For Shoesmith 5th and 6th graders their 12th poetry week was on April Fools Day. There were a lot of funny shenanigans from teachers, staff, and students. Despite the hilarious pranks we had a moment to calm down and relax by listening to a meditation video exercise, where students had to find their special “quiet place” in their minds. Then we read the poem “After Meditation” by Georgia Heard. In her poem Heard describes how she feels when she stays still, quiet, and takes a calming breathe. There is something brand-new in my world/like when the rain washes away gray skies/ and makes my day brighter.
The majority of students mentioned feeling stressed about grades, annoying siblings, fake friendships, and the pandemic. They wrote poems about how they felt after meditating and describing places where they can find peace.
Ms. Yassky’s 5th Grade
Group 1
Forest
by Azaria A.
I felt high when I was low.
I felt good when I was bad.
I felt loved when I was unloved.
I felt joy when I was unhappy.
Poem Of Calming Down
by Keira L.
1…2…3… When I am calm I think
of the summer sky 4…5…6…
I am calm when I hear calm music
I fall asleep 7…8…9…
and finally 10…
Floating On Clouds
by Ah’lani M.
When your meditating
its like your chilling
on your bed watching T.V.
It’s like watching a movie
in a theater with zero people.
Meditating is like rapping on
a stage with millions of people
and a crowd cheering your name.
Meditation
by Jesus V.
My body felt like it was in Heaven
I didn’t think about anything.
My body felt like it was in slow motion.
Ms. Yassky’s 5th Grade
Group 2
Meditation, Meditation, Meditation
Taniya A.
I felt as calm as the windy weather
I felt like I was in the ocean drinking
a pineapple smoothie and eating a
fruit bowl and relaxing while listening
to calm music.
I felt like I was jumping from cloud to cloud.
I felt like I was dancing in the rain to a calming
smooth jazz with headphones.
A Place
By Amir B.
I felt like a magical bean.
I felt like I was in a peaceful garden.
A place where its quiet.
A place where there is no math.
A place where there is only me.
A place where there is no reading.
A place where there is no bottle flipping.
I Feel Like
By Latrell J.
I feel like I was sleeping in a bed.
I feel joy and felt like eating soft foods.
I feel like I felt in a ball pit of memories.
I feel like flying in the air.
I feel like nothing would come.
I feel like I will float to the stars.
Ms. Henry’s 6th Grade
Group 1
Floating In The Void
By Philip A.
A crescent moon shaped as a bed.
My mind has no limits, clouds waving by.
Softer than any plushy I know.
Stars flying by the only light source.
Music softly playing
over the magical
sound of the void
Planets wooshing by
some other cold rocks .
Shards flying by stars
making Disneyland.
From it charm clouds that
taste like cotton candy
but this my quiet place
but I’m showing it to you.
My Own World
by Charles D.
At night I’m in my
own world where
the sun glows bright
and the blues play all night.
Where the rain sprinkles
as I meditate on
the clouds
deep breathes
deep breathes
as I leave
my world.
By Xochitl H.
When I put my finger in the water.
My body feels like it glowing.
I feel like a bright fluffy daisy when I swim.
My body feels like as if I’m sleeping in a field
full of daisies when I splash.
My heart feels as if someone is making me breakfast in bed.
My hair felt as if someone is giving me massage.
My arms felt as if peacocks were lifting me in the
air to make me fly.
My head feels like little kittens were hugging me.
I feel like a perfect angel when I dive into the water.
My hands felt as if little cute ducks were diving in the
water with me.
I feel like a sunny rainbow when my body float in the
warm glazy water.
I love swimming daisies.
By Londyn N.
I close my eyes and zone out.
I’m teleported to a box room with windows for walls
The view is lush green forest with beautiful flowers.
The rain pouring, but I’m safe.
There also aren’t any restrooms, as bladders aren’t
a thing to worry about here and hunger us unheard of.
There’s a California King size bed that reclines and vibrates.
It faces towards the window. So whenever I lie down
I get to enjoy a gorgeous landscape while I hear the
sounds of precipitation.
I am at peace as I lie under the soft, silky, heavy, yet light, duvet.
The world slows down. My breathing gets manual, and the world
fades to black. I love this place. It’s the epitome of tranquility.
I forget about the real world, and become calm.
This is meditation.
Ms. Henry’s 6th Grade
Group 2
My Meditation Library
By Kezia C.
My mind feels lost in a good book that I really
like when I’m in the library.
My eyes feel good when I close them at
the library.
My hands feel sleepy when I get to the library.
My legs feel stress free when I sit down in a
chair at the library.
My mind feels relaxed when I’m in the library.
My mind feels like on top of the cloud.
Comfortable
By Judah F.
This is my place.
I am on the sand of a nice beach.
There is a cool drink in my hand and
the warm sun is up above me.
The noise of the waves soothes my mind.
I feel the many grains of sand between my toes.
There is nothing at the beach but me, and my drink.
Where am I?
Peace.
I am at peace.
This is my place.
Peace is my place.
My Sleepy Meditation
By Fajr M.
My mind feels like a bed.
Soft, comfy, calming.
When I lay my head down
I look at my ceiling, listening
to my music, flushing in my brain.
Everything else fades away and I
finally get time to myself and no
one else.
I can hear myself think.
Watching my favorite shows and movies
no one knocking on my door.
My grandpa, cat, and I sitting,
watching the news, seeing
what’s going on in the world.
Meditation Mirrors
By Brooklyn M.
My body felt like I was sleeping
on clouds, moving ever so slightly.
I jump and jump and jump,
I move slowly.
The music is a piano, I see a door.
The clouds disappear as I move.
I open the door, I see myself playing.
There are mirrors all around.
I stop playing and I direct myself
into one of the mirrors.
I walk into the first one.
There was water, I was in a pool.
I walk through all the mirrors
and there is one left.
I walked in the room, it was dark,
it flashed with lights.
I didn’t understand, so I kept
walking until I found the end.
