All posts in Mayda del Valle

Love Poems

“What are some different kinds of love”. is the question we started off with this week, before reading Gwylym Cano’s poem “Love”. Sushi, pets, family, friends…we had a lively discussion about all the different […]

“When I feel down, I come back and laugh in joy.” 

This week we read a translated excerpt of Mario Benedetti’s poem No Te Rindas, or Don’t Give up. We’ve reached the time in the school year when students have to a lot of mandatory […]

I’m grateful for my beautiful life…

This week we read a beautiful poem called prayer by Jorge Argueta, where he expressed gratitude for may simple things we take for granted on a daily basis. Students worked on a brainstorm exercise […]

Like you I love music

Week 15: Like You  This week we started off by asking, “Have you ever had a moment of deep appreciation for the world around you? After a few minutes we read Roque Daltons poem […]

Revise, revise, revise…

“If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.”—Elmore Leonard This week, instead of reading a new poem or introducing a new concept we discussed the importance of revision and editing in poetry. It was […]

Snow Ball Poems

This week we had in indoor snowball fight! Well, sort of. We used a fabulous lesson plan by fellow CPC poet-in-residence Musu Bangura where students write down responses to winter-inspired writing prompts on different […]

The Tools of A Writer

This week I introduced students to some of the tools I like to use on a regular basis in my personal writing practice. As a teaching artist, and “professional” writer, I like to let […]

Identities and Lesson From Nature

I was really looking forward to getting back to LYHS this week and introducing my students to one of my favorite poets. Chicago’s very own Jose Olivarez. I really enjoy sharing work that students […]

Emotion Machines

If your sadness was a machine how would it work? This week we started off by exploring Ada Limon’s poem “The Quiet Machine”. In it Limon uses the structure of a prose poem to […]

Getting Started

Today I got started at Latino You High School in Little Village with Ms. Gualitos’s English Class, and the after school poetry club. An unexpected treat with this group, is there’s always great food […]

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