Last week, we read “The House Was Quiet and the World Was Calm” by Wallace Stevens. The students really liked this poem, and the first thing I asked was why is there so much repetition in it? The title itself repeats three times, and many other words repeat too. One of those repeating motifs is about “the reader,” and we wondered who the reader might be, as well as how “the reader became the book”—did they change into a book, or something else? Maybe they were so absorbed by what the book said that they lost track of time. Other concepts we discussed included consciousness, truth, meaning, and perfection.
Focusing on the title, I asked if quiet and calm were the same thing? We decided that while they are similar, quiet is more about sound while calm is more about behavior. I also asked if quiet had any sound? We even tested the theory in one class, and although we were as quiet as we could be, noises that might otherwise be hidden we heard, like a single pencil rolling off a desk and dropping to the floor.
Students were then asked to write a poem about quiet. Here are some examples.
Mrs. Haddad, 2nd Grade
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Henry A.
Quiet when I study
now loud from children
and every time I study
it’s quiet. Now I’m talking
now no talking later.
Quiet Things
Eli B.
snow
lakes
grass
Santa
Quiet Puppies
Anabella M.
Quiet puppies
are so
shy and cute and nice
and quiet. And very
sweet and very very very very
quiet. Some people do not
like them their eyes
will tear up.
And cry up so much
you will cry too. I
like quiet puppies
so nice you can
see now
get one now.
So nice and calm.
I wish that I
could get one.
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Reya S.
Quiet in the air peace and quiet in the
air
so
relaxing
sleep sleep
ZZZZZsnoreZZZsnoresnore
Be Quiet
Please
Snore
Quiet is nice
Mrs. Ward, 2nd Grade
The Noise
Leon D.
so much noise
noise is good
make noise
it is fun
so much
fun I like
noise I
make noise
every day you
do too I love
noise it is so much
fun
Sounds of Silence
Isabella G.
Listen to Sounds of Silence
describe Sounds of Silence
bang bang who who an
owl
in
the
wind
a big light flash
in the night.
Silence in the Night
Lawson G.
cat cat
in the
night a rat
a fat rat
a very fat rat
silent silent
in the night
Camp Koo Koo
Rihanna G.
When I go to camp
we have quiet time I
do writing it makes me
warm and happy and peaceful. I do
marshmallows they are so good
at Camp Koo Koo. Ohhhhh now
I have a good knock knock
joke for you I do it to my
friends all the time knock knock
who’s there Hair Hair who? Hair today
gone tomorrow
Quiet
Carter H.
Quiet is
a gift
given
to us.
We should
use
it
wisely.
Talking
Ellery K.
Talking talking everyone
is hanging stockings. Banging singing
there’s nothing like talking and
loud banging.
Peace
Jesse K.
You need
peace and
quiet if
you want
to write
or read.
Mrs. Daigle, 2nd Grade
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Antonio A.
I like it when it is quiet
because it helps me think
it helps me learn that’s it
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Daniela I.
Quiet is so calm do you like quiet?
I do! I work in quiet like doing
homework or just doing stuff. But some-
times I like being calm like if
I am sleeping.
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Michael L.
There should be peace
in the world and should
be equal of everything
at every school. Also
the same amount of
space and things. There
should be more safety
everywhere at every
state. No violence
at all.
Shshsh
Gianni M.
I
love
things
that are
quiet.
Awesome!
Shshsh
shshshsh
shshshsh
shshshsh
shshsh!
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Haris M.
Quiet is the best
sometimes the worst.
Ms. O’Connor, 2nd Grade
Elf
Kathleen A.
An Elf is quiet an ocean is quiet?
Can’t there be any quiet at all!?
If so be quiet and don’t disturb
me!
Quiet Places
Paras C.
Quiet here
quiet there
quiet writing
quiet EVERYWHERE!
Don’t be noisy!
Night Summer Sleep
Brooke L.
In the night we sleep
in the summer it’s super
quiet but just a hint of cricket
in the night we have a sleepover and
sleep but when we hear cock-a-doodle-
doo I know it’s time to wake up stretch
and sing in the night in the summer
when I’m asleep by then the past time
I know it has to be spring
Untitled Quiet
Nehemiah O.
I walked through the door
It is quiet
I walked through the living room
It is quiet
I walked through the whole house, except
the kitchen
It is quiet
I walked through the kitchen
Surprise!
Dark Night
Ethan T.
One dark night, it was
so quiet that you could
hear a paper clip drop.
I was in my house a robber
came I woke up and
we were battling quietly
I kicked his butt he
tried to punch me
I blocked it
and punched him.
When the battle was
over I woke up and
I noticed it was
just a dream.
