“Look of Poems”

Upon my return to Kozminski after the spring break, I had the opportunity to meet with 4th, 5th, and middle grade students! We read poems published on the blog; we read and discussed Maya Angelou’s poem, “I Love the Look of Words;” I shared Paul B. Janeczko’s advice to young writers, “Seeing Your Poetry;”and students worked at trying to unscramble the poetry in their minds. Check out the poems that came out of these sessions!

Ms. Manning
4th Grade

Cars and Words
by Darrell M.

words are like fast cars
helping people get around
and helping people travel from
place to place
for real.
cars help you stay on time
like checking your watch.

 

look of poems
by Akole C.

The look of poems is in my brain
It is stuck. I always think of them.
It is fun but sometimes annoying
When I try to sing a song it’s in my mind
I try to think really hard but it gets stuck
like a lego stuck in your feet.
It leaves a mark
like the poems stuck in your brain.

 

Words in ways they seem
by Xion B.

Looking at words is like
Trying to solve a puzzle
Some are challenging
Some are easy.

Some put in different ways
Like the construction
Of a huge building,

These words I am typing
Are in the format
Of a beautiful poem.

5th Grade

I know who I am
by Jada L.

Let’s face it
I have feet like my dad
My mom and sister agree on it
I don’t know my feet size but
I’ll try to remember next time.  I
know one thing for sure my feet belong to my dad.

I’m light-skinned like my brother
I look white but I’m not. I
know one thing for sure
I love my skin color it reminds
me of white butter.

I have a two-colored hairstyle
and I always tell my sister
Don’t be jealous
but I know she is
even though she doesn’t say. 
I mean
my hair is perfect
why wouldn’t she be jealous?

 

Crazy
by Christopher L.

When me and my cousin get together
we get excited and start acting crazy
like a pack of dogs. 
We are the same height.
He’s my favorite cousin.

I was born on 63rd street 
in Chicago
where there’s a lot of gangs but
I feel like cops are going to look at me a different way

But I want to go the the NFL
I want my little brother to be smart in school.

 

I COME FROM
by Marianna M.

I come from small dimples and brown skin.
Things I share with my mom and dad.

I come from Chicago, Wisconsin and Texas.
I kinda behave and walk like my older sister .

I want to be a businesswoman.
I want my younger siblings to do good in life.

 

8th Grade

Love it
by Dejah M.

We come from Chicago, Illinois

My height comes from my dad Mr. Mack
My eyes come from my mom small and round
My nose comes from my dad big and brown
My brown glowy skin comes from my mom.

My passion for dance comes from Uncle Deonta
dancing to Jackson 5 at the age of 5. 
My passion for writing comes from Grandmama Sharon
outspoken but quiet.

But my personality, oh, my big personality, is mine
on my own
very outspoken, nice but feisty
nonchalant but caring.

I might appear small
but oh baby
my alter ego
she real large.

 

 

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.