Dear Sky, - The Chicago Poetry Center

Dear Sky,

For their 8th week of poetry Hamline 6th graders explored various ways to communicate with one another. Nowadays people usually use social media, emails, texts and phone calls to stay in touch with one another. But long-ago sending letters was the only way to pass on information.

Together we read and discussed the poem “Dear Sky,” by Naomi Shihab Nye. In her poem Nye writes a letter addressed to the sky, speaking to it as if it can listen and respond back. You calm me down/ when you are gray, I know you are holding onto the rain, doing your job/ When you’re blue everyone loves you/ so may styles of cloud drifting quietly. Nye is showing gratitude to the sky, for its beauty, but also for helping, and making her feel connected to everyone else on earth.

Inspired by Noami Shihab Nye, students wrote their own letter poems, addressing them to the important people, creatures, and things in their lives. So, readers make sure to but some stamps and mail your own letters.

Mr. Marroquin 6th Grade Group 1

Para mis Amigas Milagros

Mis ninas la quiero porgue me cuidan y las cuido
porgue me quierea y las quiero, por apreciar
las casa pequenas sin quejarse, siempre me
Hace feliz verlas sonreir, proque gracias a mis
ninas siempre estare feliz, las quiero con el
alma y el corazon, las guiero por se como
son.

Dear Sun, Antonio

Sun, thanks for making heat,
because we would’ve died.
Thanks for the beautiful sunset,
because it’s nice.
Thanks for the solar eclipse,
because it was beautiful.
Thanks for making it light,
because we would be in
in the dar all the time,

Mr. Marroquin 6th Grade Group 2

Dear Music Yareni L.

Dear music,
I’m sad again …
Thank you for being there
for me when I need you …
You’re there when I’m sad.
When I am alone.
When I’m mad …
No matter how I feel,
you’re always there
for me …

Thank you …

Music….

Dear Monkey Man Jesus S.

Monkey Man,
Why are you trapped behind glass.
I will release you my friend.
I am coming to your rescue.
To end your misery.

I found your cage,
I will take you out.
You’re free now.
We are friends.

Now he is happy,
he clung onto my back.
I gave him a taco.
He ate the whole thing.
he loved it.
He swung on my arm.

To my Great-Grandma Ashley V.

I miss you a lot and I can’t stop
thinking about when I saw
your body in the coffin.
Cold, dead, soulless.
I wish I got to see you
in person.
But I’m grateful that I
got to talk to you sometimes
on the phone.
I wish I was there at your
last moments.
You wouldn’t have to suffer
in silence all by yourself.

Love,
Ashley.

Ms. Torres 6th Grade Group 3

Dear Ex. Shamya J.

I felt happy with you
but I kept breaking up with you
but I still love you
deep down but now I hate you.
I was gonna breakup with you, but I didn’t.
I wanted to do it, but you texted me
you wanted to break up so
I cried and cried but put on the song,
Sunflower that conferred on me
and I remembered who I really was.
I want to forget about you.
Love is a small world.
Don’t text me ever,

bye forever.

Dear Bed Kevin P.

Why didn’t I go to sleep last night instead of staying up
oh, dear bed, I wish I was on you right now
I miss you so much during school
Dear bed, I promise when I get home
I will take the LONGEST nap
I wish I could take you everywhere I go

Dear Clouds Delani V.

Dear clouds…

Thank you for being around us!…
I always look up at you to see your beautiful
shapes forming from one to another …
I always think of you for how gorgeous
and famous you are from your
most fluffiest and cozy styles…
You made the famous sun jealous
of your beauty and perfection…