For our thirteenth virtual lesson Shoesmith 5th and 6th graders became artists. We explored Ekphrastic poetry, poems inspired by famous works of art. Together students read the poem “River Song,” by Warren Woessner, which was based on the painting “Brooklyn Bridge: Variation on a Old Theme,” by Joseph Stella. In his poem, Woessner uses similes and sensory details to describe the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge strung over the water like a huge harp/Sun caught in the black strings/ forms one pure note. Woessner’s beautiful words paint the image of the bridge in the minds of his readers.
Inspired by Warren Woessner, students created their own Ekphrastic poems inspired by famous sculptures, paintings, and photographs. Please enjoy this week’s artistic poems.
Ms. Yassky’s 5th Grade
Group 1
The Flower
By Victoria G.
The flower taste like fresh green mint
The flower feels as soft as a pillow
The flower smells like pastel pink blooming
The flower petals sounds like tree leave rustling
When I see the flower I see light pink on the petals
Wash Day
By Marysol T.
A hot sunny day
There having a laundry day
The shades of they sky
They are working together
Beautiful houses
The shades of the sky
As the all work together
To get the job done
Untitled
By Amani W.
The sun is shining bright like a popstar
The sky is blue like my fav youtuber
The clouds look like happiness in the sky
The people look happy like me
And the whole world is happy like I am
Ms. Yassky’s 5th Grade
Group 2
Mona Lisa
By Dalana G.
Mona Lisa is as chill as a cold pop
She is as pretty as the red roses
She looks as nice as the hot summer weather
She is as sharp as sharp cheddar cheese
She looks like she taste like strawberries
Her touch is like soft fur
Mystical forms make me feel like
By Morgan R.
Mystical forms make me like a rainbow
Mystical forms make me like primary, secondary, and tertiary all at the same time
Mystical forms make me feel like the world is smiling
Mystical forms make me feel like I can do anything
Mystical forms make me feel like the brush strokes have character
Mystical forms is art
Singing is art
Dancing is art
Even Cartoons is art
Everything is art in some way because there’s always somebody
expressing how they feel not only on paper but everywhere
Poetry is ART!
As pretty as the Mona Lisa
By Noah O.
I find myself being insecure
About myself and my body
Then my mother tells me something
That I will always remember
You are as pretty as the Mona Lisa
As beautiful as The starry night
As unique as the girl with pearl earrings
As beautiful as the night sky
And you are a beautiful work of art
Ms. Henry’s 6th Grade
Group 1
The Sad Old Grampa
By Skylar C.
As his life wines down
He gets calm like a pine tree
he gets sick
And starts sitting on the cold concrete ground
Hmmmmmmmmmmm
He gets quieter
But he loves playing on his guitar
The quiet tones
Make his day
Hmmmmmmmmm
As he takes his last breath
Holding his guitar
He hums away
Hmmmmmmm
The Barber Shop
By Elijah G.
Pop! Pick! Snip! Buzz!
The shop is alive
It sounds like a hive of bees
Laughing, buzzing, snipping
The leather chair is as cool as a spring breeze
The smell of cigarette smoke hits my nose
The scissors slide along my head, sharp as a knife
The cold steel of the clippers as they cut my hair
The sweet and sticky taste of the sucker
As I walk out of the shop
Feeling fresh as a prince
As I leave the shop the cold breeze hits my head
Vast Sea
By Victor S.
The vast sea
With waves like wind
Flows onto shore
With all kinds of animals
Makes sand wet
So the children can play
All day and night
And sit down to listen
And see
To the great waves
Of the sea
Ms. Henry’s 6th Grade
Group 2
Turn Back Time
By Layla A.
The day feels as dry as a desert
The clocks are as old as the 1932 Tremont Hotel
The mountains of rock rising like a flower growing within time
Time is as deflated as a balloon after it has been popped with a pin
The sweet yet dull taste of time is delicious yet undercooked. A little too bittersweet. A time that you can’t rewind but just let it be.
The soft flat feeling of time gives a warm feeling even though I have not defrosted. The time when I just lost it
The sweet perfume of jasmine extracts from time, yet sometimes it smells like a rotten piece of fruit when you can’t change what you wish could be changed, you wish you hadn’t aged
The hinged knob that you see that you wished you could use to rewind time. To rewind the mistakes of mine
Birds chirping your heart hurting hearing the tick tock the click of the clock. The countdown until time runs out. Until you run out of time.
Time is as deflated as a balloon after it has been popped with a pin
Going back seems like a sin, but you feel within,
Birds chirping your heart hurting hearing the tick tock the click of the clock. The countdown until time runs out. Until you run out of time.
Another Night Out
By Yoshua G.
Dogs all sitting around the card table
Eyes as droopy as dead flowers, are they able
to play a card game as humans do?
They’re sitting round the table, the lamp as bright as the sun
The touch of the cool glasses, like snow in their hands
The cigars smelled of burning leaves
The dogs barking words of fun
Hmm, dogs in the form of humans
Just another night out with the pals
Dogs Playing Poker
By Xavier H.S.
Lenny is side-eyeing Tito he is as sly as a detective
Tito is smoking a pipe (like usual)
George is taking his time, holding the cards as smooth as paper
Charlie is cheating (no surprise!)
Buster is about to win this thing, being careful with his cards
John is laughing at his bad luck
Bruno is chilling, as always
The dogs are sitting on chairs like legitimate people
