Magical Recipes - The Chicago Poetry Center

Magical Recipes

For their 7th poetry session Hamline 6th graders dappled with magic and spells. I asked if they could create a magical potion, what would you use it for and why? The majority of students said money or riches, while others wanted superhero like powers, infinite wishes or the ability to make their siblings disappear. This week’s lesson about potions was inspired by the amazing poet-in-resident Timothy Rey.

Together we read and discussed the poem “To Be Invisible,” by Kristen S. a student at Washington Elementary. In her poem Kristen lists instructions and unique ingredients to create her invisibility potion. To be invisible you need the drops of rain/to be invisible you need the scent of lavender/to be invisible you need petals from flowers need the river. After Kristen mixes the ingredients together, to her surprise the potion disappears, and this makes her actually relieved, she realizes at the end she doesn’t really want to be invisible.

Inspired by Kristen’s poem students imagined their own potions, with strange ingredients, and shocking side effects.

Mr. Marroquin 6th Grade Group 1

Para Tener dinero Adriana S.

Para tener dinero
Trabajar duro terminar mi carrera ser inteligente.
Tener mejor calificaciones y ser educada.
Ser mas fuerte mas paciencia.
Bestir bien a respetar los demas
y tener valenta y decirte tu misma
se valiente.

Pocion Para Fuerte Aron P.

Vierte agua muy fria
Vierte dios pedasos de hierro
Vierte tres pedasos de piedra.
Vierte un pelo de un puma
Vierte ma cadena pe plata.

Pacion Grecia R.

Pacion para tener todos lo pedres,
arcoiris, nubes, rayos de lluvia.
Pata de duende.
Oreja de hormiga, pero de tiburon,
y despues los mezclamos y luego juermo
por 6 minutos le hecho un pedazo
de cemento, cloro y me le tomo
y tengo todos los podeles.

Mr. Marroquin 6th Grade Group 2

A Potion For Love Neveah F.

2 drops of tears from your crush.
1 heart
3 teddy bears,
a strand of hair from your crush,
a box of chocolate,
2 strands of hair from your Ex,
2 tears from your enemy,
and 10 roses.
Mix it until you see everything dissolve
and then spray it on you.

Artist Potion Diego F.

Rande gave me a potion.
It had 12 famous paintings,
2 gallons of paint,
an artist pencil, my pencil
My favorite art in my
favorite style.
And when I drank it,
I became Bob Ross.

Bravery Potion Jose P.

I am a knight, I’m supposed to protect
the kingdom but I’m scared.

That is why I’m creating a bravery potion.
I need 5 drops of snake venom, a cup of
holy water, the hair of a saber-toothed tiger,
and lastly 5 drops of my blood.

I followed the instructions perfectly.
Then I poured it in a cup.

Then I heard screams.
I drank the potion and ran.
I saw a dragon attacking the kingdom.
I leapt into action and attacked it.
It hit me with its tail and I flew.
I got back up and jumped on its head.
It bit my arm off but I stayed on.
I stabbed it on the head and won.

When I went back, I realized I drank
the water, not the potion.

I guess all you need is confidence!

Ms. Torres 6th Grade Group 3

COMO SER MILLONARIO !!! Mariangel G.

Tener dos cabellos de Lana Del Rey

tener 2 pestañas de kylie jenner

2 lágrimas de kendall jenner

tener una cadena de oro de Taylor Swift

Potion of how to become slash/Saul Hudson Yaritza O.

To be slash you need to have one of his guitars he owns.

To be slash you need a top hat added to the potion

To be slash you need 3 strands of his black curly hair

You need a jean vest just like what slash wears

A pair of sunglasses like what he wears with his top hat

A sliver chain he wears around his neck

The potion turns the color black,

so you need to mix lightly for the potion to work.