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?

In this moment...

Okay, in most cases I haven't included the prewriting/freewriting we did in preparation for the haiku writing, but I wanted to post these examples, both to show what we draw the haiku poems from, and also because these three just had some really super-tough imagery that I wanted to make sure to highlight.


###


Ms. Vazzana, Rm. 104, 3rd grade


In this moment (freewrite)
Jhoan B.

In this moment I have chapped hands and the season is changing weather and it is cold. The leaves are changing color and the trees are throwing the leaves and all the trees are losing leaves. And we have to wear coats jackets and the leaves are not growing. People do not go out and play. In this moment people are talking in their houses and I can’t hear it. In the world the earth moves but you cannot feel it because it is moving too slowly. You cannot see the stars because they are too far far far far far away. The president is living in a big house and you’re not. And leaves are yellow and it is raining a lot and leaves are not growing. And it is cold. People do not go out again because it is cold and my teacher is wearing a red shirt and my teacher is writing in a paper and I am writing a lot and my best friend is Miguel. And my teacher is sitting with me. And I am at school working in my classroom. 104 3rd grade November 14, 2007. Jhoan B. is making this story and Omar is funny and I am too.


In this moment (freewrite)…
Kevin C.

In this moment leaves are falling and they’re changing clothes and they’re falling like a parachute each day and they’re living trees bold and cold wind is flying in air. Pencil writing in paper and paper smashing in the ground and people talking heart beating. In this moment I see the color green and the color white and the color purple and the color orange.


Things outsides
Hazael G.

In this moment the trees are dying.

In this moment all the flowers are crying.

The cars are cool.

In this moment the storms are giving thunder.

In this moment the firefighters’ alarm is ringing.

Everyone has purple folders

Haikusplosion

Last week, we read a wide selection of haiku poetry (by Basho, Hideno, Richard Wright, Etheridge Knight, Jorge Luis Borges, and others), discussed the form, and did some extensive prewriting and freewriting to capture moments and generate some raw material. This week, we were ready to write our own! I've included some that adhered particularly well to the traditional haiku structure, but just as much I've included some poems that captured the spirit of a haiku. More to come from the other classes next week!


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Ms. Vilchis, Rm. 202, 3rd grade


Haiku
Miguel C.

My mom is cooking foods.
I see blue sky.
I hear rocks crushing each other.


Haiku
Daniel R.

I am hearing steps
from Mrs. Vilchis and Mrs. J
walking through the stars


Haiku
Nicole O.

In this moment the leaves are
blowing away. I heard the noise
of an El.


Haiku
Carlos

I hear the music
of the head like a twisted heart
in a practice band.


###


Ms. Hamdan, Rm. B15, 3rd grade


Haiku
Giselle H.

I’m thinking to stop
thinking. Leaves changing colors.
I know what to say.


Haiku
Ashley A.

I am cleaning my room
and I do not want nobody to go
inside of my room.


Haiku
Melissa V.

I am winter and
shivering and
tivery and the
snow is white.


Haiku
Nestor H.

My baby brother
Camilo is crying for
milk in a bottle.

Time Poems

Since this past weekend was the end of daylight savings time, I brought in Joyce Sutphen's wonderful poem, "Book of Hours." In the poem, she describes five hours she would 'keep' in a book, if she could control time. We discussed how even an hour can be very important in an average day, full of surprises, challenges and revelations. Students were then asked to write their own time poems on a variety of themes -- such as if they were clocks, time travelers, 100 years old, could stop time, and so on. Here are some of their amazing responses!

Ms. Fialkowski (402)

A 40 Minute Day
Angel H.

One day I was alone.
Then my cousin came.
We had lots of fun.
We played a long time.
We did this and that.
Took 40 minutes.

Then my other cousin came.
We played video games and
we continued doing it for
quite some time.
Then
they left. I wanted to
continue. It took 40 minutes.

Then my other cousin came.
And we did do the same
thing with my other cousin,
played video games.
We watched movies and altogether
it took 40 minutes.

Poetry of Clocks
Katy R.

Clocks are so slow and boring!
Look it's 10:49 PM and I hear my
dad snoring!

Outside it's cold and chilly!

Clocks that have different colors
look silly!

Kangaroos are faster then
the clocks!

So, the clock goes and goes
but never stops!

Untitled (Time Poem)
Johnny S.

This is me, a digital clock. When
my battery is dead, I rest and
when on I'm working and
usually I work alone.
But when they throw me away
well, let us just say
I hope I will be OK.

Time
Samantha T.

Time is something everyone
may or may not enjoy but once
in an hour anyone could make
a difference and anyone
could make a person happy.
And you may or may not make
a difference but if you tried
and if you're happy that you tried that's all that
matters. I remember once I had a
friend who was mad at
one of my other friends
and it was like time
just flew by. One hour they
weren't friends and the next
hour they were. But in one
hour anybody can make a
person smile, or make a difference.

The Tick Tock
Luis V.

I am a 100 year old clock tick tock
they moved me again and broke the pieces
threw me out some one found me and sold
me for fifteen bucks they fixed and patched me
then I was feeling stronger and tougher
but the words from my mouth tick tock they
gave me new parts and sold me again
after some time I was in a museum of old stuff
then I see that I was trapped they said that old
clock I don't know when I'm going to stop
but for now my name is tick tock

Ms. Michel (403)

Time Difference
Gerardo C.

I went to the flea market
yesterday and thought mmm....
I asked my mom what time is
it? It is 11:00 AM
I thought it feels like 2:00
I told her that because the sun was
up
and it was brighter but colder
it felt like winter but the sun
was up. This is driving me crazy.
Well, time was going slow and I had
my birthday party yesterday at Haunted Trails
and time was going slow like I said
but I have to get used to it.
I guess that is part of life.

Untitled (Time Poem)
Servando C.

One day I watch and watch the clock.
Because I want to go out and see
the stars to spend my time. Because I
want to do my homework out. Then I
want to play with my brother. Then when
we finish playing we can go see the
television. Then when I see the
clock it was 11:00. Because I like
to spend my time out with my
brother.

Losing an Hour
Samuel G.

Yesterday was different. I felt
sad because the sun was
leaving at 4 o'clock. It felt as if I
lost an hour. It was already dark
at 7 o'clock. I felt like I lost
an hour. It felt like I lost
an hour because the sun
was not with me. Wow, I didn't
know an hour can change a lot
of things. But I felt happy because
even if I lost an hour and
the sun at least I didn't
lose my family.

Time to Time
Karen R.

Me and my friends we made four
time to time watches. After we finished
we pushed the button. Like when I was a
baby or in the future. So we all pushed the
button. And we had fun but when I
pushed the button time to time I went to
the clouds and I saw someone, it was
God. So I pushed the button time to
time. All my friends were, “Wait for me.” They
said, “Where were you?” So I went to
my room. It is a secret but I can't tell
you where I went. Time to time.

Ms. Hughesdon (407)

Time
Itzamari C.

It was that hour sometime
in the day that I felt
happy. I felt as if someone
lifted me up like the day
I was born. I felt such
a joy that I couldn't explain
how I felt.

An hour later I was sad. The
minutes that passed, I felt
worse. I felt a pain in my
heart that I was crying.

Tick tock was all I heard
when time was changing. I
felt like the earth stopped. I
felt as if I shouldn't say
anything because time was
going fast. I was very scared.

A few hours later it was
time to go to bed. I will
never forget that wonderful
time in that day.

Untitled (Time Poem)
Cesar M.

Time, what would it
be like to be a time traveler.
Going forward and backwards
in time. Seeing the future
and the past times. Just imagine
if you go to the future you
could see the buildings in the sky and
cars flying. If you go to the past
you might see dinosaurs, cave men,
Indians, and wars from long ago.
What a life it is to be a
time traveler.

Untitled (Time Poem)
Carlos M.

It is so beautiful to make
and eat in an hour. Pancakes
and eggs that smell like
a neat odor. Coffee with me
so I could be hot for the day.

The fresh wind when I go
walking for an hour. Dogs barking
loudly, woof, woof. People talking,
kids running and some falling.
Shiny houses fill the block, oh it is a beautiful day.

Doing chores at the house for one
hour. Washing dishes, making beds,
it feels good. Cleaning the kitchen
and the sofa, it's clean, yeah!

Hour Poem
Maria M.

The hour changes each
time as the world
moves around. It takes
time to do something,
and it takes time to
finish doing something.
When you wake up
and you say what time
is it, and you look at the clock
and it's 7:30 AM you say
why did I wake up so early?
Why does the time go
so slow when you are
awake so early and you
got nothing to do, just
to wonder and imagine
when none of my
family are awake to play with. Oh
gosh you're talking about
them and someone came
out, good thing.

Untitled (Time Poem)
Rodolfo P.

If it was a hundred years later I would be a hundred
ten years old. I think the year would be 3007.
I would look like a man with gray hair, glasses
and probably wrinkles. I would want to have
muscles and no fat on me because I'll be
old and look ugly already, my hair will grow
and I could cut it. I will have two
jobs and in five years I will retire. And
rest.

Daylight Savings
Gustavo R.

We're watching Spider-Man 3

My sister was worried about the time

The time had said 12:00 AM

“We need to go to church,” said sis

Dad said, “It's actually eleven, little miss.”

The next day the time had changed

A noise woke up my baby sister and I took the blame

That Sunday night I went to bed, then......

I woke up at six in the morning

Time
Yvette T.

I am a clock
I have numbers
My time changes every minute
The time changed one hour back this week
It's slow on hours
But on minutes it is so fast
I wonder if people know what
time is it?
I know because I am a clock
I have AM and PM
My hours are 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,
9,10
Don't forget 11 and 12
And my name is Ms. Clock
At 7:30 AM I wake up
The at 9:00 AM my owner polishes
me
When the sun comes up I am
shiny like the sun
My clock family is almost like
me
But don't forget the time okay

Ms. Montoya (405)

The Time
Ana C.

My mother and I went to Tar-
get and spent like three hours and only
bought clothes for Thanksgiving. When I
saw the time I was all like we
spent a lot of time, three hours.

At 3:20 PM we went to
Wal-Mart. My father bought me some
jeans like for rockers and I love them
and a shirt and a jacket. Then it was
5:30 PM. I really like to go shop-
ping with my mom.

At 6:15 PM we went to K-Mart
and bought new shoes for my brother
and some clothes for my sister's ba-
by, Jesus. We took one hour. I told
my mother that was a long time.
I wish I was a watch to stop
the time.

Then we went to Walgreen's
and bought two cameras and wallpaper,
conditioner, and some bags of chips. We
spent one-and-a-half hours.

We went home. It was
7:45 PM. Then we ate and I did my
homework and went to my friend's
house and came back at 3:50 AM.
I told my mom I didn't feel the
time.

Time
Yadid G.

In California it was a sunny day. I woke up.
6:00 AM I went to the river.
8:00 AM I went to the park.
9:00 AM it started to rain.
At 9:30 AM it was raining cats and dogs.
10:30 AM I went to play in the rain.
12:00 PM I went back home.
12:30 PM I took a shower.
1:00 PM I used the computer.
At 11:00 PM I went to sleep.
It's incredible how a computer
can take over your mind. Just to see
something and time went passing
through.

If the World Will Stop By Me
Natalie T.

If the world will stop by me
it will be great. I could unfreeze my friends,
I could hang out with my friends. We
could eat ice cream and even a cold
drink. If I could stop the time it will
be awesome to be in the streets with
no worry about it. It will be great,
just great. I could do anything I
want, take clothes and stuff from the
stores with paying not a lot.

Ms. Graefen (404)

Past & Future
Alexandra C.

The clock is moving back in
time. The Titanic already
sunk very slowly or fast I
don't remember but it sank. The clock is moving
to the future, we are using
flying cars. That is fun but
dangerous but who cares. The war in Iraq hasn't
stopped, why I wonder why?
The clock is going back in
time to 2001, the tower twins
are still standing but not
for long. I'm going back to
the seventies with my fancy
shirt and dancing, but
if you go back to the
past or future something
will happen!
But why?

Untitled (Time Poem)
Mirella H.

The time looks like a circle.
It has numbers 1 to 12.
The numbers are counted by 5.
The clock helps you know
what time is today, explaining
what time it is now and when
it's time to go home. The
clock has two hands, one smaller
and the other bigger and has a red
line in the middle that moves.

Time (Clock)
Maggie M.

I hate the time, time, time, time.
All I do is hang on the wall and tell time
I hate time!
There's nothing to do, just tell time.
I hate time!
I just hate it cause they ask for the time
and I'm right there to tell the time.

But even if I hate it I have to
stick with it because it's my
job.

I hate time!

Untitled (Time Poem)
Alejandro R.

I would want to
go back in time so
I can play football
but that day I had
deja vu. I played
football than I hit
my head. Then I was
sleeping. The day I played
football was a Sunday
but I woke up in my
cousin's house around 6:00 AM.
Also it was a Saturday.
Then I was getting up then
I fell. Then I found myself
in bed in my room and it was
6:00. Then I went to sleep.
Then I was back at my
cousin's house. Then I said
forget it I'm going
to sleep

Mr. Heredia (414)

What I Think About Time
Javier C.

The time changes
The time runs
The time goes as slow as a turtle
The time goes tick, tick, tick.
The time is like a giant balloon
The time is what we all need
The time changes the day, month, and
year.
The time I see is asleep
like me.

I'm a Clock So What
Lucero E.

I'm a clock I tick and tock.
I have an hour hand, a minute
hand and even a second hand.
I'm a clock that you could
hang on the wall. I love
people looking at me and checking
time, it makes me feel important.
To some people, I am important.
My numbers count from 1 to 12.
I never stop ticking or tocking
unless someone turns me off.
Some people say they love their
clock and not me but I'm a
clock like any other kind.

Untitled (Time Poem)
Amanda H.

I remember this hour when
I was playing in the
pool. It was summer and
I was with my family. It
was sunny and warm
with the pools big, medium
and little, of course. I went
in the big one.

And there was that hour.
It was autumn and we
were gathering all the
crunchy leaves. Then we
would jump in them
and you would hear
crunch,crunch,crunch from
the leaves.

Last there was an hour
when we were in the
park playing basketball and
soccer. We also started to
play on bikes when I
fell. It was a sunny day,
an early day, too.

Lunch Time
Stephanie M.

The hotel servant
waits patiently, he gets
disturbed by the sounds of
customers ringing the bell.
“Ding!” He looks at the clock,
lunch time is in three hours. It's
2:45 PM right now. He waits.
He gets depressed. His
tummy is saying: “Please
feed me, I'm hungry.” It's
3:00 PM. He waits impatiently.
He looks at the clock as if
lunch time took forever to
come.
It's 4:00. The hotel servant
is furious. He has wrinkles
on his forehead, three little lines.
It's 5:00 PM, finally the
servant yells, “Lunch time!”

Waiting to Go Home
Cristian M.

I am waiting to go
out of school. Waiting
isn't fun. Minutes seem
like hours. It looks like time
is going very slowly.

Here comes the teacher with
our test. It seems I will
never get out of school.
I get stuck doing the test. “I
wish time can go faster.”

It's barely 12:00 PM.
I have waited an hour
and it seems like two.
After we finish a test
we get another one.

“I am never getting
out of here,” I said
in my mind. I look again
at the clock, it is 2:30
PM. Finally I go
home and play my
game.

Week 4: Writing Odes

For this week's session, I brought in Pablo Neruda's "Ode to the Artichoke" to introduce the Ode to the students. I also brought in several artichokes, so they could see why Neruda might have chosen to compare the artichoke to a "warrior." They all seemed to enjoy having something concrete to look at and touch and to reference as a key to understanding the poem.

In response to this poem, I had students write odes of their own to their favorite foods. I had them focus on using all five senses in describing the food and making the poem look like Neruda's, which was long and skinny. Of course, there were many odes to pizza (also a favorite of mine!). I have five classes of third graders and one of fifth - the following are selections from these students' writings, one from each class.

Jasmine D.
Mr. K, 3rd Grade

My Ode

is about
pizza, it
tastes like
freedom and
it is hot it
looks like
a ball
a baseball
it smells
like cheese,
and sausage
and it feels
hot as
a chili pepper
in salsa it sounds
crunchy and it
feels mushy
it's like
a pumpkin
in a pumpkin
patch of a big
circle of a head
of a person who
likes pizza.

+++

Esmeralda L.
Ms. Sandoval-Johnson, 3rd Grade

Ode to Cherries

The cherries with dotted hearts
dressed up as a ball bouncing around
having a bath outside and sliding on mud
a carrot outside growing in the grass with
covers on it and his hair on the top a big
tree outside with lots of arms and
apples on him as if he had lots of ribbons
and puffy hair it feels wet like a wet
dog. A cherry's heart is what we have even
sparkling in the sky. A chili pepper on the
ground holding a stick on the top of the
ground, grass all over the world lots of hairs
all over.

+++

Shalynn S.
Ms. Marfise, 3rd Grade

Oh Potato

You look like a rock
You feel bumpy like the street
You taste like a potato
You smell like butter
You sound like you want to be
eaten.

+++

Cassie S.
Ms. McCormick, 3rd Grade

Ode to Rice with Milk

Rice with milk
looks like white
snow and a white
lake.
Rice with milk
feels
mushy and
smushy.
Rice with milk
smells so good
you are going
to love it.
Rice with milk
tastes like
a magic
food in
your mouth.
Rice with milk
sounds like rowing
milk almost like
a river.

+++

Ryan V.
Mrs. Rodriguez, 5th Grade

Ode to Pizza

Pizza
looks like the moon
with the craters
looking like pepperoni
round as a clock
But
it's sad
when I eat pizza
because
It can
never taste
the same
a lot of things
are circular
tire
planet
the letter O
all make me
think of pizza
But
if I
get a pizza
It will
be from
Pizza Hut.

+++

Diego L.
Ms. Breen, 3rd Grade

Ode to Macaroni

Macaroni
looks like
a tiny cell phone

Macaroni
smells like
cheese

Macaroni
tastes like
heaven

Macaroni
sounds like
water

Macaroni
feels like
a pillow

Halloween Poems

Chicago poet Li-Young Lee writes about eerie sounds, unseen phantoms and more in his poem, "Nocturne." After reading it, students were asked to use their imaginations and write Halloween poems, creating their own scary creatures and situations, or simply celebrating the holiday in poetic language.

Ms. Fialkowski (402)

Untitled (Halloween Poem)

Claudia A.

Once upon a time there was

a lonely house. People think that the

house was spooky. People didn't

believe that so they lived there.

They say the house was

haunted. When they moved to the other

house that people say it was so spooky

people say you will be dead in that

house.

When they were going to sleep

they heard somebody singing. They got

freaked out so they went to

see it was a man singing a

lullaby. When they were going to

bed they saw a shadow. They

got scared.

They were so freaked out they

screamed to death. They did not

believe in ghosts. When they saw

the ghosts, now they believe

in ghosts.

Ghostman

Jose D.

There was a creature in the night. It is

white, no one could see him, some talk about

him. If you do he will haunt you, he

will scare you sometimes. The way

he scares you is he takes off his

head and puts on your face. He is mean.

He hears stuff about him, so it looks

like he has to haunt. And his name

is the ghostman. Some call him

the headless ghost man.

Creepy Things

Ivory G.

I hear creepy scraping noises on

my bedroom door. I yell at my

dog, but I'm yelling at the wall!

My dog was out for a walk. I

heard it again! I get a base-

ball bat and I see a bloody

hook! Then, out of nowhere,

this thing pounces on me! Thinking

what to do, I kick him and

run! I went back, and it was

my dad! I'll never forgive him!

Monsters

Crecesio P.

In the dark people

get candy, in the day

there are monsters. When

the monsters ring the bell

the monsters get more candy.

When it is dark the

monsters go walking to

other houses and get

more candy. The other

day comes and the

monsters are gone. They

also are sleeping.

The Shadows

Jonathan R.

In the shadows noises move,

sounds like closing windows,

or is it someone in the dark?

Darkness reveals many sounds,

but there is only one

creepy

scraping

sound.

There was a knock on my door.

Was it my brother, or was it a boar?

Closed the windows,

closed the doors.

But there was a

shadow behind me.

Hoping not to be unknown.

I saw the creature.

Not my brother,

not even a boar.

My heart was pulsing

as fast as a cheetah

as I pulled out a shriek

and ran to freedom.

Ms. Michel (403)

Chocolate Monster

Marcelo E.

I was eating candy and it was

chocolate. I opened the wrapper and

it looked good, but it was evil and it jumped

on me. It was making weird noises

and I told it to get off me. Then

I ate it.

The Noises

Yulissa R.

It's Halloween. Somebody knocks on the

door, no one is there. I hear some footsteps

in the kitchen. I go to see who it was

but nobody was there. Then I see a shadow

on the wall of a person wearing a hat

and then it disappeared. Then I asked my

mom if she heard those noises and she

said that she didn't see anything. I

was starting to get scared. Then there's a

noise of somebody grabbing a bat. There's

a scarecrow walking in the yard.

I'm Very Nice

Jeremy S.

Every time I went outside all the

kids would run away because I was a

monster. I try to talk to them but they

start to scream and run home. Then

one day a new kid moved in. i went

to talk to him but he got a little scared.

I told him that I was friendly

and he wasn't scared anymore. And from that

day on the kids never got scared when I was

around them and I had a lot of friends.

Ms. Hughesdon (407)

Night Time

Melany C.

Night time, it's dark, creepy and spooky on

Halloween night. I hear noises outside.

The first thing that comes to my mind is

aliens and zombies. So I look out the

window. I was so scared. But there

was nothing outside. I turned around.

There were aliens and zombies all around.

And up and down and everywhere.

I was scared, I scream, scream, but

it was just a dream.

Untitled (Halloween Poem)

Everado P.

Once upon a time there were these

brothers and sisters that were hunting for

the most rarest animal in history.

Scientists have seen it but they cannot find

out what it is. Some people say

that the person he bites turns into a

wolf and now I end my story

houuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

Halloween Time

Brenda R.

Halloween, Halloween sometimes

is fun, sometimes is not. On Hallo-

ween it could happen, so many things.

Like if you are going to sleep and

you hear something, you could be scared.

But it is Halloween and it needs to be scary

but the most fun thing is candy

candy candy.

Ms. Montoya (405)

Halloween

Juan J.

Halloween night, the tree branches move. The great light

in the jack-o-lanterns. Children screaming trick-or-treat. The

wolves howl in full moon, the zombies rise from their tomb,

and the ghouls, so real but fake. Lots of fake creatures

rise on the hallow. Lots of scary things in this street.

The fear of the humans. Look so real. But maybe, they

are. Just you wait, the word BOO will scare you or make you

cry.

Haunted House

Eric P.

You see a house standing in the tree's shade.

With its broken windows all dirty and gray.

You can see an open door but then you

see something in the house run by the open door.

You go inside and turn around and see

the door close and the room turns dark.

Then you see someone's shadow when he

runs up the stairs. Then you run outside

and decide this isn't just a house, it's

a haunted house with someone's spirit haunting

the house.

The Ugly Monster

Vani P.

His name is Mario. He doesn't

like sweet things, he hates sweet

things. His skin color was green.

When he was at school everybody

just laughed at him – ha, ha, ha,

you are ugly. So he quit school

when he was in 6^thspan> grade. He went

to his house, he told his mom.

His mom said, you are dumb so he

colored himself green and

went to live in the basement.

He never came out of the

basement.

Monsters and Ghouls

Diana R.

On Halloween monsters and

ghouls awaken from their sleep.

Some are very cheap. Others still

look asleep. But they know that

tonight is their night. The night

when they are free. The night when

they get a treat or do a trick.

They know the night is long.

Every year something different.

At midnight you hear thousands of

wolves coming out of the shadows

searching for food. Ghouls and

witches fly through the air. You

hear a squirrel complain for they

had a bee and a sneaker in

her tree. The day is short, the

night is long, have as much fun

as you can, for Halloween

comes once a year. The day

is here. It sounds like it's

here. Because it is. So run away,

hide under a bed, because

no one is free from Halloween.

Ms. Graefen (404)

Spooky Halloween

Vanessa C.

I'd dress like a vampire

I have candy

She went in fire

She still has candy

I like candy

She is my sister, Sandy

I like Halloween

She dresses like a pumpkin

She says Halloween

Halloween is very spooky

I like spooky Halloween time

I said candy candy

This is my candy time

I give some candy to

A child. I love candy.

Halloween

Oscar C.

On Halloween I heard this creepy

noise outside. I looked outside and I saw

outside. I went outside to see a hideous

monster singing really bad and he had

one eye, can you believe that?

The Boogyman

Cesar G.

The Boogyman is scary and nasty

because he eats worms he

is scary because he is red

I wonder why his name is the

Boogyman? Is it because

he likes to boogie? The Boogyman

also walks funny, I wonder if

the Boogyman has pants because

he is red?

Vampire

Rocio M.

Very bad

Amazing teeth

May run

Pointy, very pointy

I will run

Red eyes

Enormous teeth

Halloween, Halloween, Halloween

Jacob S.

Halloween, when the night sky

fills the air. Trick or treaters

come out with costumes and

bags hoping to fill them up.

People have candy to give away.

Kids ring your doorbell and say

“trick or treat.” Some people get

eggs out of their fridges. I

hope I closed all my windows

and doors – crack! Ooo oh!!!!!

Mr. Heredia (414)

The Halloween Stuff

Ana C.

Halloween Halloween

there's a lot of noise

people go trick or treating

some people make

parties. There's a lot of

parties. There's a lot of

costumes on Halloween.

Schools make parties.

They go walking.

Halloween Halloween

it's bad and good.

Untitled (Halloween Poem)

Jasmine R.

As it is the fall holiday season

leaves scatter to the ground. As we

step in them a crunch comes about.

Kids walking. Footsteps, as the sound

of candy hitting their bags. Wind

blows like a whistle, colors fill

the air as kids pass back and

forth with costumes. Candy wrappers

hit the ground with a snap! The

holiday is finally here. The constant

ring of the door bell as kids

want more. The ringing is deafening.

Halloween

Adelia S.

It's Halloween and I'm

happy because I get

candy and put on

a costume.

But the scariest thing

is the noises you

hear.

The leaves rustle

in the wind.

It's a full orange

moon and people

are in scary costumes.

You can hear doors

open and shut,

you see lots of

skeletons and monsters

as posters in 3-D and

I'm scared.

That's why it only

comes once a

year.

Happy Halloween!

Spell Poems

For our Halloween poem, I brought in the Song of the Witches from Shakespeare's Macbeth - I then asked the students to write their own magic spell poems that contained all the proper ingredients: 1) magic words (preferably repeated for good measure!), 2) spooky ingredients, and 3) an indication of what the spell was supposed to do. This was really fun and produced a lot of great poems!

Mrs. Rodriguez
5th Grade

Untitled
Esmeralda T.

Cuba duba, diple triple,
heart of pig, a sig of jig,
Blood of witch, tooth of dragon,
Cuba duba, diple triple,
Now bubble cauldron as big as ever
Make him love forever, the spell
will never break.

Invisibility
Carlos G.

Cuba duba muba huba puba
witches' head fires red
and mummy's head
diple triple sickoo
eye of frog
king kong arms
hairy arms
blood is red
and so is
apple I will
make me invisibility
then the mission
is complete

Untitled
Jesus H.

Obra cobra
bubble pot make
head of snake,
frog's breath,
eye of bird, pig's
tail, hair of bat,
hornet's sting,
spider's legs, cat's
head, horse's mane,
blood of a girl,
teeth from boy, and
water make me monsters
to rule the world!

...

Ms. Breen
3rd Grade

Untitled
Ruby H.

Bibbity bobbity boo. What I make
for my magic spell is human eyes,
dog tongue, cat's toes, U.S. flag,
a rat, one teacher, cow's tongue, horse's
lungs.

Smick Smack
Jocelyn M.

Smick smack
holla back
smick smack snick snack I'll put and
shut the oven with soup robbin with
chicken stalking socks. But if I forgot
misses shovin and put in oven with chicken
soup oven hey mrs. bear take your
hair off for me to eat and you
to eat I like meat but you
don't like
hair meat bear meat don't you like it

School Doom!
Oscar S.

Ding Doom, School is gone.
Fire burn and bubbles doom.
With a snake's tongue. In the boil
Bake with an eye of a Moses.
And a cow's ears and a gorilla's two
hands. A lizard's teeth. In the bowl
of DOOM. A vampire's blood in the
brown dark rusty bowl of DOOM.
School is canceled
for all the days
and years!!!

...

Ms. McCormick
3rd Grade

The witch's doo
Isabel C.

Bubble, bubble, twist a doo, give a burn on a lost doo.
Put a cup full of blood, get a leaf with a gross caterpillar
fat, and a squishy little frog. Bubble, bubble, twist a doo,
Give a burn on a lost doo. To give to a little girl
an invisible spell. The charm of a dust.

Untitled
Ernesto C.

I was trick or treating then
I heard something what
what is that I saw three witches
making a potion the
ingredients were blood from
cow and leg and hands from
fox, brought to bubble then
fall you will not believe it.

They saw me hiding in
the bushes, they told
me dance blood and
I turned into the blood thirsty
vampire.

Rich and Witch
Marlen N.

This is my spell that I will make
make people come to be rich but get away
from the witch or else she will take
your spell so I am going to give it to
you so my potion is frogs and wigs and
hands and finally a sweet one for you
my friend abracadabra so witch get
away from it OK!

...

Ms. Marfise
3rd Grade

Untitled
Isaac H.

Hocus Pocus in the Hocus
Mix the fire with an old woman
Fillet a funny bear
In the carton boil of fat
take an eye of a fox
blood of a fox and a tongue of an
older brother
Adder's fork and a blind man's
teeth
dog leg and howlet's wing
for a charm of power
like a boy in a bubble
Hocus pocus!!!!!!

Dead of night
Troy S.

First you put a head then rat skin
Then Jeffery's dirty socks. Then
a skull then a strand of hair
from a little girl and boy
then a witch's broom and a
strand of string from a mummy.
Then mix it and say Abracadabra
then you have a person you control.

Abra Cadabra
David F.

I am going to cast a spell on myself
To make me fly by myself
I will put some feathers from an eagle
In my potion to make it heal.
Some air will make it float away
And put some bubbles to go away
I will tell someone very useful to tell me
And that will be the Wright brothers
If they wanted to fly
Well so will I

...

Ms. Sandoval-Johnson
3rd Grade

Untitled
Maria S.

Double, hupo make a potion to make a love
potion. Send me a pinch of love a glass of
your perfume to know you better. A cupcake for
sweetness.

So Double, hupo you're going to
have luck I'll give you the
perfume to put on and fall in
love with someone you love.

Untitled
Nadira A.

Double, double toil and trouble
double the snake and bubble the
hair of a goblin and wiggle and
giggle the spider inside you. And
a dragon scale then an eye from
a witch. And a tongue of a frog.

Untitled
Ruben E.

Alakazam with a lam
put something cool like a fan
then put a dog make it
like a log then put something
that jump's up and down more
like a frog. Alakazam with
a lam.

...

Mr. K.
3rd Grade

Untitled
Damien M.

Double double
I eat a big fat snake because I'm
hungry and my stomach is growling
and humming so double double I'm
in trouble of eating my dad and
mom's snake and I can't wait
to eat it again.

Untitled
Adilene C.

Double, double you are in trouble
how do you make bubbles in the sink?
How do you make bubbles in the tub, do
you know how you got in trouble?
No, you got in trouble because you made some
bubbles in the sink and in the tub. You
know how to make bubbles and you know
how to get in trouble and you know how to
make bubbles please show me how to make
some bubbles please.

Untitled
Reymundo A.

Abracadabra snake's tongue, snake's skin
dog's heart, eyeballs, hair, blood, skull
and a dead man. My spell turns people into
bananas and bananas into people.