"el carnaval del arlequín" by joan miró

This house is very empty.

There are only cleared-out spaces.

But this house has

something special.

This house is a dreamer.

It wakes me up early in the morning

So that I can dance to its ancient

song of

praise.

This house is set where

two rivers meet and rush.

Have you ever danced until the

thieving sunset stole your light of day?

Because I have, in my house.

The blue stones in the rain

are the music that I dance to.

My house is made of brick and wood.

But my house has a soul. Believe it.

My house is old, but comfortable.

I touch the rusted pipes that still let me live.

My pliés and pirouettes are better

when I’m in my house on the top floor.

My blood, pumping out imagination until

the day draws to

its close.

I leap and bound on my garden path.

I skip across the quiet river.

A peaceful house,

a peaceful setting,

a dancer’s house.

by Anna, 3^rd grade

Click the link (above) to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Jaycee Jamison, a 4th grader from Parker Elementary.

This poem is featured as part of the 2012 A 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.