Sometimes, stories can be poetic. This week, we read and talked about Stephen Dunn‘s “If a Clown,” which is an example of the opposite—a poem that tells a story. Dunn’s narrative describes the odd sight of a clown, coming out of the suburban woods and waving his hands, whose car has broken down. He needs a ride to a kid’s birthday party, and the speaker’s friend hesitates until the clown makes “a sad face, and with an enormous finger / wipe[s] away an imaginary tear.” Arriving late at the party, most of the guests have left and the family is angry, but the birthday boy happily receives a balloon twisted “into the shape of a bird” by the clown. The end.
We discussed what the word if means in general, as well as in the poem, and for writing, the students were asked to use “if” in their own poems.
Ms. Rupp, 2nd Grade
If I Was a King
Jaren B.
If I was a king I would
tell the people of my
kingdom to give me a toy
and a giant pizza
If Hot Dogs Invaded the School
Aadi K.
If hot dogs
invaded the
school we
would need
millions of
packets of
ketchup and
mustard.
Then mighty
fatman
comes and
eats up
all the
hot dogs.
If a Lion Was a Pet
Lillie M.
If a lion was a pet
I would get one I would
train it.
I would say
NO NO
don’t eat them! The lions will take
me places. It will be the
best.
If I Had a Jetpack
Shridhar M.
If I had a jetpack I would
fly over the Earth and
when I lose all my gas
I would fall right back
into my house. Then I
would go to the
gas station.
And I would fly all
over the Earth and
go to the gas station
and I would keep flying!
If There Were 1,000,000 Threads
Samantha P.
If there were 1,000,000 threads would
you knit a dress?
If there were 1,000,000 threads would you
save or use?
If there were 1,000,000 threads would
you be happy or sad?
If there were 1,000,000 threads would
it be messy or neat?
I have lots of questions to ask
but I know there are not
1,000,000 threads right here right now!
Ms. Beaudry, 2nd Grade
If You Were Famous
Livvy A.
If you were famous what would
you do? If you were famous you
would act. If you acted
you would meet a clown. If
you met a clown you would
be silly. If you were
silly you would be fired.
What If
Ila L.
What if I wear blue,
Then my shoe will be untied.
If I see yellow,
I will turn into a marshmallow.
If I see brown,
I will also see a clown.
If I see violet,
everything will be quiet.
If anything is gold,
It will turn gold.
What If…
Madeline M.
What if you were hiking, you see
the end of the cliff you hike.
You walk toward it. Suddenly,
you slip, you fall off that cliff.
You fly. You fly toward the sky.
You become the sun. The only
thing that makes light.
What if?
If I Was a Butterfly
Brooklyn N.
If
I was
a butterfly
I’ll fly with my
heart it will be
long from here instead
of near I’ll see the
rainbow with a coming near
feeling so come here
and I’ll show you
forever and over
and over till
you die.
Now
If
Ethan W.
If I had mystical
powers I would use
them for world
peace. I would
also use
my powers to
protect my country.
Ms. Schwartz, 2nd Grade
If
Chelsea C.
If I were president I would take
everyone to DC and go bananas.
If I were a clown I would go to a
party.
If I were a butterfly I would flutter
all around.
If I were a tree I would grow
apples.
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Krislyn G.
If Naima gave me some
popcorn I will eat it.
If I saw a clown come out
of the woods I would be
looking.
If
Charlotte M.
If I could live on my own I
would stay in bed all weekend
and on school days I would skip
school and eat and draw and text
and go and visit my friends
and go shopping and hang out.
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Daniel R.
If I had a pet I would
take care of it. I will
feed it. And I will
walk it. It will be
my friend. He will
be in a safe place.
He’ll be my buddy.
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Tanzania T.
If I saw a teacher I will be happy and
surprised when I see teachers like Ms. Schwartz,
Ms. Ward and other teachers.
If You Played Minecraft
Taylor W.
If I would play Minecraft and
find diamonds I would be so happy.
What would you do?
If
Angel Y.
If I can eat ice cream I will cry.
If I can not go out I will cry too.
Ms. Ward, 2nd Grade
If I Shrunk Myself
Miles K.
If I shrunk myself I would
get stepped on and at the
last minute I would fart.
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Maddison L.
If I owned a mansion I would invite
my friends for sleepovers every day
it would be so fun I would even have
my one humongous room it would
be so awesome it would be like a
dream I would be so happy
we will even have a swimming
pool and a humongous balcony we
would have a puppy and a kitten
so many other animals.
Everything I Would Do If…
Alexandra M.
If I won the lottery and won a lot of
medals in swim I would get a mansion
and get everything I wanted and if
I wanted to I would get an adopted
kid but only if I saved my money
for 21 years and only because I’m a
kid.
If I Was as Big as a Planet
Aarav N.
If I was as big as a
planet I would eat
an empty rocket.
If I Was a Puppy
Molly S.
I’m a thrilling puppy.
I’m fluffy and amazing
little puppy.
If I could open
the door I would
be happy and I
love peace and joy
and wonderful things
things that I love inside
my heart forever.
If I Was a Mom
Emily X.
If I was a mom I would take care of
children. If I have time I would play
with them. If I have time I would help
you. If I have time you could do
whatever you want to do with me.
If I have time I cook for you.
If I have time I take you to school.
ENJOY!
Ms. Carlson, 4th Grade
Ojala
Yahel A.
Ojala no le viera gritado.
Ojala tubiera 10 años.
Ojala me gustaran las
verduras. Ojala pudiera volar.
Ojala saltar.
If You Were Stuck in School
Micaela J.
What if you got stuck in school
because of a
snowstorm. What will
you do? Will you be
scared or happy?
Where would you sleep? Will you
sleep on a desk?
On the carpet? Will
you have a sleeping bag?
How will you get out
of the school the
next day?
Will you call
your parents?
What if you can’t?
What if you had to
sleep at the
school for the next
week?
What will you do?
If I Had a Spaceship
Anna K.
If I had a spaceship I would
soar through the stars.
I would see
all of the planets
and play with the green
little creatures.
If I had 1 million dollars,
I would put the money in
a basket
so that one day
someone would change it.
Money can’t solve all
your problems.
When not if I die
when I die I will
pass on my luck
to my grandkids
to their kids
and on.
If I Was a Period!
Curtis O.
If I was a period, I will be at almost
every sentence. I would be really famous
in a sentence
If a Cat
Graham S.
If a cat came into your backyard,
what would you do?
Would you take it in,
or would you shoo it out?
If a cat jumped over your fence,
that was 20 feet tall.
Would you be surprised,
or just a little bit shocked?
If a cat just teleported,
into your backyard.
You would certainly be amazed.
You wouldn’t be anything but amazed.
If a cat did all,
all of the above!
You’d be any word that is a synonym to surprised.
If a cat did all of the above,
you would certainly be surprised.
Mr. Chau, 4th Grade
If You Couldn’t Read…
Darian L.
If you couldn’t read,
How could you be
Reading this?
If an Alien…
Will L.
If an alien parachuted from the sky,
would it look peculiar?
For all the years that you have
lived, had you never seen an alien.
You’d have a sudden scare and run into the
house, the alien would get his raygun.
Would you be surprised if he revealed
his real face?
And the raygun was made of foam,
just to see a little kid cry,
and fall down. Now you felt sorry.
If
Alice M.
What if the it iffed
and iffed iffed if?
If if iffed the if
and the if was iffing
the if?
If.
If?
If I Had a Million Dollars
Joshua O.
If I had a million dollars would I buy
a life or buy a living life?
If I had a million dollars would I
buy a house or a car?
If I have a million dollars would
I give it away or would I?
If I stole a million dollars would
I turn myself in or leave the country?
If I was a barber who stole a million dollars
what would I do, get a hairline or buy a barber
shop?
What would I do?
If I Were 8 Feet
Sarah W.
If I were 8 feet I’d probably bonk my head.
No shoes for me
and I would have no beds.
If I were 8 feet people will stare
I can’t even go in the door
that I can’t bear.
If I were 8 feet I would need a lot to eat.
The whole world would shave me
and there would be no shoes for me.
Mr. Cox, 4th Grade
If I
Journi M.
If I was a bird I would
fly and soar through the sky.
If I was a flower I would bloom
like the wind. If I was an airplane
I would write big letters in the
sky. If I was a dream I would
dream like no other dream.
If I Was Famous
Esohe O.
If I were famous, I would
have a mansion.
I would have everything
an ordinary person doesn’t
have.
I would have beautiful jewelry
and expensive clothes.
I’m not saying I am famous.
If only I were famous.
The If Poem
Cosette R.
If there were some plums
If there was a moose
If you gave the moose a plum
If his family, the Meese, got mad,
would you give them one too?
If there were no more plums
would you make it up to the Meese?
What if?
If I Had a Dollar
Azalea R.
If I had a dollar for every time
you said that.
If I had a dollar for every
time you hit me.
If I had a dollar for every
time you hit me, kicked me, teased me,
slapped me, and hurt my feelings.
If I had a dollar for every
time that you were rude.
I would be swimming in green.
Did You See That?
Lucas W.
If you saw a unicorn,
maybe a machine that
makes rainbows,
how about that gorilla
that looked like Godzilla.
You are probably
having a seizure
in midair that is
made of emotions.
If you see something
cool
or maybe amazing
you are having a seizure.
If You Saw….
Aaron Z.
If you saw a crocodile, would you scream and shout,
If you saw an alligator, would you pout?
If an octopus came up crying,
What would you do?
Ms. Travis, 4th Grade
If Dragons Were Invading
Madeline A.
If dragons were invading
and they said they were taking over
would you run, like 99% of the
people did, into your basement?
Or would you stay put (like
I would have done) and actually
tried to talk to them?!?
Would you say, “Hullo, Mr. Dragon,
I think dragons are really cool,
and I’ll keep you for a pet, not
kill you if you stop.” Or would you
say, “Ahhh! Call the military!!!”
So actually talk to invading things,
OK?
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Michael C.
If you were amazing what would
you do would you fly would
you have super powers just what
would you do?
If I Were a
Daria I.
If I were a teacher I will be
smart.
If I were a doctor I will help
people.
If I were a dancer I will be
famous.
If I were anything then
I will be good at it.
If
Raven R.
If I had a pet
I would take care of it.
If I had a pencil
I would write with it.
If I had a stick
I would break it into pieces.
If I had a notebook
I would write and draw with it.
If I had money
I would be the richest person alive!
If I went on a roller coaster that loops
I would scream.
If I was done with this poem
then, I am happy.
Random Creepy
Sean S.
If you see a clown or animatronic walking around.
You’ll probably make a sound (a scream).
There’s a couple things you can do
If I were you
I would kick them too.
Or you can run to mommy
Or just jump on a trolley
When you see them across the street
I’d run and make them screech.
