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Hands on Stanzas, the educational outreach program of the Poetry Center of Chicago places professional, teaching Poets in residence at Chicago Public Schools across the city. Poets teach the reading, discussion, and writing of poetry to 3 classes over the course of 20 classroom visits, typically from October through April. Students improve their reading, writing, and public speaking skills, and participating teachers report improved motivation and academic confidence. You can contact Cassie Sparkman, Director of the Hands on Stanzas program, by phone: 312.629.1665 or by email: csparkman(at)poetrycenter.org for more information.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Thanksgiving Poems

Holidays provide an easy reference point for poetry ideas. This week, with Thanksgiving around the corner, I decided to bring in Virgil Suárez's "Mango Eating in America." Suárez writes about his childhood in Cuba, and how delicious the mangoes tasted in his native country. Students were asked why Suárez might prefer Cuban mangoes to American ones, and their reasons -- they taste better (sweeter), they remind him of home, they're bigger -- were all excellent starting points for writing poems on a number of suggested Thanksgiving themes.


Ms. Fialkowski (402)


Thanksgiving
Edgar A.

It's Thanksgiving, the people running
to the store to buy some turkey.
Some are cooking, I can hear the
water boiling for the turkeys.
The turkeys are hard to get in the
oven. I wish turkey was
lighter.


I think that for me thanks
were we are thankful for
things they did or some-
one helping us.


After everybody is in the living
room the turkey is cooking, then
the timer goes tic tic boom.


Thanksgiving
Jose D.

It's Thanksgiving. The trees
are orange and red, leaves all over the
street. It's windy and sunny. It looks
like a rainbow of orange and red.
It's the time of the year where we give
thanks for all the things that we have,
like toys and food and clothes. This
year is the best year.


Untitled (Thanksgiving Poem)
Daisy F.

I am thankful for my
friends and for the food.
My mom said that always
be thankful. I am thankful
for my family.


Ms. Michel (403)


A Bad Thanksgiving
Alondra B.

It was the morning of Thanksgiving.
This is going to be a good day. I said,

Nothing could go wrong.” As I got out of
my bed I slipped on my brother's skate-
board. I tried to grab onto the curtains
but they fell on top of me. Then when
I went to take a bath there was no
hot water. I went to my room to change.
I put on my clothes – no, my turkey
sweater ripped! Oh no, what else could
go wrong? Oh oh, what's that smell?
No, please don't tell me the turkey
burned. I asked my brother. “The turkey
did burn.” I told you not to tell me.
When everybody came it was all ready
but then I thought, nothing else
could go wrong but my brother
that was ten months pulled the table-
cloth and everything fell off. Great
just great.


I Am the Turkey
Eddie L.

Nooo! I am the turkey.
They're going to eat me on
Thanksgiving. They put me in
the oven but I kick
the door open and I run
but I couldn't get outside.
They got me and I kick
them in the face. I was
trying to get out the
window so I jump and
hit the window because it
was closed. They grab my
legs and tie them. They put
stuffing in my mouth and put
me in the oven but
now I can't. Nooo!!!!


Thanksgiving
Yulissa R.

It's morning on Thanksgiving
my mom went to the store
to prepare for Thanksgiving.


My dad is working and my
brother is taking care of me.
My mom is back from the store.


She takes out all of the
things she bought, and she
takes out the turkey. My


dad is back from working, my
mom is cooking the turkey and
it smells delicious. The turkey


is finished, my mom puts it
on the table, it looks delicious
and we each get a plate and start


eating the turkey.


Thanksgiving Acrostic
Alvaro S.

Turkey, tamales
Happy day
A dinner with family
Not to be mean today
Kneeling to give thanks
Steak on plate
Good smells
Ice cold juice and water
Very delicious
I don't like turkey
No one eats the vegetables
Giving thanks


Ms. Hughesdon (407)


Thankful For
Claudia A.

I am thankful for having fun
I am thankful for food
I am thankful for my teachers
I am thankful for having a home


I am thankful for my family
I am thankful for my friends
I am thankful for a school to go to
I am thankful for being me


I am thankful for everything I have
I am thankful for being in 5
th grade
I am thankful for I am thankful for


I am just thankful for
I am thankful for enjoyed


Untitled (Thanksgiving Poem)
Brian D.

Today is Thanksgiving
I am helping my mom
prepare the turkey
and eat it all with
my family.
The turkey was
delicious and soft
it was so good
that we made
another one.
The turkey
day is a day
that all the
family gets
together in
the house.


Untitled (Thanksgiving Poem)
Abel G.

Turkey day the smell
of fresh garlic bread in
the oven it was like
a burst of flavors and
the turkey was burning
in the over that sizzling
sound was like the best
turkey in the world.


The best gravy was
cooking on the stove and
the fruits and vegetables were good
and ham was smelling
all over the house with
smashed potatoes that
is the best food I ever tasted.


Thanksgiving Acrostic
Santos H.

T-Thanks
H-Harmony
A-Art
N-Nice
K-Karate
S-Sincerely
G-Great
I-Indomitable spirit
V-Veggie soup
I-Integrity
N-Nibbling
G-Grace


Untitled (Thanksgiving Poem)
Jesus N.

Oh the turkey was burnt the
things weren't good like I planned for
the food. The pie was burned my mom
lied so I wasn't in a mood for pumpkin
pie. So I drank a sip of lemonade
that my grandmother made specially for
my Thanksgiving day.


Ms. Montoya (405)


Thanksgiving
Anibal M.

Thanksgiving is the time
we give thanks to each other


we eat different kinds of
food like chicken, corn, and smashed
potato


but the food that we mostly eat
is the big turkey that lies on
the table


the turkey is good and juicy everybody
takes a picture with it then we
say grace and after grace everybody eats it.


All of us play games and have fun
and we all spend time with each
other.


Thanksgiving Day
Cristian O.

My mom cooked
some beans in a pot,
but then everything
went splot!


My little brother
put up the heat
and all the beans
exploded in the microwave.


I had to clean it
up, my little brother had
to clean his room.


And that is why I
tell him to stay
away from anything
that is cooking.


Thanksgiving
Alexis R.

The thanks the elders
get, and they give thanks
to us also, but to
mostly be thankful for,


the turkey is ready,
the oven dings, and
there is a hot fresh
smell from the dinner,


the giving of thanks,
the family is enjoying
the turkey, the friends
are very happy,


the meaning of Thanksgiving
is for us to enjoy
and to say “Happy Thanksgiving!”


Ms. Graefen (404)


Thanksgiving
Mercedes L.

Thanksgiving is horrible.
Something always goes wrong.


Last Thanksgiving the turkey fell
off the table. The rice got burnt.


You don't even want to know
what happened to the mashed potatoes.


I hate Thanksgiving, well it's not
Thanksgiving it's just the people who
celebrate it.


I repeat, Thanksgiving is horrible.


Untitled (Thanksgiving Poem)
Salvador M.

Thanksgiving I love it
because you help people
you give them food
you spend time with your
family sometimes my


grandma comes from
Mexico and sometimes
we give her a great
Thanksgiving


Thanksgiving
Robert R.

I'm in the kitchen.
I see potatoes
I see turkey
I see soda
I see my family.
It's 11:00 AM.
I'm in my sleeping clothes
I don't know what to do.
Take a bath, take a shower or take a snack.
Easy, I told myself.
It's Thanksgiving.


Thanksgiving
Elva Z.

At Thanksgiving
I can taste all the
good stuff. The potatoes were
big, tasty, delicious.
The peas were good
with corn, it tasted
good and delightful.
Then there was
board games
to play
and horses to ride.
I used to ow
a baby horse
and a barn.
I love Thanksgiving.


Mr. Heredia (414)


Untitled (Thanksgiving Poem)
Eibar N.

I wake up and I see
see my mom
coming from the grocery store.
She starts to cook.
I wish it
was dinner so
I could eat,
man I'm really
hungry. How
the turkey is
cooked with
stuffing next to
it, smash
potatoes, pumpkin
pie and great
garlic bread. I
guess it is true,
on Thanksgiving
no one leaves unfull.


Untitled (Thanksgiving Poem)
Cesar P.

I love it when it's
Thanksgiving because
it is when my family
and me get together
and share good food
and especially when
they bring my favorite
drink, Dr. Pepper and mashed
potatoes with turkey on
the side. And sometimes
my cousins and me play
outside and play sometimes
soccer five on
five. It only comes
once a year. Or play
basketball when it's not
mostly day.


Untitled (Thanksgiving Poem)
Mayra S.

Thanksgiving is on its
way, a special day to celebrate.


We'll be eating delicious
turkey with smash potatoes, and gravy.


What a nice day to have fun,
I wonder why it comes once
a year?


So don't eat a lot, leave
some room because the turkey's
here.


Pilgrims or Turkey
Daniel V.

Oh Thanksgiving is in the air
or is it just turkey I smell? Oh the
pilgrims are at the table or is that
just turkey in my mouth? Oh I can feel
Thanksgiving or is that turkey I feel
in my stomach? Oh I can hear the pilgrims
coming here or is that just turkey going
through my mouth?

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