Odes

One consistently popular poetic form among students is the ode. They are drawn to its exalted style, used to celebrate everyday things otherwise taken for granted. We read Pablo Neruda's "Ode to a Large Tuna in the Market" and discussed how he describes the tuna, as well as how he feels about it. Students were then given the choice of writing either an ode to something they love, or an anti-ode to something they hate. There were so many excellent responses, it was difficult to choose, but here is a representative selection.

Ms. Fialkowski (402)

Ode to a Tiny Kitten
Virginia B.

That kitten has a
little little nose, a
very little tail and
a very cute face.
That kitten, that kitten
she has cute eyes
she is so small,
and very very cute.

This kitten fits in
my hand, she
fits perfectly in
my hands. She
gets in trouble, she
comes by my house,
she hides under
this very big crate.
She has a button nose.
This kitten!

Ode to My Dog
Ivory G.

I love my dog.
But lately he is
a pain! But still, he
is so cute and
cuddly! He always wants
tummy rubs! He wants
to lick you when
you get some! Yuck!
He is such a cutie
when he jumps in
the air for doggy
treats! But, all in
all, he loves to be
happy and jumpy!
I love my dog
because he makes me
feel special and goofy!

Anti-Ode to Olives
Sergio M.

I hate olives very
much, they look at
me and make me
weird. They're green and
red and make my
stomach growl.
They make me
feel sick when
they're on my plate
so I feed them
to my dog. I hate
olives, I hate olives
so I wrote this
ode.

Ode to Genius People
Ricardo P.

For the things they made
so they made
a TV and Game Cube
so no more bad
things like board games
but I am amazed
that they made
some good things.

These genius people
are great to make
these things.

So they also made
video games for fun.

Ode to My Family
David V.

My family
takes care of me.
They're the ones
how they
love me. They
are nice to
me when sometimes
I'm a jerk
to them. They
feed
me when
I am
hungry. Without them
I'd be in the
streets. They buy
me stuff when
they
don't have to.
I am the luckiest
kid
in the world.

Ms. Michel (403)

My Ode to Swimming
Daniel A.

Ode to swimming,
boy it is so
fun.
I love to go
swimming but
sometimes I am
alone and I
am so sad.

I love to swim
I can even flip
swimming swimming
I
want to
swim to the depths
of an ocean. I hope
to discover many new
things on my journey.

Only if I had
gills I could swim
with
all of
the beautiful fishes
in the depths of the
ocean. This is all
of my ode to
swimming and how
much I love it.

Ode to a Dog
Luis O.

Outside in the open
field, I see a dog
rubbing my shoe.
Poor dog, you must
be hungry, maybe
some water so
you won't
get thirsty.
Maybe I'll give
you a whole
pack of bones
for your whole
life, only if
you won't
come back. But if
you do I'll take
care of you forever.
If you do come back
I'll give you a
dog house, pool table,
bed, a mini fridge and
more only if
you come back.

Ode to Football Players
Alexander R.

Among the
big, strong
protected
football
players
I see
them
as kings
of sports,
surviving
hits and
falls.

Everything
around them
there are
yards to
run, they
are fast
like a
cheetah.

Only you will
cheer them
up. They
will be in
pain but they
never quit
they are like
machines knowing
what to do
at the right
time.

They are
all evil out
there, hitting
other players
just to get
good team
work. That's
why I write an ode
to football players.

Ode to Pizza
Daisy V.

Smells good
Cold pizza
Lots of ingredient
Cheese, pepperoni, green peppers
Big and fat crust
Shaped like a circle
Slices like a square
And triangle

Ms. Hughesdon (407)

Ode to My New Puppy
Salena C.

My puppy, my puppy
I think she is
great
she's a pit bull
no muzzles
hates puzzles
loves to fish
thinks I'm its mother
like no other
I got my wish
she has her favorite
dish
hates my brother
sister, father and mother
she likes my aunt
Daisy's cat, Chico Aguirre
loves me and Daisy
which is quite lazy

The Ode to Mac and Cheese
Omar C.

I saw mac and
cheese at school
I ate some
it was good
I ate more it
was very, very good
I couldn't stop
eating I finished
asked for
more they all
said no so I
stopped asking
and eating.

Ode to Christmas
Brenda R.

I like Christmas
because the
tree with
the different color lights
shining
it
looks
real
with presents all
around it
on Christmas my mom
cooks cake and a lot
of things to eat
my family in my
house celebrating the wonder-
ful holiday the thing
I like most is opening the
presents on Christmas
night.

Anti-Ode to Erasers
Miguel R.

Erasers
I hate them
some they rip paper
some don't erase right
some just rip by themselves.
Some erase nasty
leave marks on your paper
some are small or huge
soft or dry
and some just fly off
that's why I hate erasers.

Ms. Montoya (405)

Ode to Technology
Daisy A.

Oh technology, how
I love you.
You give me
computers,
phones,
and TV too.
Without you,
I would feel
so glum.
You give me
light,
iPods,
and help me too.
Without you,
I would feel
so mad.
The way you
do everything,
it's so cool and
great.
Oh technology, how
I love you.
You give me
CD players,
DVDs,
and music too.
Without you,
I would feel
so sad!

Ode to TV of Fighting
Roberto A.

I like seeing fighting.
On TV or computer.
There's cool fighting people.
With good fighting skills.
We like seeing fighting.
They have no fright.
That's when they fight.
I have fighting games.
I like to play.
My cousin fights too.
We both do.

Ode to Cats
Cynthia G.

Among the cats
their furry
skins, white and
black, almost
always cry for
food, milk, or
games to play with
them, always love
playing. Don't dare
to ignore them
they will scratch
you and they
will never stop
crying so you
better listen to
them they really
scratch hard.
Some of them
look cute but
are really devils
because you
will never
imagine how
mean they
are
and when
they are
kitties they
are really cool
they just
stay still
they're not like
real cats.

Because they
are really cool
no matter
what.

Ode to Birds
Michelle M.

I like my birds
because they are
a lot of fun to
play with.

I take them out
to my mom's room
and they always look
at the mirror.

They're very funny.
One day we took
them to the veterinarian
and she said the woman
was going to have baby birds.

When I first got the woman bird
the male was happy to see her,
they were excited. We bought
them their house and a little
next for their babies.

Ode to Television Sobre Todo las Novelas
Monica M.

A mi me gusta
la television sobre todo las
novelas. Son interesante y
divertidas. Siempre me acuesto
a verlas novelas. Me
gustan mucho por que
hay de muchas clases.
Hay algunas que son
sensibles y romanticas. Tambien
hay de encuentros. Yo
me entretengo hay. Ademas
en la television salen
peliculas, videos, entrevistas, programas
y de todo. En
la television te puedes
aprender de muchas cosas
que pasan al rededor
del mundo. La television
es algo que necesita
electricidad pues es electronico.
Te divierte mucho el
televisor tambien por sus comedias.

Ms. Graefen (404)

Ode to Christmas
Elva C.

I like
Christmas
'cause it has
presents
get to be
with family
eat mole and
tamales
laugh
play
and sleep
'cause it takes
a lot to open
presents
when it's
time
for presents
we get
crazy!
That's the only
word to say.
I like Christmas,
whoever invented
Christmas, thank you!!!

Ode to Playing Dodge Ball
Eliliana L.

Dodge ball is cool fun
I love playing it
you get to pick
partners. If you're
out, you're out. If
you catch the ball
you get one in
from your team.

Dodge ball is for
people who know
how to move
very fast and run
too. That's why I
like dodge ball
because I
know I
run very very
fast. Also I move
fast too.

Ode to Running
Anthony S.

you feel
the fresh air
in your face
while running

running is fast
you pass a lot of
grass, trees and
also animals

animals like
squirrels, dogs
and also birds
running is having fun

you exercise
while running
when you race
you could win

because
you practice
running, while running
you see lots of
things

you are fast
if you run
and run and
don't give up

you play
while running
you can play
tag, cops and
robbers or
freeze tag

you run
and run
and don't
let them
catch you

running is
fun and it
is also
cool.

Mr. Heredia (414)

Ode to Basketball
Keith D.

I like
basketball
how it
bounces
how
it
sounds
if I
don't
play
it might
make
me
frown.
When I make the
shot I like
the sound
of the net
going
swish.
If I don't
hear
that I
might make
a hiss.

Ode to My Mom
Carina G.

My mom has always
been there for me
through the pain, crying
and suffering she does
anything to make me
happy she helps me
when I need her
she is always there
for me all the

time when I grow
up I want to
be just like her
my mom is the
world to me everything
when I cry she
helps me when I
go through pain she
helps me she is
the best mom in

the world I love
her so much one
day I will tell
her mom I want
to be just like
you when I grow
up even though we

pretend to dislike each
other we still like
to have fun mother
and daughter time my
mom always says I never
want you to grow
up so I tell
her in four years
I will be fifteen
and she always gets
mad and I love
it

Ode to Video Games
Edgar O.

I like video games.
Video games are cool.
Video games are like
computers. Games are cool, there
are cool systems and
games. How do they
make the game
I say?
How do they put
the game on the
disc?
I wonder how, when
you put them on
your TV, how does
it work?
Wow.
Games are cool, wow.
How do you make
it? You're amazed when
you get to a
new level. Wow so
cool when you pass
the game.

Ode to Christmas
Carlos Z.

I write an ode
to Christmas because
when I see the
tree it brightens my
eyes.

Then when you wake
up you see all
of the presents and
you want to open
them but it's better
when you open them
with your family!