Last Day of School - Summer Poems - The Chicago Poetry Center

Last Day of School – Summer Poems

For my last day with the 7th graders at Sayre Language Academy, the students described what they learned about writing and themselves through the process of writing poetry. Then they wrote poems about what they were looking forward to seeing in their neighborhoods this summer.

Students also had the opportunity to resubmit a poem they wrote throughout the residency that was not originally published, but that they wanted to be published. It was a fun and nice wrap-up, with the students expressing their thoughts, excitement for the summer, and nostalgia about the weeks we’d spent together writing.

Reflections on Writing and Poetry

Poetry is…
love, hate, depression, anger, and regret.
like a song.
an example of life.

Writing makes me feel…
good.
smart.
creative.
calm and focused.
cansado y relajado.
relaxed and kinda calm.
a whole new world.

Writing teaches me…
kindness.
how to reflect.
not to get so stressed.
how to let things go and express myself.
to think.
figurative language.
how to express the world.

I write because…
it helps me express myself.
it helps me think.
me estreso o porque me quiero relajar.
it is important and good for my mind.
it is fun.
I wanna let things out.
it makes me happy.
it inspires me.

Without writing, I would…
draw.
talk.

Poetry can…
make people feel good about themselves.
hacer cosas casi imposibles y enseñarte.
make a statement.
make people happy.
make people happier.
help with emotions.
improve a person’s mental health.
help people.

Summer Poems

Neighborhood Orlando G.

The ducks are like neighbors to us
The lawns neatly trimmed like
it just got a fresh cut
The Audi R8 that goes “Vroooomm” every
3 months

My neighborhood Itzel R.

I want to see
Trees as they dance in the wind,
El paletero as the sirens being called,
parades being traditionally shown,
That’s my neighborhood
and sight.

Summer is fun Benjamin T.

Kids are outside
running like deer in a forest
Birds flying like kites
I see flowers as beautiful as the sky
I see turtles in the pond swimming like birds
flying in the sky
I see the grass dancing in the summer breeze.
Summer is fun.

Additional Poems

Music can... Geniyah E.

Music can make me feel happy, it can make you happy
It can make you feel sad
Or think about all the fun times we had
Music can make you mad or sad
When listening to things, you feel
no matter what you like
Music can always be there

Untitled Angel G.

Yo le tengo medo a las alturas y fracturas
son como escalo friantes e intimidantes a el
igual que las panteras muy rapidas y tambien
los ovnis quese esparcer por el espacio y los
cementarios con fantasmos es lo peor de los
cementerios.

Motion Boy Joseph K.

My name is Joseph I have so much motion
I have more motion than you, you and your
family, too.

My Poem Antoine W.

I’m as good,
as a basketball player,
as the Bulls in the
90’s, my game is sharp as a razor
and clean as a fresh taper.

Basketball clears my mind, makes it
clear as day.
For when I play basketball my head is
as uncomplicated as 3rd grade
math.