Letter Poems - The Chicago Poetry Center

Letter Poems

In our first class back from break, we read letter poems by William Carlos Williams and Matthew Olzmann (Part 2 of “For a Recently Discovered Shipwreck at the Bottom of Lake Michigan”) and brainstormed different ways we could connect with the past, present, or future through poetry. Here are the group poems that resulted!

Miss Davis's Eighth Grade Yellow Group

Jenna By Tristan D., Sarina H., and Katelyn P.

I remember watching

shows and movies you were in

admiring your acting.

How did it feel to act

in Wednesday with Percy?

When acting do you get

butterflies in your stomach

thinking you might mess up?

Miss Davis's Eighth Grade Red Group

Dear Water Bottle By Alex K. and Atticus V.

How does it feel to not be wanted?

Dear eraser By Mayra R. and Karla S.

Thank you for erasing all my mistakes on paper. If I use you too much, you can rip and leave marks on my pages. As you go, you erase all the past so I can have a new start.

Miss Davis's Eighth Grade Green Group

Evil Bird from Rio By Elisa G. and Anneliss N.

Why be evil when you can choose not to be?
You had the choice, certainly
Your fur is white
but not in the shadows of the night
Why be stuck in the past
when you can help other birds last?

A letter from across the country By Alyssa G.

Do you still replay the way we met in your head? I think about it before I go to bed.
The last time we hung out was at the mall. Our big smiles and loud laughter, I remember it all.
I’ll admit that I thought the days we spent together would never end. So please, visit your long-distance friend.