For their second session of poetry, 5th graders explored metaphors. Metaphors are direct comparisons, saying that one thing is another thing. Together we read and watched a video clip of Michael Salinger performing his poem, “If I Were a Gear.” Students were surprised to discover that not only is Salinger a poet and educator, but an engineer as well. In his poem, Salinger turns himself into a metaphor, by becoming a gear, a device usually used when building machines. I’d have teeth but not a toothbrush/I would mesh with other gears/I would turn in ratio/depending on the size of my partner. After the poem I asked students that if they could become someone or something else for a day, what would it be and why?
Inspired by Salinger, students imagined themselves transforming into unique living and non-living things. Please enjoy these poems below.
Mr. Maciasz 5th Grade
Group 1
Ring
By Adrian A.
If I were a ring, I would be expensive.
I would ride on a person’s hand if the
person gets married or buys a ring.
I would live in a jewelry store in a glass
box with other rings for a while
if I don’t get bought.
If someone buys me, they would buy
a case to put me in and I will be in a box
for half a day or they would put me
on their finger.
I Am a Clock
By Alejandro P.
I am a circle, I have hands,
I have numbers.
I feel tired, having to work
eternally for people who
don’t even give a thought
about me.
I could rewind time,
and I could change history,
and I could change the Universe.
I live with a whole family, yet
nobody knows I am there.
Lebron’s Basketball Shoes
By Leo G.
If I was Lebron’s basketball shoes,
I would feel like a cloud of joy.
I would be quick and agile.
I would smell like roses and Eden.
My neighbors,
Lebron’s shoe inserts and his socks.
Me and Lebron would be best friends.
I love Lebron
I love Lebron
I love Lebron
I love Lebron
I love Lebron
I love Lebron
I love Lebron
I love Lebron
So much!
A Conscious Tree
By Sofia M.
I feel it at birth, slowly dropping into the soil, leaving the bag and hands,
saying goodbye. Later that day raindrops slowly soaks to the soil to me
The minerals, I feel them, they came from the soil and mother tree, she’s
the eldest out of all of us here. I see it, I feel it photosynthesis, it’s amazing.
process, my first breathe of air, carbon dioxide to be clear, time flies doesn’t
it? I’m already a stem with a few leaves on me. My branches thin, my leaves
green. Autumn comes around, I close my leaves–its cold, Winter comes,
I lost all my leaves, I’m cold sick, tired and the only thing that protects, me
is my bark. Ah yes, the feeling of Spring, Wonderful Spring, I feel alive again.
Time flies, I’m a grown adult–Mother has tree is cut down. She’d always
tell me, “We can be useful to for something else.” I always thought we
were useful enough–we give air, in addiction we’re a hotel to owls, squirrels,
bugs. They feed off my food, leave, and apples, I always get annoyed when they
treat me like a hotel.
The 8th Winter came for me–it’s easier to survive now, I love April and May season.
It’s a beautiful time, the rain is very refreshing, and the flowers are a beauty.
The bees harvest on the flowers, it’s a nice view. Years and years passed, I became
the eldest, I give nutrients to every tree. Eventually I got cut down. Then I remember
the words of the Mother Tree said. I finally understand them–We have to come and
go. The amazing things I did and can do–I gave apples, leaves, I was a hotel.
I gave air. In my reincarnation I could be—about anything. I turned out to be
a canvas. I’m a beautiful painting in a museum.
Ms. Fernandez 5th Grade
Group 2
If I Were Timmroll
By Valeria G.A.
If I were Timmroll,
I would be bald.
behind my hoodie.
I would be as tiny
as a pencil.
I could hide
in the most
randomest
places.
Also, I could be
on your bag,
desk and you
could take me
anywhere.
Just make sure
I don’t get lost
or super dirty.
And I would
hang out with
Willy, Timmy,
and Strawberry.
If I Were A Cookie
By Sofia C.
If I were a cookie.
I would have blueberry
frosting for my hair.
If someone would try
to bake me, then I
would just crumble
out of fear.
If I needed help to fix
my gingerbread house,
I would ask silly Vanilly
next door.
I would feel tiny,
compared to the humans
who made me
If I were a cookie, I would
twirl and swirl in my
chocolate pool.
If I Were A JuJutsu Sorcerer
By Gael M.
If I were a JuJutsu Sorcerer.
I would pick infinity.
I’d be the strongest.
If my opponent were strong,
I’d use six eyes.
If everyone in the world
wasn’t in school, I’d use
Limitless Purple and go
Kaboom!
My abilities would be
able to make the average
person perish,
using one ability.
Bill Kaulitz
By Sofia R.
For me, I would choose to be
Bill Kaulitz for the day or forever.
I would have black spikey hair
with white highlights (with two
cans of hairspray in my hair)
Then I would have black nails
with white tips, dress emo
with black eyeliner.
I would probably feel overwhelmed
from all the fame, but I would also
feel noticed and special.
With all the girls, fans, boys etc.
crushing me and having my face
and band on a poster in some
fans room.
I would feel proud of myself
for releasing Monsoon,
my number 1 hit, Zimmer 483,
Schrei, Scream, Humanoid
and more.
By the way, I would live with
my twin brother Tom Kaulitz
and the rest of the band
Georg and Gustav.
Ms. Respress 5th Grade
Group 3
If I were A Leprechaun
By Yuriana G.
If I were a Leprechaun, I can be greedy.
Always being needy.
I’d slide down rainbows,
with pink preppy bows.
I’d would be rich.
I’d buy a million back scratchers
just to scratch my itch.
I would always be with my best friend.
and sadly, this is the end.
If I Were A Silly Duck
By Alexander J.
If I were a silly duck
I would fly.
I would hunt fish
and share with other ducks.
I would quack for bread
but trip and fall. Boom!
and still get bread.
I’d have feathers
like a warm coat.
I’d have webbed
feet like a diver.
If I Were A Hamster
By Nicholas L.
If I was a hamster,
I would look short,
small, and fluffy.
I would feel cute
and loving.
Things I can do is
run around in a
hamster ball.
I would live in
a little house
with a brother
or sister.
And that’s the life
of a hamster.
Ms. Bell 5th Grade
Group 4
If I Was the Sun
By Giovanni C.
It’s me, the sun,
shining right at you.
You can have real fun.
I’m burning hot.
I’m hotter than soup
and a pot.
Orbiting all around
the Earth.
No flowers can grow
without me.
No, it’s not the soil
or the dirt.
Your skin got burnt, sorry,
Looking at the animals at
the Safari.
Hey Solar System!
Some planets aren’t
close to me, some are
far away from me.
Even if you’re close
or far, you can see
a big light, you could
see it shining bright.
It’s me, the Sun.
Flower
By Sofia C.
I would be short, and on
a rainy day, I will get wet.
On the pot, I sit by the window
when the rain drops.
On a sunny day, I would
grow and blossom.
I would feel nice and fresh
with the wind blowing
through my petals.
And in the winter, my petals
fall off and wait til the summer.
So, someone can say,
“Wow!, pretty flower.”
Budige (Parakeet)
By Noire U.
If I were a budgie, I would be blue, because I’m a girl.
I would have feathers, and I would have a beak.
I would be happy because I can fly.
Some amazing things I can do are fly,
chirp, and get my wings clipped.
I would live with another bird,
because if you only have one,
they would be sad.
Other 5th grade artwork:
