Category Archives: writing

Apr. ’12

Freshly Fallen Leaf

Autumn Leaves (Photo credit: blmiers2)

“Please let me fall

on top of the others.

Please let me fall gently

on top,” says the leaf

as he rocks back and forth.

The leaf has dreamed his whole life

of falling off the old tree.

He was the last leaf on the tree.

Now the tree is empty.

by Justin, 3^rd grade

Click the link (above) to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Som Gaeeni, a 4th grader from Parker Elementary in Houston.
apad

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.

Posted by Marcia. Categories: national poetry month, nature, poem a day, poetry, student, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: leaf poem, tree poem. Leave a comment

Apr. ’12

Freeze

The moment I would freeze

Photograph by Karen Sachar
ksachar.com

would be the moment I saw my newborn sister.

I would touch her soft and fragile

skin. I would see her intense brown eyes that when the sun

hits them look like caramel all sweet and soft that you

would love to eat but you can’t eat them. When the

darkness hits them they are like two big dark clouds approaching

you, trying to scare you. Her eyes are soft and scary

but still they are beautiful. I would look at her face and

try to make out her expression. If I see pain, I would

try to comfort her and make her happy. If I see joy,

I would play and play with her.

by Angel, 7^th grade

Click the link (above) to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Kiana Adoin, a 4th grader from Parker Elementary in Houston.
apad

Posted by Marcia. Categories: family, national poetry month, poem a day, poetry, student, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: Karen Sachar, little sister poem, new baby poem, sibling poem, sister poem. Leave a comment

Apr. ’12

Going to Cuba

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, 3^rd grade

Click the link (above) to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by A’Viyon Robinson, a 4th grader from Parker Elementary.
apad

Posted by Marcia. Categories: national poetry month, place, poem a day, poetry, Spanish, student, travel, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: Caribbean, Cuba poem, Havana, travel poem. Leave a comment

Apr. ’12

Celebrate Literacy with HoustonPBS

Hosted by Houston’s former First Lady, Andrea White, the evening will include a panel discussion moderated by KUHF News reporter, Edel Howlin with leaders from local literacy organizations. Mrs. White will also debut her new children’s book Tummies on the Run, with co-author Mimi Vance.

Admission is FREE but you must register online.

Featuring a distinguished panel of literacy experts:
Margaret Doughty, Literacy Powerline
Sheri Foreman, Houston Center for Literacy
Dr. Rhea B. Lawson, Houston Public Libraries
Robin Reagler, Writers in the Schools

Presented in conjunction with World Book Night.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at 6:30pm
at the United Way Community Resource Center.

Presenting Sponsor: John P. McGovern Foundation

For more information call 713-743-8459 or visit
www.houstonpbs.org

Posted by Marcia. Categories: books, creativity, event, Houston, national poetry month, publishing, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: Andrea White, Houston, literacy, Margaret Doughty, Rhea Lawson, Robin Reagler, Sheri Foreman, World Book Night. Leave a comment

Apr. ’12

A Dancer’s House

"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.
apad

Posted by Marcia. Categories: imagination, national poetry month, place, poem a day, poetry, student, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: Dance, dance poem, dancer poem, performing arts. 1 Comment

Apr. ’12

Collage

The cage was covered in an

elegant cloth,

with a practical bird

inside.

The sign was actually a

picture,

with a person fleeing

in the forest.

To the villagers this was

common, as ordinary

as can be.

A miracle was

necessary, to have

a success.

A sound reflected

in the silence

from the shallow

water,

a ripple

made a gentle

sound,

an equal to the world’s

finest picture,

the freshness of justice

and the evergreen

scent of nature.

Fire never wanted

a truce with water

but thought it was

foolish otherwise.

Oh, the wonders!

by Camille, 3^rd grade

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

Posted by Marcia. Categories: animal, national poetry month, nature, poetry, student, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: bird poem, collage, justice poem. Leave a comment

Apr. ’12

Singing Birds

In the morning a bird sings

“chirp, chirp, chirp.”

It sings about how it wants

to use words instead of sounds.

Soon there is a choir of birds

singing about what they want to do.

They will sing about eating good food,

about being grown.

They will sing about human things,

how they would want arms for wings,

and mouths for beaks, singing.

by Luke, 3^rd grade

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

Posted by Marcia. Categories: animal, creativity, national poetry month, poem a day, poetry, student, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: Bird vocalization, Literature, national poetry month, poetry. Leave a comment

Apr. ’12

Wake Up

Image via Wikipedia

(inspired by Anis Mojgani’s “Direct Orders”)

Wake up like there’s no tomorrow

Wake up like you’ve had a bad dream

Wake up like there’s a tiger racing after you

Wake up like the sky is falling

Wake up like your house is on fire

Wake up like you’re being chased down the street

Wake up like you’re Batman beating the Joker

Wake up like you’re late for basketball practice

Wake up like you didn’t finish your homework

Wake up like you’re ready to start the day

Wake up like you’re happy to see your friends

Wake up before you fall back to sleep

Wake up like you have a fridge full of Dr. Pepper

Wake up like it’s time for the cheer competition

Wake up like the universe is ending and

you only have one chance to be yourself.

By Alyssa, age 11

Click the link (above) to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Laura Anawaty (4th grade) and Jacob Goins (2nd grade) from Parker Elementary.
apad

Posted by Marcia. Categories: creativity, imagination, inspiration, national poetry month, poem a day, poetry, student, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: Anis Mojgani, April, Batman, Dr Pepper, national poetry month, poem. 1 Comment

Apr. ’12

Red Triangle Piñata

photo by aroid via flickr

Me and my brother will hang

my red triangle piñata from a half-moon,

and I’ll punch it in.

It will sound like a song

when it breaks

and the candy melts out and falls on me

and then it drips on me

and feels like chocolate.

Inside are my cousins

jumping on the bed,

screaming so loud my brain

starts to scream.

And JD’s throwing a pass

to Josiah who passes it to me,

and I run for a touchdown

and do a Michael Jackson dance by myself.

With shiny black Jordans flying in the air,

I fly with them.

Inside the piñata

I will sit there with my family,

eating chicken nuggets

and nobody’s talking

because we’ll all be laughing.

By Daylen, 2^nd grade

Click the link (above) to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Conner Duffey, a 2nd grader from Parker Elementary.
apad

Posted by Marcia. Categories: creativity, family, food, Holidays, inspiration, national poetry month, poem a day, poetry, student, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: Piñata, poem. Leave a comment

Apr. ’12

Lily Pads

I like the lily pads that float on the pond

Green with a touch of pizzazz

The lily pad is the only one who has a heart

It spreads its magical beauty with its pinky petals

They come in all shapes and sizes

One is purple, a small sliver like a broken heart

It is a beautiful thing to look at in winter

by Alvara, 4^th grade

Click the link (above) to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Jennvie Bui, a 2nd grader from Parker Elementary.

Posted by Marcia. Categories: creativity, inspiration, national poetry month, nature, poem a day, poetry, student, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: April, art, Literature, national poetry month, poetry. Leave a comment

Apr. ’12

The Silent World

Painting by Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980)

(inspired by a poem by Jeffrey McDaniel)

The government has decided

to only allow us 167 words per day.

Nobody hears me.

The only one who hears me is my Grandma

because it’s silent, and she’s the one who sits with me.

And at school there is touching but not talking,

just making hand signals.

I feel like I’m not on the planet.

And when I get home nobody is talking.

I want to save my words for my Grandma

because she is so sweet.

I would like to tell her, “I love you.

You are my soul. You are my sky.”

By Natalia, 3^rd grade

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

apad

Posted by Marcia. Categories: creativity, imagination, national poetry month, poem a day, poetry, student, writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: grandma, Jeffrey McDaniel, national poetry month, poetry, The Quiet World. Leave a comment

Apr. ’12

A Landscape of Differences

Landscape sketch (Photo credit: Johan92100)

Today I am different.

As I view an ant on a gentle leaf,

I feel as if I am strangely different.

I feel like the ant is normal, like

doing homework.

The paper would be a magnificent landscape

with ink and lead to be its grass and trees.

As the grass grows, the pencil works harder and

the same for shimmering green trees with

the red and fiery cardinals.

The spring brings flowers up like me on

a trampoline, the winter brings snowflakes like

a man that is parachuting, the summer brings

the sun like a giant fireball, and the fall

brings leaves like a blockade of fiery arrows.

As this beautiful paper world grows, I become

more unlike my past self. This is

always meaning that when my imagination

grows, everything grows with it.

By Alex, 5th grade

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

Posted by jrwatson5. Categories: art, imagination, inspiration, national poetry month, nature, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: Academy of American Poets, imagination poem, poem a day, poem about change, spring poem. Leave a comment

Mar. ’12

I Am

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I am red, a powerful color

lots of pressure, like burning lava

the spicy color of red-hot chilies

an angry color

the color of blood to keep you alive

running to make you fit and active

the color of war

and fire cannons

By Aaryan, 2nd grade

Posted by Marcia. Categories: poetry, student, writers in the schools, writing. 3 Comments

Mar. ’12

5 Amazing Odes by Kids

I put the PRO in procrastination

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.

This Pen by Stephen
Ode to Drizzling by Fadila
Ode to the Color Black by Maya
Hail to Sand by Nyasha
Ode to Procrastinators by Orly

Posted by WITS Houston. Categories: homeschooling, ode, poetry, student, teaching, writers in the schools, writing, writing prompts. Tags: procrastination, procrastinator. Leave a comment

Mar. ’12

The Land of the Ninja

From Suikoden of Japanese Heroes (Yeiyû Yamato Suikoden, 英雄日本水滸伝) Publisher: Kujioka-ya Keijirô c. 1843 Scene: Ogata Shuma (later Jiraiya) raising his sword to kill a python attacking a large toad, Jiraiya is portrayed as being a ninja. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Come to my land, the land of the ninja. Here you will learn the secret of the ninja, see samurai warriors and blossoming flowers, and cross icy rivers. You can see ninjas dashing towards trees to climb, ninjas disappearing and appearing. Flash! Ninjas dash so fast, you can only see black rectangles behind them. The ninjas go into caves and get orders from the ninja masters. Then, with black iron bands on their hands and swords strapped on their backs, they climb trees to attack enemies in high places.

By Albert, 2nd grade

Posted by Marcia. Categories: writer, writers in the schools, writing. Tags: Ninja, ninja poem. 1 Comment

A Poem A Day

Writers in the Schools (WITS) Celebrates Kids–in their own Words

Category Archives: writing

Freshly Fallen Leaf

Freeze

Going to Cuba

Celebrate Literacy with HoustonPBS

A Dancer’s House

Collage

Singing Birds

Wake Up

Red Triangle Piñata

Lily Pads

The Silent World

A Landscape of Differences

I Am

5 Amazing Odes by Kids

The Land of the Ninja

Follow “A Poem A Day”