- BY: Poetry Center
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Let’s make it 50 for 50! With Your Support We Can Fund 50 Residences Next Year As we head towards the end of the calendar year and launch our annual campaign, the Chicago Poetry […]
- BY: Poetry Center
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Kicking off our 50th with lots of press! Chicago Reader – Featured Article on CPC’s Legacy and Current Moment NBC – 3 Minute Feature on NBC Chicago for Exhibit and Event Poetry Foundation: Essay […]
- BY: Cai Sherley
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Lawndale’s poets were not in the classroom for our usual Monday workshops this week. Instead, they were visiting the Museum of Science and Industry for a field trip! And what better way to encapsulate […]
- BY: Russell Price
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This week the young vikings read David Berman’s “The Moon” https://poets.org/poem/moon-1 The poets were then challenged to brainstorm a typical day in high school but to subvert it with surrealism. I’m so proud of […]
- BY: Larry Dean
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As always, it was a treat to be back with Skinner West students. I introduced myself as well as the program and went over what to expect for the next several weeks. There were […]
- BY: Ola Faleti
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For our last session before the winter break and new year, 7th graders thought about ideal worlds. We discussed the fact that poetry can be a powerful tool for envisioning the world you want […]
- BY: Ola Faleti
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Before the break and subsequent new year, Waters 6th graders had an opportunity to consider the power of imagery. Ross Gay is a great poet in that respect, one who combines optimism with vivid […]
- BY: Timothy David Rey
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Our class began with a discussion of food and memory in preparation for studying Gary Soto’s Narrative-Style poem, Oranges. Nostalgia and feelings came up frequently in our discussions. What emotions are attached to memory […]
- BY: Timothy David Rey
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Students shared childhood stories before writing their own poems, reflecting on their younger selves, as the speaker did in Billy Collin’s poem, On Turning Ten. Lesson Note. “I think one of the strengths of […]
- BY: Mayda del Valle
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How would you describe yourself to others, and how would others describe you? That’s the question we started off with this week to open up the topic of the “I Am” poem. Students had […]
- BY: Josie Levin
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This last week students in Ms. Smallwood’s and Ms. Hernandez’s classes wrote poems about important memories. We read “My Father’s Mustache” by Ada Limón and both classes discussed what it is like to see […]
- BY: Poetry Center
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For nearly ten years, the Chicago Poetry Center has partnered with the Illinois Arts Council as the Chicagoland Regional host for Poetry Out Loud (POL). Two-time Illinois POL champion, Yohanna Endashaw, won the Suburban Schools Regionals in […]
- BY: Leslie Reese
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This is the question that Twain 3rd graders were asked to think about during the final session of our generative residency. This was also Holiday Spirit Week at Twain and many students showed-off their […]
- BY: Poetry Center
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Looking for a way to devote time and energy to your poetry without the distractions of your busy life? Apply to a writing residency! Join the Chicago Poetry Center as poet Keith S. Wilson […]
- BY: Joy Young
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This past Tuesday was Twain 4th graders last day of poetry for 2024. I’m so proud of all they accomplished in 10 weeks. We’ve had 10 weeks of not just writing poetry, but bonding […]
- BY: Josie Levin
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This week we read “HIPPOPOTOMONSTROSEQUIPPEDALIOPHOBIA” by Aimee Nezhukumatahil. We discussed how we approach long words, how to write about what we’re afraid of, and irony in poetry. Students used a map to connect the […]
- BY: Joy Young
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This past Monday the O-School’s Group C students dabbled in magic, potions, and spells. A poem is similar to a spell, each poem is unique, using powerful words and images. I asked students to […]
- BY: Joy Young
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This past Monday the O-School’s Group D elementary students, thought about wishes. The holidays season can feel magical. Wishes can be dreams for things that you truly want: a pet kitten, toys, money, or […]
- BY: Joy Young
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The Chicago Poetry Center is pleased to serve in its 8th year as the Chicagoland Regional Host Organization for the national Poetry Out Loud Teen Competition. Poetry Out Loud is a collaborative project in partnership with […]
- BY: Maya Odim
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Metaphor| Metáfora Sabin Elementary School | 4th Grade Our work with metaphor! We read Nikki Giovani’s poem, “Poetry” What is poetry? Students thought about what poetry is to them. Check out some student poetry […]
- BY: Maya Odim
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Sabin Elementary School | 4th Grade Leímos el poema “fresca” escrito por Nayyirah Waheed; y toma forma interesante con el título en el fondo del poema. Hablábamos sobre el futuro, lo que venga y […]
- BY: Maya Odim
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Sabin Elementary School | 4th Grade We introduced ourselves to each other by reading acrostic poems we wrote about ourselves. Nos presentamos para leer nuestros poemas acrósticos. How would you introduce yourself in an […]
- BY: Cai Sherley
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In the wake of Nikki Giovanni’s death, our last 2024 session at Lawndale honored her work. After a spirited game of This/That, we focused on how the five senses appear in her poem, “Knoxville, […]
- BY: Ola Faleti
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For our 4th week with Waters, we revisited the simile. I say revisited since I worked with most of these students last year, and we’ve reviewed the simile before. This time, I was inspired […]
- BY: Ola Faleti
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For our 4th session with Waters 6th graders, we delved into the wonderful world of similes. Like metaphor, similes are all around us, especially in music. We saw similes in action when we watched […]
- BY: Mayda del Valle
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This week we read “Ode to Tomatoes” by Pablo Neruda and discussed how we can celebrate everyday objects that we sometimes take for granted. Students brainstormed about different objects they interact with daily, and […]
- BY: Timothy David Rey
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Our class began with a discussion of food and memory in preparation for studying Gary Soto’s Narrative-Style poem, Oranges. Nostalgia and feelings came up frequently in our discussions. What emotions are attached to memory […]
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“Writing poetry makes me feel like I can see myself, like I can see my reflection, but not in a mirror, in the world. I write and I know I can be reflected.”
-Oscar S.
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-Buenda D.
“Writing poetry is like your best friend.”
-Jessica M.
