How To Conduct A Seance

Sometimes poetry can be a way to express what is really hurting us, what makes us want to yell out in frustration and or fall down sobbing. Poetry can be a way of to find solace and meaningful connection in what sometimes feels to be the overwhelming injustice of the world. It’s remarkable to be able to read words from strangers, sometimes from different generations or thousands of miles away and be able to resonate and relate to their experience.

Other times, poetry, like all art is about expressing yourself as silly and as ridiculous as you can be. It’s all valid. That’s why for this class the students prompt was to write about hosting a seance: who would they bring back, what would they need, how would conduct the seance, what will their characters be doing?!

7th grade

How to Summon A Snail Natalie

Summoning the small creature

will be tough as a result

of the small creatures

slow slimy bodies

trying to make it through the small seance portal

Remember there are three different types of snails

the help snail

these snails help fix all the past, the present,

and the future (even though these snails are the

ones who end up getting stepped on

they still are unique),

the turbo snail

these snails have a small glowing body

with a orange shell

they are not fully turbo

but they can go 5% faster than usual

the last one is the x-snail

they look like ghosts and their shells

have a x mark

don’t deal with these snails as they will

end up taking something special

from you

To summon these snails

you need to wait

until dusk

To set up

make sure there are three

primary sacrifices

As you enter the “other” realm

you need

a bowl of salt

dead animal carcass

and a small offering of wine

wait until nightfall

the moon needs to be full for this to work

Light three candles

black for the x-snail

green for the turbo snail

and a red candle for the help snail

8th grade

Instructions for a Seance with Cheto Zarissy

Possible pastimes of Cheto in the afterlife

Cheeto eating a daddy long legs

Cheto running along a dry grassy field

Cheto wondering what it is like to be a bird

Cheto sniffling the baby turtles that never

made it to the ocean

Cheto wishing he could use a toilet

Cheto eating a pig’s nasty leftovers

Cheto wanting an elephant nose

Cheto sticking his tongue out while

riding a horse