The young poets from Ms. Murray’s 5th and 6th grade classes read and discussed the poem “Chicago” by Carl Sandburg. In the poem, Carl Sandburg describes the city of Chicago in both a positive and negative light. The students then wrote their feelings about the city they all grew up in. Enjoy!
Xciel
Green turns to black
As trees wither away
Gases ruining the air
What was once a forest
Is now a violent place with no hope
But all someone needs is a sprout
To start a legacy
That is beautiful and thrives
In a wasteland
Remember, hope never dies
Luciano
The half-filled bag pours out money
Fear surrounds the atmosphere
Cashiers and hostages beg for mercy
The looters take without giving
The landmarks in Chicago remind me of a dream
Tall, small, huge, thin,
Colors of the rainbow bring joy to my eyes
Valentin
The smell of the drugs taking away the humid air
Police sirens everywhere
Wondering if it could happen to you
But the tall, amazing, and powerful skyscrapers
Looking at the beauty that shines
Taking away my fear
Keeping me warm and safe
Thomas
It gets ugly outside when it’s messy
The lake is gone of its’ beauty
Parks are depressing
In the area of shootings
It’s great!
Swimming in pools and lakes
Shopping in malls and restaurants
After visiting monuments
Amada
I walk outside and inhale the smell of pollution
I listen to the gun shots
That I hear so often
They ROCK me to sleep at night
I walk down the street
This time, the smell of conchas
Are welcoming me
Ivan
All the trash and litter on the ground
Every chemical in the air
Shootings growing fast
Criminals selling drugs and killing
All these different places and people
Every view of Chicago is amazing
Adventures that last a lifetime
The lake that floods our city with hope
