I Am Poems - The Chicago Poetry Center

I Am Poems

How would you describe yourself to others, and how would others describe you? That’s the question we started off with this week to open up the topic of the “I Am” poem. Students had an opportunity to discuss with classmates what makes them unique, and when they feel most like themselves. We also listened to the famous salsa song “Guantanamera” by Celia Cruz, which was inspired by the Cuban poet Jose Marti’s and his Versos Sencillos, (Simple Verses). Then we read some excerpts of Marti’s poem, where he explores his identity, values and beliefs. Students got to work on their own “I Am” poems inspired by Marti’s. This was a challenging exercise for some students, and I’m really proud of the work and effort they put into their ideas and writing. Enjoy this week’s pieces!

Ms Caplan's Class 6th Grade

Poema David

Soy un chico que se reconsidera
alegre, alocado, y con malas ideas.
A veces flojo o expectador como un arbol
Aleatorio como olas cuadradas
malo en matematicas bueno en ciencias
como biologia, quimica, fisica,
anatomia, electricidad, minerales,
elementos y otros incluso con
esta resolviendo problemas a diario
y mi idolo es Isaac Newton

Yo Soy Victoria Z.

Yo so muy silenciosa
cuando me lo piden
y tambien no me lo
piden. Yo soy como
las flores bellas, yo
veo belleza en mi
misma, porque yo
soy muy bella.
Entiendo cuando
alguin esta
triste, yo me
represento como
el color morado
porque cuando el
sol se cai llega
el atardecer y se
y se ve un color morado
muy bonito. Una
leccion de mi vida
fue que uno no tiene
que envidiar lo que
los demas tienen y
valorar lo que
ya tienes.

Ms. Murrays Class 6th Grade

I Am Daniela F.

I am myself when I pass through
the beautiful flowers that rise up.
And before I die I want to share all my
memories from my soul.
I come from two places and I’m going
to one place, I am an artist girl among
all the artistic spray paintings on the wall
of bricks, I am a brick.
I know the recognizable people of the
many places in town by name and
all the niceness and kindness they brought
to us.
I have seen people live with danger
on their side without ever saying the
name of one who made it happen.
Everything is beautiful and social
everything is music and reason, and
everything, like the painting that turned
into wet paper then real art.

Bean Avi

I am myself when I’m home
I am like the grass in the summer sun
I show kindness by
taking negativity from people
who need it.
I see beauty in abstract art
I understand sadness when I am near it.
I am like grass becasue
of the bright and pretty color
I know alot about my friends
An important
lesson
I have learned is
to enjoy
what I have