Sincerely…ME!: Letter Poems

Students read the famed basketball player, Kobe Bryant’s epistolary poem (a poem written in letter form), ‘Dear Basketball’, and then penned their own letter poems to people, places, and things.

 

“Kobe Bryant’s love for writing……evolved from a deeply personal, obsessive passion that mirrored his dedication to basketball to a post-game reflection tool into a career as an Oscar-winning storyteller and author. He spent 15 years studying story structure, aiming to create relatable stories and fantasy-driven young adult books.”-Google

ABOVE PHOTO: One 7th-grade class, then transferred their writing to envelopes, like 19th-century poet Emily Dickinson was famous for doing!

 

 

Ms. Collins, 6th Grade

Dear Baseball, by Evan L.

Dear baseball,

 

I fell in love with you when I was just 5 years old

And I still like you!

 

You make me feel happy

When I’m playing 

My dream is to be a professional baseball player when I’m 18

I like to be a shortstop and get pop flies

Dear Claire, by Ruby B.

I am happy that you are my friend 

             You make me feel Safe, Comfort, Helpful 

              When I need help, you are always there for me 

        

                I love  when we can hang out together 

                When we get to play Volleyball together

                I love when you make me laugh 

 

                 You are always kind to me when I am in a bad mood

                 You are always there for me when I get into a fight 

                  You make me smile when I am sad, whenever 

 

                             When I get behind you, always catch me up 

                I am happy you are my friend 

              We’ve been together until 3rd grade 

               You always help me with homework 

 

               P.S. I love you when you are my friend 

                            Sincerely Ruby

              

Mrs. McClain, 7th Grade, Group One

Dear Jackity, (an excerpt) by Jake K.

Dear Jackity Lackity,

 

You, and I, and you, know you owe me

The gas station runs, the DoorDash, you know how it is

It’s expensive!

So you owe me

One way or another, I’ll get my money’s worth

So I’m thinking that you should walk me at our baseball game

Just 4 simple balls

That’s all you need to do

I’ll buy you a Monster before the game if you do it.

Just 4 bad pitches, just outside the box

Just 4

 

With money to spend

Jake K.

 

Dear Josue, by Easton S.

Dear Josue,

You are one of my friends since I was 9, turning 10 

He has been my friend since the end of 4th grade and has been a good friend ever since 

At recess, we play soccer. He is a good soccer player, and I

appreciate it. 

Mrs. McClain, 7th Grade, Group Two

Dear Buck, by Ben W.

Dear  Buck,

From the moment we adopted you

And eating a full baguette when we were gone

You mean the world to me

 

Maybe not the smartest

But I like that about you

You are unstoppable in your world when you zone out

But we are all in our own world 

You are um,

Different.

Very.

But I love you.

 

Sincerely,

Ben

Dear Friends, by Liliana B.

Dear Friends,

 

From my first day at 

School till today and forever

You guys have always been 

There for me through my

Ups and downs

But I know one thing 

For sure

You guys are the best

Friends I could ever ask for

 

Especially 302

 

302 is where I 

Met my friends

Nora in away was my first friend

At school

She’s funny and smart 

She helps me with many different things

 

Then there’s Loretta, who is just amazing

She is funny but can also be serious when 

She wants or needs to be

She is always there to 

comfort me when I am sad

 

But there’s two more 

 

My very best friend

Rosa shes fun

Smart and pretty

She might not have been

My first friend, but she 

Was definitely the one that

I clicked with the most

We always find something to laugh at

Even if we are the only ones laughing

 

We are like 2 peas in a pod

 

But then there’s Abby

Who’s the third pea in our pod

Although she isn’t in 302  

She’s always there and 

Is funny and smart

She’s there whenever I 

Need her, and we get along Amazingly

 

All my friends are amazing

but 302 is the best

I hope we always stay this way 

 

Sincerely yours

     Lili B.