This week, we read three poems by 18th century Japanese poet and painter, Yosa Buson: "Coolness," "Early Summer Rain," and "Sparrow Singing." Then we looked at William Carlos Williams' classic minimalist poem, "The Red Wheelbarrow." Students were asked what these four poems had in common, and in what ways were they different? Some were familiar with haiku, but instead of sticking with the traditional haiku syllabic formula, students were encouraged to write poems that created a simple, but evocative image in the mind of the reader, in three lines with no more than five words per line.
There were many terrific responses to this idea -- here's a selection.
Ms. Barreda, 8th Grade
Snow
Raymond A.
snow falls like a feather
to earth and is as
soft as a cloud
Black Horse
Jose L.
The black horse
runs alone
on its path.
The Shadow
Jorge L.
The shadow –
six more weeks of
winter.
Little Sparrow
Tonya P.
Little sparrow in the cage
open the door
and watch it soar
Empty Desk
Marco Q.
Empty desk.
Empty chair.
Alone.
Oreo
Airam V.
a cookie
white
a cookie
Mrs. Turk, 7th Grade
Time
Julissa A.
Clock ticking –
ever so slowly
ever so slowly
White Snow
Mayra A.
White snow,
on top of trees, grass.
Beautiful flakes.
Raining Inside
Ana A.
Raining inside
the room, everything
wet.
Kettle on Stove
Leonardo B.
burning
ringing
oh it's done
Snow
Dezarai G.
Bright as sun
wet and icy
white and cold
Bat
Jose J.
sound of the bat
hitting the ball,
CRACK!
Butterfly
Lily O.
Colors –
flood the air and sky
in its wings
Reflection
Oscar P.
reflection of the
new iPod
shiny.
Fall Leaves
Jodi R.
red orange brown
dancing around
in the air having fun
Ms. Touras, 6th Grade
Penguins
Delia D.
waddling in the snow
so slow, so mute
watching them play all day
The Sun
Delilah D.
Yellow and bright
it hurts your
sight.
Roller Coaster
Agnes F.
goes up and down
and around
not wanting to stop
The Tree
Abigail P.
The tree covered with snow.
Hummingbirds standing on the
tree.
A Chair
Samuel S.
A chair
rocking
happy
Snowfall
Ledio S.
Little tiny pieces
piling on the ground
can't count them all
Teardrop
Alex V.
Teardrops falling –
the cloud's tears
dripping.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Heteronyms
For the last three weeks, students at McPherson have been working on creating their own characters, and having those characters speak through a unique poetical device called heteronyms. Heteronyms are different from pseudonyms in that they are not simply different names chosen by students using their own voices, but rather, completely different personalities with names and characteristics often far removed from the students' own.
Heteronyms are the creation of Portuguese poet, Fernando Pessoa. In 1914, Pessoa wrote the first of his heteronym poems, credited to Alberto Caeiro, Ricardo Reis, and Álvaro de Campos, only three of over seventy creations. When Pessoa passed away in 1935, he left a trunk containing in excess of 25,000 items — a vast collection of poems, fragments, letters, and journals. During his lifetime, the identity of these alter egos was known only to Pessoa, and the breadth of his literary output is still being discovered.
Week one, we read poems by Caeiro and de Campos, discussing the "personalities" of each heteronym and analyzing differences in the style and composition of the poems. Students began to think about making up their own heteronyms, writing character "sketches" with background details for each. Weeks two and three, students wrote and then revised their poems, trying to capture the voice and personality of their new selves.
Brief details for each heteronym are contained in brackets.
Ms. Barreda, 8th Grade
Jennifer
by Jessica M.
My life is so
complicated.
I am 30 years old.
I have two kids and
a husband.
My career is as a doctor.
It is stressful, sad, and happy.
Saving lives, and sometimes you
try hard to save lives and
at the end you either succeed
or fail.
When someone dies in front
of me, knowing I couldn't do
something to help.
Just being there, looking at
them dying slowly and
painfully.
It is like a million
knives stabbing me
in the heart.
At home, my kids run
toward me.
When I
look into their eyes
it just makes my day.
My life is so
complicated.
Prince Giovanni
by Stephanie P.
[age 5]
I go to school my first day
I feel like a big kid now
I can't wait to be like my brother
big, tall, handsome and smart.
I like being the center of attention
in my house I'm so cute and feel
like a prince. “Prince Giovanni” sounds
good; Príncipe Giovanni even better.
So far, I know how to draw
shapes and stick people
but I still have to learn my
A,B,C's
so mommy and daddy help me.
But there are things that my
big brother hates about me,
that I could eat tacos, enchiladas,
and tamales and hot get fat
Ha Ha!
So I'm Príncipe Giovanni
a kid that goes to school
has to learn his A,B,C's
eats a lot and has a
great family.
But for now I'm tired
and just like every prince
I have to go nani
bye bye.
Byrd Birdie
by Oscar V.
I don't look much like a fighter,
I'm tall but skinny.
Two guys thought I was a weak guy,
so they attacked me.
I didn't want to fight,
but they forced me to,
so I hit one of them on the head.
The other one took a knife out,
he cut me in the left cheek,
it was cut deep.
The police came,
they were going to arrest me too,
and all I was doing was defending myself.
They took me to the hospital.
The medics stitched up the cut,
and that is my scarred story.
Mrs. Turk, 7th Grade
Lebron Smith
by Jessica G.
[age 17]
I can't get out of it,
gangs and violence won't
let me go. My past
is controlling my
future. I'm lost & I'm
tryin' to keep things
cool and under
control.
Taking care of my mom
& sister, being the
man of the house.
Loud voice, but inside
quiet as a mouse.
Not having a father,
a man to look up to
makes life even more
harder to go through.
What do I do? What
should I know? All
of this,
won't let me go.
Bridget Blake
by Jodi R.
My father's wedding
I walk up the aisle
I look up and see my brother
standing beside him
As I walk I hold flowers in my hands
People watching as I go by
Flower petals falling down
Today will be the change
I should be happy I'm getting a mom, but I'm
not
Outside my face has a smile
I miss her, how she cared for me
Now she's up in heaven looking down at me
Why did she have to leave me?
I yell on the inside
I cry on the inside but on the outside
I smile
Christopher Lexiton
by Daniel T.
[age 32]
I like to explore the sea
with my brother as my companion.
If I hadn't been on the sea that
day I would have been home.
Instead I'm washed up on this island
alone...
If I didn't go out that day...
the mistake was to go out that day.
If only I let them stop me.
If only...
Ms. Touras, 6th Grade
You Skipped My Birthday
by Joyce J.
[Stanley Yelnats, age 14]
I'm sitting on the couch, lonely.
I think and think of what will
happen tomorrow.
I have never thought so hard
this way.
Will my parents remember
what happens tomorrow?
I hope they do remember.
It's a special day, the day
I was born.
Will anybody remember?
The day has come and
nobody remembered.
Why, I wonder why they
think this is a normal day!
I feel sad.
Or even mad.
Will I ever forgive my
parents?
That I will see when time goes by.
John Turner
by Aidan K.
[age 30]
I get up when the sky
is pink. Eat hot oatmeal
for breakfast. Put on my
parka. Next I hitch up
my sled dogs. Finally, after
an hour ride I stop and
open my ice fishing hut
at 7 AM. At 6 PM, I
pack up and head home.
Once at home, feed my
dogs and eat dinner. Next,
I read for a half hour
before going to bed at
8 PM.
Bobby
by Ledio S.
[age 16]
I woke up to my Mom telling
me to get up.
She is tough but she can
be fun too.
Thank god it is Saturday.
The school week was too hard.
I got a C on my last paper
and now my Mom is REALLY mad
and now I have to study every
second of my life.
I have to go to practice
today but I really don't wanna
'cause I sprained my ankle last time.
It is still a little stiff.
I'm not that bad, I even scored
last game, but I'm still not the
best. I guess practice makes perfect.
Premonition
by Juliana V.
[Andre Montez, age 31]
I feel sick
I am sick
no cure for me.
My skin is pale
a blank expression
glued to my face.
My family crying
my children's sad expressions.
And then I think my last
thought as I go to sleep.
My family is now nothing
but a sight in my head.
And then I think of my thought
and ask myself,
will you wake up tomorrow?
As I feel a chill go up my spine
I wake up from what
I believe will haunt the rest of
my life.
Heteronyms are the creation of Portuguese poet, Fernando Pessoa. In 1914, Pessoa wrote the first of his heteronym poems, credited to Alberto Caeiro, Ricardo Reis, and Álvaro de Campos, only three of over seventy creations. When Pessoa passed away in 1935, he left a trunk containing in excess of 25,000 items — a vast collection of poems, fragments, letters, and journals. During his lifetime, the identity of these alter egos was known only to Pessoa, and the breadth of his literary output is still being discovered.
Week one, we read poems by Caeiro and de Campos, discussing the "personalities" of each heteronym and analyzing differences in the style and composition of the poems. Students began to think about making up their own heteronyms, writing character "sketches" with background details for each. Weeks two and three, students wrote and then revised their poems, trying to capture the voice and personality of their new selves.
Brief details for each heteronym are contained in brackets.
Ms. Barreda, 8th Grade
Jennifer
by Jessica M.
My life is so
complicated.
I am 30 years old.
I have two kids and
a husband.
My career is as a doctor.
It is stressful, sad, and happy.
Saving lives, and sometimes you
try hard to save lives and
at the end you either succeed
or fail.
When someone dies in front
of me, knowing I couldn't do
something to help.
Just being there, looking at
them dying slowly and
painfully.
It is like a million
knives stabbing me
in the heart.
At home, my kids run
toward me.
When I
look into their eyes
it just makes my day.
My life is so
complicated.
Prince Giovanni
by Stephanie P.
[age 5]
I go to school my first day
I feel like a big kid now
I can't wait to be like my brother
big, tall, handsome and smart.
I like being the center of attention
in my house I'm so cute and feel
like a prince. “Prince Giovanni” sounds
good; Príncipe Giovanni even better.
So far, I know how to draw
shapes and stick people
but I still have to learn my
A,B,C's
so mommy and daddy help me.
But there are things that my
big brother hates about me,
that I could eat tacos, enchiladas,
and tamales and hot get fat
Ha Ha!
So I'm Príncipe Giovanni
a kid that goes to school
has to learn his A,B,C's
eats a lot and has a
great family.
But for now I'm tired
and just like every prince
I have to go nani
bye bye.
Byrd Birdie
by Oscar V.
I don't look much like a fighter,
I'm tall but skinny.
Two guys thought I was a weak guy,
so they attacked me.
I didn't want to fight,
but they forced me to,
so I hit one of them on the head.
The other one took a knife out,
he cut me in the left cheek,
it was cut deep.
The police came,
they were going to arrest me too,
and all I was doing was defending myself.
They took me to the hospital.
The medics stitched up the cut,
and that is my scarred story.
Mrs. Turk, 7th Grade
Lebron Smith
by Jessica G.
[age 17]
I can't get out of it,
gangs and violence won't
let me go. My past
is controlling my
future. I'm lost & I'm
tryin' to keep things
cool and under
control.
Taking care of my mom
& sister, being the
man of the house.
Loud voice, but inside
quiet as a mouse.
Not having a father,
a man to look up to
makes life even more
harder to go through.
What do I do? What
should I know? All
of this,
won't let me go.
Bridget Blake
by Jodi R.
My father's wedding
I walk up the aisle
I look up and see my brother
standing beside him
As I walk I hold flowers in my hands
People watching as I go by
Flower petals falling down
Today will be the change
I should be happy I'm getting a mom, but I'm
not
Outside my face has a smile
I miss her, how she cared for me
Now she's up in heaven looking down at me
Why did she have to leave me?
I yell on the inside
I cry on the inside but on the outside
I smile
Christopher Lexiton
by Daniel T.
[age 32]
I like to explore the sea
with my brother as my companion.
If I hadn't been on the sea that
day I would have been home.
Instead I'm washed up on this island
alone...
If I didn't go out that day...
the mistake was to go out that day.
If only I let them stop me.
If only...
Ms. Touras, 6th Grade
You Skipped My Birthday
by Joyce J.
[Stanley Yelnats, age 14]
I'm sitting on the couch, lonely.
I think and think of what will
happen tomorrow.
I have never thought so hard
this way.
Will my parents remember
what happens tomorrow?
I hope they do remember.
It's a special day, the day
I was born.
Will anybody remember?
The day has come and
nobody remembered.
Why, I wonder why they
think this is a normal day!
I feel sad.
Or even mad.
Will I ever forgive my
parents?
That I will see when time goes by.
John Turner
by Aidan K.
[age 30]
I get up when the sky
is pink. Eat hot oatmeal
for breakfast. Put on my
parka. Next I hitch up
my sled dogs. Finally, after
an hour ride I stop and
open my ice fishing hut
at 7 AM. At 6 PM, I
pack up and head home.
Once at home, feed my
dogs and eat dinner. Next,
I read for a half hour
before going to bed at
8 PM.
Bobby
by Ledio S.
[age 16]
I woke up to my Mom telling
me to get up.
She is tough but she can
be fun too.
Thank god it is Saturday.
The school week was too hard.
I got a C on my last paper
and now my Mom is REALLY mad
and now I have to study every
second of my life.
I have to go to practice
today but I really don't wanna
'cause I sprained my ankle last time.
It is still a little stiff.
I'm not that bad, I even scored
last game, but I'm still not the
best. I guess practice makes perfect.
Premonition
by Juliana V.
[Andre Montez, age 31]
I feel sick
I am sick
no cure for me.
My skin is pale
a blank expression
glued to my face.
My family crying
my children's sad expressions.
And then I think my last
thought as I go to sleep.
My family is now nothing
but a sight in my head.
And then I think of my thought
and ask myself,
will you wake up tomorrow?
As I feel a chill go up my spine
I wake up from what
I believe will haunt the rest of
my life.
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