Cento

These large poems are the results of a collaboration, in which each student contributed up to three snippets (in this case, three things that they fear), and I mixed up the results to create a poem. This kind of poetry is similar to the cento, which is a poem created from borrowed lines and words in another text (effectively, a collaboration between the writer and a borrowed text). We took the example of Denise Duhamel's poem "82 Reasons Not to Get Out of Bed," which was a collaboration between Duhamel and her MFA writing class.

They were so excited to have written these big poems, and enjoyed the chance to read other students' secret fears.

###

Our Fears
Rachel Javellana and Mrs. Vilchis’ 3rd grade class, Rm. 202

Dinosaurs because of they’re big and have large teeth.
Snakes that bite. There could be poison snakes or dangerous snakes.
My attic because the grudge is there.
The scary movies, all blood on them and dead. They really scare me.
The Devil because he could fire your body in parts.
The people coming through the streets all day long. It’s like monsters coming
through the streets.
Rocket ships. but I don’t know why.
The night.
Winter because there’s a lot of snow.
Strange people because they could kill you.
I feel kinda fear because the big balloons scared me, usually the red ones.
The dark in the forest.
Scary movies because I can’t sleep at night.
The letter B because it makes the sound boom! And it sounds like a thunder is coming.
Bees because if a bee shocks me I could die.
Clowns—it’s like they’re trying to rule the world.
The mean people who fight.
Clowns because they look strange and like they don’t dress up like a clown.
Guns and gangsters and dogs.
The dog that’s big and eats people. I really fear those dogs: the rottweilers.
Spiders because they have a web. And they have long legs.
The color red because sometimes my family wears red clothing.
Dead people.
The number 12 because it has two letters and the other ones have one. And number 100 has one hundred of three letters.
The dark in night in Halloween.
Little dogs because I step on them like Mrs. Vilchis.
Guns because they could kill you.
A text message that they sent my sister. There is a little girl in her screen and it says: My name is Lili and if you don’t send this to ten people I will sit in your bed.
Strangers outside.
Storms because they’re scary. And you can die if a storm touches you.
Scary movies of Chucky when I was 6 years old because he kills people with a knife and he scares them.
A big dog because it can eat me.
Red hens because when you try to touch their little babies, they bite you with their beak.
Clowns and big black dogs.
Snakes because when they take their tongue they can smell us. And they’re dangerous animals.
Lions because they bite hard.
The yucky green water.
The teacher giving us homework.
Airplanes because they are big.
Fire because you can burn yourself.
When I went to Six Flags in a haunted house. It was a farm and it was with blood all over the place and there was a monster with a chainsaw.
That a ghost lives with me because they could do bad things.
A big wolf because their teeth are big and sharp.
Foxes because they bite you.
The dark. I can’t sleep, I have to have the TV on.
Guns because they could kill you.
When I sleep at night and I cannot sleep.
A shark that is in the water and has lots of teeth and swims in the water and takes some people to a trip far away in the water.
Tornadoes scare me because they destroy houses and it looks scary.
When I was little I was afraid of the snow because I would fall in and somebody throw snow at me.
When I was little I was really scared of clowns. One day we went to the circus. I saw a clown and I ducked down to the floor.
The letter M because sometimes I always write sentences with M.
Poisonous snakes.
Chickens because I think they are going to peck me.
That in the future, aliens take over the world.
A dog because he bit me one day and he’s big and he is brown.
Monsters because they are something scary.
At night when storms are scary.
A big dog that is really big and is like a giant.
When I was little I was afraid of a truck because the truck was big and scary and blue.
The dark because I saw a movie and it was scary. I need nightlamps.
The number 1,000 is so big that I even cry by that big number.
Bad people like the ones who are outside and steal money and break windows and they even steal Mom.
Dead people. I don’t like dead people because they scare me.
The number 1,000 is so big that I even cry by that big number.
Rats in Mexico at my grandma’s old house where she doesn’t live anymore.

###

Scared
Rachel Javellana and Mrs. Vazzana’s 3rd grade class, Rm. 104

I am scared of blowfish because it pokes you when you grab it, it feels bad and pointy.
I am scared of the llorona because she screams, “Ay, mis hijos.” And she is scary.
I’m scared of sharks because they can eat you.
I’m scared of the water because it was ten feet tall.
I’m so scared of the big dogs. The dogs are sometimes bad.
The alligator is icky, from the mouth, their teeth. Or sharks.
I’m scared of snakes because they are ugly.
I’m scared of tornadoes. They destroy houses.
I fear the tarantula because he could bite you.
I fear alligators. Because they put an ugly face.
I’m afraid of the fish because when it’s not dead they have to cook them. The fish are nice but smell bad, and their bones are different than ours.
I fear the llorona because she could take us.
I am scared of snakes because they bite you and they have big teeth and they are mean to people.
I fear my basement because there’s spiders and it’s dark.
I’m scared of the sharks. They might eat you up.
I’m scared that a comet is coming to Earth.
I’m scared of the llorona. I was asleep and I felt something. I screamed, “Mom, Dad!!”
I fear a blowfish.
I’m scared of the sun.
I fear a tornado storm.
I was scared of climbing a mountain because it was rocky.
I am scared of sharks, because the teeth of sharks are big and too sharp.
I fear sharks because they could eat you.
I fear a blowfish because it’s ugly and icky.
I’m afraid of tarantulas because the have so much fur.
I fear Mexico, because of the llorona.
I am scared of fire.
I’m scared of the dark.
I’m afraid of hot air balloons because they can spy.
I was scared of the air balloon because it goes high in the sky.
I’m scared of spiders because they eat you.
I fear the llorona because they say that the llorona is real.
I fear shots because they hurt.
I fear going to Mexico because the llorona is going to grab me.
I fear people because they’re going to grab me.
I’m scared of rats because they are ugly and they eat some people.
I fear the dark.
I fear a shark because I am afraid of their teeth.
One morning I see something so different and new. I go by and wave my hand. I go away.
I fear sharks because they eat the people.
I’m so scared of the animal, the lion.
I fear wind that causes a tornado.
I fear the llorona—it’s scary.
I fear Chicago because of the winter.
I fear a shark.
I fear sharks because they could eat you.
One afternoon I was with my sisters in the room and they pulled me, and sisters helped me.
I’m afraid that the window might open and someone might steal me.
I fear the storm.
I am scared of tornadoes that carry houses.
I fear Mexico because there’s the llorona.
I fear the policeman because sometimes he kills people and has a gun and he’s scary by the face.
I fear going to Mexico because I fear the llorona.
I am scared of spiders because they are hairy.
I fear to see the diablo because you can die.
I was scared of la llorona because she cried.
I’m afraid of sharks because if we go to the water if there’s sharks and if we get hurt and we bleed they could eat us. Because we could get hurt a lot. And in the waves it could be dangerous.
I was scared of a storm because the noise was loud.
I was scared of the building.
I fear big bulldogs because they are going to bite me and they are not going to let me go.
I was scared of the room.
I fear when all the lights go off.

###

That is Why I Am Scared
Rachel Javellana and Ms. Hamdan’s 3rd grade class, Rm. B15

I’m afraid of bad dreams.
I fear dead people like zombies.
I’m also afraid of the clown because of his sharp teeth and sharp claws and when he pops out when the children do something.
I am afraid of whales because they have big mouths.
I am scared of animals. Dogs because the bite.
I am scared of animals because some animals bite me.
I was scared when the rat came at me.
I fear the numbers.
I am afraid of the dark of my room.
I fear when I get ready to lay down somebody is knocking on the door and I’m scared.
I am scared that a robber might get me when I am going to school.
I am scared of sharks, whale sharks, because they bite.
I fear balloons when they pop.
I’m afraid of quiet places like corners.
I am afraid of jumping off a motorcycle, because a motorcycle is dangerous.
I am scared of tarantulas because they have venom.
I’m afraid of balloons because I’m afraid that the balloons can pop out blood in my face.
I’m afraid of the dark by myself and people take me.
I am afraid of Undertaker because the lights turn off.
I’m afraid of heights because I’ll get dizzy and I feel I’ll fall and die.
In my life I’m afraid of poison spiders and can die.
I’m scared of scary stories because they creep me out.
I am scared that my pants are going to fall down.
I am scared of rottweilers because they might hurt me and make me go to the hospital.
I am scared of Valentine’s Day because I think my heart is going to break.
I am afraid of fire. I am afraid of this because it burns really bad.
I am afraid of clowns because they act weird and smile weird.
I am scared of learning. I am scared of learning because it makes us smart. That is why I am scared.
I’m afraid of scary movies because they freak me out.
I fear balloons popping in my hand when it was my birthday.
I fear people with costumes with ugly faces.
I’m scared of the door in the night when it’s slamming, when it’s locked.
I fear the 7-syllable word, triskaidekaphobia (which is 13), for nothing.
I fear the clowns when they give me balloons.
I am scared of doing homework. I am scared of doing homework because we learn when we do it. That is why I am scared.
I am scared of the dark because someone could rob me.
I’m scared of dolls when they come to life.
I am afraid of broccoli because my mom makes me eat it.
I’m scared of the bunny when it hops and it might jump on me.
I’m scared when I swim in the ocean where sharks and octopus live.
I am scared of teachers. I am scared because they make us learn. They even make us study. That is why I am scared.
I am afraid of tigers because they eat flesh and we are flesh.
I am scared of devils because they are mean and scary.
I am scared when the light goes off and I got to go to the bathroom, too, in the night.
I am scared of sharks, hammerhead sharks, because they can bite your feet.
The most that I fear is a snake because they can bite me and they can smell people and they can bite me and it is called a copperhead and you can die or get sick when they bite you.
I am scared of rats because they look so nasty and horrible.
I fear the undertaker because he might put me in a casket.
I am scared of dinosaurs, T-Rex, because they could eat you.
I am afraid of lions because they like meat.
I fear spiders because some of them bite. The one that I do not like is a weaver spider that lives in the water.
And I was scared of a balloon because it popped. I was 6 years old.
I am scared of my brother because he hits me.
I fear the dog because he does not know me and can bite me and I can bleed and he will smell me and then he does not know me at all and the dog can get mad and he will chase me
when I run away.
I am only scared if I see a real scary movie because I shake when I go to sleep.
I fear balloons because I am afraid they might pop on my body.
I am scared of the dark. I am scared of the dark because I think something is going to happen to me.
I am scared of tarantulas because they are poisonous.
I fear a ghost. In the dark all alone anywhere.
I’m afraid of clowns because they freak me out and look so weird.
I fear broccoli because when I’m about to put it in my mouth I feel like I’m about to eat a grasshopper.
I fear scary stories with those witches bats and crawling spiders.
I fear clowns because their lips are red and look like blood, and they also have a weird laugh.
I am afraid of snakes. I am afraid of these because they got a big mouth and they could bite you.
I fear my room at dark because I hear stuff saying I will come back.
I am afraid of broccoli because it tastes nasty.
I am scared of spiders because some are poisonous and they bite.
I am afraid of sharks because they will eat me.
I am afraid to stay by myself in the house because I think someone is going to come out of the closet.
I fear the devil because there is a place in Mexico, they call it “la cueva del diablo.” they say there is money there. Some people tried to get it but some survived and some died.
I fear scary stories. They say in radio that someone or something surrounds some places.
I’m scared of clowns when they get too close to me.
I’m scared of the dog that lives next to my street.
I’m scared of the man in my house when he comes for me in the night.
I’m scared of the dark when I think there’s a scary ghost.
I’m scared of my house when I hear someone coming upstairs.
I fear paper because I think it will cut me.
I’m afraid of being alone in anywhere.
I’m afraid to open the door.