All posts in Cai Sherley

I Remember & Remember & Remember

One of my favorite works to teach is Joe Brainard’s 1975 book I Remember. It is a book of poetry exclusively made up of memories, personal and cultural, each beginning with “I Remember.” This […]

Around The World At Lawndale

Not but hours ago, Lawndale traveled around the world and the US in a workshop inspired by Joy Young’s travel poetry lesson and John Balaban’s “Passing Through Albuquerque”. We started with a game of […]

Recipes & Hand Games

This week was quite the variety show! For 6th grade, inspired by Leslie Reese’s “How to Write A Recipe” workshop and Shoesmith student Kamya J.’s poem “Recipe for A Great Summer”, we wrote our […]

“I touch the mighty and the weak”

One of my favorite poetry books is Patricia Smith’s Blood Dazzler, which reflects on and embodies the horrors of Hurricane Katrina. In our most recent session at Hyde Park, the poetry club learned about […]

Hyde Park Is Calling

This week at Hyde Park we discussed calls to action and what it means to push for changes large and small. These young men brought their grievances and visions to the table, confronting everything […]

Call ‘Em

Alice Walker’s poem “Calling All Grand Mothers”, inspired Lawndale to make their own calls this week. The theme was Calls To Action, bringing people together to make things happen. After having students brainstorm all […]

Retellings – Triumph & Magic

Two weeks ago, before illness took this poet away from the 4th floor of Hyde Park High School, we all sat around a table in Ms. Gholston’s art room and discussed magic. How would […]

Out Of This World: Retellings

After being ill last week, I could not have been more excited to return to Lawndale this week, which was all about reimagining the past and revitalizing our power, our magic. After a game […]

The Projector, El Tiburón, and Other Personas

This week was all about personas at Lawndale. After an enthusiastic game of “What’s My Name?” we read “Being A Bag” by Washington Elementary’s Asano L, and got to work. Please enjoy! Ms. Barker […]

“Black so cool it must be golden”

Black History Month is a time for celebration and reflection, and this past Thursday, Hyde Park High’s poets celebrated their own Blackness. Called on by Gwendolyn Brooks’ “Primer for Blacks,” the poets took to […]

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I’M FROM THE CITY LIGHTS / STREAMING OUT IN THE NIGHT / AND HUGE SKYSCRAPERS / TOWERING OVER THE LAKE – MELISSA E., 7TH GRADE POET