“The Maple” by artist Mandy Budan
Students understand that poetry can serve as a kind a solace. Writing about a personal “paradise” puts these young poets in touch with the true meaning of home.
David reads his poem "Going to Cuba" at Discovery Green. Photo by Yvonne Feece.
I will leave Houston on
a very good note.
I will go to Cuba,
walk in the 90 degree heat.
I will go to Cuba,
dance in the streets for fun.
I will go to Cuba,
make beans out of scratch.
I will go to Cuba,
swim in the warm, brown water.
I will go to Cuba,
learn how to speak español.
I will go to Cuba,
eat plantains for breakfast.
I will go to Cuba.
It will be gorgeous at night.
by David, 3rd grade
Click the link (above) to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by A’Viyon Robinson, 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.
"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, 3rd 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.
Forest Collage (Photo credit: zebble)
I touched the magic pool of water and closed my eyes. The wind blew past my hair, whoosh. When I opened my eyes, I was in the forest!
I walk through a tangle of vines and branches. Aware of every detail around me, I listen to the wind whispering the secrets of the jungle, shhhh. I bend down, sniffing the delicate scent of the flowers.
As I rest in pleasure, a gentle rain starts to fall, plink, plink, plink. The combination of the fresh drizzle and the sweet honey tastes wonderful. When the drizzle stops, I can smell the warm, moist air and feel the wet leaves and soft ground. Feeling calm and pleasant, I lie down to rest as the little birds lullaby me to sleep, tweet, tweet, tweet.
By Elena, 2nd grade
"Cosmic Flower" by Takashi Murakami
I want to give you flowers so that you are happy.
I want you to feel my heart.
I would like to give you toys.
Some sun to keep you warm.
A star so you can sleep calmly and with love.
I would especially like to give you my heart.
By Jocelyn, 1st grade
Image by mikebaird via Flickr
Songbirds singing
Trees waving in the wind
The sound of people talking
The sound of cars zooming by
The smell of freshly cut grass
The vision of doves flying overhead
You can feel this dream making
More and more of itself.
by Ty, 4th grade
What: Houston Inside Out: A Symposium
Who: Rosellen Brown, Robb Walsh, Bao-Long Chu, Roger Wood, and Gwendolyn Zepeda
Where: Houston Public Library, Central Branch, 500 McKinney St.
When: Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 1:00 pm
Cost: FREE and open to all!
This Thursday a project called Writing & C/Siting Houston presents personal essayists on the topic, Old Neighborhoods, New Neighbors. Four local writers will delve into their chosen Houston sites:
Nimmi Jayathurai, “Banana Leaves and Migrant Passages”
Raj Mankad, “America Varshe, America Kande: Hinduism, Ornament, and the Suburban Box”
Thomas Meloncon, “My Fifth Ward”
Gwendolyn Zepeda, “The Old Sixth Ward District (or, as we used to call it, Del Sesto)”
When: Thursday, October 20, 2011, 7:00 pm
Where: Robertson Auditorium, University of Houston-Downtown Please click here for free parking information
Cost: FREE
Image by demandaj via Flickr
When I am lost, I turn to the stars
When I am lonely, I climb trees
When I am angry, the storm screams in my ear
When I don’t have any answers, I walk in the woods
When I feel strong, I run in the wind
When I am happy, the sun burns bright
No matter what, the world is with me
By Sid, age 11
Whenever I walk down
the hallway of advice,
the walls close in and
smile again to see me
and attend to my uncertainties.
I thank it for its help,
its kindness, its love
and leave it alone.
It always waits for me.
By Luis, 7th grade
From Hip Hop to SugarHill
Marco Cervantes, “Transforming Jail Route”
Bao-Long Chu, “2600 Travis”
David Theis, “The Ruins of Houston”
Roger Wood, “Gold Star/SugarHill Recording Studios:
The Story of a House”
Thursday, September 22, 2011, 7:00 pm
Bohemeo’s, 708 Telephone Road, 77023
Free and open to all!
Writing & C/Siting Houston brings together writers, folklorists, and scholars to create written portraits that explore the ways and the wheres through which Houstonians know and cherish their hometown.
Image by kuddlyteddybear2004 via Flickr
I’ve studied a lot of countries around the world because I love knowing facts about places all over the globe. I’ve visited El Salvador, which is where I was born. El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America. It’s in the volcano hammock of Central America. It lies on a ring of fire. The main language spoken in El Salvador is Spanish, which I speak. The national food is pupusas, which are tortillas stuffed with cheese or meat. El Salvador was explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century. Someday I hope to go back to visit, but I don’t plan to live there.
I’ll stay here and continue to study U.S. history and world geography. The subjects are interesting. I like learning about past civilizations, wars, treaties, documents, everything that has to do with culture and human evolution. One of the recent places I’ve studied is Egypt. I’m learning about what they’ve contributed to the world intellectually, socially, economically, and religiously. Three interesting things I’ve learned are 1) the Egyptians discovered a way to preserve the human body through embalming 2) they built the largest pyramids in the world 3) the Pharaohs weren’t elected; their powers were inherited like a monarchy. Information is endless.
by Manuel, 15
Image via Wikipedia
On August 18, 1983, Hurricane Alicia hit the Texas coast. It killed 22 people and caused a billion dollars in damage.
Many children have lived through natural disasters and witnessed difficult things. Creating a safe space for them to talk and write about their experiences is a form of healing.
Today, as we remember the destruction caused by Hurricane Alicia and other hurricanes, here is a poem by a high school student about what it feels like to live through one. Her first-hand testimony captures the intensity of the storm, her fear, and her new-found understanding that home is not always safe.
We shouldn’t have stayed
Slashing winds, my parents arguing, and the electricity cut off
No way to take a bath to calm down because of this storm
My mom says I could get shocked
My dad says quit complaining
We shouldn’t have stayed
The rain looks like a wall of water
The winds are howling like monsters of my childhood
And I feel scared because I might be blown away
We shouldn’t have stayed
It’s black and dark and LOUD outside
I can’t sleep because I’m worried about the pets
that people might have left outside
I want to go home but I am home
We shouldn’t have stayed
by Lauren, 11th grade
Image via Wikipedia
As teachers, many of us must spend time teaching the personal narrative in preparation for state testing exams. We concentrate on organization, clarity, word choice, grammar, and other writing “essentials.” The child’s real story, though, sometimes gets lost. As I prepare to return to the classroom (and all of those What I Did This Summer essays), I want to make sure I inspire children to express the deep feelings they have about an event before they try to organize and revise their thoughts into the perfect essay.
One way that I’ve accomplished this in the past is through poetry. Poetry can help children get at their core feelings about an event. Sergio, for example, is a smart, quiet student who has been dealing with family changes ever since we met. He wanted to write an essay about living without his older brother, who has been serving in Afghanistan for two years. Sergio really misses him and wants him to come home. I thought Sergio’s idea for his essay sounded important and meaningful.
Before Sergio started to write, I gave him Langston Hughes’ poem about deferred dreams and asked Sergio to think about his dream for his brother to return home safely. How would he describe that dream? What does it feel like to wait for him? Below is the Langston Hughes poem and Sergio’s imitation, which talks about what it’s like to carry around the weight of a “rusty dream.”
What Happens to a Dream Deferred?
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust over and sugar over—
Like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
Like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
by Langston Hughes
What Happens When a Dream Rusts?
Does the dream rust until it falls
like a man’s heart when it’s broken?
Does it stink like a spoiled egg?
Is it crushed with a lie?
Is the dream like a sharp nail
being pinned to the wall?
Does it fall into the fire
and explode like popcorn?
Or does a rusty dream lay
down, ice-cold like the fallen
brother of a marine.
by Sergio, 4th grade
Thank you, Sergio, for reminding us that the personal stories we tell can be powerful and beautiful. Thank you for showing us that poetry can put us in touch with our deepest feelings and lay the groundwork for more writing.
By Marcia Chamberlain, Writers in the Schools
Our Green Tomorrow is sponsoring a writing contest for kids.
Deadline: October 31st, 2011.
What to submit: Based on our topic, children between grades 6-12 can either submit a written entry or scanned artwork that relates back to the environment. The main goal is to encourage kids to start thinking positively about the environment and the way it shapes our lives.
Awards: Winner of Written Entry – $500
Winner of Art Entry – $500
Entry fee: None (free)
For more information, click here.
