'be like DJ Khaled...hang out with Tupac': Poems & Thoughts on Community and Fame

‘be like DJ Khaled…hang out with Tupac’: Poems & Thoughts on Community and Fame

Students read Gwendolyn Brook’s poem about superstar singer and activist, ‘Paul Robeson’ and then wrote about community and fame from their viewpoint.

Paul Robeson
by Gwendolyn Brooks

That time
we all heard it,
cool and clear,
cutting across the hot grit of the day.
The major Voice.
The adult Voice
forgoing Rolling River,
forgoing tearful tale of bale and barge
and other symptoms of an old despond.
Warning, in music-words
devout and large,
that we are each other’s
harvest:
we are each other’s
business:
we are each other’s
magnitude and bond.

Lesson Note: ‘Rather than love, or money or fame…give me truth.’ Thoreau

Ms. Romano 7th Grade

Our Community Kareen H.

This is our Community. We fought for it.
We’re Black and fought for our freedom.
Our leader, MLK fought for us to have
school to be in our world not a white
man’s world.
That is our Community.

Community Keith C.

We are the neighborhood
We are a group of people
We are like
peanut butter
We are the same race
Some are students in school
who live in the same neighborhood
We are pretty
We are like peanut butter

Ms. Turner 6th Grade

Community Gregory

I’m a friend at school
but we are players on the field
I keep my head held high
we think about the community.

Community James L.

I’m a friend here and
I’m a friend there
I help my friend with her
hair like a butterfly keep my head up
high, and I shine
bright

Ms. Romano 7th Grade

Fame Hasan A.

If I were famous, I would be like DJ Khaled
I would hang out with Tupac. I’d make 4 million.

Untitled Latera

If I were famous I would stay the same
and go shopping because I wold have a lot
of money, and I will hang out with myself
because I don’t really like people and I
will be famous for being
myself.

Ms. Turner 6th Grade

My Community Jacob W.

My community fights
they don’;t give up
They keep going
They won’t stop
That’s because
we fight together
we rise together
WE WONT
WE WON’T STOP
WE STILL RISE

My Community Josiah W.

All about my neighborhood
or with friend and family
I help others in need in my community
Help my community stay clean
Help elderly people with groceries.