‘The memories hidden behind it’: Li-Young Lee Inspired Poems

As we continue distance instruction, students at Taft Freshman Academy continue to generate beautiful poems!  This week’s food-themed poems are inspired by From Blossoms by Li-Young Lee.

Lesson Note: ‘In a time of crisis, poetry can help focus our fears and transform ‘noise into music’ … In effect, poetry “aims in every possible way to reaffirm the world that we actually inhabit, in all its vital, messy, beautiful, tragic reality. Mar 10, 2020, The Washington Post.

 
Ms. Munoz, 9th Grade
Period One

Pizza
By: Jessei C.

Pizza has an amazing taste
It tastes like gold.
Pizza tastes so good
It even tastes good when it’s cold.

When it’s fresh out of the oven
You know you are gonna eat it often.
The cheese on the pizza is amazing
It’s so good that I am craving
More pizza

The Sound Of The Block
By Wellington J.

You Know the time it comes to your block
You hear the music for a few blocks

When it turns the corner all the kids rush
To get out the house with some money
Everyone runs and gets some ice cream

This can bring the block together
Everyone has some ice cream together
The ice cream truck only comes in the nice weather

Kids making friends
Playing outside till the night ends
The music brings the block together

Cheesecake
By Mary N.

Every Once in a while
This lady appears
Selling delightful treats for us all

The to-go plastic sealed plate
Of one deseret, we have gotten
Waiting for it to be eaten

Once we got home, we opened it
The pleasurable sniff of the smell
That whipped into our faces

Taken on a small bite of it
The smooth, rich and sweet delight treat
Was just sitting in our mouth.
Gave us one bright smile

Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
Period Two

Spaghetti night
By Arkady K.

A pile of spindly thread
Each differing in length
Topped in a crimson sauce
Morsels of meat mixed in

Before served the pot is stirred
To make sure the flavors mesh
In a mixture
Fresh, sweat, and special

gum
By Eleanor M.

A sharp taste of mint
Cold winter day when you open your mouth
But warm like the little house
That holds a special place in my heart

Two sticks for two best friends
Stretches far
But can stick together
For life

The little paper package
That holds a special place in my heart
No matter what you can taste that mint
1.61 is the price
Of that warm minty flavor

At the end of the day
Two sticks
Two friends

Key Lime Pie
By John G.

A lush green
A perfect balance
Of tart and sweet
A crust that is as flakey
As powdered snow

A simple desert
It only takes
Bout an hour
For a wonderful sweet

Like in life
Some good things
Take time
And somethings don’t

Watermelon
By Natalya H.

From a tiny seed
to a big, round fruit bursting with reds and greens
as if sending a message
that summer is around the corner.

Coming home
my aunt
sweaty from the hot, summer day,
settles it on the table
watching
when it will be devoured by my cousins, sister,
and I.

We each take a slice,
the juice, slowly creating puddles in our hands.
As we take the first bite-
Ooh!
The refreshing, sweet, fruit taste
Slowly fills our dry
and hungry mouths.

As we consume this summer taste,
We remember spending winter times,
wishing the taste of a watermelon
will fill our mouths,
only to realize
the best juice is eaten in the summer.

But just because no watermelon is good in the winter,
Doesn’t mean the winter is no good.

Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
Period Five

Zesty
By Ernest G.

Far from home
Lies an establishment,
A big old farm.

On the farm,
You can find tons and tons
Of delicacies,
Especially the blueberry.

Picked fresh out of the bushes,
The taste is luscious,
Juicy, tasty, and zesty.

The beautiful taste,
The beautiful smell,
Would keep you attached,
Until your stomach explodes.

Mexican Dragon Fruit
By Rogelio F.

It’s juicy
Red
And delicious

I love
When they
Cut it
In half

Better
Than the
One in
America

Because
Its juicer
And has
More flavor

Oranges
By Ines G.

Small slices
Juice dripping onto the
Porcelain plate.
Salt sprinkled onto each one.

Slightly burning my lips
As I eat the
Oranges,
Savoring the
Sweetness and
Bitterness.

Ms. Munoz, 9th Grade
Period Six

Icecream Sandwiches
By Alany B.

A grocery store
Nothing special or specific
About its origin only
The memories hidden behind it

Cold, fresh out of the freezer
Soft, savory, so delicious
smiles coming from
Daughter and father

Melts too quickly for delight
This memory won’t melt too quickly
Rather, it sticks to me
Like the cold snack to the paper

Joy, thoughts, and ideas
All come rushing through
And to think it all started
From an ice cream sandwich

Spaghetti
By Zorn A.

Spaghetti tastes
Sweet and bland
At the same time.

The sauce is the
Sweet part of it.
The noodles are
The bland part.

cherries
By: Milena K.

Little cherries attached to the vines,
Swaying in the light summer breeze,
Just waiting to get picked.
Waiting to get baked into delicious sweet.
She waited alongside the tree,
Watching the red dots fly
Into the basket.
The color of the cherries,
Almost as dark as her hair.

Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
Period Eight

bulgogi
By dax k.

Fresh off the stove
placed onto a metal plate
steaming hot
ready to eat

As we all start to eat
we let the taste buds take in all
the different flavors
all of them having unique and special tastes
similar to us.

All of us differ in
more ways than one.
It could be your skin color
your gender
your likes and dislikes.

But we are all different
and unique
we are not all the same
and that’s what makes us
human

Ice cream sandwiches
By Lily M.

Summer days spent resting
Sleeping under the brilliant blue sky
And basking under the warm sun
As it shone down on my skin

We sat on the porch
My sister and I
Watching the world drift by
Each with one in hand

One swift bite
A cold shock contrasting beads of sweat
Sugar melting in our mouths
Almost as sweet as the days that were spent
Dreaming.

Vanilla and Chocolate
Mixing
Blending
Flavors swirling together in our mouths
Becoming one
Until all we could taste
Was pure bliss.

Pizza
By Michelle A.

The food our family loves
It makes everyone happy

Saves the day
Avoids arguments on what to eat

It’s what brings us together
Pepperoni, cheese, and sausage

It warms all of our lil bellies
Makes us less hangry & at peace

The party food everyone loves
Always from little caesars

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TESTIMONIALS

“Writing poetry makes me feel like I can see myself, like I can see my reflection, but not in a mirror, in the world. I write and I know I can be reflected.”
-Oscar S.

“Writing poetry makes me feel free.”
-Buenda D.

“Writing poetry is like your best friend.”
-Jessica M.