There Once Was a Guy Named Rorschach

Last Wednesday, the poets at Bell marveled over Ink Blots! With the help of the classroom teachers, I created colored ink blots for them in stages -- first black, then blue, then deep pink, and the students wrote about what they saw after each addition of color. We will be putting this up as a big gallery soon -- check out the 4th grade hallway to get the whole group! Enjoy the small sampling below...



















Untitled
by Julia R.

A two headed Hercules with invisible legs
hating its Junior and when he’s down below,
crying for help, he don’t care.
A girl insect, with so many eyes, bothering the man
by floating above his head. He has arms
that are blue, and eyes that glow and give
you chills. It is raining while the junior is
sinking in wet quicksand between 2 puddles.
Everybody’s morale is falling apart, and so
they hallucinate, big footsteps start to appear.
A bug, a pair of lungs? Still more rain appears.














Imagination
by Magdelene T.

Two eyes on a face. The two letters V and
W. Worms squirming around in the
dirt. A zig zag like a zipper.
A lip with blue lipstick
and two evil eyes with two polk-a-dots.
The river flowing through sand
or a snake slithering across
the jungle ground.
A bridge on top of
a lake, or a ramp. The
head of a goat,
or a baby mouse swinging.
















Untitled
by Jack S.

The skeleton of a ladybug.
An elaborate garbage chute leading
to nowhere. Atlantis without
people. My thoughts when I do
my homework. A planet with
1,000,000 moons. A bird with
only wings. An ocean
in the night sky. 10,000
bugs farting under water.
Black ice with veins.
A headless woman wearing
a see-through dress. My hair
at six in the morning. My
dad when I broke his prize possession.














Animals
by Bella N.

A dark black bear
Smiling,
Bearing rotten, blackened teeth
Paws outstretched to hug me,
Its black nose cleaved in the middle,
A rumbling laugh emerges from its lips.

Wait! Now it’s Mighty Mouse!
Defender of the blue cheese!
Strong little arms encircling the bear,
Tail lashing from side to side,
His bright fur splashed on the bear.

What a sight!
The red horse has joined the fray!
Hooves of the horse trample
Upon paws of bear and mouse alike!
Bear squeezing horse,
Mouse riding it.

Getting Colorful

Last week, before their spring break, I brought in two color poems for my student poets (Mars Being Red by Marvin Bell and Blue Cornucopia by Robert Francis). I stole this idea from way back in grad school, when in one of my seminars, everyone had to research a "type" of poem, and someone brought in Color poems. The Bell Poets thought they were pretty weird, but they wrote their own amazing color poems as a result. Please enjoy!

Ms. Chadhuri’s Class

Silver Seas
by Caleb P.

Silver is the sunlight reflecting
off of the seas, silver is a color
that sparkles with ease. Silver is
fast, cunning, and sly. Silver is not
your ordinary guy. However, silver
can be dull or shy. Silver
is metal and tech-nol-ogy,
Silver is happy, not lonely and sad.

Orange
by Genevieve P.

Orange is the color of a sunset
wet people at dusk
an ominous glow in the distance
quickly burning fire
orange is smooth like marble countertops
orange is a fruit and a color
the top of a Gatorade cup
orange is a color of the rainbow

The Life of Green
by Elliana G.

Being green is spring after a long winter, the first sprouts of the year. Being green is a tree frog jumping from branch to branch. It is living life to the fullest, and the strength of those who do. It is as smooth as porcelain and as sticky as honey. It lives its own life and never gives up. It survives all alone and is a habitat for many. It is excited for what’s coming and happy for what’s happened. It is always encouraging and it never fails to make you laugh. Green. Green.

Green Is…
by Alex C.

Pick any green: the brilliant color of a zinnia, the darkness of a Christmas tree, the green vibrant grass, the green suit of Luigi, the stem of a plant, slime in a booby trap, the new spring leaves, the color of peacock, the sickness of an alligator.


Ms. Darnell’s Class

Orange
by Adrian M.

Being orange is like the sun.
Being a meteor falling to the earth.
Painted to the wall. An orange ready
to be eaten. A tiger running fast.

Hot Pink
by Maddy P.

Hot pink is like red
paint being poured on
to pink paint and it’s
also like the letter
X, big and bulgey.
Hot pink is like a
brick wall building.
It’s like the person
you see every day
on the bus or on the
train. It’s like a
pair of pink shoes
in the middle of a
huge pile of
blue shoes. Like
a peach in the middle
of the desert, strange
like a bunch of dogs
and one cat. It’s the
person at the beach
the first one outside
for the summer day.

Scarlet
by Brennan Q.

It’s a red,
a hawk’s tail,
the sunset sky
dried blood on a knife.
A Chinese lantern
the great lion’s mane.
A tomato.
A happy color.
A bonfire.
A brick house.

Color Code Lavender
by Bronte F.

Lavender,
a shimmering fabric,
a glistening stone,
Venus gleaming in the dark.

Six violets making up a crown
a smooth shell lying
in the sea.

A shade of the boldest purples.
A light on a
tree.


Ms. Manuel’s Class

The Super Blast of Orange
by Paul H.

A super blast of orange is like: a pretty leaf in autumn. A bit of flame in a fireplace. An incredible, undiscovered rock. A beautifully orange daffodil. The sunset at the end of the day. Superman’s newest outfit. A beautiful house with a super cool paint job. An orangutan in the sunlight. The sun at midday. The sun reflected off the water. A corndog at a carnival.

White
by Madeline S.

White is a white creamy mouse,
a blank piece of paper, blank,
plain, bright. White is milk, the
fluffiness of the clouds. Only
shows on black or other colors
when you write with it. White
is the snow that falls. White
can be a daisy, clean, shiny
teeth. Your bones in a skeleton.
Angel’s wings in heaven.
White snowballs being thrown.
A pearl still in a clam unopened.
White is a long, beautiful
dress on a woman’s special day.

My Gold
by Loki A.

Gold is the sun that shines.
Gold is the feathers of a bird.
Gold is the color of the lava flowing.
Gold is the fire that is burning down
a house. Gold is the gruesome blood
trickling down a person’s cut.
Gold is the car, driving on the road.
Gold is the light, distances away.
Gold is the clock ticking in the house.
Gold is the Persian cat crossing the
desert. Then once again, gold is gold.

Wonderful Orange
by Magdelene T.

Orange,
the sunset
in the afternoon
the orange or
tangerine, a mix-
ture of red
and yellow, light
orange dark orange
and a goldfish or any living
organism that is orange a tiger
monarch butterfly one
of the colors of the rainbow


Ms. Furgason’s Class

Gray
by Madison E.

Gray like a
moon. Gray like
a dirty zombie.
Gray like
a young boy who
never came out
of the sea.
Gray, the smell
dusty. Gray the
taste of dusty
too. Gray is
the color of
the sky when
it is going to
rain. Gray is
the color of all these.

Red is…
by Angelica C.

Red is the blood
coming from your
skin, the color of
love. Red is soft
but mushy. Red is the
color of bravery, the
color of a sweet,
sweet candy cane.
Red is an adorable
feeling, sometimes it
is strong and has a
good memory. Red is
everything you will
need in life.
Red!
Red!
Red!
Don’t you
just love
RED!

Green
by Zachary L.

Green is the grass. Green is the color of when you have eaten something you don't like. Green feels like icky slime being placed in a cup. green is a giant tornado whirling across the land. Green is celery so bright and tasty. Green is an alligator deep in the water.

Take me to Dreamland

This week, the students at Bell looked at In Your Wild Dream by Richard Hugo. We talked about dreams in general, their strangeness and how confusing they can be, and how that was reflected in the structure of the poem. We also talked about what using second person is supposed to accomplish. The student poets wrote their own Dream Poems, and they are strange and wonderful. Enjoy!

Ms. Furgason’s Class

Robots
by Lillian L.

You are sleeping
peacefully in your bed.
You suddenly wake up.
There is a weird
looking robot next
to your bed.
You scream
and leap out
of bed.
You rush towards
your mom or dad’s
bed. They have
disappeared.
You run around
your house like
crazy. You are in
your bathroom.
You climb through
a window leading
towards the roof.
You are on the
precipitous roof.
You spread out
your arms and
fly, fleeing
the robots.
Next you are in
bed once again
dreaming of
blooming roses.

Dream On…
by Max D.

You wake up to the radio, it says it will be snowy. You burst out the door all bundled up on your sled but there’s no snow, just sky. You can see civilization below you miles down and you cling to your sled, but it’s not a sled, it’s a scooter. You yell at the author, “how’s a scooter going to help?!” so the author turns it into a helicopter. Suddenly, you’re jumping out of a building to another one. You’re in the Bourne Ultimatum on film. Then you’re back in the snow sledding, but you’re not. Your house isn’t there, it’s the Arctic. You yell, but no one hears. All of a sudden, you’re back in bed. “What a dream” you say.

Wacky Dream!
by Deidre C.

You are a pig, walking on hind legs
about to cross a bridge in a vast
jungle. All of a sudden, you hear squealing
and squishing. A giant ho is stepping on
every pig he meets. You are now in your
house with your sisters you never met,
hiding from the disastrous hog. You trick
the hog into falling down the stairs so you
can run away. You now are standing
on a purple ground. It is snowing, hailing,
and raining at the same time. Cats
and kittens are running mad around you.
You run with them. You stay on that
planet for the rest of time that you
remember. You turn into a cat in the end.


Ms. Chadhuri’s Class

The Dangerous Dream
by Emilio A.

You are on a ship in a storm. The Captain
says that you must exterminate all giant
insects. Then you are gone. You appear in a
brick hallway with your best friend standing
next to you. You know it’s a trap, but your friend
doesn’t. Your friends starts to cross the bricks and
you tell after them to stop but it’s too late, your
friend steps on a brick and a spider as big as
you and a centipede as big as your head come
out. The spider eats your friend. You are in an
enormous freezer and the centipede is still there.
It tackles you and blood flies everywhere. You see
it’s blue veins and it rears up ready for the kill…

In Downtown Chicago You Dream
by Casimir A.

You are in a building in
downtown Chicago. You are
a Mudkip. Next to you is a Torchic.
Suddenly, Darth Vader appears and
slashes at you with his saber.
You and the Torchic run. In a
room you find a saber.
You bravely ignite it.
You throw it at Vader.
It hits him hard.
He falls to the ground.
Suddenly, you are awake,
free of being a Mudkip,
free of Vader.

Trapped in Royal
by Solana B.

You are trapped in an ancient pyramid. But the air is fresh and clean. The pyramid disappears into an oasis in the jungle, where birds chirp with joy. A tornado sets in. You are blown to Neverland where Peter Pan is old. You are captured by mermaids. The setting changes. You are face to face with a square cow. It pulls you on its back and locks you in the temple of Zeus. The temple disappears into a stream of clouds. You ride it into a pyramid, and the door shuts.


Ms. Darnell’s Class

Dream
by Brennan Q.

You are in outer space, on a huge spaceship.
You are in command of the ship.
The ship explodes, BOOM
you’re falling and falling
but nobody dies.
Then you land on earth
but nobody gets hurt.
You land in the ocean
then you swim to an island.
Nobody lives there except the animals and you.
Then it turns into your house.
“My house?” you say
but nothing is by it
except trees.
Then, your mom comes out.

My Nightmare
by Bernie J.

You were running to
school then a BIG humungous
donut was chasing you. It was a
chocolate sprinkled donut. Then
it was shooting colored sprinkles
at you. You were doing the
matrix to dodge them. You realize
you love donuts. Instead of the
donut chasing you, you start chasing
the donut. Then you gobble it
up, and you go back to school.

In Your Dream
by Leo P.

You are in your own house
feeling something’s bound to go wrong.
You hear that dark creaking noise.
You quickly run upstairs. You pull the covers off your bed
over head. The only thing you can see is
the dark design of the inside of the quilt.
The quilt gets pulled off you. You look for who took it.
They’re gone, the quilt’s gone. You try to scream,
no voice is heard. You run back downstairs
and jump in anger, your head hits the ceiling.
You can’t do that in real life, so realize it’s a dream.
You look at your shoes…you have an idea.
You run through the front door and break it down.
You fly around your block, looking for help.
You find an apartment, break through
a window, and witness all holidays happening at once:
Hannukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa…it goes blank.
You’re back in bed, and happy it was a dream.

The Field
by Chris V.

One day, you were
playing in a field.
You saw a scarecrow.
It was moving its feet.
You ran away and it
chased you. You ran and
he almost got you.
When he caught you, you turned
into the Simpson’s movie.
Homer was chasing you, then
Tom and Jerry were chasing you.
Then, in your bed, you turn
and see someone in your closet!


Ms. Manuel’s Class

Dreamotopia
by Peter B.

You are golfing, but giant wiener dogs start
chasing you. They take your club and start
hitting the golf ball at you.
You turn into a salami sandwich
and scare some kids away.
They won’t stop chasing you.
You step on a switch
ray and you start chasing
them as giant wiener dogs.
You trip them and they fall into
the pit of death. You jump
up and down because you
are free.

Your Dream in an Adventure
by Magdelene T.

You go on an adventure in a castle.
You run down the stairs again
and again from an ogre.
Then you escape into the
desert sky. You feel the wind
blowing you to your garden
where every flower
is blooming side by side.
Then a werewolf grabs you
by your leg and drags
you into his hole and
you’re afraid but all he
wanted was to share his
cookies with you. Then,
you and the werewolf
jump on a trampoline.
Later, a tiger asks, “May
I join you?” and you
all play together.

Traveling Dream
by Sonja G.

You are on a Ferris wheel in an amusement park. The Ferris wheel stops and you are at the very top. A bird grabs you and takes you away. As you fly through the clouds, the bird disappears. You are still flying. You fly into a tree and fall down. You are in a jungle. Animals are surrounding you. You try to run away when a lion growls at you. Then, flying around you is a swarm of bumblebees. You scream as loud as you can for help. Then a bee stings you and you faint. When you get up, you are in a butterfly garden. There are butterflies making beautiful patterns for you.

Loud Voices

This week we were back to poetry after a three week break. We looked at Michael Ondaatje's Sweet Like a Crow and talked about simile, description, and imagery. The student writers then wrote their own simile poems, trying to describe either the sound of their OWN voice, or the sound of someone else's voice that they hear all the time. Enjoy the amazing poems!

Ms. Manuel’s Class

Deep Like the Ocean
by Kyle G.

My voice sounds like a soaring throat in a hurricane,
like an old man furious about his car,
like the Liberty Bell cracking into pieces,
even a group of men screaming at each other,
a lion’s roar scaring a bee and a scorpion,
some toads croaking for their lives,
a scream on a horror movie
like a dog killing a rat.

Loud
by Jacob J.

My voice sounds like a man reading
the bible in Chinese
like someone in the opera
like a president giving a boring speech
the clicking of a mouse for the computer
a man falling off a skyscraper
like a cat swimming in water
and someone stepping on a needle

My Voice Sounds…
by Matthew D.

My voice sounds like a lion roaring at the wind
an alien talking a foreign language
a cloner who succeeded
a man on a roller coaster
a tiger in the air snapping its jaws
a snap-snap of a turtle
a livestock of sheep
a millionaire in glee
a snow flake falling softly


Ms. Furgason’s Class

Your Voice
by Brian S.

Your voice sounds like a horse being hit by a 20,000 lb octagon, like nails being scratched against a chalk board, like an elephant being shoved into a small box, like an alien’s scream, like a cow drowning, like a bull being launched into the air, like a human imploding, like a magic man’s trick gone bad, like an angry mob, or like a 5 year old having coffee.

Loud and Quiet
by Deidre C.

My voice sounds like a plane engine trying
to start, a crow screaming at an enemy,
like a cat’s meow, like the spice of dragon
fruit, like a crocking frog about to splash into
the water, like falling onto the Sears Tower,
like ice cracking in the silence of the Arctic
like a tree falling when no one is around,
like snow drifting off a tree branch,
a baby just going to sleep, a dream
sneaking into a child.

My Voice Sounds…
by Julius S.A.

My voice sounds like a loud elephant eating a rose bush. Like 20 billion coconuts falling in the sea. Like a tiger growling at a hunter. Like rocks blowing in the wind. Like grass when you pull it out of the ground. Like a bowling ball hitting a hard marble floor. Like a boy yelling Cannon Ball! to the pool. Like a person slipping on ice. Like a monkey screaming. Like the sound of waves crashing.


Ms. Chadhuri’s Class

Sweet Like a Melon
by Hopey N.G.

Your voice sounds like nails scraping across a chalkboard. Like a melon being smashed against a wall. Like soup being poured into a ceramic china bowl. Like the tide coming in. Like the wheels of a car when turning the corner. Like a book suddenly being slammed closed. Like the juice seeping out of a newly opened fruit. Like tea being poured into a tea cup. Like a plate falling from a 4 foot diving board onto the sidewalk. Like the wind picking up sticks and throwing them at a moaning and whimpering dog.

Shush
by Michael M.

Your voice sounds like a snake
hissing in the jungle.
A raindrop on a stove.
Like molasses in fast forward,
like explosions,
like someone stuck in tar,
like a guitar with broken strings.

As Sweet as a Swan
by Rachel H.

Your voice sounds like a gentle wave hitting the shore, the soft song of the birds in springtime, like the wind whistling through the silent ocean, a bee buzzing in your ear, like a cat purring on your lap. As sweet as the syrup from the tree, and as sweet as the fine sand falling through the space between your fingertips or a swan swimming through the pond.


Ms. Darnell’s Class

Sweet Like a Lizard
by Katherine D.

My voice sounds like a rainbow lizard
like a dolphin being pulled from her dad
like a wave, sad and afraid
like a star coming to earth but no one likes her
like a rat stealing but then finding out that is wrong
like a kit kat saying Don’t eat me!
like the world taking one step at a time
like the color blue sometimes bright sometimes dark
like Sunday always bright
like a chipmunk, mean and nice

My Personality Voice
by Destiny F.

My voice sounds like
a person getting farther
and farther away, like
a someone screaming from
another universe, like someone
with no oxygen, as loud as
a lion as small as a turtle.
My voice is as deep as a poetry writer
as cool as a scientist, lame like a geek,
it sounds like the old running creek
like a shallow ground of thunder
like Friday and a big bad blunder.
It’s loud and proud like
a basketball layer, like a
dolphin squealing when I’m
sick, like a beating but then
stopping. This is what it sounds like.

Sweet Like a Puppy
by Maddy P.

My voice sounds like a mouse saying
she loves her kids.
It is as sweet as a puppy
with a kitten.
It’s like a person saying
goodnight and I’ll miss you.
Just like a book in the back
of the shelf, shy and silent.
It’s like art, colorful, but also
very bright.
It can be as loud as a drum.
Friendly as the sun.
It’s like the wind, very soft and smooth.
Like a celebrity, VERY HAPPY.
Just like Friday and the color green.

Sweet as Fire
by Bronte F.

My voice sounds like cracking fire
like a bird being carried off into the clouds
like a heart pumping blood.
A toad croaking in a swamp.
A jet soaring up,
like a lion hunting its prey,
like a mouse, squeaky and small.
Like a Monday, annoying,
a goat being gathered by a Shepard
a cat pouncing through branches.

Harry Handini

This week, the student poets were invited to contemplate some thoughts by Rainer Marie Rilke: "Hands have a history of their own, they have, indeed, their own civilization, their own special beauty...[they have] their own wishes, feelings, moods, and favorite occupations." After a long discussion about our hands, and what their own histories, moods, loves, and hatreds are, the students were invited to write free verse poems on the topic of their hands. Enjoy the results below!

Ms. Manuel’s Class

My Hands Alone
by Madeline S.

When I write my right hand
does the work.
My left hand just sleeps
when I write.
My hands help me paint
on a canvas.
Sometimes I use my hands
to walk on.
My hands are small.
I use my hands to eat
and do art.
I use my hands to type
messages to my friends.
My hands are there when
I burn them on a hot pan.
My hands wish they
were free.
My hands are helpful
to me.

Harry Handini
by Alanis S.M.

My hands are magicians.
They can take a bunny
out of a hat.
They can escape
from anything. They
can escape from hand-
cuffs. My hands
have a magic life
of their own. My hands
love their talent. They
love themselves. And I
love them too.

My Hands
by Brandon N.

My hands hate the cold. My hands like doing nothing. But usually my hands like opening presents and picking up things like ice cream or something sweet. My hands have a future of working but know they are still 9 years old. In the past, my hand was a lefty, but every time I write with my left hand my grandma will SLAP it.


Ms. Darnell’s Class

Hands
by Lucas M.

Hands, you are
ripped up and
dry and dirty.
Your nails are
long because I
am trying to be
in the Ripley’s Believe
It or Not.
Hand, you are
so dry and red
with viens
coming out of you.
You are the one
who uses my
game cube
controller and
pencil that writes
so sloppy.

Hands
by Brennan Q.

My hands love to play.
They’re always moving and playing
either wrestling or writing.
They always have energy.
They’re big and strong
and like crushing my brother’s hands
or lifting a 5 pound weight.
They can do almost anything –
pitching a baseball, climbing a tree.
My hands are unstoppable.

What do My Hands Hate and Love?
by Bernie J.

My hands love playing
video games. My hands love
typing on the computer. My hands
hate hitting people. My hands
hate doing inappropriate things.
My hands love throwing and
catching footballs. My hands
love sign language.

Hands
by Forenica O.

I can draw with my hands.
I have the Nintendo DS and the Wii for playing with my hands.
I hold a box open for the dog with my hands.
Making cookies and cakes with my hands.
I put my hands in the box for paper.
My hands are for holding pencils and doing homework.
My hands hold balloons on my birthday.

Hands with a Home
by Alina M.

With my cousins I can stand with my legs and jump to my hands.
I can draw with my hands.
I play the Nintendo DS with my hands.
I do my homework with my hands.
I cook with my hands.
I hold my book with my hands.


Ms. Furgason’s Class

My Hands
by Robert G.

My hands do over 1,000 things every
day. They take hits for me and it
hurts them. They are good at lots of things
like tennis and guitar and writing.

My Hand Wish
by Susan S.

My hands wish they can touch fire. My hands wish they can get scrapped without feeling it. My hands wish they can touch anything without feeling any pain. This is what they want to do. They will be magic if this was a wish that came true. This is what they have wanted since they started working. Maybe I can do what I want with them after all.

Handola
by Benjamin N.

My hands have
lots of lines
big
and small
they make
a 1,000 rivers.
Their favorite thing to
do is go up a tree or
make a cake.
With my two
hands I hit
the snow.

The Hand Letter
by Genna G.

What do you want
you pale white hand?
Do you want comfort,
warmth, or freezing cold?
Do you want black
or pink nail polish?
Anything you want your
Majesty, anything for you
Since you do all the work,
I’ll give you everything
in the world. Thank you
for writing this today.


Mrs. Chadhuri’s Class

Hands are Handy
by Ryan R.

They love to feel cotton, pillows
rubber, and forks.

They wish for aloe, clay, and bean bags.

They hate needles, fire, ice, and ink.

They are hard workers for humans, important
“life forms”, but are sometimes mischievous.

Letter from Margaret L. to John R.
by Alexandra S.

Dear John Right,
You have great penmanship, and you are the dominant hand. It is so brave of you to always take the risk to do something before me. All feet are nothing compared to you. You are so flexible and are a great writer. Your stories are always so beautiful! Hope truly I can be like you someday.

Sincerely –
Margaret Left

PS. – I’m your biggest fan!

Hands
by Connor S.

O, hands, what do you
want? What do you need?
What is your wish? Do you
need lotion? Do you need
a piece of ice? Tell me, what
do you want? Hands: A birthday.
What do you want? Hands: to have
fun. Right away, dear hands.

Stories in Hands
by Dante A.

If you gaze into my hands
you can see many stories.

The tattered epidermis
tells of cleaning off glass.
The ink blots
tell of calligraphy.
The faint red markings
tell of pens and markers making marks.

My hands tell stories.

Emotion Party

This week, we worked on Personification. We read two poems that personified different emotions, Fear and Shame. After a group poem to get them started, the student poets were asked to choose their own emotion to personify. The results are astounding. Enjoy!

Ms. Manuel’s Class

Doubt
by Beverly D.

Doubt is a poor man,
he is an old man living on the street.
He gets his money from selling water bottles.
He has no money.
He thinks of the worst things.
He can’t celebrate any holiday.
Hi has raggy and ripped clothes.
He is short because he doesn’t eat.
He is scared and misgiving,
he is never happy.
He has a pinched face all the time.
He has no family.
H is the guy on S. Western Ave. selling water bottles.

Cool
by Paul H.

Cool is a man that walks down the street. Everyday, he wears sunglasses, even on the coldest winter days. All his clothes are leather. Everywhere he goes, he brings his coolness with him. He always tries to act cool. On Christmas, he is too sporty for his gifts. He’s nothing but cool. He thinks, and is, the coolest person on earth. There is no way anyone is cooler than Cool. Whenever you act cool, Cool is there.

Humor
by Jessika H.

Humor is a young girl
who makes you want to laugh.
She is the laugh box in your
throat. She makes the
happiness in your heart.
She is the one that
reminds you to be funny.
Humor is the one that
makes up your mind
on weather to laugh
or not. She is the one
that comes out of your
mouth when you are
tickled. When you
are feeling happy, she
is there to burst
out of you loud
or quiet.

Sadness
by Nathan W.

A person who is going to war. A storm
that just broke your house in. Your flowers
rotting away. You’re so sad, the sky turns
grey. You look like a rain cloud, you
are dark and blue. Tears rain from your
eyes. You end with a sundown.


Ms. Darnell’s Class

Mean
by Michael A.

She lives in my house on Oakley. She says no to everything. She punishes for nothing. She lives on the second floor. And nobody comes over because she’s mean. And she is my mother. She sounds like a witch, but looks nice. She’s an undercover witch so watch out!

A Girl Named Joy
by Brittany C.

There once was a girl named Joy and only you can see her. She stands by you until you hear something happy come along. Joy jumps in your body and makes you scream and skip. She has long brown hair and she is related to Happy and Bliss. She follows you around and makes you scream. After she jumps out of your body, she skips away in the distance singing with her peaceful voice and her brown hair bobbing up and down. You can see her pink clothes in the distance.

Mister Mad
by Michael G.

Mr. Mad is very happy when people are mad. He is very, very old. He is invisible. He drives a Lambourghini. He loves the Beatles. He can see from miles away. He is always next to mad people. But his wife, Mrs. Blissful, always ruins his job. That’s why a lot of people are always happy. But the thing he hats is that he talks happy just like Mrs. Blissful.

Mean
by Lucas M.

Mean takes little children’s suckers. His favorite movie is Scary Movie 4. Mean eats little children. Mean drives a car that is on fire. He is related to Joy and he spray painted the school he went to. His friends were Bad and Crazy.

Courage
by Leo P.

courage is a man who hates Fear.
He is very strong. He is bald with
a goatee. He is very tall, but he lives
in an alley. He works as a daredevil.
He drives a horse and buggie.
He is very wealthy. He ignores bad comments.
He is not the best of friends.
He wears a ripped shirt and
tattered pants. He also has 1 sister
named Bliss. He has great balance
and loves to get dirty.
He builds houses for the
poor. He doesn’t walk, he
always runs. He always tells
his secrets.


Ms. Furgason’s Class

Sad
by Benjamin N.

Sad is a man who is
so fat he is as big
as a house. He is 30 years old
and as toy for a car. His food
he eats most is kids,
lots of kids. He does not have
a job. He cannot swim, he just
floats to the top. He is
destructive. He robbed all the banks
in the U.S.

Watch Out for Karma!
by Jack S.

Karma is a young man. He is a police officer by day and a super hero by night. He wears his cop uniform all the time. They call him Super Cop. He has an afro and buck teeth. If you laugh at him, he will punish you even more. He was born in Vegas. He only uses his powers on criminals. He loves action. He is buff. He can swim, fight, golf, play basketball, play football, and he likes Coke more than Pepsi.

Proud
by Maggie F.

Proud is a God. He does
only good. And smiles a star.
He roams the earth to seek peace.
He is brother of Strength,
son of Glory,
superior to Horrified,
and savior of Lost.
He is strong. He is brave.
He is tall and happy.
He is light as a feather,
but a solid, handsome man.
He has the eyes of a tiger,
very green and bright.
He has the courage of
an eagle and hates to
fight. He is fast and as tan
as can be. He eats only
fresh food, but never meat.
He is so lovely.


Ms. Chadhuri’s Class

Comedy
by Fhebielyn B.

Comedy is a woman who has rainbow hair. She makes everything seem funny. She loves books, and everybody is her friend. She drinks sugary drinks, and lives with 462,000 of her relatives. She loves going to places, to bring the best out of people. She is like a running gazelle, always up when she falls. She loves jokes, and loves to burp in front of everyone.

Hope
by Hannah H.

Hope is a happy
always smiling
woman.
She wears
a loose
sky-blue dress.

her eyes
are like
clear blue stars
shining
so brightly
that you’ll
wish they
never
had to
close.

She braids
her long, brown hair
like a crown
around her head.

She is beautiful
and
supportive.

She
is
hope.

Adventurous
by Alan O.

Adventurous is a short man who loves to dance in the water. When you gaze into his eyes, discouragement will be lost. You can barely see his body. He wears a dark clock, and a black top hat. His cousins, Fear and Wisdom are never close by (Fear is too scared, and Wisdom is usually thinking of something smart). He has no official home, but he always feels safe.

Odes!

Last week, we read Pablo Neruda's Ode to a Watermelon and Nygaard's Ode to Scissors. Both poems were discussed and enjoyed immensely, especially thinking about eating a watermelon. The young poets then tackled the ode form themselves, writing an ode to anything BUT a person!

Ms. Manuel’s Class

Ode to Wolf from Good to Fierce
by Jessika M.

Wolf, oh wolf
how you show
your sharp fierce teeth,
your head up high as proud as can be.
The soft padding of your feet
makes me quiver.
Do show my niceness
to be my friend, you see,
make my heart pound with loveliness
as it gets all excited.
Please protect me from the
fears that frighten me.

Ode to Sky
by Fabio C.

How can you change
your amazing colors
to blue, to gray, to what
ever color you want?
You look more amazing
than the beautiful ocean.
You can be sweet or sour.
You can be whatever
you want.
To me, you look too pretty
to be so far away.

Hum, Hum, Hummer!
by Austin S.

O beautiful hummer, how you dive
through the earth like a drill, you
tramp over the streets
like a rhino.
You have the speed of
a cheetah. You have
the body of a pro-wrestler.
You dwell like a star in the sky.
I love the way you move your
wheels. You are a soldier
in a suit of metal armor.
O, O, O, what would I do without you?


Ms. Darnell’s Class

Ode to Puerto Rico
by Destiny F.

O beautiful Puerto Rican flag
I love your hues
and your big beautiful star.
You have the red that is in my blood.
You are a beautiful car.
Wave, wave, wave.
I love your wave to the PR people.
The wind makes you sway beautifully.
The happiness, the joy you bring.
Friend of red
friend of blue
lover of white
I am the lover of you.

TV
by Dante B.

Oh TV,
you are
my favorite
hobby.
Oh TV,
how did you
lock George Lopez
in your screen?
Oh TV,
will you ever
get revenge
on my parents
for taking away
cable?

Ode to Snow
by Julia R.

I love how you glisten in the porch light,
how beautiful the world is covered with you.
Too precious to stomp around in,
you are many wintry games,
you help us inherit hot cocoa.
When the winter sun comes,
you shine like many crystals.
When the temperatures reach under 0,
you stick to our roof like stalactites.
When it snows, even a tiny bit
I know it is time to go outside.


Ms. Furgason’s Class

Ode to Blizzards
by Madison E.

Oh blizzards, I love how
you cover the
walkways and streets
so we don’t have to go to school.
Oh blizzards, I
love how we go
sledding in your weather.
Oh blizzard, I love
how we stay inside
all day and drink
hot chocolate after
a long day with you.
Oh blizzard, I love you.

Ode to a Dragon
by Jackson M.

Ode to you dragon.
I love your sharp
claws.

I love how you
fly like an eagle
in the sky.

You wonderful
creature, oh my
oh my.

Your appetite so
vicious, like a
tiger attacking.

I could go on and
on and on with
beautiful compliments.

You are beautiful
in every way.

I love you, oh
dragon, oh my
oh my.

Ode to the Shih-Tzu
by LeeAnn L.

O beautiful Shih-Tzu
I love your silky hair.
You brighten the dark night sky.
How you run and walk amazes me.
I love the way you bark.
A dog,
so phlegmatic and kind.

You’re the only dog
that loves lots of jewelry.
I think of you as a star
of fur and hair.
You amaze me with your
beautiful way of loving me.


Ms. Chadhuri’s Class

Ode to Wii
by Sean P.

O Wii, with your
whiteness so bright
like clouds on a
sunny day.
Your stick so
long and broad
like a medieval club.
Your screen so
dazzling I cannot
look away.
How I love
to play you
as you love
to be played.

Ode to a Hot Dog
by Alexander N.

When
teeth sink into
your thin, long
body,
an explosion of
marination
conquers our mouths.

Washing,
covering yourself
with ketchup,
mustard,
pickles chopped up.
You put on an elegant
suit of tomatoes.
You cover yourself in a coat
of batter.

Ode to my Parrot Bella
by Samara F.

Bella,
your red and gray
feathers
so soft
so bright
they cover you
shining in
the sunlight
like a picture
taking a
bath
in your
water bowl

Ode to Fire
by Michael M.

Oh fire,
the beautiful
light
showing in
the darkness.
You show
the way
to life
and health.
Your rays
slay the
warriors
hidden
in the
unseen force.
Oh, Amazing you.

True Confessions!

Happy New Year!

To start off the 2008 and get us back into poetry, this week we looked at This is Just to Say by William Carlos Williams. This poem uses short lines and specific language to beautiful effect to create a bouncy rhythm when the poem is read out loud. We talked about what poems are built of (lines and stanzas), and what a short line will do to the rhythm of a poem. Modeled after Mr. Williams's poem, the students were asked to write their own true confession, and include an apology. I asked them to decide if they really meant their apologies, or if sometimes, do something bad actually feels pretty good. Enjoy their great poems!

Ms. Chadhuri’s Class

The Snicking Fingers
by Benjamin C.

I have snicked
many things
from my
neighbor’s house

there were
many things
tiny toy
trucks
lego figurines
and more

once
my parents
found out
they had to
check my pockets

I’m sorry
and guilty
but the
things looked
cool and my
fingers can’t help it.

Forgive me
I was only
3 1/2

A Dollar and 25 Cents
by Alan O.

I stole
a dollar
and 25 cents
from my
sister

I’m sorry
but you
didn’t notice

The money
was already
spent
so HA!

Book Worm Alert
by Jessica N.

I have read
in the dim light
of the Christmas tree
in my room

The book
was
mysterious and
suspenseful

I know
that I shouldn’t
have done that
for tomorrow
I will be as
tired
as a drunk man


Ms. Furgason’s Class

I Lied…
by Diego R.

I have lied
that I did my
book report.

I said
I would
get a good
grade.

I’m sorry
I wanted to
play Runescape.

The Crayons
by Margaret F.

I have taken
the crayons
oh so long
ago

You had
so many more
for the other
boys and girls

I
am not ashamed
for I broke
the darn crayons
with my little
hands
of steel


Ms. Manuel’s Class

Prank Call
by Jacob J.

I have called
an old lady
on a
prank call

and she said
“I can hear
you breathing
in there”

Forgive me but
it was so
much fun

Who did This??
by Kyle G.

It was me
Mom
who watched TV
until 4:00 am
during the week.

It was not Liana.
You probably
blamed her.

It was fun because
you didn’t tell me
to stop.

Forgive Me Please
by Peter B.

I shouldn’t have
unpaused the football
game which they
were waiting to play
while my friend
was in the bathroom.
Forgive me
it was so fun.