This week at Washington, we studied two persona poems, “In Another Dream, I Work at a White Tower” by Talin Tahajian, a persona poem of Miley Cyrus, and “aunt jemima” by Lucille Clifton. We talked about how the poems revealed new things about the personas/characters, and how the poets used lowercase text, slashes, and other formal strategies for more impact. Then we wrote some persona poems of our own! Here are a few of them below:
Miss Davis
Eighth Grade
Yellow Group
Write
By Brian M. and Angel T.
I am a pencil
the one who writes
everyday I am being used
for letters work and school
I am also a tool
for humans to write
I get rid of your mistakes
everyday I’m tired
some people treat me with care
while others just throw me
away
Watch Me Burn [Yang Xiao Long]
By Sonia E.
Every mission is a risk
day and night
Yet all I need to do
is win this fight
Not just for my sister
but for our friends as well
Because we are Team RWBY
and we never fail
I am the “Y”
the tall blond brawler
they relate me to a Super Saiyan
because I burn like fire
Don’t mess with my team
try and my mood turns
Just sit back relax
and watch me burn.
Miss Davis
Eighth Grade
Red Group
Batman
By Salvador G. and Carlos M.
I am justice
I am vengeance
I am the dark knight
I am the shadow
I am the Bat
I am
Batman
In the Life of a Dance Teacher
By Isabela C.
Building up dancers
until they burn
out.
Replacement
after replacement, until
no one is left.
In the end it’s
me who is left with little
money and little
fame.
Earned a reputation
for being mean to little
girls. Threw a
chair across a room by
a little girl and got
sued.
Signed by
Abby Lee Miller
Just a Little Red Fox
By Gisel P.
roaming around the forest
The wind is calm,
the orange leaves falling
This is a sign
that fall is coming
When I look around,
I see deer running
They run from me
The rabbits hide in their burrows
as they see me walking by
Everyday
before the moon rises
I sleep in my home
that’s as cold as ice
I try to get warm
but at the end
I’m along like the dark
Because I’m
just a little red fox.
Miss Davis
Eighth Grade
Green Group
Willow
By Abigail F.
I wake up every morning
hearing these annoying people
picking me up and holding me
I run away
back to my warm bed
fast asleep, back to my dream
I’m practicing my attacking
I am very scary (obviously)
I love attacking specific things
This dream is very fun
there are many Beanie Babies
many toes to scratch
and many noses to bite
Before I could do anything
I feel my bed shake
that little dog never leaves me be
She ran away fast
but now my nap is ruined
I guess I’ll never be in that
amazing dream again.
