Last Friday, I returned to DuBois Elementary eager after not seeing the students for two weeks. Post-holiday, we approached writing about the pursuit of happiness by way of two of our basic necessities…food and family. We read two list poems: one short one called Formula for Happiness and another, The Joy of Food. Discussing the structure of list poems fueled discussion about the poetic line, line breaks and stanzas. The 6th, 7th and 8th grade students took to creating their own works that were either inspired by holiday meals, their favorite foods or their formulas for happiness, which we agreed could be derived from but from six simple concepts. During their writing time, their teacher Ms. Dydo penned a poem entitled, My Joys, that she so graciously shared with our students. The students listened intently to Ms. Dydo as she quietly read her poem to us. There were so many moments that I relished in the simple act of her writing…her joys, the stars, sister-friends, he parent, family recipes resonated with us all, because she wrote for us all: her students, herself, her family, her friends, me…And after she read her final line, the students erupted with applause and cheers, while I may or may not have held back a tear. This day, so many students wanted to share their writing that that I had to make promises for our next class.
I thought of this partnership that we have, where Ms. Dydo loans her students to me each week, where I borrow time to teach the students of Dubois, where the students at Dubois give of themselves, and we all work to create something that will last in this world. I thought about how if we all just paid our debts to one another, how rich we would all be. I read these poems as soon as I could. I became so full; as my students are blossoming so quickly right before me. There is humor, tenderness, symbiosis, love. Humanity. Please enjoy.
7th Grade
Food that I Like
Ziclaly D.
I like to spend the time with my family on Thanksgiving
or on any other holiday
We all love to spend the time together
We eat a lot of food
Like we eat a lot of
Ground beef
Ham
Turkey
Chorizo
Bacon
Carne de Puerco
I like when my mom cooks
Chuletas
Tamales
Macaroni and cheese
Alasaña
She cooks very good
Untitled
Gemarion B.
Food makes me happy
Macaroni makes me smile
Chocolate anytime
My grandad’s turkey
My dad’s barbeque
Sweet potato pie
When I say it’s good, I won’t lie
Eating soup reminds me
Of my grandma who passed a year ago
Lemon cake, my auntie bakes the best
Fried chicken
Ice cream
I can’t forget pizza
Tomato
Bread
Cheese
And my choice of toppings
Ramon Lee
Food, Food Wassup Dudes
I see and smell the cheesy macaroni
It’s not a sandwich without “bologny”
Nachos, they my homie
Taco come for me
I eat everything got my stomach storming
Eat all day, go to sleep now its boring.
I have faith & my milkshake
Onions on my steak
Pound cake got baked
Raking food on my plate
Cabbage ad dressing, I hate.
4 plates I can take.
Spaghetti is like noodles
Chitterlings smell like booboo,
Food is like my crew.
Ice cream
Ice cream
My topping whip cream
Chocolate the dream. Food on my team
After I get food it makes me lean.
Food, Food, and More Food
Marjanay M.
Tacos
Noodles
Nachos
Vanilla cupcakes with blue frosting
Fried chicken
My daddy mac & cheese
My auntie spaghetti
My father’s crab legs and dipping sauce
Fish and chips
My daddy’s baked shrimp
My mom fettuccini with daddy’s shrimp
Cheddar broccoli rice
My grandma fried corn
Homemade cookies
Cakes
Pie
Honeybuns
White chocolate
Donut sticks
Formula for Happiness
Raquel R.
- Family makes me happy when I am not that happy and makes me feel comfortable
- Friends calm me down when I’m feeling like exploding and make me laugh
- Laughs – when I make people laugh, it puts a smile on my face because I made someone laugh
- Love makes me feel like I’m a part of something and I mean something to someone
- WiFi is a need to me. WiFi does a lot to me. I love WiFi, so I won’t have to use my LTE
- Pets are like something I need. They are good to hold and if they’re soft indeed.
8th Grade
Foods Enjoyments
Kayla H.
Foods I enjoy on Thanksgiving and
such, I also like chocolate cake
so much. We ate greens with some
string beans, and baked mac and
cheese. We had pot roast, and some
potatoes, wait don’t forget the sweet
ones too. Dressing, turkey, and cheese
cake too, and also the cupcakes, make
them moist too. That’s all there is to next
time I’ll invite you.
Happiness and Love
Talleda P.
Soon as I hear come eat
I’m running jumping over my sister
Falling down the stairs running to
The kitchen, sit down
Here come my mom with the bacon
6th Grade
Untitled
Keyonna W.
I came home from school
smelling baked chicken. I
knew my mom was
cooking. She cooked green
beans, salad, sweet potatoes, I
know that I was about
to smash, then she pulled
out some cornbread.
Then all my family
we all love the food.
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Jaeda S.
Formula for happiness to
Me is family time,
My best friends
Happiness
Love
Food
Fun
Forgiving
My life
Smiling
Christmas
The day I was born
My family
My favorite sister
My favorite things to do
Shopping for clothes
Hair
My house
The world
Teachers
Candy too
Happiness
Sequoya D.
Happiness is a thing
that you can show or hide
when you’re with
your family there’s
no way you hide
that you’re happy
Happiness is something
that can never go away
even on your worst days
You can still wear a smile
that tells or at least shows
you’re happy, happiness is
a theme that you will learn
it is important. Joy is
something your family has.
Love is something you
want. Health is something
you have to care for to
keep your happiness, friends
family they all will show
you that happiness can be
shown love, live and be happy
Thankgiving Dinner
Malachi L.
My list of food was baked macaroni
Greens
Dressing
Cornbread
Turkey
Ham
Red velvet cake
Lemon cake
Sweet potato pies
And what made me happy was when we sat
down and ate our food in peace.
And I thank God
Formula for Happiness
Danny S.
Family
Friends
Pets
Loved ones
Grandma
Aunt
Uncle
Tears of joy
