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.