All posts in Leslie Reese

Introduction to “The Blues”

Last week Brennemann 5th graders talked about the blues as a feeling of sadness, and as a musical form created by African-Americans in the late 1800s. We watched video of our example blues song, […]

“Our Ideas of a World”

For our 4th sessions, I asked Nettelhorst 2nd graders to think about the kind of world they want for themselves and others. We talked about serious hopes – such as safety for all children […]

“Gems”

Today Brennemann 2nd graders read two “little” poems written by Nikki Grimes: “Moon” and “Shower.” Both poems had six lines or less, yet they packed a lot of interest. As a group we worked […]

2nd graders invite you to see…

After questioning in our first sessions and comparing in our second sessions, it was time for Nettelhorst 2nd graders to get down to the business of seeing for our third sessions. We talked about […]

Table Songs

Poet in Residence Timothy David Rey’s “Around the Table” poetry lesson got Brennemann 5th graders talking about the things that happen at kitchen/dining tables. Things such as preparing food, eating, drinking, playing games, doing […]

Can You See It?

This week Brennemann 2nd graders joined me on the carpets in their classrooms, to think about places where poems are found. Students said poems can be found in books and on walls, in computers, […]

I’ll have two scoops of vanilla clouds, please!

The day of our second sessions was “Wacky Wig Wednesday” and some teachers surprised their students – and me – by showing up with zany tresses!😁 Nettelhorst 2nd graders got down to the business […]

“My skin is caramel…”

Last week, for our fourth sessions, Brennemann 2nd graders tried to imagine worlds in which only one color was present, like a world in which everything is red, or gray. We tried to pair […]

Monster List

Last Friday, I was reunited with Swift 2nd graders after missing them for two weeks in a row: one Friday they visited the Peggy Notebaert Museum; and the following week there was no school […]

“Look Amidst the Trees”

Last Thursday in my sessions with Brennemann 5th Graders, we talked about gardens and the value of having someone who believes in you. We viewed a video of the poet Joaquin Zihuatanejo, who talked […]

Donate

Support our student poets today!

CONNECT WITH US!

Twitter Facebook-f Instagram

STUDENT POETRY

Click on a school name below to browse student poems from current school partners.

POETRY ARCHIVE

Click on a school name below to browse student poems from our archive.

RECENT FACEBOOK POSTS

TESTIMONIALS

“Writing poetry makes me feel like I can see myself, like I can see my reflection, but not in a mirror, in the world. I write and I know I can be reflected.”
-Oscar S.

“Writing poetry makes me feel free.”
-Buenda D.

“Writing poetry is like your best friend.”
-Jessica M.

Search

CONTACT US

General Inquiries
info@poetrycenter.org

Programs (School & Organizational)
programs@poetrycenter.org

Reading Series and Events:
curator@poetrycenter.org

The Chicago Poetry Center is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
FEIN: 23-7400515

SEND US A POSTCARD

Chicago Poetry Center
1448 E. 52nd St, #256
Chicago, IL 60615

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