Quiet Poems: “For one minute, just hush…”

For our first session back after Spring Break, we had a few new faces join our 7th and 8th graders. We read The Quiet Machine, a prose poem, by Ada Limón and talked about the places and activities that bring us a sense of peace and calm. Students then wrote their own poems and played with using the prose poem structure to talk about an emotion or state of being. Enjoy this week’s poets!

8th Grade

Loudness of the Opera Kurtis E.

When the voices and noise hit my ears
it’s like my life turned into an enclosed
opera. People talk so loud. Why are their
voices reaching towards me. It’s as if they’re
trying to belt that high F. Soles of the shoes,
type of the key, and ringing of the class bell.
Remind me of the cello, violin, and the flutes.
It’s their time to shine, operas in 4-D.

Why is this so overwhelming, take your
bow, leave the room. Don’t wait
on the stage crew, cue Phantom of
the opera and Carmen, perform at once.
Their loudness makes me anxious.
For one minute just hush, stop the
opera, like your loud voice and noise.

This Is The Place Kai-Ying B.

This is the place I go to be alone
To think about all of my choices and
to be quiet. I love this place, this place
is my bedroom. No one can know, no one
can be here, it’s like my little secret. My
little woman cave, it’s that because it’s
my peace. It’s where all my dreams and
hopes come true and this is why I love
my quiet space.

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