Imagism, Minimalism, Objectivism, Haiku

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.

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.

Memory Poems

Memory is a powerful motivator in poetry, and Philip Levine one of poetry's most ardent proponents of remembering. Students read and discussed his lovely poem, "Starlight," then wrote memory poems of their own.

Ms. Barreda, 8th Grade

Untitled (Memory Poem)
Jessica M.

My most favorite memory and sad memory
was when I spent my life
with my dad and mom.
The first Christmas, that I was
with my family. We had a tree
with a lot of decorations,
and a lot of presents.
I still remember
when my parents
would watch me
open my presents
and just smile.
Little that I
knew that my
dad was going
to leave. But I
just sat there
and watched
him leave.

Untitled (Memory Poem)
Tonya P.

The tall, wavy field of gold
swayed ever so slightly as the warm
breeze blew.
Steep the mountain was
but there I sat high above
the landscape of lively green
with healthy trees and bushes
within the scene.
Birds singing their early morning song.
The sun shining high over my
head.
Early it was, but a sight I
would not want to miss.
The horses ran freely within
their field.
Chickens clucked and chirped as
the rooster's loud wail sounded
the morning alarm.
Now I stood walking back to
the house and starting to think
I can't believe I'm going to
milk a cow.

Untitled (Memory Poem)
Airam V.

Since now I'm in 8th grade I
want to go back to that time.
It was my first week in preschool.
When I met my first friend.
Both of us had long hair.
Both of our mothers were friends with
each other.
Both of our mothers had the same
name.
I'm graduating this year.
Sometimes I think it's best if I
move on.
But there is always going to be
that memory that I can't let go of.
That memory is when I met Jenny.
We had a lot of memories after that
moment we met.
We are still friends now.
Jenny and I made a promise to each
other that we were going to be best friends
until we graduate together from McPherson.
That promise is about to be made
come true.

Mrs. Turk, 7th Grade

Untitled (Memory Poem)
Amanda M.

I remember when my dad left.
He said I will love you all the
time. Then he gave me a hug
and he told my mom bye and
took his stuff and then he left.
I always called him on the phone
but he changed his phone number and
we stopped talking until I was
13 years old. He took me shopping and
he came back into my life. But
he doesn't live with us. I live with
my step dad.

How I Became Richer...
Laesha R.

I remember getting out of my limo.
I remember going into the store.
I remember buying a lotto ticket.
I remember being in my limo with
my lotto ticket.
I remember screaming that I
was even richer because I won a
million dollars.
I remember it was just a dream.

Memory
Morgan R.

I remember going into the bath-
room
when I went in there I remember
slipping sliding like ice skating
on water
I remember hitting my head
on a big hard thick
white tub I remember
going down the stairs
falling fast
I remember coming to a
stop hitting the couch
and being knocked out
after one minute and thirty-three seconds
I woke the room was
spinning going in circles
seeing all
the colors mix together
like a rainbow

Ms. Touras, 6th Grade

My New Year in the Philippines
Danielle D.

My best New Year is when it was 2005.
it was my best New Year because
in the Philippines we invite our neighbors
and everyone we know to our house.
We had a lot of foods but my mom
cooks the best foods.
All of the people we invited brought something.

When it was 11:00 pm and an hour
more to go when it was going to be
New Year,
we got ready.
We played loud music in front of our
gate.
We had our fireworks ready and other
kinds of fireworks.
We even had a hat.
We ate and we had money in our beds.
We also had coins in our pockets.
All the people in our neighborhood
started screaming and lighting up their fireworks.
My cousins and my sisters ran to our
house because my uncle started lighting
up the fireworks.
We all looked up in the sky.
And then we all hugged each other and
said:
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Untitled (Memory Poem)
Alondra F.

It seems so sad.
I could see my mom hugging
everyone. Me just playing with my
doll. My sister holding me from my
hand so I wouldn't get lost. I
could see tears coming from my
sister's eyes. I have no idea what's
going on. I just see my cousins
coming to hug me, saying bye.
But somehow I know something
is not right. The next thing
I remember is coming home.

Untitled (Memory Poem)
Agnes F.

I remember the weekend
in Indiana with my best friend.
We were driving a golf car
around the little village.
Looking at the bright blue sky,
feeling the wind blowing at us.
It was very cool.
I remember us jumping on
the trampoline.
At night we lay down on it
with her dog Nicko protecting,
looking up at the dark sky
with some stars shining.
I felt like sleeping right there.
For me that house in Indiana is
like a glass palace.
That neighborhood is so kind and sweet.
I miss that weekend.

Collaborative Poems

For our last class before the holiday and new year break, I wanted to try something that would (hopefully) be fun. We read several two-line poems from Joshua Beckman & Matthew Rohrer's collaborative book, Nice Hat. Thanks, and talked a bit about the process the two poets used when writing poems together. Students then counted off, and were put in groups based on their number. Each wrote three starting lines for as many separate poems, passing them on to others in their group, who added their own lines, creating a series of short group poems. Students were encouraged to think fast, and make "sense" only if they wanted to, or could.

Here are two* poems apiece from each group in every class.

Ms. Barreda, 8th Grade

Anthony B., Jorge L., Jonathan P., Kevin R., Diego T., Federico V.

Blue

Is really cool.

Blue is also very cruel.

Blue is like glue

is like the sky.

It's OK green I like more.

When I draw it's like I have no cares

because you are concentrated.

Teach me how to draw.

I get tired of drawing.

I trace.

I also trace with my left

Alexandra B., Jose L., Maydali S., Diego V., Ismael V., Oscar V.

Night Ministry

brings tooth paste and tooth brushes

brings soap

help

they need you.

Be generous.

Oscar walking down the street.

Under the black night sky.

Trying to hide

from

me

Ismael.

Jessica G., Rubisel L., Jessica M., Stephanie P., Tonya P.

I feel like dancing.

I feel like sleeping.

I feel like sleeping, too.

I want to go to parties.

What are we waiting for, let's get started

let's jump around the world.

I'm bored.

I play with my pen waiting for it to do something.

I poke my brother.

It's so funny.

Play a game.

I'm still bored.

Miguel A., Mariela B., Rolando C., Lucero G., Ulysses G., Jorge R.

Music is in the room

the station is on B96

the song is coming out.

It's my favorite song

makes us happy.

I wish I had my two front teeth.

You can

swim to the other side of earth

I know you can do it.

Believe in yourself and you'll go far

work really hard.

But what if I can't?

Katherine D., Mayra H., Airam V., Marco Q., Edgar T.

The butterfly

looks pretty

I'm

nice

doesn't really talk a lot

to my sister.

Love is

intelligent

misfortunate.

Life will take

time

to make me depressed.

Mrs. Turk, 7th Grade

Leslie H., Amanda M., Lily O., Vanessa P., Jodi R., Tyler T.

hats

won't fit my head

I kind of like them

hathead

I love hats! You?

Won't fit, have a big head.

Do you have a dog?

I don't know, do you?

Not yet

had one, hopefully I get another one.

Nope, but I want one

yes, yes I do.

Ana A., Jessica G., Emily L., Oscar P., Victoria R., Frida T.

I owe

me money

I forgot to pay me

last night.

A pencil

sharpened nicely.

It was raining

yesterday

the day before

today

wow

inside my house

Alejandra B., Leonardo B., Danielle B., Erika C., Laesha R., Morgan R.

stars

up so high in the sky

high high high up

OK

up in the sky

they look like they can fly

Soccer.

We're at

Winnemac Park.

Such a tiring game, for real.

Oh I really don't like soccer.

I think it's fun but the game is over.

Raimundo C., Dezarai G., Jose M., David R., Alma R., Jasmine S.

The lonely dog

weeped loudly

ate food

looked at people

was sad

BORING!

Run down a hill

fall on the grass

and laugh out loud

and scream I love Chris Brown

and roll

jump and hurt myself and laugh.

Julissa A., Matt A., Jose J., Kevin L., Daniel T.

wet water

isn't dry

is slippery

of course

is still water

is wet

Broken computer

does not work

in da trash

works just fine

is worthless

take it apart

Ms. Touras, 6th Grade

Ruben D., Alondra F., Joyce J., Rafael J., Alyssa L., Neisha R.

The car is red and old and slow.

Going fast is a challenge

zooming by

yeah it goes fast

like a snail.

It needs help.

Bowl of pudding

tastes good.

I guess it's good

is good.

It's bad for your heart.

Bowl of pudding.

Rubyela J., Elik J., James L., Victor N., Jonathan T.

The best day ever

has already ended

it's the coolest day.

Birthday.

De lovely.

Very exciting.

Death

died

scary

lovely (not).

Wish it could happen!!!! (to me)

Is what happens to humans.

Danielle D., Enrique Q., Desiree R., Samuel S., Cody T.

Be polite

friend

good

don't call people names

have manners

if you be polite you will have a friend

Look what I took.

What is it?

I took a pen

?

What

I took a library book!

Fernando B., Aidan K., Michael M., Abigail P., Juliana V.

Things to do when you are done

is chew gum

or play games on your phone

till it breaks

or discharges

or you are bored playing it.

Tree

birds

leaves

branches

smell

fresh.

John A., Agnes F., Ledio S., Susana S., Snow V.

Water feels like

wind.

I like to swim in water,

in the summer.

I like to go

somewhere full of water.

Come back to life

dead zombies

but not today

come next year

not today

not ever 

The newspaper

is here

what can I do?

It is boring.

I don't want to read

this bad newspaper.

* a third poem is here for this group, whose work was so excellent

Color Poems

Brazilian poet, Adelia Prado, writes passionately and intensely about the color "Purple," sometimes using it in unusual ways. After I read Prado's poem in English, a student read it in Portuguese; students were asked which words 'sounded' more purple to them -- "purple," "morado" or "púrpura" -- and which version of the poem they preferred, regardless of whether they understood it in Portuguese. We discussed parts of speech and personification as well. Students were then asked to write their own poems, using a favorite color in as many ways as possible.

Ms. Barreda, 8^th Grade

Red

Rolando C.

Red is on my mind.

Red starts with two persons.

Red goes straight to the heart.

Red is like blood.

When someone bleeds.

Red is like love.

When two people are in love.

When a guy brings red roses to

a girl, when he tells her that

he likes her, that he's in love

with her.

Red is when somebody

hurts you.

When somebody makes you cry.

Red is like you.

Red is like your heart.

When you die you wouldn't

have no more red in your

life.

Red is like happiness.

White

Tonya P.

The life of a pure

soul.

The white light of heaven.

A single piece of perfect

love.

The other half of yin and

yang.

The color of a peaceful dove.

Warm cotton blanket

that protects me from

the dark.

The happiness that gives

me a smile on my face.

Blue

Edgar T.

Blue is a very beautiful color,

as bright as the sky, beautiful like

it. When I think or see the color

blue, it really gets my attention.

It's bluetiful.

When the color blue is mixed

it may get me a little more attention.

The color blue is a color everyone

would probably love. It brings light,

passion.

Blue is my favorite color

to think of, see.

Black

Diego V.

Black is my room

not only because of

the color of the

walls but because

of the memories.

The memories are

bright just like

the color red.

I've been through

blue and red memories

that I just can't forget.

I wish I could change

someday from black and

red to blue someday.

Mrs. Turk, 7^th Grade

Red

Erika C.

Red is

my heart

and it

looks like

a heart

and I

love red

because

the rose

is red.

Pink

Leslie H.

It's the color of the sky at 5 o'clock

when the sun sets in mid summer.

It's the color of a baby's cheeks.

It's my favorite color.

It's the color of my cousin's face when she

blushes.

It's the color of my iPod.

It's the feeling I have when my

heart is dancing.

It's the inside of a strawberry and the

color of cotton candy.

It's the color of my closet, the color

of my room and the color of my bed.

It's everything I just said.

Blue

Jeremy M.

Blue is the color of the

sky that goes

over our heads.

And the waters

below the surface

we stand on.

Blue.

Blue is the

color of day

and color

of thoughts.

It calms down all

of your problems.

It drifts

you out of

the world

to a world of peace.

Nothing to worry about

and be scared of, the color

blue.

Black

Lily O.

Black is the goddess of darkness.

It follows you to the park.

It is not afraid to show itself in broad daylight.

It mimics you in front of the sun.

It follows you into the night.

Night blackens the sky and reveals

the true nature of glittering diamonds far above

the head. Black wears the stars to show the world

that she is wealthy.

Black is the shadow that never leaves

you alone.

Shadow comforts you when you are lonely,

it is your best friend.

Black absorbs heat to keep you warm

even though the sound, Black, is cold and lonely.

It tries to comfort, even when it's lonely.

Black chooses people to comfort, you choose

Black to be your friend.

Green

Alma R.

Green is everywhere

The sound of it rustles with the wind

The grass greens in spring

A leaf greens across the car

Lingers on the window.

I see a green walk in the hall

It waves at me.

I see someone green as they put on

their sweater.

The leg greens as it is bruised

When I was running through the field

And green as I fall on the grass.

Ms. Touras, 6^th Grade

Yellow

Fernando B.

The sun is yellow like a

light bulb

A banana is yellow like a

taxi

The protractor is also yellow

like my pencil

My folder is yellow like my

science project board

The sun makes heat just

like the light bulb in your

house

My favorite color is yellow

I like yellow because

he is so helpful

Blue

Elik J.

Blue, its surface is

soft and it feels slow, feeling

blue all around as if blue were

the earth, going round and round, spinning.

Like a jolt of sorrow, it goes

from place to place, going around.

The My Color Town is Change in Clock

Victor N.

So this is my town my town

is always change in like

two o clock is purple. Today my

town clock right now one o clock

is white one hour later is

two o clock is red one hour more

is three o clock is purple one

hour more four o clock is

yellow one hour more is five

o clock is green one hour more

six o clock is orange one hour more

is seven o clock is blue one

hour more is eight o clock is

black one more is nine o clock is

black and white one hour more

is ten o clock is red and green

one more hour it was eleven o clock

it's yellow and blue one hour

more it was twelve o clock it was

rainbow.

White

Juliana V.

As peaceful as a sunny day.

As calm as the morning sun.

Like a big blanket of snow.

No color just blank.

No thought,

relaxing in peaceful white

never there but always close.

A friend of yours no one can see

so shy it never shows

so clean and calm,

timid, never showing but always there.

Body Part Poems

In her poem, "Anatomy Lesson #2: The Palpation of Bony Landmarks," Katrina Vandenberg urges readers to see beyond the surface of things, beyond the cold and confusing language of science, using "the art of finding" to explore deeper issues of love, compassion and understanding. The poem's anatomical jargon was discussed, and students were asked to consider an under-appreciated body part in poems of their own.

Ms. Barreda, 8^th Grade

Untitled (Body Part Poem)

Angel G.

Eyes are like a camera,

every time you blink it's like taking a picture,

every time that happens it's like a reminder of

something, when you want to look at something

your eyes help you keep the image in mind.

Little Chubby Pinkie

Mayra H.

It's smaller

and fatter

and cuter than anyone else's.

It's like a little sausage

that's so adorable and small.

People might say

ah it's the last finger and it's always left out.

Well not in my case.

Everyone loves it

like a little fat kid

likes pie.

One person that I know

loves my pinkie

is Jorge L., and that's alright.

He's always making fun of the fact

that my pinkie

is fat.

Compare it to anyone else's

pinkie, mine is left

out, so it just curves in my hand

like a little dog in the rain and pouts.

Just because

it's my little chubby pinkie.

A Day as the Real Me

Stephanie P.

Today I wake up and look in

the mirror: I'm not me, I only

see the inside of me, the bones

that hold me up. Today I walk

on the streets, everyone sees me

who I am.

Weird but cool, I see what I'm

made of. I see my arms, the way

my fingers look, my legs, then I

look more deep: I see my heart,

it's as red as an apple, it's as big

as it too or even bigger.

Then I look at my ribs, wow,

so cool, that's what keeps my

upper body and lower body together.

I look one more time in the

mirror. Thanks to all this I have

I'm up and can keep on walking.

I wake up today. I'm me with

skin. I go to school, start writing

and thank my fingers and legs

that keep me going.

Mustache

Marco Q.

I am small, and downy.

I am barely growing.

But I will soon be full.

All of me is like a baby's skin,

smooth and soft.

But I will be rough and tough soon.

Until then I will grow.

Then there will be a day when I am no more.

But I will come again.

Mrs. Turk, 7^th Grade

Untitled (Body Part Poem)

Oscar P.

The brain is a very complex

concept to learn, keeping memory stored

like a flash drive or memory stick.

Looking back at the best moments like

a DVD player. Keeping track

of work like an agenda.

Looking back and reading like

a book.

The brain is our hard drive,

a CPU. Without it I don't

know what I would do.

The brain helps us think,

helps us learn, keeping data

like a computer.

The Face

David R.

The face is an exciting part of the

body. It's like glue. It has two eyes, to

see, a mouth, to talk, a nose, to smell

and two ears so you can listen. It is

also a part that you have to protect when

you're in a match because if you don't

you won't look the same. You'll have two

purple eyes, one bloody nose and mouth and

when you're finished with the match you

get up and are stumbling to the ground

so the match is over and you have lost

not only the fight but

the shape of your face.

Everlasting Beat

Jodi R.

Drumming drumming

I feel so calm

I can feel the tempo

Slow but steady

Then I get nervous

My heart gets louder

The tempo gets faster

Beating so fast

Can't believe

It goes so fast like a roaring car

Then my heart

Slows back down

It's so slow a turtle

Can win in a race with my heart

I start to sleep

Then I hear my last beat

They try to wake me up

But it's no use

My heart is dead

I'm gone

I'm sucked from the world

My heart gone

I'm gone

My body is gone

I keep hearing my last

Beat

Nonstopping

Kept playing like

a broken record machine

beat, beat, beat

beat . . . .

It's an everlasting

beat . . .

Ms. Touras, 6^th Grade

Fingerprint

Ruben D.

The fingerprint is like a rope with

different patterns on it. And when you move it

it's like moving the rope. And your

fingerprint is a land to you but you

don't know what's happening right at this

minute. It could be peace there or an evil

war there. That way I like and feel

like an old old man. When I take a shower

and when I get out I become an old

man.

The Brain

Rafael J.

I wonder what happens in

there if there is a party? When

I get scared that happens? When

I have fun does my brain get

upset or does it get angry? When I am

sad does it have fun? I wonder?

When I think about what I am

going to be when I grow

up does my brain get annoyed?

When I just think does my

brain send messages? When I

talk does my brain tell me

what to say? I will never

know what my brain does.

Bye-Bye

Cody T.

Sitting over a bucket as if to vomit

Nothing

Go to the doctor

Emergency

I feel like I'm old

I'm in a wheelchair

Lots of pain

Hard to breathe

Getting poked in the gut

By many doctors

Got a CAT scan

Thought a cat would scan

Drug injection

Feeling tired

On the 9^th floor

For two weeks

One night

Constant vomiting

The stomach acid

That's inside of me

Go to school

No stairs or heavy objects

Now I'm back to life