Continuing with more work in translation this week, we read “A Boy’s Head” by Miroslav Holub, from the Czech Republic. Holub was a clinical immunologist and pathologist, as well as a poet, and students right away noticed a preponderance of science-y items, such as spaceship, multiplication table, and antimatter in the boy’s thoughts or imagination. There were others, too, like “a river that flows upwards,” and we discussed if that was possible; also “a project / for doing away with piano lessons,” about which I asked its meaning? We also looked at the eighth stanza: “I believe / that only what cannot be trimmed / is a head.” I asked what “trim” means, and when we decided that it is usually used to describe cutting a little bit of hair—which seems to be the opposite of what Holub says—we thought about others ways the word could be used, ultimately realizing that the poet was talking about the immeasurability of the imagination. No wonder he ends the poem happy that “there is so much promise . . . that so many people have heads”!
The 2nd graders then wrote their own poems about what’s inside someone’s, something’s, or their own heads.
Ms. Thiel, 2nd Grade
In My Full Mind
Ondra P.
I’m thinking about homework, play,
eating, I’m sooooooo hungry
lunch, I have a brownie, coloring,
fun, friends, games oh sooo much
to think about, my family,
my teacher, home, puppies, oh I
have to do soooo much home
work, do my hair, playing outside.
That is sooooo much to think
about at one time.
Inside a Cat’s Head
Natalia R.
Milk bowls,
Fish bowls,
Mice, not
Ice. Cozy
bed That’s
all in a
cat’s head.
Untitled
Mikhail S.
Bumblebee’s head collecting
nectar another thing
is making honey
another thing is protecting
eggs! A hunter attacks.
Inside a Dog’s Head
Sirun Z.
bones
take a walk
playing chase
run
exercise
not eat too much bones (to keep away from fat)
play with other animals
shop with owner (mostly bones)
destroy furniture (bite to destroy)
Ms. Ward, 2nd Grade
Inside My Head
Kyndall C.
Inside my head is…….
everything
popcorn!
Yummy food!
Chocolate!
Candy!
So much more!
My family!
Homework!
School
my friends
notes
drawing
sleep
writing
reading
markers
birthdays
and so much more……..
Inside a Gorilla’s Head
Nico F.
Inside a gorilla’s head I think
is a huge brain with
lots of thoughts and
a side of a gorilla’s ear.
Inside a Rabbit’s Head
Jackson M.
There is a rabbit
that comes to my
house. It is always
scared. Is it safe
it
probably
asks?
What
will
I
do?
Will
I
hide
or
attack?
Untitled
Tristen N.
paper has a head they
say please don’t wet
me or write on me
no don’t rip me
Inside a Butterfly’s Head
Reva S.
I am a butterfly
I can’t fly very far
with my wings as they are
my antennas are weak
they can’t even speak
I am lazy in the day
I sit and stay
Inside a Dolphin’s Head
Annette W.
I am a dolphin
I think of lots and lots of
water coming from my head.
Inside my head are popsicles.
I’m always hot, never cold.
I’m not yellow or blue
but that is what I think of too.
I’m a dolphin! You are
too! I’m not yellow, I’m
not blue!
Inside a Flower’s Head
Sadie W.
Am I a beautiful flower?
Am I in a pot or the ground?
Am I a good flower?
What type of flower am I?
Ms. O’Connor, 2nd Grade
Inside My Head
Sebastian E.
Inside my head I’m thinking
about writing what’s inside
my head!!!
Untitled
Aiden F.
I think about:
my iPad
my mom
my 3DS XL
my Wii U my dad’s buying me
A Wolf
Katy H.
Inside a wolf’s head, it thinks of…
hunters, that it needs to avoid,
meat, which it can’t bear to live without,
the woods, its safe home,
the pack, its family, its alphas,
a wolf thinks about it all…
A Cat’s Head
Kayla K.
A cat, mice, very
nice. Yum yum…in my
tum. Growl…growl, scowl.
Run, run here I come.
SQUEAK! EEEK! Grumble,
grumble, tumble, tumble.
Crawl, claw. Eat have a seat.
Take a nap…wake up!
Slap!
Inside a Hopper’s Head
Opal P.
How do I get around? Hop!
How do I get away from a fox? Hop!
How do I get to my hole? Hop!
How do I get to my food? Hop!
How do I get to play tag with you? Hop!
How do I get to friends? Hop!
Race Thoughts
Sai S.
Inside a race car driver’s
head. Race cars are drooming
like a super fast merry go
round. You get thrown up
and you are in a race car race
whoosh you fly out the car
and land you win because people
think you can run faster than
a race car.
Ms. Rupp, 2nd Grade
Inside a Paper’s Head
Aidan C.
Oh I am so hungry
put the lead on me
but don’t take away my ability
smear me, smear me
don’t make me a
paper airplane
Emirates, the brand
oh so expensive
but why write on me?
Hear ye, hear ye
let the pencil touch me
Kalamazoo? Not the capitol
Kalamazoo? No!
* huffs *
DON’T RIP ME!
NOOO!
Well, scissors are worse…
hashtag JUST DO IT PENCIL
now I say
now I say
don’t write on me.
Inside My Head
Kyndall F.
I am thinking of jumping
off the Willis Tower.
Then after I do that
I will become invisible.
I will help the
poor by being invisible.
Then I will come
back and give each
one 80,000 dollars. Then
I will turn back
invisible + go to
Atlanta, Georgia to visit
my grandparents but before that
I will turn the rest
of my family invisible.
Inside a Human’s Head
Cameron M.
Food
drinks
a house
family
cash
change
school
friends
Inside a Killer Whale’s Head
Tlaloc R.
It wants to eat
to eat you.
Bad thinking.
Lion’s Head
Jordan W.
Hi I’m the lion’s head
I could roar. Sometimes I
get hurt on my face + scratches on
me I’m even the king of the
jungle. I could also fight animals.
Ms. Schwartz, 2nd Grade
Inside a Head’s Head
Logan F.
Flowing through
tubes with red
marker they say
the core as
usual squishiness
to keep “the smart”
hard white protection
to protect “the smart”
over with over flows
DNA goes with
repetition goes with “the
smart” goes with the
squishiness goes with a
fierceful end
as a cycle within
the cycle
Untitled
Skyla H.
Inside my dog’s head is treats.
Inside my dog’s head is to get out
of her cage now.
Inside my dog’s head is food and
drinks.
Inside my dog’s head is she misses
her owners.
Inside my dog’s head is to go back
to my dad’s house.
Inside my dog’s head is to go back
to the dog park one day.
Inside a Scientist’s Head
Shreesh K.
Hey! Go inside a scientist’s head.
Read and tell me he is thinking
in his brain. His brain said
I wanna become a paleontologist!!!!!!!!
He was as loud as the loudest
elephant.
Inside My Friend’s Head
Alex M.
feeling happy
feeling sad
Inside a Locker’s Head
Calvin M.
Locker’s reaction I am tired
of the backpacks in my
body quit
slamming
my
face
Untitled
Ketan N.
Inside a bird’s head there is
a worm, a friend, and I think
about Monday Monday Monday
Monday and a pencil
Inside My Head
Janiyah P.
looking inside
my new house
skating outside
and making new
friends around
the block
Inside a Cat’s Head
Vishal S.
Inside all of that
fur, there is a perfect
match. A bunch of
cats playing like
they own the place.
And all they
think is getting
string. Also don’t
smoke. Smoking = no
cats = no cat videos
