This week we read “Eating Dinner Alone at the 163rd Street Mall” by Ariel Francisco for both our English class and after school poetry club. Sometimes students shift around from different classes at LYHS, and I’m really glad that I got to share this poem with both groups today. It’s a beautiful piece and makes it really easy to talk about so many poetic elements, from metaphor, to imagery and rhythm. We discussed the importance of tone in poetry and how Francisco does such a great job of conveying a sense of nostalgia in this piece. We also talked about dreams that we may have had at some point in our lives, and what it feels like to come to the realization that they won’t come to pass, or that maybe our dreams have changed into something completely different. I asked students to be mindful of the tone they wanted to convey in their pieces, and I think these students did a great job. Enjoy this weeks poems!
Class
Untitled
Gigi
Going back to the younger me
I wanted to be a teacher
to teach kids how to make life easier
That dream didn’t happen
because I wasn’t eager
Left with regret of not being a teacher
After School
Back in the Days
Jovany
Back in the days all that would crowd
my mind
were dreams and things that I would be
A professional soccer player.
I would play everyday as it was the only thing
I was sure that needed
to be done
just like chores,
I was sure that I would make it happen
Time doesn’t slow down and neither should
you.
Time doesn’t wait for anyone
and this is why you make the most out of
everything
