Dreaming without Buying

This week, in my last visit with the Bell students before the new year, we read In Praise of Dreams by Wislawa Szymborska, a famous Polish poet. In the poem, she writes about all of the things that she can do and see in her dreams that she can't in her waking life. The poem is written in couplets , so we also learned what that word means, and how to create them in their own poems. The students wrote their own Dreams poems, with the rule included that they could not BUY anything in their written dreams. Enjoy the results!

Mrs. Chadhuri’s Class
In My Dreams
by Sean P.

In my dreams
I am a wizard with powers.

I am a ruler
of the world.

I am the son
of Superman.

I can
control time.

I can make Pokemon
come to life.

I am
indestructible.

My Crazy Dreams
by Katie S.

In my dreams,
chickens try to take over the world.

For Christmas,
I get the perfect puppy.

My brother is whining
in a field of backpacks.

I am exploring
a giant dark cave.

I can fly
over millions of buildings.

I am annually in a tree house,
greeting long lost friends.

Animals understand me
and I can understand them.

One second, I am about to die,
the next second, I’m alive and awake.

Seeing with My Eyes Closed
by Bella N.

In my dreams,
I am chased by living coats.

I swim in sweet water,
thin, transparent honey.

I fall through the air, several heart-thumping miles,
then suddenly, my body jerks awake.

I sit watching the African savannah
moved over by my lion’s mane.

I see gray clouds gather, then swiftly sweep away
all by the thoughts in my head.

I am on silver wings, chasing a shooting star,
and finding a box of wishes come true.

Dreams
by Alex C.

In my dreams,
I can live with a cobra bite.

I can run as fast as a car,
to Florida.

I control a zoo
with unusual animals.

I have a city
that does what I command.

I have a secret fort
containing sweets.

I have sensitive plants
that close at a touch.

I have a time machine
that takes me anywhere.

And the day after tomorrow,
a tsunami that is not destructive.


Ms. Furgason’s Class
Dreams
by Isabelle H.

I am Candice Dupree
ruling the court.
I can disappear
like a magician.
I can breathe under water
and be the fastest swimmer.
I develop five arms
like Stitch.
I am a bird,
soaring through the air.
I am a runner,
running faster than light.

Dreams
by Ryan W.

I am in the WWE
wrestling against the Undertaker.
I am a fish
in the water.
I am the King
of the earth.

I Dreamt…
by Lillian L.

I can skate on an outside pond
all year round like a pro.

I can paint on silk just like my
Grandma used to.

I can beat my mom
at tennis any time.

I can dance on the
roofs of houses.

I can stop war by
pressing a button.

I can fly in the sky like a bird.

I am a great scientist
knowing everything, even the past and future.

I can disappear and appear miles away
with a snap of my fingers.

I can feel like a flower
and actually be one.


Mrs. Fukawa’s Class
Dreams
by Laura G.

In my dreams,
I talk to dolphins in their language.

I fly in the air
only as fast as the speed of light.

I speak a different language
than I have ever heard before.

I am gifted with powers
to help and to give.

I can jump
higher and higher into space.

I am on a cloud
surfing in the air.

I Dream Wild Things
by Lucas O.

I dream I will be
a football legend.

Yesterday, I flew
around the world.

Yesterday, I saw a
giant me destroying China.

Today I saw my future,
and yesterday, I read my mom’s mind!

My Marvelous Dreams
by Michael G.

I can fall off the
Empire State building and still live with no bruises.

I go underwater
and find Spongebob and Patrick.

I see my mom
floating in thin air.

In one century, I am
still living at the age of 109!

In my dream,
I become a 2 ton elephant.

I become
the smartest kid on earth.


Ms. Manuel’s Class
Holiday Dreams
by Liam R.

In my dreams
I am a platinum snowman.

I soar in the sky
with my magic turkey.

I’m playing with
my own heart.

I’ve lit the candles
all around the world.

I’m a leprechaun
on the 4th of July.

I’ve won
the Nobel Peace Prize.

In My Dreams
by Ashley N.

In my dreams
snow is the soft, fluffy feathers.

There is no
war.

We the world are not walking,
we are flying.

I am sending in a plan
with my dad to the rescue.

I am the burning
rays of the sun.

I am the glue
in friendships!

I am the freedom
in the country.

In my dreams, nobody wants
to harm each other.

The water we drink
is ice cream.

In my dreams, my feelings
are keeping time to my heart.

My Dream of a Dream
by Loki A.

In my dream,
I can breathe in space.

I’m in the underworld,
walking on lava.

I speak a language
that only Spirits can recall.

I’m a doughnut,
skipping a field.

I see people,
but they come from their graves.

I jump so high,
I’m airborne!

I have a dream,
and it’s the dream of that dream.

Animal Origins

This week in Poetry, the young writers at Bell Elementary read The Tyger by William Blake. We discussed how Blake is asking the Tyger where he comes from, who made him, and where he took the different parts of himself from. I asked the students to choose their own animals, and describe them using this questioning method. Below, a sample of their amazing poems (including one of my favorites so far HUMAN).

Mrs. Fukawa’s Class
The Lamb
by Amelia G.

Lamb, lamb, shining white
why does your fleece shine
so brght? Did you borrow
your fleece from sister Ivory?
Did you ask your cousin
Mountain to fetch you
the snow from on top of a mountain?
Did you steal all the gentleness
from the Tasmanian Devil,
making him mean?
Lamb, lamb, shining white.

Wolves, What are You?
by Liam C.-K.

Wolf, where did you get your spiky ears?
Did you borrow them from a spiky thorn bush?

And wolf, those yellow eyes must be fake.
Did you cut out a piece of the evening moon
and give it to your eyes?

Wolf, where did you get your fluffy, shaggy fur?
It looks like you jumped on a cloud
and smothered yourself in it.

Wolf, your sharp set of teeth
look like a set of steak knives.

Wolf
by Brittany C.

Wolf, where do you get your
meat from, a meat store or
a farm? And where did you
get your creepy eyes from?
Where did you get your
soft smooth tail from? Why
did you kill a bunch of animals?

Oh! Wolf, why do you hunt
in packs? And why do you fight
over food? Do you move around
a lot? And can you hear well?


Ms. Chadhuri’s Class
The Funky Monkey
by Caleb P.

Monkey, why are you
so funky, moving fastly
from vine to tree? Do you
even stop to see?
What is your main
desire, maybe to
keep climbing higher?
Do you even like a liar,
or do you like to play with fire?
Are you listening, or are you
just too tired? Monkey, you
are the animal I most admire.
If only I knew your main desire…
The main desire of the
very, very funky monkey.

Chick in an Egg
by Ryan R.

Chick, did you get a beak because a worm bit you?
Did you get your chirp from a squeaker?
Are your yellow feathers from the sun?
Do your orange legs come from orange paint?
Do your eyes come from berries?

Human
by Emilio A.

Human, your intelligence amazes me.
Did you rob a library to get it?

Human, your weapons are deadly.
Did you steal them from the Tyger?

Human, did you ever get insulted
because you haven’t learned how
to speak telepathically?

Human, did you ever feel bad that you
have doomed the world with CO2?


Ms. Furgason’s Class
The Whale
by Max D.

Whale, why are you so big?
Do you wish you were as small as a katydid?

Whale, are you shy?
Do you dive deeper as a boat goes by?

Whale, why do you have so much blubber?
Do you like it that you’re not made of rubber?

Whale, are you nice?
Or do you make whaling humans pay the price?

Whale, good bye, I’ll see you soon,
but long after it turns noon.

The Ladybug
by Kayla M.

Ladybug, did you steal your spots
from a person who has freckles?

Ladybug, did you get your soft
skin by stealing lotion like a thief?

Ladybug, did you get your
wings from a bird?

Ladybug, did you get
so tiny by a shrinking machine?
Ladybug, are you shy
like my baby brother
because you are shy
of how you look?

Squid
by Brian S.

Squid, did you steal your
tentacles from an octopus?

Squid are you shy because
a crab poked you in the eye?

Squid did you steal your ink
from a pen?

Squid did you used to be
an arrow head in the wars of Atlantis?

Squid did you fall from
the sky and land in the ocean from Mars?


Ms. Manuel
The Octopus
by Magdelene T.

Can you write with the ink
that you shoot out?

With the eight arms, can you
do all your chores at the same time?

Have you ever walked
or tap danced?

Is it easy for you to play
hide and seek?

The Panda
by Caleb A.

Panda, did you steal
your black from the dark
and the white from the light?

Did you steal your tail from
a bunny in need?

Did you steal your
hands and feet
from a black bear?

Did you steal your
ears from an ugly
leprachaun?

Did you steal your
head from a
Koala Bear?

The Camel
by Samantha F.

Camel how did you get your hump?
Did you steal it from a little girl
when she brought two big beach
balls to the beach? How is your
fur so warm and fuzzy? Did
you steal it form a horse?
Why are your eyes so small?
Do you have keen eyesight?
How did you get your tail?
Did you get it from a donkey?
Why are your hoofs so
hard? Did you steal a hockey
puck from a hockey player?

Questioning the Secret Nature of the World

This week, the students dove off the deep end of making sense! We looked at a small portion of Pablo Neruda's Book of Questions, and talked about what secrets of the world he was trying to reveal. I encouraged the student writers to ask a question that was both descriptive AND revealed something about their subject that only they knew (thus, essentially, making stuff up!). This was a tough poem to write, and the Bell poets rose to the challenge admirably!

Mrs. Chadhuri’s Class
Hmmm…
by Caleb P.

Tell me, why does the monkey
cover its gorgeous body with
flea infested hair?
What egg is eggplant
made of and why does
it taste so bad?
Who made the Venus fly
trap so angry at the flies?
Why does the hail pelt the ground
so angrily? Has the sky upset it?

Questions
by Alex C.

Why does the lion wear a fuzzy scarf around
its neck and not just go buy a coat?
What does the lemur use its tail for,
and paint it with stripes?
Why did the dove fly in
a gallon of white paint?
Why does the plecestomus (oleaner fish)
fall in love with junk?

Untitled
by Ryan R.

Does a pigeon move its head forward
and back because it dances?
Does snow fall white because
the Gods spilled baking powder?
Does a cactus have spikes
because Indians shot arrows into it?
Is a lemon oval-ish because someone
stretched its sides?


Ms. Furgason’s Class
The Questions that Cannot be Solved
by Angelica C.

Why do butterflies always wear
the same pearls on their wings?
Is snow little diamonds that melt
once they touch your flesh?
Are Venus flytraps made
out of Venus’s core?
Is corn little pieces of gold melted
to edible perfection?

Questions Are???
by Julius SdV

Are turtles spaceships
because they have shells?
Are thunderstorms alive
because they move?
Did sunflowers come from the sun
because they’re yellow?
Are kiwis a plant
because they are green?

Questions
by Zachary L.

Is the alligator’s snout flat because
a bear belly-flopped on it?
Does the blizzard get its snow
from a pitcher of ice cubes?
Is there anything in the world that can burn
the redwood iron type of bark?
Does the cantaloupe get its
sweetness from a beehive?


Mrs. Fukawa’s Class
The Four Wonders
by Hyunwoo W.

Do oranges really want us to eat them
or will they group together to do magic in the end?
Is thunder really big and scary
or is it a small beaver in the sky clapping its hands?
Are rabbits really scared of us
or are they planning and deceiving us?
Do all piranha plants stay in tubes
because of the plants that don’t come back?

Is The…
by Leo P.

Is the Zebra’s coat lined because he mixed
his darks and his whites in the washing machine?
Is the tsunami in water because
it tastes better than dirt?
Is a Venus flytrap eating flies
because other insects are too sour?
Is the potato brown because
being yellow is too bright?


Untitled
by Bilal A.

Does orangutans orange red hair
come from eating a lot of oranges?
Does a tornado spin because it is mad?
Does a Venus flytrap eat flies
to seem tough?
When a tomato seed goes into
the ground does it turn red?


Ms. Manuel’s Class
Why does the Rain Cry?
by Eli G.

Tell me, do goats have
horns or stumps?
Tell me, why do sandstorms
get angry, or are they always that way?
Why do apple trees drop apples,
or are they chopped down?
Why do squares have eight corners?
Why does Chinese food taste
different from any other food and still taste good?
Why are food stores so crowded when
there are so many around the world?

If and But
by Nathan W.

Does a liger live in Bell school
or in a cave?
Is a hurricane alive to destroy
or to bring peace?
If a tree could walk, would
it go to Starbucks?

Nature
by Ashley N.

Why does a dolphin have a
bottle on his nose?
In the rain, how does
the sky turn into iron?
Why does the marigold
get its color from the sunset?
How does the grass grow up?
Why are the apples red?
From the worms?
Why do pumpkins grow
along the ground?

What They Love

This week, before Thanksgiving, the student poets at Bell looked at a beautiful but strange poem by Lisa Jarnot called They Loved Paperclips. The poem is a list of all the things that "they" loved. We talked about third person, lists, what kinds of things in the world we love, and also rhyme and play with words in poetry, which Ms. Jarnot does in her poem. The students were asked to write their own poems using "they loved", picturing themselves and their families as the "they" in question. The student poets rose to the challenge, and created beautiful poems. Enjoy!

Ms. Chadhuri’s Class
They Love…
by Genevieve P.

The love Pokemon and pickles,
Club Penguin and popcorn.
They love Hannah Montana and
funky paperclips, butterscotch on ice cream.
They love cats and rubber bands,
and birds and bees and chocolate
fudge. They love music and Christmas
and hot cocoa.

They Love Love
by Alexandra S.

They love reference books, fake wood, homework, books,
current events, and politics. They love France, airplanes,
the number five-hundred-quadrillion, digital clocks.
sign language, and growing trees. They love the
sound of fallen leaves rustling under their feet,
the soft clinking of metal chains, and wooden
building blocks. They love the sensation
of drinking soda, the vibration of a motor of
an airplane taking off, and warm sleeping
bags. They love anagrams and itchy hats and
the smell of salty oceans. And they love belonging.

They Loved Glass
by Fhebielyn B.

The loved slingshots, string,
pictures of clouds and a blade
of grass. They loved melodies,
winter, ice cream, and piano
pieces. They do not love waiting,
yelling, waking up at 6:00, and
wigs. They also do not love
the color jade. They never loved clocks,
bugs, keys, boxes, but they
always loved people, like
friends and family.


Ms. Furgason’s Class
They!
by Jack S.

They hated homework
they hated school
they hated disgustingly green broccoli.
They loved the cold, dripping ice cream.
They loved the plump stuffed turkey.
They loved leaping into the
dusty leaves they just raked.
They loved the wilting
old willow tree in their back yard.
They hated weekdays.
They loved the fire-breathing
dragon hidden in their yard.
They loved the furry cat
that loved them back.
They used to love their old dog.
They loved me, and I loved them.

They Love…
by Julius S.P.A.

They love cookies, brownies, and pie.
They love pizza, pot stickers, and sushi.
They hated indoor recess, homework, report cards.
They hated porcupines, needles, and slivers.
They especially loved recess, lunch, and Saturdays.
They especially loved monkeys, turtles, and dogs.

They Loved Nintendo
by Benjamin N.

They loved Nintendo DS, PSP, fish, baseball, and
traits of writing. They did not love taxis, girls,
homework, school, dirty diapers, or paying.
But they definitely loved money,
books, rewards for school, getting
money, and their pets, and lastly BB guns, Wii,
and October 20, 1997.


Mrs. Fukawa’s Class
The Holidays
by Adrian M.

They like the iPhone, they like the xbox 360, they like
their family. They like iPods, they like the PS3, they LOVE
the Wii. The love the holidays.

They Loved…
by Stephanie A.

They loved ladybugs to give good luck.
They loved trees on the sky.
They loved water from the waterfall.
They loved singers of rhymes.
They loved dogs chasing cats.
They loved houses with insets.
They loved light that shines like sun.
They loved wizards for wishes.

They Loved…
by Maddy P.

They loved music, dancing, animals,
cooking, giving, recycling, holidays,
and family, sports, any game system,
cell phones, friends, board games, books.
They loved hotdogs, water, cats, poetry,
MONEY! movies, conditioner. They don’t love
work, school, pollution, dolls, dresses, or homework!


Ms. Manuel’s Class
They Loved…
by Sonja G.

They loved dogs and snow.
They didn’t like rain on spring days.
They loved playing games and drawing.
They loved to celebrate Hanukah and
birthdays and Thanksgiving. They loved
the beach and the waves in the
ocean. They loved horses and going
to the zoo, and also they loved to rake
leaves in fall. They loved colors
and rainbows. They love to travel
to different places and they loved
to play with puppies.

They Loved Everything
by Jacob J.

They loved ice cream and candy, they loved
the Phoenix Suns, they loved chocolate
and cake too. They loved Pepsi and they
loved Bettys too, and they loved basketball.
Also, they loved pools, but most of all
they cared about their family too.

What They Love
by Austin S.

They love baseball and staying up
late on Fridays and getting groovy and
watching movies and Christmas
and celebrating birthdays.

I am a Clinking Drizzle of Rain

This week in Poetry, the young writers at Bell read The Delight Song of Tsoai-Talee by N. Scott Momaday. We talked about how metaphors allow writers to SHOW instead of directly TELL what they want to say, and that though the best comparisons are specific and descriptive, they can also leave room for interpretation in the mind of the reader. The students were asked to write their own "I Am" poems that used metaphors to describe all the parts of themselves, their personalities AND their physical selves. We also talked about what it means to "stand in good relation" to something or someone. Through discussion, we decided it meant a respectful, reciprocal relationship. The young poets added lines to their poems telling who or what they stand in good relation to. These lines turned out to be some of my favorites as I read all their pieces this week. Below, a sampling from each class. Enjoy!

Ms. Manuel’s Class
Earth
by Sonja G.

I am a horse galloping on a trail.
I am a flower popping out of the ground in springtime.
I am the snow falling on a winter day.
I am a bird chirping on a branch.
I am the sun coming up in the morning.
I am a book being read by a little girl.
I am a rainbow curving over a cloud in the sky.
I am a tree losing my leaves.

I stand in good relation to my dog, who likes to bark.
I stand in good relation to colors which make everything beautiful.

The Weirdo Songs
by Peter B.

I am a cheetah speeding through the park.
I am a shooting star, flying through space.
I am a bottle of sleeping powder putting someone to sleep.
I am a tree losing my leaves.
I am a horn waking everyone.
I am a fox, fast and crafty.
I am the coffee in your cup.
I am a magnet sticking to the board.

The Stranger
by Max D.

He is the jumping flame making light.
He is the smile in a beautiful face.
He is the coffee in our cups.
He is never the mean person.
He is the energetic person on stage.
He is the heart. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
He is the play monkey, green and red.
He is the color in your eyes.

He stands in good relation with friends.
He stands in good relation with animals.

HE IS ME!


Ms. Fukawa’s Class
The Young Tiger
by Bilal A.

I am a young tiger, bold and adventuress.
I am Einstein, smart, wise, an experiment trying person.
I am a chef in France making soup.
I am a wrestler, aggressive and tough.
I am a professional spy, not afraid of a challenge.
As you see, I am alive, I am alive.
With relations to friends and family.
With relations to Lords.
With relations to dignity and respect.
As you see, I am alive, I am alive.

Like Dolphins
by Jasmine M.

I am like computers.
I am like dolphins in water. Many people see me.
I am like a small baby elephant.
I am like a horse.
I am like the roar of a lion.
I am like the blue sky of birds.

I Am
by Josh B.

I am a fire breathing dragon.
I am a smiling snowman.
I am a loud firecracker.
I am a still ocean.
I am the still sky.
I am the mysterious moon.
I am the key to a door.
I am the cover to a book.

I stand in good relation to crafty people.
I stand in good relation to scoundrels.

I Am…
by Julia R.

I am a coyote attacking the dusk,
I am a butterfly hiding in a flower alone,
I am a clinking drizzle of rain,
I am a spirit, floating wispily,
I am an apple blossom, blooming in beauty,
I am a cloud, running across the sky,
I am a hill, quiet and going on forever,
I am silence, a Mozart piece playing beautifully,
I stand in good relation to God, to the earth,
I stand in good relation to nature.
I am a closet, dusty and quiet,
I am wind, hugging the world,
I am dreams, swirling in our minds.
I am me.


Ms. Furgason’s Class
Delight of Nature
by Susan S.

I am an orca swimming with the dolphins.
I am an eagle playing with the high winds.
I am a unicorn protecting a magical forest.
I am a young wolf practicing my hunting skills for big animals.
I am a horse running free with the wind.
I am a young puppy playing with my brothers and sisters.
I am a mountain standing far above the sky.
I am a wave, big and slow.
I stand in good relation with nature.
I stand in good relation with animals.

What I Am
by Angelica C.

I am a cat playing with a ball of yarn.
I am a girl afraid to speak.
I am a fish that swims all day.
I am a kid who loves to draw.
I am a clown who loves to throw pie.
I am a book who hates to be put down.
I am radio that never turns off.
I am a girl who never gives up.

I am, I am.
I stand in good relation to the universe.
I stand in good relation to all species.
I am, I am.


Ms. Chadhuri’s Class
I Am A…
by Hopey N. G.

I am a leaf falling, blowing in the wind.
I am a frog jumping from rock to rock in a river.
I am a tiger roaring like an echo.
I am a baby tree reaching up to the sky.
I am a chipmunk scurrying away from danger.
I am a dog walking alone on a street.
I am a deer getting a cool drink of water.
I am a circle of these things standing in a ring of color.

I stand in good relation to nature.
I stand in good relation to the rain.
I stand in good relation to everything mixed
up together in a cloud of dust.

Birds
by James F.

I am a hawk, piercing down below.
I am a falcon, ripping through the sky.
I am an eagle, puffing up my feathers.
I stand in good relation with the sparkling, windy sky.

I Am
by Katie S.

I am an elegant giraffe, eating leaves off a tall tree.
I am a stray cat, never refusing love.
I am a tree at the beginning of spring.
I am the first snow of winter.
I am a frog jumping around.
I am a robin flying up and down.
I am the water, sparkling in the sun.
I am the wind, blowing every which way.
I stand in good relation to my Aunt Cathy.
I stand in good relation to Earth.

Me
by Nathaniel G.

I am a car speeding across earth.
I am a ninja sneaking in the woods.
I am a jet flying around the world, looking down at earth.
I am a school getting ready to ring the bell for school to start.
I am a spring flower getting ready to bloom.
I am an ocean, waving and holding animals in me.
I am a campfire roasting marshmallows.
I am a clock ticking on the wall.

I stand in good relation to speed.
I stand in good relation to my family.
I stand in good relation to nature.
I stand in good relation to power.

Creatures from the Deep

This week, the students studied photos from Claire Nouvain's book The Deep, and wrote poems describing the amazing creatures they saw. I also had some photos of more conventional sea creatures, like seahorses, sea urchins, whales, octopi, and sharks. Click on the link above, and then "Image Gallery" to see images, then read below and be amazed!

Ms. Manuel
The Flying Saucer
by Beverly D.

The flying saucer, flying in the deep,
hair sticking out of his private orange,
in his orange the aliens live,
the apple cut in pieces,
its little private island,
legs sticking out of core,
the earth turning round and
round,
spitted pieces to share for everyone,
the pitch dark paper behind it.

Evil in the Sea
by Rebecca B.

An evil fish in the sea
Horn of a unicorn
Sharp teeth to chew meat

Big and plumpy
Black eyes and black soul
Hair of a human

A massive mouth to trap meat inside
Whiskers of a cat
The devil of the sea swimming to find its prey

The Green Bumpy Ball
by Magdelene T.

The green ball
the holes of our
skin, the bumpy
part of a hole a
green moon that
belongs to the aliens.
The Christmas tree
decoration, the hole
that sucks up the
air, a rotten fruit, the
burning green lava making
bubbles, a roundish sponge,
a relative of Sponge Bob
in the deep blue sea.

My Beautiful Blue
by Jessika H.

A blue and red feather rising into the sky.
A firecracker popping out of its place.
The black deep sky surrounding it.
My beta fish swimming around in its bowl.

The Little Creature
by Kyle G.

A little firecracker cracking with joy.
A boobie trap trapping a little fish.
An odd light to guide a scientist.


Mrs. Fukawa
The Crazy Creature
by Chris V.

It’s colorful, small but it
has a huge heart inside.
It sounds as soft as a cloud.
It has 1 fin swimming so soft, not loud.
It is a friendly fish. It says goodbye.

Sea Horse
by Farenica O.

The sea horse is coral.
The color is orange.
The jelly fish is part of its body.
The color is orange and brown.
The fish are white and orange.

Nemo
by Dante B.

An orange fish with white stripes. 5 fins.
Small mouth. Two fins on the bottom.
Two fins on the top. One fin on the
back. All fins are orange. More of
them are coming. Maybe a
school of them. So much
seaweed in the background.
They are clown fishes. They
are everywhere.
It is paradise.

Jewelry Creature
by Bernie J.

A big red bubble with four arms.
The arms have jewelry on them.
It sounds like a horn.
It stings like a jellyfish, but more powerful.
Its mouth is wide open.


Ms. Chadhuri
Bird of the Deep
by Alexandra S.

A blue butterfly, suspended on a flaming
white string. The ghostlike animal is surrounded
by the infinite darkness. A red glow is
coming from the inside of the almost
translucent body. On the tips of the
wings and the body is a strange pulsating
green glow. It’s not a fish or a plant
or a jellyfish. It’s the bird of the
deep, the butterfly of the Trench.

The Sponge
by Bella N.

A clump of balls,
Electrifying cobalt blue,
Floating through the infinite depths of the sea.

I am watching a jack tumble on the hardwood floor.
Now, I’m watching a creature skate across the ocean floor.
And above the water, I see a boy looking for his balloons.

Octopus
by Camila G.

An awkward octopus,
twisted, curled
its orange hand veering away from light.

It moves like an orange bird,
its 8 legs everywhere,
suction cups so hard,
that can suck water.

It’s a famous person,
putting a hand over his
face,
avoiding flashes.
A protective mother
never letting go of her young.

The Giant
by Jess N.

The whale
a bumpy nozzle
rayed fins
tail carrying a blue flame.

An overgrown, graceful dolphin
voyaging into the deep.
A blue horizon in the distance.
A neon green fin, nozzle and back
as if wearing a tie-die t-shirt.

A small tiger shark looks as if its
growing up from the whale’s back.
A nose dive with a slight
curve, its final moments before
venturing into the deep.


Ms. Furgason
Blue Things
by Madison E.

16 lollipops stuck together.
16 balls that were connected on sticks.
16 gumballs connected by a piece
of gum that has already been chewed.
Blue marbles that got connected when
they came out of the package.
16 disco balls that are ready to
leave each other but they can’t.
Glue that bubbled up when the
kids left it in the sun too long.
Tears dropping out of a child’s eyes when
their dog has died.

Sea Creatures
by Brian S.

a U.F.O. from the deep
parts of space.
a tomato in a glass case.
An alien from the other
side of the moon.
A bubble that is about
to burst.
A strange octopus from
the unstudied part of mars.
a red watermelon
that is not ripe.

A Sea Creature
by Max D.

Luminescent ping-pong balls sprout from this creature.
They grow on stems of a white center.

It looks as if it came from above, but really, it came from below.
It is a bulb, sprouting flowers in all directions.

Otherworldly looking? Yes.
Otherworldly coming? No.

Magic Spells

On Halloween, the Bell Student Poets read The Song of the Witches, the William Shakespeare poem that opens the play Macbeth. They then created their OWN magic spells, including their own magic words. The spells ranged from peaceful to absolutely devilish. Read on to enjoy their spell-binding work!

*** photos below are not by the student pictured.



Mrs. Fukawa

Goodbye School
by Katherine D.

Sensa, Sensou saloun and sealoun;
Fire burn and desk of bubble.
1 hair from a teacher,
and all the homework is at stake.
Books all ripped in half,
classrooms sucked into the underworld,
lunches at home cause the lunch room is at stake,
sorry school, YOU are at stake!

Sensa, Sensou saloun and sealoun;
Fire burn and desk of bubble.
To cool it down, a piece of paper,
then the eraser is down. Goodbye school!















World Peace
by Amelia G.

Black swan fly and vase cook.
Peace and joy to every one.
Fairy tears and cardinal’s coat,
blackbird’s dress and rose
petal’s sapphire heart and
emerald core, hedge hog’s
spikes, hermit crab shell.
Black swan fly and vase
cook. Pigeon’s heart
to make it work.













The Weird Magic Spells
by Stephanie A.

Lobster head, Lobster head,
nose hair head, one dip of hair,
spider’s head, sharks blood,
orange paint, ribs cage,
soda can, tribute led,
coffin dust led to bowl,
tip of blood, dusty hands,
turtle shell, hair wig,
cub’s nail, killing tree,
dead scary ears.

Lobster head, Lobster head
nose hair head one dip of hair.
Hot in a coffee pot.
Then scary mean things will come!


Ms. Manuel
My Doom Potion
by Loki A.

Dark fire rise.
Venom from a snake.
A piece of bread.
A foot of a bird.
A string of hair
on top of the attic.
The fires booming so loud.
To bring doom to my opponent,
cool this off and it
will stay with you forever…

Halloween Fun!!!
by Fabio C.

Triple, triple boiling bubble.
In a house, a haunted house.
A butterfly’s wing, a vampire’s fangs, a
mummy’s brain, Spongebob’s eye, a bunny’s
ear, a skeleton’s hand, a bird’s mouth, a cat’s
hair.

Triple, triple boiling bubble.
A human’s blood to give taste.
This is a charm for peace.

Spooky Poem
by Eli G.

Night, night, darkest night.
The moon is bright for
some trouble. Leg of an ox, and
arm of a goat, horns of a
buffalo, a bunch of money and
two eyes of an eagle and a fin
of a fish and two spiders
with nine fingers of a person.
For a spell to stop trouble.

Night, night, darkest night.
The moon is bright for
trouble. Cool it with some
water, and the spell is ready
to go.


Ms. Chadhuri
Feel the Burn! or Poof!
by Destiny R.

I say poof!
Let’s raise the roof!
Dragon’s nail
Pig’s curly tail
Werewolf’s eye
baby bird that can fly
Little boy Feg
A bloodstone ring
A doorbell ding.

I say poof!
Let’s lower this roof!
Now this charm is almost done.
Let it carry me to and from.
Poooooof!

Landscape Changer
by Dante A.

Diamond, Emerald, landscape changer,
one of super strength.
In the pot on the stove, the ingredients will be added.
Yeast, flour, and water,
clock, hair, and grass,
bat fang and bone of elephant,
amethyst and soy milk,
ninja mask and cowboy boot,
wart hog tusk and fingernail clippings,
Landscape changer without touch,
like a wayward asteroid.

Diamond, Emerald, landscape changer,
one of super strength.
Use maple leaves to cool it down,
and the potion’s ready.

Fire Spell
by Sam N.

Crumble, shumble, microwave beep and
oven burn. In the microwave boil and
bake. Add the guts of Jenny Whoose,
8 bananas of monkeys for the best, to set fire
on the rest. Seed of rootabega, toe of dog, tounge
of a penguin and shaggy ape. The spell will
be bright as dawn when a forest fire has spun.
Zucchini root and blind bat’s blood then
an ice cube so we won’t die. Then the last
ingredient of all, the black marshmellow.
Crumble, shumble, microwave beep and
oven burn, then we’ll see something burn!

The Potion of Mind
by Alexander N.

Death, Death, answer my request:
make my knowledge all the best.
Candles from a dead girl’s robe,
a man’s mustache which is
a fake. Skull of bat and liver
of frog; tail of rat and foot of dog.
In the pot goes the face of a man,
pour in tadpoles from a can.
Drink it like you drink
milk at birth, then your mind
will be the best on earth.


Ms. Furgason
Halloween Spell
by Deidre C.
note: this spell is to make people into their costumes, and stil speak English, if you’re some dead person or animal, something like that.

Churn, churn, shine bright,
with silver and gold,
in a hot bronze pot.
Water, sparkles, add in
care, lens of glasses,
a wig of any kind,
a piece of raw hamburger
20 years old, pink ink
frozen in an ice box
for a week.
Then wait for another
month…
Add clay and you’re almost
done.
Churn, churn, shine bright
with silver and gold.
A drop of my blood.
It should start to bubble.
Then take it and pore
it on anyone in
costume for Halloween night.

How to Make a No Homework Spell
by Zachary L.

No homework! No homework!
Put al ingredients in an alligator head.
Piece of paper, and a pen.
Math book, and beak of a hen.
Toilet paper, rotten eggshell,
shark jaw, and finally
the last ingredient to
make it work: a light bulb.
No homework! No homework!
Now my spell is complete!

Go Dolphins!
by Robert G.

Jumbo Athletico, rotten cheese, spiders and
fleas, monkey bones, fish eyes, dolphin tails
and shark teeth, and 10 old footballs to
make the Dolphins win the Superbowl!

A Hat for a Bald Man

This week, the Bell writers were faced with a challenge: transform a strange vegetable into nine new things. The students read and analyzed Wallace Stevens' poem Someone Puts a Pineapple Together, and then looked and marveled at a large red cabbage. The results are simply amazing!

Ms. Chaudhri's Class
The Cabbage Put Together
by Samara F.

A moon that just fell from the sky.
A cannonball flying up high.
A bulb of a flower waiting to grow,
and a drop of sweat coming from the a wet brow.

A bowl filled with black soup.
A heart in the shape of a loop.
Nerves running to the brain,
and a little tiny drop of Cain.

A flower stuck in a blizzard.
The skin peeling off a brand new lizard.
A giant brain cut in half,
and the eyeball of a new born calf.

What is it?
by Eliot K.

A leaf-like rock waiting for the war to end.
A curled up armadillo resting in the sun.
A moldy cabbage that smells like chocolate.
A cabbage leaf all floppy.
A performance mask, moldy and wet.
A little bowl like a leaf..
A new painting not in a gallery yet.
Layers of salami and dried butter.
A rare stone that looks like an onion.

Wacky Ideas
by Emma S.

A spikey, purple bowling ball that gets bigger on the top.
A dark blooming flower in the tropic.
A scraped up big purple tear drop.

A big circular leaf.
A giant dying rose petal.
A flimsy bowl.

A camp fire blazing up at midnight’s purple sky.
Crystals forming in a secret, underground lair.
A maze that very tiny ants go through to get to the gold.


Mrs. Fukawa's Class
The Light of Darkness
by Destiny F.

The ball with blackness of death.
The shadow of a graveyard zombie.
A burned piece of a house hiding in the trees.
A dark rubbery mask on Halloween.
The dark side of life.
The dark color black with purple vines.
The clearness of the moon.
A shadow of purple and black goo.
The scorpion oozing blood.

A Crazy Day
by Aidan C.

The brain with vessels are pumping then
it starts flying like an eagle.
Leaves all bunched together. If it runs
away, it’s a black cat.
A skull broken together. Rubber duckies
swimming in a pond. Dark woods all
smashed together with black. Dark crows
with two gold crows.
2 million nuts smashed with a
shiny tree that would swift away
like a piece of paper in the
dark scary woods which falls
in a shiny pond.

Seeing Differently
by Laura G.

A butterfly taking its morning nap on a very hot rock.
A very dark rock that someone will trip over.
A very dark cloudy night that looks like it will rain.
A leaf that just got poured on from a storm.
A blanket that is as dark as night.
A leaf as big as an elephant covering the sky.
A thousand layers of dark purple leaves getting ready to burst.
A big dark cloud that never stops raining.
A delicious vegetable getting ready for picking.

Untitled
by Brennan Q.

A balloon flying high, high into the sky.
The earth in 300 thousand years.
A stone in the cold winter in the attic.
An unknown canyon in the desert.
A dead leaf in the winter.
A black sky at night.
A bird in the sky at night.
A plant growing in the spring, stretching its arms.
The billionth star in the solar system.


Ms. Furgason's Class
The Living Thing
by LeeAnn L.

A purple blob of paint on a canvas.
The ocean waving gracefully.
The rhythm of a soft guitar.
The shell of a snail.
The frosting of a cupcake.
A boat in a terrible storm.
The core of an apple, full of seeds.
The frosty Autumn air.
A stanza in a poem.

What I’m Gonna Transform
by Hannah F.

A bowling pin turns into a beautiful
lovely crystal diamond and then
transforms into a yummy, tasty,
tin can of cream soda.
A delicious tasty cookie jar with
sugar cookies that transforms
into a delicious homemade coconut
drink with a bendi straw on
the hole.

A __________
by Genna G.

A part of a plum in the center.
A black hole in outer space.
A basketball making its way to the basket.
Your brain frozen with frostbite!
A swim cap belonging to a famous swimmer.
A boat in a rainforest.
A blanket for a hog on a farm
A scorpion’s bones in the desert.
A flower’s roots getting rain and food.
A moon on Halloween with a monster in it.


Ms. Manuel's Class
Mystery Transformation: The Cabbage
by Caleb A.

A balloon carrying two love birds on their honeymoon.
A big, juicy blackberry waiting to be picked.
A light shining down upon us.
A boat sailing in the sea.
A hat covering someone’s bald spot.
A Kepa waiting to pray.
A tree shining in the sun.
A few roots waiting for a flower to sprout.
A slice of black bread, waiting to be eaten.

Transformations
by Sami F.

A leaf that has fallen to the ground
on a dark fall night.
A purple elephant in the jungle.
A purple and blue patch of lettuce.
A flower petal broken off of its stem.
A wrapper from a cupcake eaten last night.
A plum left overnight.
A purple tree in the moonlight.
A palm tree in the dark moonlight.
A flower that bloomed last night.
A piece of lettuce from the night before.

The Cabbage
by Brandon N.

A bowling ball waiting for somebody to use it.
A coconut that fell on someone’s head.
A broken microphone with no handle.
A black egg that is rotten.
A leaf that is a boat for bugs.
An umbrella with no handle.
The roof of a small shelter for bugs.
A broken heart that only has black inside with no blood.
A giant raisin that is cut in half.
Two boxing gloves that are ready for a tournament.

Today and Tomorrow

Hello!

The students at Bell School did a FABULOUS job on October 10, my first day with them, writing "Today and Tomorrow" poems. After reading Magic by Dahlia Ravikovitch, the students thought about how they were feeling yesterday and today, and might be feeling tomorrow. They then wrote poems trying to express those feelings using vivid comparisons to things out in the world. Enjoy their poems!

Ms. Furgason's Class

Feeling
by Lillian L.

Today I am a sea spread far and wide to give
little children fun at the beach.
Yesterday I was a garden spreading seeds
and blooming blossoms.
Tomorrow I am going to be a hummingbird
humming in the sunshine.
Last night I dreamt I was a puppy open
to the world.
Everyday I listen to my three sisters playing
with many toys.
Today I am a book for children to adventure
in reading.
Tomorrow I am a tree in the earth
standing importantly upward.

Freedom
by Maggie F.

Today, I am a star,
a pupil to the mighty sun.
Tomorrow I will be
a blossom, blooming
to the sun of imagination.
Yesterday, I was a book,
my words a secret to
my surroundings.

Last night I dreamt
about the tree
losing its leaves,
red, yellow
orange and gold.

I listen to the leaves,
whispering
through the air.

Today I am
a bird, waiting for
the sun to
rise oh so gracefully.

Tomorrow, I will be
snow, falling gracefully
throughout the day.

Feelings
Isabelle H.

Today I am a cheetah playing
with its friend. Tomorrow I
am a male dear sore
from a battle.

Yesterday I was an A+
star! I have no reason to
be sad!

Last night I dreamt
about a wild monkey
swinging from branch
to branch.

I listened to the kids
laying. They were
shouting, laughing, whispering,
and talking.

Today I am a Mama
bear feeding her cubs.
Tomorrow I am a
peach rolling down
a hill.

Endless
by Diego R.

Today I am an endless hill,
tomorrow an endless cloud.

Last night I dreamed
that I was playing in
the clouds all day long.

In the morning I listened:
endless people clapping
and screaming.

Yesterday, an endless river,
tomorrow, endless fun.


Ms. Chaudhri's Class

Life
by Casimir A.

Today I’m a stray cat,
alone in the world.
Tomorrow a samurai, ready for action.
Last night I dreamt
of Halloween. Clashes of
red, blue, and green.
At night fall I hear
cruel words about Bush,
music to my ears.
Today I’m a mouse in a
testing maze.
Tomorrow a Jedi with saber in hand.
Yesterday I was a Buddha, happy and wise.
Today a Pacifist in a mirror room.
Tomorrow a dragon ready to fight.

Wandering
by Benjamin C.

Today I’m the sea
changing, silent, roaring.

Last night I dreamed of
flying through a storm
as it changed to the
sunset.

Yesterday I was lightening
fast, powerful, energized.

Last night I dreamed
of the sea curling and
roaring around me.

Tomorrow I’ll be space
swift, wandering darkness
destroyed by hopes and ideas.

Changing Seasons with Me
by Hannah H.

Today I’m a cloud up high in the sky,
tomorrow a mountain tall and bold,
yesterday a humming bird watchful as can be.

All it’s colors bright.
I hear the wind,
powerful and right.
I hear the sun,
beautiful and bright.
Today I’m a cloud,
yesterday a hummingbird,
tomorrow, well, I’ll find out then.


Ms. Fukawa's Class

Deafness
By Julia R.

Today, I’m as lonesome as a
cave, tomorrow, a dove. How does it
feel to hear Paradise instead of
being in a lonesome cave? It is so quiet,
darkness surrounds my ears. Hands flying,
trying to express myself. I never am and
never will be let out of this cave, but will it
help to have a friend like you? To be able
to express my dismay of not being
yet known or understood, today I write
this poem, tomorrow, I’ll be an eagle, as free
as I can be from Deafness.

Me
by Liam C. K.

Today I’m a sloth.
Tomorrow, I will be an energized dog, ready to play.

Yesterday, I was a mad bull!
I had a dream about cupcakes and ice cream, and one smelly old bean.

Last night, I listened to the outside traffic and the whispering wind through my window.

Today I’m a little old bug trying to figure out how to go through the window.
And tomorrow I’m Me! Me! Me!

Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday
by Amelia G.

Today, I’m a gosling, flying south
for the first time.
Tomorrow, I’m a rose, budding
after a harsh winter.
Yesterday, I was a clam.
I dreamt of angels carrying
me into the soft clouds.
I listened to the little
meowing of a kitten wanting
to be fed.
Today, I am a salmon
swimming upstream, to find
a mate.
Tomorrow, I am a foal,
struggling on my little hooves
to stand for the first time.
Yesterday, I was a piece of gallant
white silk, ready to be made
into a dress for a queen.

Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday
by Michael A.

Today I am nature.
Tomorrow, a monster.
Yesterday I was a tarantula.

My dream was me as a
Spartan towering, destroying the cities.

In the morning, I listened to
beautiful wind roaming in our world.

Today I am the Rocky Mountains.
Yesterday I was the beautiful clouds.
Tomorrow… I am nothing.


Ms. Manuel's Class

Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday, Last Night
by Alonis S. M.

Today I am a mouse.
Tomorrow, I will be a lion,
roaring at everything around me.

Last night I had a dream
everything was bigger than me.

In the morning I could only
hear the chirping of birds
and the sounds of trees blowing in
the wind.

Today, I am a tree the size of a mountain.
Tomorrow, I will be a hill as small as a sun flower.

The Feelings of my Heart
by Jessika M.

Today, I am a flower.
I feel free from the
top of my head to
the bottom of my feet.

Tomorrow I will be
a giant wave
hovering over the sand.

Yesterday, I was
a shooting star
granting people’s
wishes.

I had a dream. It
had dancing pigs
and singing trees.
I woke up with my
mom’s alarm clock.

I listen to soft
country music that
clears my mind.

Today I’m a giant. I
feel really mad.
Because I was bad
I got punished!

Tomorrow I am
a seed, scrunched up
with fright.

Simply Amazing
by Liam R.

Today, I am a star shooting
across the planets.

Tomorrow, I’ll be a fish swimming
in the ocean.
Yesterday, I was a red beet.

I dreamt of planes, gray
horses, and bunnies.

Last night I listened to
chirping birds that put me to
sleep.

Today I am a boat sailing across
the sea.
Tomorrow I’ll be a bird flying
in the sky.

My Feelings
by Madeline S.

Today I am the sun, bright and shining.
Tomorrow, a bubble,
always over a hill, bright and glistening, happy as can be.
Last night, I dreamt there was a tornado, a dog saved
me. First a cat, then a dog.
In the morning, I heard the wind, woosh, wash, woosh.
I listened to my birds and the alarm of my clock.
Today, I am a bug in my shell hiding.
Tomorrow, a book feeling great.
Yesterday, a shining star in the dark night.