Today, we readFrancisco X. Alarcón’s Natural Criminal (in English and Spanish) and thought about the ways that he used metaphor to describe the ways he did not feel like he belonged impacted us. We considered why a poet might use a metaphor to describe a big intangible emotion. Students wrote their own poems thinking about a place where they feel like they belong or alternatively a place where they do not feel a sense of belonging, with a focus on using metaphor.
My Backyard
Genna
I know that there might not be
many hiding spots, but this is my backyard.
There’s ankle length grass waiting to be cut,
Cars speeding by although it’s a side street.
Smell of fertilizer all the way from the front.
Two dogs barking and fighting.
Bumblebees and wasps waiting
to attack.
And the old rusted gate, not replaced in years.
But it’s still my backyard,
and look, there’s my dog!
Feather
Dylan C
I am like a feather in a storm
being blow around in the strong winds.
Traveling to brand new places.
Floating around in the clear blue sky.
Flying around, discovering brand new locations and things.
Feeling the cool breeze, passing through the clouds.
Hoping to hit the ground once again.
The winds blowing the feathers back up
being pulled away from its goals.
As I float down, I feel the winds
being as calm as the waves on a dark night.
Hitting the surface peacefully.
Achieving my greatest goal and succeeding.
The Lost Home
Eryk
I am a lost home going
away because I don’t have 3 dimensional shapes
and right angles. Moving is hard, finding
that perfect place to be at. People living in my house
but none near me. Finding that place where I live is nice
and once I find it, I’ll feel alive.
