Hands on Stanzas | The Poetry Center of Chicago

Hands on Stanzas

Anthology of Student Verse

Welcome to the Hands on Stanzas Anthology of Student Verse. Thanks to the generous support of the Boeing Corporation this year's Hands on Stanzas Anthology has been published electronically allowing us to include a poem from each and every one of our students. That's close to 2000 poems this year!

To navigate the anthology either click the students’ grade level or the name of their school below.

Grade: 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

School:

Alcott Elementary
Belding Elementary
Bell Elementary
Burbank Elementary
George Washington Elementary
Richard Henry Lee Elementary
McPherson Elementary
Moos Elementary

Pilgrim Lutheran School
Price Elementary
Shields Elementary
Skinner Classical School
Solomon Elementary
Taft Academic Center
Tarkington School of Excellence
Walter Payton College Prep High School

	Janna Sobel, Poet-in-Residence Principal: David J. Domovic Teachers: Ms. Pinter School: Alcott Elementary Sports Court a poem by Aaron G., Grade 3 It's 5:00. The season is summer. I hear the basketball bouncing and hitting the back- board. Hearing the ball going in the net. The mood is happy, fun, joyful. read more »

Janna Sobel, Poet-in-Residence
Principal: David J. Domovic
Teachers: Mr. Jun
School: Alcott Elementary

Alexa's Voice
a poem by Alan D.L.T., Grade 6
Her voice is like a baby
saying hello. It is like
the baby angels singing
in the morning. When she
goes to my room and says
good morning, I say five
minutes, but it is
Saturday so I hug her
and say I am hungry.
She laughs and I smile.
Later we play the wii or
watch spongebob, and when
she crys I get sad, and I
tell her a joke and she is
happy. Last she says, I love
having a brother like you.

read more »

	Janna Sobel, Poet-in-Residence Principal: David J. Domovic Teachers: Ms. Pinter School: Alcott Elementary The Thousand Rubies a poem by Alex, Grade 3 Your voice is a thousand rubies with a tiger in them. The rubies are the tiger's teeth. The teeth have fire crackling loud. The fire sounds like a volcano exploding like crazy. read more »

Janna Sobel, Poet-in-Residence
Principal: David J. Domovic
Teachers: Mrs. Billingham
School: Alcott Elementary

Simplicity of Peanut Butter and Jelly
a poem by Alexis Miller, Grade 6
Sitting on the dock in Indiana,
the dock I have known my whole life.
With my three cousins and two sisters,
sitting all side by side.

The sound of the waves crashing
on the rocky beach shore,
the soothing sound of the parents' laughter
tickles my ears.

I hear my Nana with the
noisy tin foil covering a platter.
The familiar crackling makes me smile.
All of the children get up and
race to her side with opened hands,
reaching, shoving and eager.

Janna Sobel, Poet-in-Residence
Principal: David J. Domovic
Teachers: Ms. Pinter
School: Alcott Elementary

Your Loud Voice
a poem by Allana C., Grade 3
Your voice is like a glass window that has
been hit with a baseball and shattered down to
the ground. Like a chair that fell apart quickly.
The wind blowing rocks into the clouds and
hitting creatures on the head. A cheetah running
faster than anything on the planet. The crabs
pinching you with their big claws, and you're
screaming as loud as possible but you're on a
lasting island with no one with you, and shells
are clicking and clacking!

read more »

Janna Sobel, Poet-in-Residence
Principal: David J. Domovic
Teachers: Ms. McAuliffe
School: Alcott Elementary

Sweet Like a Rainbow
a poem by Alycia G., Grade 3
Your voice sounds like
the pitter patter on
a clay tired roof,
like a blue bird singing
in my front yard.
Like a baby in a nursery,
a sleeping car on the bed,
like a hot fire with a
little hot cocoa.
The sound of mother
singing to you when
you're going to bed,
the sound of fries
being fried.

read more »

	Janna Sobel, Poet-in-Residence Principal: David J. Domovic Teachers: Ms. Pinter School: Alcott Elementary A Low Screech a poem by Andrew, Grade 3 Black and yellow. A protected bee. A map to heaven. March up all of the stairs, receiving you. read more »

Janna Sobel, Poet-in-Residence
Principal: David J. Domovic
Teachers: Mr. Jun
School: Alcott Elementary

Traveling to the Lake
a poem by Anxhela N, Grade 6
I close my eyes
and I am traveling
to the lake! I am
thinking of things that
my imagination shapes.
I am thinking of the
sun. I am thinking of
the lake that is so blue.
I am thinking of my life
and I am thinking of you.

I am traveling to the
lake, with my boat and
my heart, and I relax to the
quiet noise of the birds.

	Janna Sobel, Poet-in-Residence Principal: David J. Domovic Teachers: Ms. Pinter School: Alcott Elementary Tajma Hall a poem by Arman, Grade 3 Tall, snow white within pillars surrounding onto a big white square read more »

Janna Sobel, Poet-in-Residence
Principal: David J. Domovic
Teachers: Ms. Pinter
School: Alcott Elementary

My First Snowcone
a poem by Ashley M. S., Grade 3
When I look at a snow cone it makes me happy, and when
I bite it it makes my teeth cold and it has bubble gum in it. It tastes good, and it has different colors, and it makes me feel good when I eat it really cold.

When you eat some ice, it makes your teeth cold
and you have a brain freeze and you have to spin around everywhere until it goes away. And when it's gone,
you eat some more ice.