Technology & You - The Chicago Poetry Center

Technology & You

For our 4th week of poetry, Twain 6th graders explored ideas about technology and its positive and negative influences on our daily lives. Students mentioned positive things about technology such as phone alarms to help wake us up in the morning, GPS so we don’t get lost while traveling, Chromebook laptops to complete homework, video games and Tik Tok to keep us entertained. The downside of technology is that it can be sometimes harmful, such as cyber bulling and online predators.

Together we read “Like Any Good American,” by Brynn Saito. In this poem the speaker’s uses personification, giving human like qualities to objects such as her TV. Not only does she give it her full attention, but also physical parts of herself: corneas, eardrums, and skin. “In return it gives me so many different sounds to fill the silence where the secrets of my life flash by like ad space for the coming season.” Although technology gives us exciting sounds and images, we sometimes can sacrifice our relationships with other people. The poet answering her mom’s phone calls and ignores the beauty of the natural world around her.

Inspired by Brynn Saito, students wrote poems describing how technology effects their lives. So, readers after reading these poems, please take someone to unplug your devices and spend some quality time with your loved ones.

Mr. Barr 6th Grade Group 1

My Phone By Melanie C.

My phone yells at me to wake up in the morning,
which is annoying.
I can never get enough good sleep because my
phone talks at me, to go use it.
My phone wants all my attention by telling
me to come listen & play something.
My phone makes himself comfortable
in my pocket & takes a nap.
When its nighttime, my phone whispers
in my ear, that’s its tired and wants to sleep.
I put it to charge and it sleeps, while
I snuggle in my bed and fall asleep.
And the day repeats itself over and over
again to the phone waking me up in
the morning.
But in the morning,
it always like to play dress up,
and likes to pick its objects.

The TV By Jaylynn G.

The TV blinks as it turns on.
The PlayStation joins in and connects
to the TV by hopping into the plug.
TV roars as it sound comes out its ears.
Controller combines with the plug too.
The Controller beeps as its used to
change games.
TV smiled happily as it sees you smiling.

Mr. Barr 6th Grade Group 2

My Phone By Isabella A.

My phone goes where I go,
it follows me.

It holds secrets, things that can’t
be said. It shares memories,
it reminds you when you were
happy or sad.

It’s dangerous, but it tells me,
everyone takes the risk.
It could make you cry.
It can grow on you.

Lights By Aliany L.

The lights light up the room
when they walk in with a bright smile,
like a sun covering the moon,
out shining the stars.

They light up the city,
when they flicker with joy.
Wakes up a person brightly.

Mr. Barr 6th Grade Group 3

My Pencil and Headphones By Joseph A.

I do homework with my pencil
That is tired.
I give it a lot more attention
than my headphones.
My paper is done.
I put my pencil down.
I go to sleep.

My headphones listen to my pencil
draw what happened today.
My headphones talks to the pencil
by music beats.
My pencil listens to the headphones
talking about confidence.

In the morning my pencil breaks.
I sharpen it and now it’s ready
for the day.

Different Reality By Bellamor H.

My headphones sing loudly.
My heart sings al ong.
I lis ten hard,
I listen clearly,
I feel like I’m in a different reality.
It makes me feel mixed feelings.
My headphone’s songs make me
lose my anxiety.

My headphones sing loudly.
My ears listen along.
My headphone’s song’s trap
me in this world.
So my headphones keep singing
me to sleep.