I remember . . . . - The Chicago Poetry Center

I remember . . . .

For our week 18 of poetry, O-School students explored ideas about memories. We discussed the importance of remembering. Whether it’s remembering happy moments such as birthday parties or family vacation, or sad memories like moving away from an old home, or the death of a loved one.
Together we watched a video clip of 23rd U.S. Poet Laurate Joy Harjo reading her poem “Remember.” In her poem, Harjo weaves aspects of her Muscogee-Creek heritage to paint beautiful images of things she wants readers to remember. Remember the sky that you were born under/Know each of the star’s stories/Remember the earth whose skin you are: red earth, yellow earth, white earth, brown earth, we are earth/ Remember you are all people and all people are you. Harjo words not only encourage us to embrace our past, but use those memories to hope for a better future.
Inspired by Joy Harjo’s empowering poem, students wrote poems about the people, places, and things they wish to remember.

Group A Middle School

My Very 1st Time

Remember my niece giving me her bracelet.
Remember my mom taking me to Disney World
when I was 4.
Remember sushi and shrimp Alfredo.
Remember my first kiss with my boyfriend.
Remember my first time at the park
and beach.

My Life

Remember my football games.
Remember my toy cars.
Remember my Grandma.
I don’t want to remember
my dog farting in my face.
Remember my family.

I Remember

I want to remember Lovie.
I want to remember my kitten, Junior.
I want to remember sushi.
I want to remember The Pitt on Hulu, 15 episodes
I want to remember Evan, he’s awesome.
I want to remember Lambchop.

I Wish

I wish I could forget your favorite color.
I wish I could forget us as babies.
I wish I could forget the way you talked;
but in a way
your forgotten, drowned by everything
you screamed at me.

Group B Middle School

I Remember My ...

I remember I love my Dad.
I remember I love Piggy,
I remember I was sad when
he popped.
I remember I love my mom.
I remember I love my sister.
I love my family.

Remember

Remember the year you
were born in.
Know the city you are in.
Remember your neighborhood,
know where you’re at.

Things I Want to Remember

There are things I want to remember forever.
Like a song I wrote and a trip to a water park.
It’s those, that bring good memories.
I remember playing in various gardens,
and taking flowers and acorns back inside.
It’s one of my many activities.

Remember

Remember Adam Sandler movies.
Remember music (dad’s music).
Remember my family.
Remember my friends.
Remember Kolache cookies.

Celebrate!

Do you remember the 21st night
of September?
Where we danced and sung
and celebrated me!
With Asian cuisine and yummy treats.
While the lights dimmed we watched
my life flash across the projector screen,
with friends and family coming
together to party!
3 days of celebrating me
and my life. I wish it never
ended.

Remember Our ...

Remember our families,
remember our fallen heroes,
who sacrificed there lives for us.
Remember the past, which shapes
us just as much as the present.
Remember your ancestors, the ones
who paved the way for your life.
Remember the old Titans classroom,
my first classroom.
Remember the things that
shaped who we are.

The Cool Summer Breeze

I remember,
from when I was younger,
I remember,
back when worries were nothing,
but a little voice,
that I learned to ignore.
When I played outside,
out for the world to see.
When I sat in the sun,
eating blackberries,
and when I went inside,
my mom or dad was always there with a pun,
as the AC blew,
and the summer breeze too,
I remembered just recently,
what it was like,
to feel the soft touch,
of the cool summer breeze.