What if food could talk? During April WITS showcases food-themed poems written by Houston students, reaching 600,000 customers at four H-E-B markets: Montrose, Buffalo Speedway, Bunker Hill, and San Felipe. So, as customers pick through apples, they read poems about apples. These students words make shopping a unique experience at H-E-B! The grocery poem project is made possible by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, and the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance.
This April, Writers in the Schools celebrated National Poetry Month and the power of the imagination, reaching 2.3 million people in Houston and beyond! Student words were spread through H-E-B markets, read each day on KPFT 90.1, and showcased during readings, workshops, and poetry slams around town. At the Space City Grand Slam, we selected the Meta-Four Houston team and announced the launch of Houston’s first-ever Youth Poet Laureate program in partnership with the City of Houston and the Houston Public Library. Poetry is alive, well, and making a real difference.
We would like to give a special thanks to our amazing partners and all of the people who support National Poetry Month. Thank you H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, KPFT 90.1, Susan Phillips for producing all of the wonderful audio for each Poem of the Day, London-based composer, Ketsa, for providing spectacular tracks to accompany the student poetry, and thank YOU, our readers, for enjoying and spreading poetry in our community.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Click the link above to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Kylie Silva, an 8th grader at Johnston Middle School For the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. Faculty is Dr. Ben Grube, Orchestra Director. The background music is “When the Moon Fall” by Ketsa, www.jamendo.com. Produced by Susan Phillips.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Click the link above to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Caprice Haddad, a 6th grader at Johnston Middle School For the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. Faculty is Susan Calvin, 8th grade History Teacher The background music is “Hope For Tomorrow” by Seastock. Produced by Susan Phillips.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Click the link above to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Windell Gradiz, an 8th grader at Johnston Middle School For the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. Faculty is John Latchett, Math Teacher. The background music is “Digya,” by Kevin MacCleod. Produced by Susan Phillips.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Click the link above to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Arianna Vara, an 8th grader at Johnston Middle School For the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. Faculty is Jerri Deleon, Assistant Principal. The background music is “J. S. Bach: Sheep May Safely Graze – BWV 208” by Kevin MacLeod. Produced by Susan Phillips.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Click the link above to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Alexandria Collins, an 8th grader at Johnston Middle School For the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. Special thanks to Arvis Allen, Head Custodian at JMS. The background music is “Mysterioso March,” by Kevin MacLeod. www.Incompetech.com. Produced by Susan Phillips.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
I can write from an arrow of fire of the cruelness of this world.
I can write from a sword of ice of all the cold hearted people in our earth.
I can write from a rainbow feather of the kindness of my people.
I can write from a flower burning but not dying,
because I know we will stand even on the ends of the earth.
I can write from a sword with the stabbing truth.
I can write from broken chains because even in times of slavery
I will let my people free.
By Christian, 3rd grade
Click the link above to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Donovan Williams, an 8th grader at Johnston Middle School For the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. Faculty is Dr. Jose Rocha, Orchestra Director. The background music is “Aftermath” by Gregoire Lourme from www.jammendo.com. Produced by Susan Phillips.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Click the link above to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Alex Huff, a 7th grader at Johnston Middle School For the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. Faculty is Chandel Bonner-Hancock, Assistant Principal. The background music is “Life of Riley” by Kevin McLeod. Produced by Susan Phillips.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Click the link above to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Grant Cambron, an 8th grader at Johnston Middle School For the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. Faculty is Chelsea Kennedy, KickStart Karate Instructor.The background music is by Kevin MacCleod, “The War is Not Lost” from www.incompetech.com. Produced by Susan Phillips.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Yo soy de mi mamá que me abraza y me susurra cuando me duermo.
Soy del sonido del canto de los pájaros.
Soy del corazón de mi familia.
Soy de donde la lluvia sale del cielo y me salpica mis dedos.
Yo soy de donde yo vengo.
I Am
I’m from Mexico where my grandparents live.
I am the droplets falling in my face.
I am from my mom who hugs me and whispers when I sleep.
I am the sound of the birds singing.
I’m from the heart of my family.
I’m from where the rain falls out of the sky and splashes my fingers.
I am where I come from.
By Emmanuel, 1st grade
Click the link above to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Fidel Argueta, a 6th grader at Johnston Middle School For the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. Faculty is Meliza Hull-Frederick, Spanish teacher. The background music is Music by Los Dinomitos Estefan, “Mexico,” 1998. Produced by Susan Phillips.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Click the link above to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Alex Cweren, an 8th grader at Johnston Middle School For the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. Faculty is Art Teacher, Tobi Arsham. The background music is “Turning Wheel” by Ketsa. Produced by Susan Phillips.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Click the link above to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Jaquelyn Simmons, a 7th grader at Johnston Middle School For the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. The background music is “Super Pop Happy Song” by Five Easy Pieces. Produced by Susan Phillips. Faculty is Alex DeWalt, Assistant Principal.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.
Yo tengo un bello sueño
Sueño que estoy en una nave espacial y que viajo afuera en una galaxia.
Sueño que no exista más la violencia y que exista la paz en el alma.
¿Que sueñas?
Sueño con la noche y el corazón abierto al mundo.
Mi alma esta flotando.
Mi alma que me llama siempre veo.
Quisiera dormir para solo soñar con mi familia y mis antepasados.
I Have a Beautiful Dream
I have a beautiful dream
I am dreaming that I am in a rocketship and I am traveling out to another galaxy.
I am dreaming that there is no more violence and that there is only peace in the spirit.
What are you dreaming?
I am dreaming in the night, and the heart is open to the world.
My soul is floating.
I see my soul that calls me always.
I would like to just dream with my family and my ancestors.
Poem a Day is made possible in part by H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Copy.com, The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and KPFT 90.1.