I Used to Be... Poems

This week, we read Ted Berrigan's "I Used to Be but Now I Am." In this short poem, he appears to be experimenting with opposites, but as students looked more closely they found some unusual relationships between the words Berrigan chose to compare in his poem. They were then asked to write their own poems, using a structure similar to Berrigan's. Once they began writing, and got into the rhythm of the idea, it was difficult for students to stop!

Ms. Fialkowski, 5th Grade

I used to be a car
But now I am an old car

I used to be a dinosaur
But now I am a bunch of bones

I used to be a pencil
But now I am a pen

I used to be nice
But now I am mean

I used to be a Diet Pepsi
But now I am regular Pepsi

I used to be a crayon box
But now I am a broken crayon box

I used to be a frog
But now I am a tadpole

I used to be a cop
But now I am FBI

Edgar A.

I used to be dark
But now I am light

I used to be pants
But now I am shorts

I used to be pencil
But now I am pen

I used to be short
But now I am tall

I used to be think
But now I am thick

I used to be shoes
But now I am boots

I used to be slow
But now I am fast

I used to be water
But now I am pop

I used to be a dog
But now I am a cat

I used to be a bush
But now I am a tree

I used to be you
But now I am me

I used to be left
But now I am right

I used to be bright
But now I am shine

I used to think
But now I believe

Ezequiel A.

I used to be a hamburger,
But now I am a cheeseburger.

I used to be an elephant,
But now I am a mouse.

I used to be a little seed,
But now I am a giant tree.

I used to be delightful,
But now I am mad.

I used to say yes,
But now I say no!

I used to be a dog,
But now I am a cat.

I used to be a pencil,
But now I am an eraser!

Virginia B.

I used to be a hero,
But now I am a villain

I used to be a cat,
But now I am a dog

I used to be a story,
But now I am a book

I used to be a lion,
But now I am a dragon

I used to be a ghost,
But now I am a person

I used to be a dime
But now I am a buck

I used to be a hero to my family,
But now I am a hero

Jose D.

I used to be small now I am
big. I used to be a flower now
I am grass. I used to be Mickey
now I am Daisy. I used to be
naughty but now I am nice.

Daisy F.

I used to be pizza
but now I am spaghetti.

I used to be crayon
but now I am marker.

I used to be folder
but now I am book.

I used to be sweater
but now I am jacket.

I used to be pencil
but now I am sharpener.

I used to be smart
and now I am smart.

I used to be mustard
But now I am ketchup.

Angel H.

I used to be a playful child
But now I am a busy child

I used to be a Pepsi
But now I am a Diet Pepsi

I used to be a soccer ball
But now I am a dodge ball

I used to be a tiger
But now I am a lion

I used to be a door
But now I am a closet

I used to be a VCR
But now I am a DVD

I used to be water
But now I am lemonade

I used to be lemon
But now I am lime

I used to be a soccer player
But now I am a football player

I used to be 7-Up
But now I am Mountain Dew

I used to be a house
But now I am a school

I used to be an apple
But now I am a pear

I used to be a car
But now I am a race car

I used to be a star
But now I am a sun

I used to be a radio
But now I am a T.V.

Crecesio P.

I used to be Sprite,
But now I am Pepsi,

I used to be early,
But now I am late,

I used to be February,
But now I am December,

I used to be Valentine's,
But now I am Christmas,

I used to be mean,
But now I am nice,

I used to be dirty,
But now I am clean,

I used to be wrong,
But now I am right,

I used to be no,
But now I am yes,

I used to be party,
But now I am school,

I used to be pen,
But now I am pencil,

I used to be boring,
But now I am cool,

I used to be hotels,
But now I am houses,

I used to be cars,
But now I am walking,

I used to be Mexico,
But now I am America,

I used to be magazines,
But now I am books,

I used to be playing,
But now I am homework,

I used to be me
But now I am you!

Katy R.

I used to be bright
but now I am shine

I used to glide
but now I fly

I used to be shiny
but now I am a jewel

I used to be simple
but now I am sweet

I used to be petals
but now I am a flower

I used to be you
But now I am me

Marbella R.

I used to be $1,000,000
but now I am $5.00.
I used to be a chalkboard
but now I am a notebook.
I used to be kittens but now I am
a cat.
I used to be mean and rowdy
but now I am nice and
sweet.
I used to be a jungle cat
but now I am a house cat.
I used to be water but now
I am Gatorade.
I used to be a tape
but now I am a CD.

Samantha T.

I used to be small,
But now I am tall.

I used to be quiet,
But now I am loud.

I used to have long hair,
But now I have short hair.

I used to like soccer,
But now I like baseball.

I used to have $102
But now I have $93.

Damian V.

Ms. Michel, 5th Grade

I used to be the baseball
But now I am the winning home run.

I used to be the puppy
But now I am the mutt.

I used to be the problem
But now I bring people into the problem.

I used to be the Sox fan hater
But now I am the Cubs fan lover.

I used to be something
But now I believe we are all nothing.

Daniel A.

I used to be mean
But now I am friendly

I used to be lazy
But now I am helpful

I used to be water
But now I am ice

I used to be a gym teacher
But now I am a gymnast

I used to be a dreamer
But now I am a believer

I used to be unfavorable
But now I am lovable

I used to be a different
person
But now I am the real me

Griselda A.

I used to be cold,
But now I am hot.

I used to be winter,
But now I am fall.

I used to be nothing,
But now I am something.

I used to be corn flakes,
But now I am frosted flakes.

I used to taste bad,
But now I taste good.

I used to do my homework,
But now I don't.

Angel G.

I used to be socks
now I am a shoe

I used to be water
now I am a fish

I used to be a driver
now I am a sock

I used to be a house
now I am a floor

I used to be ice cubes
now I am water

I used to be a t-shirt
now I am pants.

Jose M.

I used to be an eagle
but now I am a bird

I used to be a folder
but now I am a notebook

I used to be a pen
but now I am a pencil

I used to be good
but now I am bad

I used to be a calculator
but now I am a T.V.

I used to be a fish
but now I am a boat

I used to be a helicopter
but now I am an air plane

Servando O.

I used to be smart
now I'm smarter

I used to be Cubs
now I'm Sox

I used to be the
problem but now my
neighbor is the problem.

I used to be a ball
now I'm a balloon

I used to be a kid
now I'm a teenager

I used to be a cub
now I'm a bear

Alex R.

I used to be snow
But now I am water

I used to be salt
But now I am sugar

I used to be a washer
But now I am a drier

I used to be an office
But now I am a Post Office

I used to be a student
But now I am a teacher

I used to be a book
But now I am paper

I used to be socks
But now I am shoes

I used to be a soccer ball
But now I am a baseball

I used to be an ice cream
But now I am a cone

I used to be a T.V.
But now I am a DVD

Magdalena R.

I used to be a dog
but now I am a cat.

I used to be an ice cube
but now I am ice cream.

I used to be a baseball
but now I am a bat.

I used to be a square
but now I am a triangle.

I used to be a hit
but now I am a home run,
wow, look at me fly.

Jeremy S.

Ms. Hughesdon, 5th Grade

I used to be a snake
But now I am a lion

I used to be a villain
But now I am a hero

I used to be a circle
But now I am a square

I used to be a contract
But now I am an oath

I used to be a house
But now I am a building

I used to be a Care Bear
But now I am a bear

Claudia A.

I used to be a player
now I'm a benchwarmer
I used to be heavy
now I'm heavier
I used to be rated R
now I'm PG-13
I used to be a man
now I'm a boy
I used to be Narnia
now I'm Spiderwick

Diego B.

I used to be wanted
but now I am unwanted.

I used to be a time waster
but now I am not.

I used to be nice
but now I am hateful.

I used to be a girly girl
but now I am a tomboy.

I used to be jogging pants
but now I am Capris.

I used to be sausage
but now I am pepperoni.

I used to be spinach
but now I am goat cheese.

I used to be wood
but now I am a desk.

I used to be eyes
but now I am a mask.

Salena C.

I used to be a tree
but now I am a leaf.

I used to be alive
but now I am dead.

I used to be a human
but now I am a skeleton.

I used to be melted
but now I am frozen.

I used to be poor
but now I am rich.

I used to be a cloud
but now I am the sky.

Marlene C.

I used to be an angel,
but now I am a devil.

I used to be a student,
but now I am a teacher.

I used to be a pencil,
but now I'm a pen.

I used to be a daisy,
But now I'm a rose.

I used to be young
but now I'm old.

I used to be day,
but now I'm night.

I used to be famous,
but now I'm poor.

I used to be a pizza party,
but now I'm a pajama party.

I used to be something,
But now I'm nothing.

I used to be a right,
but now I'm a left.

Maria M.

I used to be a board now I am a teacher

I used to be a pencil now I am lead

I used to be the game now I am the player

I used to be a basketball now I am Michael Jordan

I used to be Larry now I am vocabulary

I used to be hair now I am body

Everardo P.

I used to be a dreamer
But now I am the dream

I used to be French
But now I am fries

I used to be
But now I am

I used to be invisible
But now I am visible

I used to be top dog
But now I am top cat

I used to be a boy
But now I am a man

I used to be Pizza Hut
But now I am Pasta Hut

Gustavo R.

I used to be you
but now I'm I
I used to say bye
but now I say hi
I used to be up
but now I'm down
I used to be serious
but now I'm furious
I used to lie
but now I'm shy
I used to be the one and only
but now I'm lonely
I used to dream
but now I believe

Jessica Z.

Ms. Montoya, 5th Grade

I used to be a board
now I am a skateboard

I used to be mean now
I am nice

I used to be a computer
now I am technology

I used to be full
now I am empty

I used to be a girl
now I am a woman

Ana C.

I used to be Japan
But now I am Japanese

I used to be school
But now I am a scholar

I used to be fold
But now I am a folder

I used to be a pen
But now I am a pencil

I used to be
But now I am

I used to be class
But now I am classy

I used to be a copy
But now I am a computer

I used to be sweet
But now I am evil

Yadid G.

I used to be a fish and
now I'm a dolphin.

I used to be a baby girl
now I'm a girl.

I used to be a student
now I'm a teacher.

I used to be a shoe now
I'm a sock.

I used to be
But now I am

I used to be a flower
now I am a cup of water.

I used to be a bee
now I am a letter b.

I used to be a computer
now I'm a calculator.

I used to be a pencil
now I'm a paper.

I used to be a book
now I'm a suit.

I used to be a pop
now I'm an empty
can.

I used to be tea
now I'm a letter T.

Linet L.

I used to be nobody,
but now I am somebody

I used to be numbers,
but now I am math

I used to be letters
but now I am words

I used to be a folder,
but now I am a notebook

I used to be alive,
but now I am a life

I used to be flexible,
but now I am mixable

I used to be Santa Ana,
but now I am Santa

I used to be having a lot of hair,
now I have extra hair.

Alexis R.

I used to be washable
but now I'm permanent

I used to be a paper
but now I'm a book

I used to be a jewel
now I am a diamond

I used to be dim
now I am bright

I used to be the pencil
now I am the eraser

I used to be the smart one
now I am intelligent

I used to be full
now I am empty

I used to be nice
now I am mean

I used to be a circle
now I am a triangle

I used to be alone
now I'm in the collection

I used to be a month
now I am a year

I used to be away
but now I'm close

Diana R.

I used to be crazy
But now I'm annoyed

I used to be a spider
But now I'm a spy

I used to be a lamp
But now I'm a lamb

I used to be a boy
But now I'm a toy

I used to be 0
But now I'm 100

I used to be a wall
But now I'm a ball

I used to be a cat
But now I'm a rat

I used to be a bat
But now I'm a hat

I used to be soggy
But now I'm dry

I used to be hot
But now I'm warm

I used to be a car
But now I'm a bar

I used to be smart
But now I'm stupid

I used to be A
But now I'm b

I used to be Louis Z.
But now I'm Louis Z., Jr.

I used to start
But now I'm finished

Louis Z.

Ms. Graefen, 5th Grade

I used to be a dog
But now I am a cat

I used to be cheap
But now I am a cow

I used to be a pen
But now I am a pencil

I used to be hot
But now I am cool

I used to be a box
But now I am a folder

I used to be a sharpener
But now I am a highlighter

I used to be a notebook
But now I am the moon

Diana G.

I used to be mean
now I have meaning

I used to be the fish
now I'm the hook

I used to be a quarter
now I am a quarter of a quarter

I used to be a dance
now I am the feet

I used to be letters in this poem
now I am the poem

I used to be done
now I am finished

Isaac G.

I used to be a seed but
now I am a flower.

I used to be a caterpillar
now I am a cat.

I used to be a baby
now I am a kid.

I used to be water
now I am soda.

I am Eli. I will
always be Eli.

Eli L.

I used to be a tree
but now I am paper

I used to be earth
but now I am junk

I used to be dead
but now I am a ghost

I used to be green
but now I am brown

I used to be air
but now I am pollution

I used to be water
but now I am dirt

Maggie M.

I used to be so girly
Now I am not that girly

I used to be a cupcake
Now I am a cake

I used to be Rocio
Now I am Rose

I used to be a paper
Now I am a book

I used to be a star
Now I am the sun

I used to be a flower
Now I am a tree

I used to be a bag
Now I am a basket

I used to be a heart
Now I am a star

I used to be lead
Now I am ink.

Rocio M.

I used to be the water now I am wind.

I used to be the sun that shines
bright but now I am the moon in the
sky that has dim light.

I was the past now I am the
future.

I used to be a someone but now
I am a star that shines at night.

I used to be sour but now I
am sweet.

Silvia R.

I used to be the bun
now I am a hamburger

I used to be lead
but now I am the ink

I used to be a hotdog
now I am a hot dog

I used to be the paper
but now I am a pencil

I used to be a page
but now I am the book

I used to be playful
but now I am boring

I used to hate reading
but now I love reading

I used to be the writer
but now I am the reader

Anthony S.

I used to be a baby
But now I am a kid

I used to be shorty
But now I am a youngster

I used to be 5 years old
But now I am 11 years old

I used to be old
But now I am dead

Jose Z.

Mr. Heredia, 5th Grade

I used to be a puppy
But now I am a dog

I used to be a lake
But now I am an ocean

I used to be a fraction
But now I am a whole number

I used to be a picture book
But now I am a novel

I used to be a store
But now I am a mall

Amanda H.

I used to be a turtle but now
I'm a shell.

I used to be black but now
I'm white.

I used to be smart but
now I'm intelligent.

I used to be unstoppable
but now I'm stoppable.

I used to be thunder but now
I'm rain.

Stephanie M.

I used to be ice cream
But now I scream.

I used to see
But now I'm the sea.

I used to go
But now I go.

I used to be
But I'm the bee.

I used to play
But now I play.

I used to be 5
But now I'm 10.

I used to be a kitten
But now I'm a cat.

I used to be a planet
But now I'm the solar system.

Cristian M.

I used to be Diet Coke.
But now I am Coca Cola.

I used to be a jacket.
But now I am a sweater.

I used to be a cake.
But now I am a piece of cake.

I used to be Earth.
But now I am the moon.

I used to be a star.
But now I am the sun.

I used to be Math.
But now I am Science.

I used to be a boot.
But now I am a shoe.

I used to be Hershey's.
But now I am Reese's.

Edwin O.

I used to be indescribable
But now I am unpredictable

I used to be unknown
But now I am unanimous

I used to be hope
But now I am faith

I used to be uncomfortable
But now I am believable

I used to be oblique
But now I am on an angle

Jasmine R.

I used to be intense,
But now I am feeble.

I used to be loud,
But now I am pensive.

I used to be a roadrunner,
But now I am a bird.

I used to be a monkey,
But now I am a giraffe.

I used to not care,
But now I am amused by how
much I've grown.

I used to be a pencil,
But now I am a pen.

I used to be seven,
But now I am eleven.

Leslie S.

I used to be an eye,
but now I am a nose.

I used to be a student,
but now I am a teacher.

I used to be an America fan,
but now I am a Chivas fan.

I used to be a clock,
but now I am a watch.

I used to be a Mexican,
but now I am an American.

Mayra S.