“Legacies” by Nikki Giovanni describes an interaction between a grandmother, who wants to teach a lesson, and a granddaughter, who is reluctant to learn from her elder for more complicated reasons than she is able to state. We wrote poems on the idea of legacies, specifically the teaching of a lesson.
Room 320
Untitled
Stephanie
I blinked, next thing
I know, I was on a
bike. I felt a buckle on
my chin which was a helmet.
I felt protection on my knees.
I looked down my feet were on pedals.
And there was someone in back of me
waiting for me to pedal.
I was really nervous.
My friend started pushing me,
my palms started slipping.
I blinked again, I started
moving, I didn’t know it.
But I was moving. And
next thing I know, I was
on the floor crying.
But after a while I got
the hang of it, and
I knew how to ride a bike!
Abstract
Grace M.
“Grace, do you want to learn about abstract art?
“Yes, yes, yes Grandpa!”
The grandfather took out a big notebook, pencil, paint, markers and colored
pencils.
The granddaughter was excited.
He started drawing lines and weird designs.
She then started painting with many different colors.
He and she both
giggled and laughed.
The piece of art was full of patterns and
so many colors.
This memory kept with the girl forever.
After that, abstract was her favorite kind
of art.
On the Air
Ashley C.
I looked up and imagined…
how do you survive.
My dad told me, remember when you wanted to fly?
I looked at him, nodding,
as we got closer to the seats.
My stomach hurt like crazy, and I wanted to faint.
I was frightened.
When we got on one loop, two loop, AHHH.
the joy in my face the way my hair flew
Room 322
Love
Dy’Anna D.
Mom told me I love ya
I said Thanks ladybug
At that time I did not
know what love was
I asked my mommy
What’s love she said
Love is when you feel
deeply romantic or when
you really like someone
in your heart I really
was happy because
my momma loves me
so I said it back
How to Ride a Bike
Marbella G.
The wind blew through my
hair whoosh, my neighbor told
me ”Dale mi’ja, don’t be
scared!”
My Room
Brandon F.
My mom wanted to teach me how to clean my room.
I said, “No, I want to play more, you can teach me
tomorrow.” But my mom said, “We do it today so in the
Future you can do it yourself.” So she showed me how to
store my clothes where they belong and when it’s dirty to
put it in my basket of dirty clothes and if I want to
keep using it then to put it on my camte but on top
and folded. “See, you can do it yourself from now on.” But I
was mad and went to play more.
Room 314
Fight Bad
Justin M.
We’re in the house, my brother is
telling me a story about this kid
messing with him.
So I say, “Here, let me teach you
how to beat him up.”
So he says, “OK.”
So we start, I teach him how to
stand when fighting,
so he knows how to stand.
Then I teach him how to
throw punches.
To this day, he can beat my butt.
I Should’ve Paid Attention
Kiara L.
My older brother comes by
he started to talk
but I don’t feel like listening
“don’t be like me,
gets in trouble a lot
and bad grades
I don’t want you to be like me
It isn’t worth it.”
I wasn’t paying attention
“yeah, yeah whatever, Jason”
Bike
Yahaira E.
“Keep going!” she said
“No puedo,” as I’m trying not to fall off
I kept pedaling trying to keep my balance
as I gained my balance
I was proud
Turned around to her
I said, “Lo estoy haciendo!”
She waved her hands in the air
and once again I turned around
and the little girl inside me
was screaming
as I crashed into
the tree.
