Last Blog of the Year: Free Verse & Voice Poems

We topped off the last units in each class with different poetic vibes. Theoretically speaking, Kozminski has gotten a lot out of the lessons, this year, as in past. Some students I have taught, have younger siblings also being taught by me, including : Terri (8th Grade - Collins-Jones) and Terrell Hall (1st Grade - Sims); Stephanie (1st grade - Sims) and Quenturha Elmore (4 grade - Forsell) and the Haynes (Joi, The POET OF THE YEAR, who is in 8th Grade) and her younger sibling that I teach in Sims first Grade class.

8th Graders wrote a free verse poem of their choice, using the usually poetic tools of similes, metaphors, repetition and telling a good story or asking questions, in their WILD CARD poems.

4th Graders and 1st Graders read "I Lost My Voice" and wrote response poems.

On behalf of the Poetry Center, I truly hope you enjoyed reading the poems below. These are the last poems for this year at Kozminski. Please check back in October 2008 for the next year's poetry samples which I am sure will be delightful.

Why?
Michelle G.
8th Grade

Why?
Must people die.
Why?
Must people cry.
Why?
Must we hate each other.
Why?
Must we lost our father and mother.
Why?
Does the girl cry herself to sleep.
Why?
Wasn't my dad around except for
when he wanted to be laid down.
Why?
Is this world so violent.
I don't know, but I wish we would stop this.

End of the Year
Leah C.
8th Grade

I know it's the end.
It'll be here in 1 and 1/2 months.
I can feel the victory of me moving on.
Going to my new school away from others.
It's almost summer.
Hot days outside.
I know it's the end of the year.
Boy, I'll be glad.

There's No Tears on Your Shoulder
Joi H.
(POET OF THE YEAR @ KOZMINSKI ACADEMY)
8th Grade

The world never stops.
The pain never stops.
The hurt never stops.
There's always someone in hurt, someone in pain.
There's never enough justice, this world is insane pain.
But have you ever stop to think the desperate yelp?
No, the only one you're concerned about right?
You're the only person you think about at night.
"Does my hair look alright?"
"Why Am I In Trouble"
You're always on your own grind 2 times the double.
But hey why should you care right?
No, that's wrong.
The list of reasons why, just goes on and on, so long.
The tears never stop, they just go, and flow, and ride.
But you just keep playing around, you aren't on anyone's side.
You're on the road of ignorance, you're so foolish and vain.
Do you even care about the people in pain?
What if you were the yelp for help?
Would you care then?
I bet you would, cause they wouldn't be how they've been.
But you don't care now, cause your ignorance is getting older and older.
But then again, why should you.
There's no tears on your shoulder.
The fate of the world is in the eye of the beholder.


VOICE POEMS

My Sad Day
with Voice
Monica M.
4th Grade

My voice is sad when someone in my family dies.
My voice don't say nothing at all.
Man, when my voice will come back.
Never...
It's sad today.
Please, voice, don't be mad at me.
I just don't want to talk.
I need my space today.
But you know what?
Tommorrow we may be..back on schedule.

My Voice
Kashae W.
4th Grade

My voice, my voice, my voice.
My voice is loud.
My voice is clear.
My voice is not to be weird.
My voice is cool.
Sometimes white.
But this voice is gong to sleep tonight.
My voice, my voice, my voice.
My voice is loud.
My voice is clear.
My voice is not to be weird.

Voices
Jacari G.
4th Grade

My voice is confident.
My voice tone is soft.
My voice is everywhere.
Voices sounded my voice.
So loud, screaming and hollering.
I can't hear my talking.
I can't hear its melody.
My melody is in my voice.
My sound, my sound is not in my voice.
I have lost my voice.

Voices of the Traveler
Chrishon B.
4th Grade

I hear voices of road trips or
flying voices.
Road trips voices are music around me.
Window down and breeze in my face.
My turtle crawling on my leg.
Flying voices I hear nothing.
Peacefully quiet and calm ride.

A Voice That Made Me
Gabrielle P.
4th Grade

The voice sounds like a mad
halking truck.
It screams banging hard on your eardrums.
It scratches.
But when that voice loves me, it's not hard
to ignore.
It's my Mom.
That's the voice that made me
and I can't ignore.

I Can't Find My Voice
ImaniNia
1st Grade

Where is my voice?
I looked every where.
I looked in the bathroom.
I looked in the toilet.
I also looked in my cat's stomach.

I Lost Voice
Ariel T.
1st Grade

I lost voice
by somebody
putting their imaginary
hand on my throat.
I can't speak.
I can't laugh.
The only thing I can do is nothing.

My Dog Lost His Voice
Jalen J.
1st Grade

My dog voice was gone.
My dog looked for his voice.
He found it in his Dog house, asleep.

******

Congratulations to all the students who were able to write this year in Ms. Collins-Jones, Mrs. Sims, and Ms. Forsell's classes. I enjoyed you all. Have a great summer and see you later this month for our culminating event.

Thanks to the Poetry Center of Chicago for returning me to my elementary school, Kozminski Community Academy.

Pam Osbey
Poet-In-Resident

I Dream / I Wish

Using the brush of imagination and various poems, students discussed the themes of wishes and dreams today. Using different means, the 8th, 4th and 1st Graders used free verse, repetition and their own original thoughts to script poems. 8th Graders focused on love, life, graduations, and their futures. 4th graders had whimsical poems about colors of things inside their wishes and poems, 1st graders wrote about 'riches' and wanting money to buy things.

Mrs. Sims Class:

# 1

I wish that poor people would have a better life.
I wish my uncle came back alive.
I wish that I was smarter.

Terrell H.

# 2

I wish to be rich and to get me a new house
and to buy me some new shoes.
and I am really cool.
I am cooler than you.
You are not better.

Joshua H.

# 3

My dream is the world in peace and quiet.
No people talking.
No birds tweeting.
Just peace and quiet.
And that's all.

Whitney D.

# 4

I wish that peace was in the world.

Hakeem B.

Ms. Collins - Jones Class:

# 1

My Wishes
by Terry H.

I wish my uncles was still here.
I wish that person didn't shoot him.
I wish my cousin didn't have to leave.
I wish I had the strength and the power to bring
them back.
I wish I could go back in time.
I wish my family wouldn't have to suffer the sorrow.
My wishes are simple, at least to me.
I wish we could live together.
Man, uncles, I miss you so much.
I wish I knew why....
I wish I didn't have to wonder why?
As time goes by, maybe I'll understand
but now I'll just wish.
I love you uncle..
R.I.P.
You were loved by many.

# 2

Many People Dream
by Nathaniel S.

Many people dream of being boss.
They dream of things that may not happen in their life.
They dream of people and life.
They dream of being the Mayor and to make it rain.
They dream of the struggle, they are going through.

# 3

I Dream
Brianna H.

Dream!
Dreams are what your heart desire.
Either dream of gold or money, it's what you dream.

I dream of a better place
where I can be myself
and enjoy the fresh air.

A place where not only the world is black
but in all different colors.

I dream of large sunsets that over reach my face
as I sit on the sand and enjoy a fresh breeze of
water splash on my feet.

Not only do I dream of that but to have my life
of a star...
and to see a world different than what I see.

Ms. Forsell's Class:

# 1

I Dream
by Jacari G.

I dream purple soup swooshing
in the clouds.
I dream an orange dog eating
gray tacos.
My dreams are crazy.
Wild.
I dream brown bats in my house.
I dream white monkeys eating black watermelons.
I dream, I dream, I dream.

# 2

Love is My Wish
by Darian S.

I wish for peace and love to come
across this world.
Love.
Is it peace?Is it hatred?
Or is it just me?
Everybody should have something to love,
a friends, your mom, or your pet.
Love is my wish
and command to my love in this world.
Love is my heart
and most people in the world.

# 3

My Wish
Jaasiel R.

Once upon a time I said
this ...
I wish I cold have a pink pony
that carries an orange radio
I would feel so happy.
My pony can and it will play music forever.
and it will run over anyone who tries to
turn it off.
My pony can fly,
swim,
and even sing on April Fool's Day.
It can even play pranks on anybody.
It wants...and then I can play pranks
and even scare him...
But when I woke up, it was all a dream.
Then it happened again.

# 4

The Dream of my Life
Gabrielle P.

I dream of a rainbow pony.
I would love it,
care for it like no other animal.
It would be my friend, my best friend.
I'll spoil it.
Some people say if I spoil something's
it wants to make it in the world.
Its strong in the inside.

Atrocities / Letter Poems

Today's lessons dealt with different subject matters. Using Nikki Giovanni's poem "Atrocities" as a foundation and a very interesting approach, I decided to ask the 8th graders to be reflective about horrible things in the world that make them made and concerns them. Placing strips of paper with various sayings on them, I gave each student one strip of paper and then as a class we discussed what really upset us or made us made to the point that we wanted to right a wrong. Being that poetry can sometimes be a very organic process and sometimes poets start with one word or a single thought, I decided to challenge the students about "atrocities" and found a wealth of poems that were very wonderfully scripted.

Meanwhile, in the lower grade classes we used the poem "Letter to A Bee" by Emily Dickinson as inspiration of our letter poems. Students can only use the poem to compare two things. Students had to brainstorm using two different physical things as inspiration, and not a 'person'. This was different for them. Overall the fourth graders & second graders had a good time with the exercise.

I hope you enjoy the musings of the children from today's lessons.

MS. COLLINS-JONES, 8TH GRADERS

No Mothers

Dajae H.

Life is ruff

Life is tuff

Life probably just has no meaning

Without no mothers.

Don’t cry or get upset

Even though you know you should

But in time

You will find

One flaw

In a woman

And that is being without a mother

Mothers love unconditionally

And it never cease to fail of all the hurt

And pain a child has to go through

And though each and every day

In every single way.

“Oh No.”

It’s not okay.

Don’t stray

Or go away leaving your child

On a cold and rainy day.

Be afraid and cry in the end

You will know why hugs and kisses

From your mother lasts forever

And forever and you just

Can’t find another mother

To love you like her

“True That”

It’s terrible to go without a mother.

Lower Love Lose Like Live Listen Leave

Let go of all the memories that you

Shared with your loved one.

Sure when your mother is gone

Maybe just maybe

Your father will love you and

Be by your side

But he will not compare to your mother.

When mother is gone who oh who

Will you lean on to lift your spirit?

Love you no matter what because she knows

You like no one’s ever

Known or knew you before

You never fell the same once she’s gone

“Oh Mother No Mother at all in the world will

Ever replace you”

I will love you forever and ever.

Fakester Gangsters

Joi H.

To those fake gangsters that are so hood

And oh so tough

When are you ever gonna learn

That enough is enough?

When will you realize the people you’ve hurt?

The people you kill, beat up and drag through the dirt.

When will you realize that you’re the main problem in the hood?

Oh fakester gangster, can you do any good?

You’ve cut most of the roots of our growing tree?

Oh fakester gangster can’t you just see

Just because you’ve got your friends and your guns.

Can’t you just see the pain you’re causing?

Where’s the emotion.

Where’s the love.

Fakester gangster, can’t you see you’re the poison

In the air.

But the truth is….?

Iraq War

Michelle G.

The world should know

How sad it is

For someone to be sent to

Fight a war especially if they have a wife

And kids.

It’s hard to leave your family.

I know it can be a lot

But it’s more hard when they are

Being shipped back in the pine box.

The war has been going on

For a long time

And it’s gotten out of control

When will it end?

Nobody knows.

The Iraq war has gotten

Out of control and it’s true.

The world should be as one

And not separated by two.

MRS. SIMS, 2ND GRADERS

Burger King to Burger

Steeve C.

Burger King, where are you?

I’ve been looking for you everywhere.

I taste so good.

Well, but better than you.

So please come back.

Please don’t eat me.

Remember me..?

The whopper huh?

It’s kind of funny but oh no, don’t

Even think about that.

Do not stick me please.

I need some peace.

Love,

Double Whopper

P.S. Don’t eat me BK!!

Dear Butterfly

Whitney D.

I’m warning you, do not

Suck me out of my home.

I like it here.

I made friends like ant

And caterpillar.

They don’t try to eat me.

Love,

Nectar

Letter To Money

Ryan S.

I need you money.

Come home.

You are what I eat.

You taste good.

And you make me more than 1 cent.

You make me a millionaire.

Love,

Bank

Where Do You Want To Go?

Using Nikki Giovanni's poem, "Knoxville, Tennessee", classes at Kozminski had great conversations about places we wanted to travel through and see and what we've experienced. Students discussed going to domestic cities like Las Vegas, Madison, WI and cities down south, while others longed for France, Barcelona, and other places internationally. Most students focused on travelling in the Summer or Spring times. Students were encouraged to write the sights, sounds, and experiences down and reflect poetically.

I love travelling and I loved reading these responses...please enjoy!

Untitled
Kyle R.

One day I would like to visit Miami.
In my eyes, Miami is the place to be.
I’m hearing that Miami is so super hot.
Seeing Miami women gives me the fever.
All I want is to run up and down Miami’s beach.
I wonder about Miami.

Memphis, Tennessee
Michelle G.

I always like spending my Summer vacations in
Memphis.

It’s fun.

I mostly like to go so I can spend time
With my family.
And eat fried chicken,
Mashed potatoes,
Collard greens,
Sweet water cornbread
And some Sweet tea.

I mostly like to go swimming
Because you can got on water slides
And get dunked by fine brothers.

I love Memphis, Tennesee.

Untitled
Leah C.

I always like the deep blazing sun
With the glowing water in Jamaica.

Jamaica is the place where you party all night.

Dancing, singing, hoola hooling around the floor.

Smiling, playing in the wavy water.
Water so clear you may drink.

Mississippi
Jacari G.

I love the Summer.
I ate fresh corn on the cob.
And cabbage.
And ice cream.
And juice or pop.
And barbeque chicken wings.
I listen to Pop and Gospel music.
I saw flying trees.
I heard them whooshing.
I didn’t even want to go to sleep.
Mississippi.

Trip To Wisconsin
Shantial P.

I always like Summer best.
You can eat Mexican corn.
And my cousin..
She makes the best Shrimp fried rice
And we made homemade ice cream.
We listened to Hip Hop music.
We went to the park
And we rolled down a huge hill.
That was the best trip yet.

France
Tynaz S.

I always liked Spring best!
If you like Spring, then go to France.
They have luxurous foods
And cute nice clothes
And shoes that are to die for.
And the food is so good.
They have the best salad.
I just love to go to France!
Wait til you see it’s soo great.

Seattle, WA

Chrishon B.

I like the Summer in Seattle

because it was not as cold or hot

like here or Arizona.

It was nice and cool.

I had some fresh fish.

I went swimming.

I drove to Portland, Oregon

just to go to Niketown

then I went for a walk on the lake.

Down South

Jasmine M.

It's fun.

I ate fried chicken.

The road.

The horses.

When we was riding down there

I saw cows and train tracks.

We were riding.

Frisco, Texas

Yazmine F.

In Texas it is so hot.

It reach 109 degrees.

My cousin's were with me.

My Dad took all of us

swimming.

We watched a movie

and played with my Dog.

We made cupcakes and home made pizza.

Mississippi

Monica M.

I always go there every year.

I saw

cows,

horses,

chickens,

pigs and goats.

We ate

chicken,

corn,

pizza,

apples,

oranges,

banana,

and everything.

My whole family road our horses.

My Mom horse name is Angel.

My Sister horse name is Kayla.

My Brother horse name is Ray Mestoria.

My horse name is Angelia.

Chicago
Sarai W.

When I was
Riding to the
Chicago store
Me and my Mom
Was picking out stuff.

Untitled
Terell H.

I like Summer best
Because I can go with to the h.w.
I like Winter best because I can drink
Hot coco.
I like Spring best because
I can go to the Park.

I Love Summer
Stephanie E.

I love Summer best
Because I get a lot of eggs.
And I go to Indiana.

Then I eat lots of ice cream.
Because it is so good.
I love it.
It is so good to me.

Different Perspectives

What's different about the perspective of writing with intent or not? How about looking a poetic thoughts through the lens of writing from narrative (first point of view) or by using other points of view like other people, or other things...? Well, that was the point of two different lessons today with the students. I wanted to have a discussion -- both different. 8th graders and I read a very lengthy poem by the co-founder of Dusable Museum (Dr. Margaret Burroughs) while the 4th graders and 2nd graders read a poem by Frank O'Hara. The results were mixed mediums of poetic thoughts. Response poems were very interesting and I really enjoyed them fully. Students in the upper grade had to critically think about the world around them and what life lessons would they pass on to the next generation in their response poems. Lower grades had an opportunity to travel within the map of their minds as they discussed three different perspectives and created a unique poem. I'd like to give credit to fellow Artist-In-Resident Melissa Spaulding for the lesson on perspectives. It was enjoyable and very different.

Untitled
Briana B.

CHINA
I think it is very hot.

DAY
In the day time I went to see the dragon wall.

PARK
I saw all types of ugly bugs at the park.

Two Poems In One
Shantial P.

CHINA
The food is good here.

DAY
I need to wash my face and brush my teeth
and get ready for school.

MALL
I love that pink and sprinkle dress.

Untitled
Darian S.

CHINA
I think today it's going to snow.

DAY
I slipped on some blue ice. "Ouch" I said.

JAPAN
I saw a cool game.

Untitled
Sha'ron O.

CHINA
I think it is really cute in China.

NIGHT
I could not sleep last night because I saw
a scary movie.

MALL
I saw a really cute t-shirt and pants to go
with my yellow shoes.

Untitled
Jaasiel R.

ASIA
I think it's hot there.

DAY
I play my video game.

MALL
I saw the video game store.
I smell hot dogs and I eat
ice cream.

Untitled
Jacari G.

ANTARTICA
It is very cold.

DAY
I felt the pretty blue ice.

MALL
I saw the perfect red dress.

Untitled
David C.

ANTARTICA
It is the coldest place in the world to me.
and winter every day.

DAY
I am covered with coats, gloves and hats.

PLACE
Now I am in Australia.

Untitled
Denea B.

AUSTRALIA
I think I have a beautiful stream near by.

DAY
I search for some one to talk to.

Zimbabwe
All of a sudden, I'm in a beautiful palace.

Untitled
Jalen J.

AFRICA
I think it is bears.

DAY
I play Basketball.

THING
I was watching my clock tick.

Untitled
Brianna M.

ASIA
I think it's hot and cold.

DAY
I went to the park.

SCHOOL
And now I'm in library.

Untitled
Whitney D.

ANTARTICA
I think it's cold there.

NIGHT
The moon is shining on my eyes.

MALL
I hear all the people talking and I smell
the food from the food court.

Untitled
Steeve C.

ANTARTICA
I think the Indian Ocean is closer to Africa!

DAY
I fell asleep while cleaning the laundry.

CAR
Now I'm driving my friends to school.

****

WHAT SHALL I TELL MY BLACK CHILDREN POEMS

#1
What Shall I tell my Black Children
Briana H. -- 8th grade

What should...shall I tell my black children
who are growing up too fast and think they know
about life?
I should tell them about life and learning lessons.
Being Black is not an easy step.
Being called names because of the skin you have.
For generations and generations we as Black people have been
cruelty --mean by people who don't care.

#2
Dear African American
Rashida B. -- 8th Grade

Children the first thing you need
not to do is call yourself Black.
If you know your color isn't that.

Young African Americans stand your ground.
Get around..make it through and don't listen to
what people tell you.

Be a leader and be Kings and Queens.
And don't walk with mediocracy.
And don't be lesser than who you be.

Sincerely,
African Queens and Kings.

#3
What Shall I tell My Black Children?
Latisha B. - 8th Grade

What should I tell them.
Should I tell them...
Should I tell them about the color of their skin?
Should I tell them about segregation
or should I tell them about life?
Like the pro's and con's of life
and do try to be something that you're not.
If you have a dream don't let other people tell you
can't accomplish what you dream to do
Tell you about life..and that you need to be independent
and don't depend on other people to do
stuff for you.

#4
What Should I tell My black Children
Michelle G. - 8th Grade

I shall tell my Black children to do their best.
I shall tell them to never give up.
I shall tell them to give thy neighbor respect.
I shall tell them to stay focused.
I shall tell them to turn from violence.

#5
Poetry
Nathaniel S. - 8th Grade

To my Black children.
We must all stand together.
We must believe in each other.
We must love each other.
We must help each other.
We must teach each other.
We must care about each other.
We must be each other's sister and brother.
We must!

#6
Do U Hear Me Calling?
Leah C. - 8th Grade

Do you hear me calling?
I'm trying to tell you the truth
about life and what you got to do.

Do you hear me calling?
I'm dying from the whips
and burning in the sun.

Did you hear what I say?
It happened once so don't let it happen again.

Focus on me.
I am what you see
and not a disgrace.

LISTEN!
This is real and not a joke.

PLEASE PLEASE
Now, you're very alert.
Black is a color that people look as a disgrace.
You can change that and make a way.

Noises and Sounds

Whispering of the wind bellows at me as I pass the row of awesome houses before me. What is the element of sound within a poem, especially words that are spelled like an actual sound? We all hear noises every day, but we probably don't think about words that have particular sounds attached to them.

Approaching today's classes, we took a sound journey together, writing flowery, loud and brash words that clang against our ear drums filling our souls with the elements of sound. Some students (especially the 4th graders) understood onomatopoeia. Even the 2nd graders who really didn't know how to spell the word, but once we got to talking about which sounds are associated with certain things, and looking at the great poems in Kenneth Koch's books, they were able to write some fabulous poems using onomatopoeia. Even the focused 8th graders took some time to think of great words like 'hiss', 'zap', and others and place within a story or poem that unfolds into a poetic journey the reader could take.

I hope this inspires you to create your own Onomatopoeia poem!

Untitled

Sarai W. - 2nd Grade (Sims)

The sound I hear is ribbet

ribbet...

and also the sound of my cat

and the air

the sound of clap clap

and i hear the sound

of my Mom and my Dad

talking

and I hear the sound of popcorn

pop pop

and I hear the sound of cars

and I hear the sound of kids in the park

too

and hear the sound of my brother talking

The Sound of School

Whitney -- 2nd Grade (Sims)

The bell is ringing

ding a ling

a ling

it's so loud

I hear the children talking

in the lunch room

blah blah blah

I hear the food crunching

in their mouths

crunch crunch crunch

When it's time to go

We go outside

When I step on the snow

a crunch sounds

crunch ...crunch

Sound Poem

Steeve C. 2nd Grade (Sims)

Ding dong

the bell goes!

Standing there listening

to tick tock

on the clock

waiting for time

to go home

"Hurry up!"

We all say.

Carry clocks home

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock..

"Oh!"

Says my brother

My head hurts.

Mine too, I say.

Boom! Boom!

goes our foot

trying to break the clock

Cluck, cluck, cluck

goes our hand.

Crack! Oops!

Oh NO!!!

Well we finally broke it

-- tick tock!

Oh No!

The Wind

Jaasiel R. 4th Grade (Forsell)

This afternoon the window opens

"Swish swish" that's the sound the wind makes.

"Brrr brrr" says the cold children.

I follow the wind to the restaurant.

"Swish."

"Ooh ooh" goes the hot customers.

"Uh Uh" goes the hungry children.

The wind goes to the store.

"Ching Ching" says the cash register.

The wind travels to my house.

"Ahhh Ahhh" says my Mom.

"Brrr Brrr" goes my Dad.

Then they finally closed the window.

The Buzz Noise

Thomas P. 4th Grade (Forsell)

I was outside in the Summer.

A bee was buzzing around me

I slapped the bee but it kept coming.

It was still saying "buzz" around me.

So I told the bee too leave me alone.

Then I thought "Why am I talking to

a bee?"

Then I looked at my shirt.

I had on yellow.

And I knew...bees liked yellow.

The Sound of Summer

Yazmine F. 4th Grade (Forsell)

Buzz buzz buzz is what I

hear from a bee

Whoosh...I run through the sun

I drink water

gulp gulp gulp gulp

I hear a ball boing boing

I love the summer, do you?

Under the Sea

Dajae H. 8th Grade (Collins-Jones)

I hear the beach

with all of the wet

splash splash

the rock on the sand

smack...

the water with a loud

thump thump

I look into the sea

whoosh

I have been pulled in by the fish

I thought it was very fun

boing boing

boom!

I landed at the bottom of the ocean

There I find a big party which

awaits me in my lonely hour

pop pop

sound of fireworks

and loud music

filled the sea

Oh how wonderful

life was when

I was free

Wow!

You can sit for hours and have a blast

blup blup blup

I was turning into a fish

Swap

on the ocean's ground

there was my tail

now I know I was

a fish

but where are my scales?

Shuss shuss

Oh there they are

Clump as I was

dancing around

I tripped over my tail

gulp!

I swallowed as if I

was taking a huge Algebra test.

It was embarassing

but "hey"

the party still goes

on and on.

Fire to the Back

Zaire B. 8th Grade (Collins-Jones)

When I walk in the snow

the sound is like

scrusss

and the next summer

I hear a buzz right by

the bush.

When I get in trouble

I get a slap

and if I say something...

it's fire to the back.

Whamm!

In Honor of Pablo Neruda

Every year, I use Ode poems written by Pablo Neruda to explore the layers of life and themes of individuality, devotions, and reflections. Some of the students I've worked with over the years often love the Ode to Lemon poems, but the Ode to Broken Things often inspires different types of things. Being the first time some of my students have been exposed to Neruda's very wonderful verse of metaphoric delights, I am always amazed to see what the response poems will be. The 8th Graders had the most challenging time writing poems, but the 4th Graders and 2nd Graders had different ways in responding to the exploration of the Odes. Would they be whimsical? Full of love for family or their favorite things? Only their verses will tell the true story of their odes.

Ode to Sports
Steeve C.
2nd Grader, Mrs. Sims

Ode to basketball,
football (NFL).
I love football
because it's with balls and points.
And because it's slamming people.

Ode Poem
Joy S.
2nd Grader, Mrs. Sims

Ode to a pool.
It is relaxing and cold.
It is so so wonderful.
It is very fun.
Ode to Miss Sims.
She is the best.
Ode to ice cream.
It taste very good.
Ode to God.
He is wonderful.
Ode to Miss Osbey.
She's the best.

Ode to Mom
Whitney D.
2nd Grader, Mrs. Sims

My mom gives me all her love.
She treats me like a dove.
It's like living in heaven.
You know her love just
overflows.

Ode To God
Aaron C.
2nd Grader, Mrs. Sims

I love God.
Sometimes I pray
with my family.
And I go to church so I can show
that I love God.
But I will always know that
God is in my heart.

Ode to Mom
Monica M.
4th Grader, Ms. Forsell

My mom is a brown queen.
My mom loves me and my bro's and sisters.
My mom is the star of our life.
My mom guys us whatever we want.
Like clothes, nails, jewelry and jackets
and much more.

Sleep
Latisha B.
8th Grader, Ms. Collins-Jones

As I lay on a soft cushing thing
that's comfortable that is
relaxing and feels like a soft
cushion thing that feels like a whole
bunch of pillows, I still
and dream of happy thoughts.
Wondering where life will take me.
And dreaming can I make it through
this deep sleep?
Can I make it through life successful?
Can I?
Can I get out of this deep sleep of horror?
Can I?

Ode to Relationships
Hajae H.

Relationships are like an ocean.
You can get carried away by to soft
Soothing mellow scenery.

An ocean symbolizes love, trust,
Harmony, and freedom.
And that is how you feel in a relationship.

I love the way relationships go
Or are made first.

There is friendship, then romance, and finally true love.

Relationships come and go
Each and every time you feel like you don’t want to be
Anywhere else
But with your mate and once you have found
Your soul mate, you feel very happy
Like you feel when you are by an ocean.

(c) 2008 by the Students of Charles Kozminski Community Academy

Pam Osbey
Artist-In-Resident
Poetry Center of Chicago