Concrete poems

This week at Belding, students read e.e. cummings' In Just, and used the poem as a catalyst for discussion of the interaction between poem and page. We talked about reasons cummings might have had for his particular kind of spacing, and about what such deliberate decisions do for a poem. Students were then invited to write their own poems with a focus on spacing of the word and line. Some students chose to write poems in topic-specific shapes, while others maintained a focus on appropriate and relevant spacing.

These poems below do little justice to the careful and intelligent designs made by the students this week, but the texts themselves are, nonetheless, a testament to how far the students' techniques and creativity have come this year.

from Mr. Merrill's class:

by Arnel
(in the shape of a square)

it can make it any shape
it can be anything it can be
a bee or a dog I like squares
because it is a shape of a house

***

by Caleb S.

up
falling


Now I see rain
drops up
falling

falling
and clouds

down.

***

Saturn

by Karim

(in the shape of Saturn)

Space is nothing--
no air
some planets are hot or cold.

***

from Mr. Aivazian's class

***

by Jocelyn
(in the shape of a heart)

I play outside.
I go swimming.
I like movies at night.
I play in the sandbox and build a house.
My doctor gives me shots.

***

Love
by Christopher W
(in the shape of a heart)

My grandma has always loved
us that also take care of us
love is for people that
really special from
all hearts. Some
of my students
has love me
in my
heart
and
friends

***

by Zachary

(in trailing lines across the page)

So you better call all because
spring is crawling right down your back.
So that way I say spring is back
spring is wack that's why I say you better
call all because spring is back, spring is wack.


***

Confusion
by Sasha

(in the shape of a spiral)

When you are confused it is just a matter of time before
you figure out your problem.
Confusion is just a feeling which you are too stunned to figure out.
Confusion is a time, best not to think of too many topics
or you just might end up staying awake all night
staring into the spectacular night sky.
But it is a thrill to figure the problem out.

***

by Katie G.

(in the shape of a bird)

Today is a wonderful day because the birds come out after
a long time in winter. The birds such as the robins, cardinals,
woodpeckers and seagulls came out to play. It's sunny.
I'm glad that spring came! Spring is my favorite season all year long!

***

Ocean

by Jose M

(in the shape of waves)

The ocean moves because the
wind blows on it that's
why it moves it is
windy the cool
breeze it is so cool
when the wind moves
through you and it makes
you cool and fresh when
you go in the ocean
it is cool so cool.

Small Frames

This week at Belding, students read haiku by Basho, Issa, and Buson, and discussed the way the haiku form functions, serving to snip away all but the smallest details, while still leaving a very broad picture. In writing their own haiku, I asked students not to focus on the syllabic count, but rather, to work on creating a similar structure--a poem in which the barest possible portrait gives much to the reader. Some examples are below.

from Mr. Merrill's class
***

by Caleb

All the rainy days
Umbrellas and boots
And non-stop traffic.

***

by Michael

There is a broken seal
that is cracked open by evil
spirits and then closed by good
spirits.

***
by Karim

Spring is a good season
bees suck pollen and flowers grow
I will get honey from the store
to remind me about spring.

***

from Ms. Navrocki's class

***

by Sasha

The sea shines brightly at night
The water swishes in the night air
while the book stays on its shelf.

***

by Anthony

Little woodpecker
pecking at a little wooden house
oh why do you do that?

***

by Rianne

Friend, I go
I must leave this place,
don't cry I will remind.

***

by Amine

In the old cowfield
All you hear are gunshots shooting
nobody knows who shot.

***

by Lio

How interesting
He has bitten his nails now
How confusing yet.

***

by Loreyn

In the house I pick a box
full with memories from my aunty
I left them there and I don't know why.

***

from Mr. Aivazian's class

***

by Warren Butts

Clocks help us how to tell time.
When it is 12:40 that means it is lunch
time. And when it is 2:45 it will be home time.
We will always learn how to tell time everyday from
Monday to Friday.

***

by Christopher

The dog was barking and howling at the
children because the wind was
whispering at the grass.

***

by Jocelyn

A yellow-green bird
It makes a sound, pew-pew
He is drinking water.

Call and Response

This week at Belding, students were introduced to a series of short call-and-response poems from the Bantu of sub-Saharan Africa. We discussed the roles of oral tradition, and students were able to discuss examples from their own lives. Students then paired off, and created their own call-and-response-style poems, to be read aloud in tandem. Some examples of the work can be read below.

From Mr. Merrill's Class:

***

Michael D and Caleb S

Today’s sadness
Tomorrow’s happiness

The shack falling
The storm coming

The fire burning
The smoke forming

The bad bad day.

***

Imane and Jordan

My grandma’s doll handed to me
Tying the strings day today

My mom tells me about her life
All the fun things she did when she was a kid

***

By Devanta

The morning of
Africa the birds
Tweet

The morning of
Africa the sun
Rise

The morning of
Africa the kings
Rise with the
Sun

With the heaven
Earth

***

By Karim and Fardosa

I cut down an apple tree
I still feel bad

So angry
Broke the promise

The fearness is still
Inside me

A lion running right behind me
It hurts inside me
In a hole

By David

The morning beings
The night is gone

The sun is setting
Flowers are growing

Apples are falling off the tree
People and animals are playing
In the grass

I see people playing in the park
And people swing on the swings

I see the night started
And people go home

***

from Ms. Navrocki's class:

***

Sasha and Amine

I am cooking a fish, I don’t know what ingredient to use
I am standing on a wall and not falling

I see a huge black spot swooping down and dust falling from the ceiling
I see a hole in the wall and people are going in my house and eating my food.

***

By Nathaniel and Jose

I am watching TV and you?
Watching my favorite show.

Like what TV show?
I am watching Sonic.

***

By Katie and Lio

The Hospital

I’m doing a surgery.
Everyone is worried.

Nurses are running fast.
Relatives gasp.

Their relatives are worried.
So are their friends.

The surgery is going well.
Everyone is relieved.

***

By Loreyn and Ahlam

I’m giving a gift to my friend.
I saw in her eyes surprise and joy.

I gave her a letter with a ring so she knows I’m leaving forever.
I saw the tears crawl down in her eyes. It made me feel I’m all alone by myself.

I went to a land so far from home to hunt a diamond and sell it to stores.
I realized that selling the diamond was not right because I will just keep it to myself.

***

from Mr. Aivazian's class

***

By Jocelyn

I am running
In gym class

I am running
It is hot outside

I am running
Towards my sister

***

By Daniella

I am swimming
In the pool.

I go to the library
I take books

I go to the park
I play with my cousin, he have two years

I do gym with
My friends

I run in the sun
With my cousin.

***

By Christopher

I am hot from outside because it’s warm
And I like to go swimming at the beach

I was burning like fire and my grandma
Was putting sunscreen on my and my brother at our bodies.

Writing the Blues

This week, Belding students discussed the tradition of blues music--its history, its styles, its significance. Mr. Merrill graciously agreed to play some blues guitar for his students, and all classrooms read Langston Hughes' The Weary Blues. After discussing their responses to this piece, the classes worked on their own blues-inspired poems. Read some of the student examples below.

from Mr. Merrill's class:

The doggy day blues
by Sadie C.

My pipes have a leak. Flooding the place over and
under around. I think I have the doggy blues, I have
the doggy blues, oh the doggy blues. My house is
done flooded my stuff gone to the end. Time to leave. The doggy blues.
Got me, very good. If I don't finish I will be
done for. Oh, why the doggy blues. The doggy blues.
The water got out, flooded the neighborhood. Got
out of town. Plane or car, walk miles. I don't care how many
miles I just get away from the doggy blues.

Rainy Day Blues
by Imane

I feel stuck at home doing
Nothing, just sitting and looking
out the window raining goes
drip! drop! The rain stopped now
I am outside walking talking
raining jumping.

Sad Blues
by Cesar F.

I am happy at first
but when I hear that the phone
rings, ring, ring, a shocking news
I can understand I start to
get sad and then I get mad, I say
why, and I go to his death and say bye.
I start to get tears I look at my
self in mirrors. And that is why I am
not the same so sometimes I feel
lame.
I am sad.

***

from Mr. Aivazian's class

When I feel sad
by Daniella

My father went to Peru. I miss my
father and my grandmother, Eva, she died. One
day I lost my cellular. My father punished
me. My uncle gave me $100 to buy me another
cellular and the cable to connect. And
my sister died last year.
Fin.

by Warren B.

I feel bored when I go to a long vacation.
So I read a book and play the cloud game.
The airplane flies across the sky. Then
finally lands on an island. It has fruits, trees,
and an ocean. I will never be bored to go on
a long vacation again.

The weary blues
by Christopher W.

When I was sad I have to play the piano about
my mom was 39 years before she died
and I really miss her. My parents and
I were at the Muzyka funeral home to
pray for my mom and that I was very sad
sad is for my memory.

***

from Ms. Navrocki's class

Blues
by Amine

Oh I got the blues
Why? I ain't got a clue

At night I'm bored and sad
At day I'm happy and glad

Oh the terrible blues
All of it is trueeee.


Sad Day with friends
by Rhita

I am sad, so sad. This is bad, so bad.
I lost my friends, the end of school.
It wasn’t cool, so not cool. I’m not a
Fool and you know it’s not true
This is bad, I’m sad so sad!
I can’t believe it’s true, can’t achieve
It though.

I’m menacing mad, so sad, a fight I
Wish we’d never had.
I said I’m sorry, they didn’t accept
I thought I was gonna erupt.
It’ll live so long, unless I’m wrong.
Oh, I'm sad.

Consequence Sheet
by Emily

This morning I felt the blues.
Why? Because I got a
consequence sheet. Why
because my notebook
was not signed. I felt
the blues badly. I
mean badly. I wrote
a lot. My hand is hurting.
I want to die.