“After the glory of the day”: Night Poems

Students doodled and drew pictures of what happens at night before they drift off to sleep and then wrote short poems using sensory details.

Lesson Note:

“Do stuff. Be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration’s shove or society’s kiss on your forehead. Pay attention. It’s all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager.”

– Susan Sontag, Vassar College Commencement Speech, 2003

Into The Night

In the stillness of the night so deep
The world is hushed in a peaceful sleep
I hear these peaceful sounds
As the moon casts shadows all around

Night

At the foot of my bed, shadows creeping beneath my desk
Crawling through the dust, terrorizing my guts
After the bright light shines in my eyes
I suppose there were just clothes on the ground.

The Dark And Windy Night

– Stars in the nighttime sky
– My bedroom door creaks behind me
– Now entering a dark room with only one light
– The wind crashing against my windows

– Trees dancing in the wind
– Now I lay there on my bed
– Think about life
– Today and tomorrow

Flights of the Night

Through tired eyes, the stagnant ceiling seems to shake.
Silence fills the room as my breaths take a break and
My desire to fight the sleepiness never seems to break, until it does.
My ears buzz and today might have been a mistake but it will all restart by tomorrow’s daybreak.

Cozy but loud noise

After the glory of the day,
A little dog howling out the window
Yes, I can see cars beeping
Lifting up my head and, listening to music
A big little blanket holding me tight

Darkness and Sleep

After the glory of the day, comes the darkness
As time moves on, the last word of my laptop whispers in my ear
Nothing can be heard except the faintest creaking of the door and the slight footsteps that can be heard creeping away from me
The glowing stars fight the darkness that engulfs my ceiling and my bed
The horrifying thoughts of school haunt me and shake me until I am filled with dread
Countless nights filled with the horrifying thought of school
Leaves me up
But my intense determination does not let me fall into despair
My mind knows that sleep is crucial for my care
The thought turn into a magical spell that puts me asleep
For hours, I am still
Until the obnoxious song arises, fighting the spell
I awake with the yellow rays as I destroy the ringing bell

Select list(s) to subscribe to




CPC will not sell your email. By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from The Chicago Poetry Center. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact