Shoesmith Soloems, Part 1

This week Shoesmith 4th graders took inspiration from the “Chicago Soul Poem” form, also known as a Soloem. This type of poem was created by avery r. young, during his tenure as Chicago’s first poet laureate (2023-2025). A Soloem is a 5 stanza/9 line poem written specifically about the people, places, and things that are the soul of Chicago.

After brainstorming ideas and memories specific to Shoesmith and other Chicago-centric things like its social activism, its neighborhoods, Cloud Gate (aka “The Bean”), the exuberance with which Chicagoans celebrate holidays, and the “bucket boys, “we read and discussed my soloem,”In The Church of Promontory Point.”  From there students wrote their own [or dictated their poems to a teacher];  some wrote Soloems, while others wrote poems inspired by the Soloem form.

Enjoy reading Group 1’s Poems in this post!

Ms. Lehner 4th Grade Group 1

What My Life Looks Like Blake H.

The people here are unique and have different cultures

People playing, basketballs bouncing in my busy neighborhood
I see people driving different cars and kids running around

I remember leaving home to a hotel
I saw different people, new types of nature
And so many people walking and just living their life

Near Cottage Grove I left my car.  I saw trees and flowers
I drove past people playing basketball

The people here are unique and have different cultures

 

My Neighbor Dillon A.

My neighbor

She always has a smile on her face
And it makes me smile, too

I first met her when I was 3 and I was
on my porch. She gave me a pizza and
it was good

I heard her dogs barking , her dogs were
cute, cars were passing by

My neighbor

At the School of Shoesmith Genji M.

At the School of Shoesmith

The school shimmers with knowledge and positivity
The school glimmers with colorful walls

I remember the skating field trip
I fell a lot but I still stood up
I felt encouraged by my friends

The very unique building has lots of rooms
The rooms are filled with knowledge

At the school of Shoesmith

My Life in Chicago Mylan O.

The food and the parties are the soul of Chicago

Chicago looks
like where all the fun stuff is

My favorite memory is when me and my family
went to a celebrity restaurant and the food
was absolutely amazing and everyone was nice

I was downtown by buildings and it was
so fun it smelled like fresh pizza and it was busy

The food and the parties are the soul of Chicago

 

 

At My School Cameron H.

At my school

It looks colorful and bright
It’s logo is a honeybee

It sounds chaotic
It sounds like a lion’s roar
It sounds like a car honking

A memory is kindergarten, my birthday
when my smile was as bright as the sun

At my school

My Shoesmith Pierre L.

at my Shoesmith

how the kids scream with joy and
yell with excitement

and how my friends help me when
I’m down and they help me with
my work

at the class I listen
and in the park I play

at my Shoesmith

 

My Culture and My Country Imani T.

On the long and quiet streets

Everywhere I go I hear the music
of 80s and 90s.

I remember my cries and
struggles when my grandpa died
I remember me seeing his ghost

I was climbing over my father’s
shoulder at my dead grandpa’s house

On the long and quiet streets

 

In Chinatown Anta K.

in Chinatown

I smell different foods
I see fine china and Chinese lanterns

I remember when I went to a seafood place
when I went to Chinatown.  It made me
be more open minded about food, clothes, and drinks.

with Auntie and Mom I got a new fan and
a new dress

in Chinatown

My Life Caleb C.

At the lake of Michigan

I feel the wind on my skin
so does my Mom she also feels the wind

I feel the love of Hyde park
I feel the love of my ancestors
I know I’m loved

I feel the water splash at the lake
I feel God touching my shoulders

My life at the lake of Michigan

My Chicago Kavon B.

The Hive

it looks like FUN
It looks like learning with Mrs. Willis and Ms. Lehner

the excitement when I came here in 2024
I arrived in Chicago
in 2016

Walking in the neighborhood in 2025
I swim in Washington Park pool

The HIVE and Chicago

My Memories from Chicago Zah'Riah D.

Chicago is fun

Chicago can take you to new places, like
arcades, parks, restaurants, and lakes

My first time at Sloomoo
we made rare slimes and had fun.   On my 9th
birthday, we had a house party in Chinatown

Downtown brings music and noises
Chinatown brought new foods to me

Chicago is fun