
the sunset lake,
children playing,
bluebirds chirping,
the blue leaves,
dark green haunting shadows,
a red horse,
people hard at work,
a bright sunny day,
trees reaching up to grow,
mothers making supper for their children,
and a door opening,
telling people to come.
This is the birth of color.
by Kirby, 3rd grade
Click the media player above to listen to the poem read on Sunny 99.1, KPFT 90.1, and KTRU 96.1 Addison, WITS Youth Advisory Council Student. The background music is “Sweet” by Bensound.com. Produced by Susan Phillips.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, KPFT 90.1, Sunny 99.1, and KTR
Original post: October 11, 2016
As I look at the twists
and turns in your palm,
I see something,
something more than lines,
like a virus worming its
way deeper,
deeper into your veins,
riding them to your
heart.
Another hill is like a
weakness, trying to hide
until it is strong,
hiding in those little
creases, just waiting for
the right time to show itself.
But you will love—I see
it deep in your heart,
waiting for your future.
by Katie, 4th grade
Click the media player above to listen to the poem read on Sunny 99.1, KPFT 90.1, and KTRU 96.1 by Audrey, WITS Youth Advisory Council Student. The background music is “The Dance” by David Szesztay. Freemusicarchive.org. Produced by Susan Phillips.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, KPFT 90.1, Sunny 99.1, and KTRU 96.1.
Original Post: October 28, 2016
My under-skin has scars and scratches.
My upper skin has bumps like raisins.
My skin is covered with freckles
that remind me of the circles
on my paper. Those circles remind me
of the moon, and the moon
reminds me of a soccer ball
and the ball reminds me of my freckles.
by Wesley, 4th grade
Click the link above to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Zachary Balleza, a 7th grader at Johnston Middle School For the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. The background music is”Chatham Rag” by Scottylee. Produced by Susan Phillips.
This poem is featured as part of the 2014 Poem A Day campaign, a National Poetry Month celebration by Writers in the Schools (WITS) that features a different poem by a WITS student every day during April. Click here to learn more.
(based on Aesop’s Fables)
Mr. Fox was very rich. He lived in a mansion and always wore clean tailcoats. One day Mr. Squirrel knocked on Mr. Fox’s door. When Mr. Fox answered, Mr. Squirrel said, “My, what a fine coat you have on, Mr. Fox.”
“Why, thank you. Would you like to borrow it?” asked Mr. Fox.
“Why, what a generous offer!” said the squirrel. “Are you sure?”
“Oh, most definitely.”
“Then, I accept,” said Mr. Squirrel, and off he went with the beautiful coat.
So, on it went every day. Mr. Squirrel went to Mr. Fox’s and complimented him on something, and Mr. Fox would let him borrow it.
Then one day, Mr. Fox had nothing left. He went and asked Mr. Squirrel to return his things.
The squirrel refused, and Mr. Fox learned a valuable lesson: beware of flatterers.
By Emma, 5th grade
Odes are poems that celebrate a particular person, place, or thing. Writing an ode is an easy way to ease kids into the art of writing poetry. Click here if you’re a teacher or home-school parent wanting to know more about how to teach this writing lesson.
One of my favorite lessons to teach this year was the Companion Poem. I based the lesson idea loosely on William Blake’s companion poems from Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. In these two books Blake included some poems by the same title and generally about the same topic, but written from different perspectives. The narrator in Songs of Innocence typically speaks from a place of lighthearted joy and youthful vigor. The narrator in Songs of Experience usually speaks from a place of maturity and caution. Here is an example of a “nurse” who is supervising children who refuse to go home at sundown because they are having too much fun laughing and playing in the fields. In the first poem the nurse shares their joy; in the second poem she thinks they are wasting time.
Nurse’s Song
When the voices of children are heard on the green,
And laughing is heard on the hill,
My heart is at rest within my breast,
And everything else is still.”
Then come home, my children, the sun is gone down,
And the dews of night arise;
Come, come, leave off play, and let us away
Till the morning appears in the skies.”
“No, no, let us play, for it is yet day,
And we cannot go to sleep;
Besides, in the sky the little birds fly,
And the hills are all cover’d with sheep.”
“Well, well, go and play till the light fades away,
And then go home to bed.”
The little ones leaped & shouted & laugh’d
And all the hills ecchoed.
Nurse’s Song
When the voices of children are heard on the green
And whisp’rings are in the dale,
The days of my youth rise fresh in my mind.
My face turns green and pale.
Then come home, my children, the sun is gone down,
And the dews of night arise;
Your spring & your day are wasted in play,
And your winter and night in disguise.
It is fun for children to think about an event from two different perspectives. The companion poem gives them the chance to do just that.
It is also possible to provide broader guidelines for this lesson and explain that companion poems don’t have to be written by the same person nor do they have to explore a contrary point of view. One poem might be paired with another poem based on the shape of the poem, the length of the poem, the language of the poem, the point of view of the poem, the theme of the poem, or some of other point of connection. If I use this broader interpretation, I am never disappointed. The kids like it because there are plenty of choices involved, and I love the diversity of poems produced.
To set up this lesson, just hand out a page with 5-7 poems on it, different styles, different authors, different topics. The students pick one that they like and cut it out. They glue it to a piece of colored construction paper. At the top of the paper they write the words Companion Poems. Then the students write a companion poem on notebook paper, cut it out and glue it next to the other. It is easy to display these poems in the classroom.
Grade level: Kindergarten – 1st
Genre: various
Objectives: To involve the students in listen to a story read aloud
Primary sources: Cat Goes Fiddle-i-fee by Paul Galdone
Materials: a basket with small stuffed animal characters from the book Cat Goes Fiddle-i-fee
Contributors: Brooke Brown, Linda Draper
This story basket activity ensures the active participation of all students in listening to a book read aloud. Originally used with Cat Goes Fiddle-i-fee, it can easily be adapted to any book by printing and laminating images of the story’s characters. Additionally, the students could make representations of the characters in the book as a pre-reading, art project.
Have the students sit in a circle on the floor with the “story basket” in the center which contains characters and farm animals from the book. The students should each take one animal from the story basket as the book is read aloud, listen for the appropriate time to place their character back in the basket.