This week we read Robert Hayden‘s “Those Winter Sundays” and discussed the sonnet form. In the poem, the non-gendered speaker remembers their father who worked hard seven days per week, providing warmth for a cold home as well as clothing for his family. What’s unspoken is even more important here, from the thanks no one ever gave him, to even simple gestures of appreciation. Though siblings or a mother are never mentioned, language suggests more people in the house, as well as “chronic angers” hinting at deep-seated economic concerns or interpersonal problems. We also considered the poem’s famous final couplet, “What did I know, what did I know / of love’s austere and lonely offices?” ruminating on its multiple possibilities.
I explained that in its basic form, a 14 line sonnet characteristically states a problem, question, or situation, then, with a “turn,” resolves it.
Mrs. Rupp, 4th Grade
Life
Colin G.
What is the point of
life? That is the age-
old question we have all
asked ourselves time and
time again. It is one of
the only questions science
cannot answer for us.
Well, it could be about
lots of things. It could be
about just making the best
out of stuff that happens.
It could mean that whatever
created us actually cares
about us enough to let us live.
Sonnet
Weiyi H.
What has caused the trees to die,
The people to fade from the world
To age the things around us
Only to let them go
If things are to die,
What does living do?
Think of you
As a grain of sand.
Lost in the beach of life
Time has brought us to limits,
To keep life going,
On and on and on,
But if we do not notice,
Nothing will be showing.
Swim Meet
Leila J.
Will I make the cut?
Will I make the team?
I made it already,
but now I have a meet.
Meets equals speed
meets mean paces
meets mean winners,
and dry chlorine faces.
I’ll try my best
to win the meet
and even if I don’t,
I’ll swallow my defeat
then I’ll get on my feet
and enter another meet,
and even if they beat me,
still, I’ll swallow my defeat.
The Basketball Dream
Caleb J.
Once there was
a boy who loved
the game of Basketball.
He went to school and
all he dreamed about
was being in the NBA.
He played for his school’s
team.
His parents played the game
of basketball and liked it.
The boy’s parents supported
his dream.
Today he is still dreaming that
dream.
That boy is Me.
Hedge
Jahaan K.
You are in a maze
you are lost
trying to escape
but still you’re lost
Searching through a bag
for something to find
you have none
except a stinky cheese rind
You turn
and bend
to find
another hedge
Then you
find some shears
To Al Raby (Civil Rights Hero of Chicago)
Lucy N.
Now, why in the world
would we be mean to each other?
Why in the world
would we hit one another?
Why in the world
would we make our world unfair?
It’s all too confusing to me.
Now, in this world
you might not like everybody.
That’s no reason to be heated.
In this world you don’t have to like everybody.
Still, that’s no reason for violence.
In this world it’s no fun to be unfair!
So why doesn’t everyone stop it?
Long Time
Jonah W.
He drove the
streets looking
for bugs.
He did it for
the city.
I believed he did it for me
but the day he came
home with news sadder
than history will ever be
Then something
struck me.
It wasn’t every day that
he would come home.
That day came,
I knew it would.
I never would see
him again.
Mrs. Carlson, 4th Grade
Waited
Sixten H.
I wished I had
waited
to go on
the
slide
I was waiting too
long
then I decided
to cut
in front of people
to get to it and took my
turn.
I then got a
lot of complaints.
I wish I had just
waited
and waited and waited and waited
I wish I should’ve just
waited
Untitled
Norbert I.
Let me tell you about my
family. My dad pays all the
bills. My mom takes care
of us but my mom never
told my dad how much she
loves my dad but they both
love each other.
Me and my brother always
tease each other but we still
love each other.
My dad is always busy
he drives non stop he wakes
up early and his hair is always
curly. But every time he goes to
work he loves us non stop.
Kickball
A’Riyah J.
I didn’t always like kickball
I would always get hurt with the ball
I did not kick hard enough
it would make me feel sad
I didn’t have confidence in myself
But on my first day of summer camp
my coach told me “it is okay if you
don’t do good just try your best”
But once it was my turn I
did excellent
my mind changed I actually
liked kickball all I heard
was cheering
But I do wish that I could’ve
told my coach thank you
Thanks to her now I am confident
in myself and love sports
Math
Lucas T.
I want to take back in math
my time, my choice, my grade
The things great or worse
better or greater? Bad or worse
It doesn’t matter now it’s all
in the past
Focus on now not then
do better not worse
try
Just don’t worry
for that is all done
and this is all now
Do what you can
Do now
Sonnet
Kennedy T.
I wish I didn’t not
feed my cat too much
because she vomited all
over the rug.
My mom got mad
at me even though
it is Chase’s job to
feed cats. I wouldn’t
have said no, but
he said he was
going to hit
me in the
back of my
neck.
So next
time I am
going to run away
from my brother.
Sonnet—Romance & Regret
Gracie V.
The feeling of the summer wind crashing
on your face while you’re running. Then
you meet eyes with the one. You remember about
your other one, your children but
her thoughts go in your head, invading.
Back home your wife and triplets
run to the park and are…heartbroken.
“Oh what do I see, you, and my children?” But
all they do is walk sadly…home.
The regret of blushing, being too nice to
someone that you don’t know.
Oh how silly am I?” he says. “What
did I know, what did I know about
how romance can turn into regret?”
Mrs. Johnson, 4th Grade
Hate and Love
Landon B.
Sometimes I hate and sometimes I
love. Love overcomes hate and hate can
not overcome love. I get in fights
with my mom all the time but
hate is nothing compared to love.
For example, me and my mom
still love each other after we are
over it. Because love overcomes
hate. That is what will never
change in this massive world.
Thank you love you are
so valuable and nothing
ever will be able to
stop you, it’s impossible.
Cats and the Tree!
Maya B.
The cats run
the cats hide
some of them hide behind a tree
but something happens
the tree starts to light up
the tree twirls around
suddenly the cats are in the tree
the cats are in kitty cat land
they find a lot of cats
the other cats are having a party
everybody’s eating donuts
the cats start to bounce on a trampoline
once they get back to the human world
everything is still but then
the cats start to run and hide
Sonnet
Chloe E.
I love food it fills
my belly and my tum
tum tummy I gobble it up
like peanut butter and jelly
but then
it’s time to
go wash the
dishes
my hands soak
like the ocean
with bubbles all over my hands
my dishes are done
what’s next for dinner
I hope donuts
Mrs. Librarian
Morgann L.
Mrs. Librarian, no one knew her name.
Mrs. Librarian, oh at old Sonnet Lane.
Mrs. Librarian went through lots
of pain.
Mrs. Librarian got books off tall
shelves, and broke her back as well.
Mrs. Librarian wore all kinds of different
hats, with flowers and bows
with glitter and maybe even
toes.
Oh Mrs. Librarian, no one knew
her name
there at old Sonnet
Lane.
Untitled
James O.
On Saturday I saw
snowing outside it’s
very cold out there
we need to get hotter like
in summer. They stay
home or put a coat
on or something to
do anything to
going somewhere.
They feel frozen like
ice and ice cream.
They wear more coats
they feel warmest like
summer time.
Untitled
Jordan R.
I love my brother
and my mom
and my dad and
all the rest of
my family, I always
be kind to
everyone in my
family and everyone
else in my family.
I love everyone in
my family. And
everyone in the
family everyone
I know.
The Upside Down Moldi
Nina S.
The upside down Moldi
stood up out of
bed trying not to fall…
dad making breakfast…
MAGIC!
he down there
as I fall
down
onto the
ceiling!
What is happening!
Where did our world…
go!?
I wake
Mr. O’Brien, 4th Grade
Didn’t Really Turn Out Great!
Mia B.
A year ago it was picture day
I thought picture day
will be great
but
it didn’t really turn
out great
I got water on my dress
but
I told my teacher
and my mom brought me home
and
I didn’t get my pictures.
Rewind
Zachary H.
If I had the power of time
I would go back and rewind
to the moments forgotten
like the lonely puzzle pieces
that time forgot
lingers around my mind
like the dark rain clouds
waiting for the sun
But should I rewind
maybe it can’t be true
it spread around my mind
but different every time
like colored shards of glass changing each perspective
everywhere it might not be true
so what has been forgotten
stays forgotten
What Happened
Skyler H.
I remember when me and my
sister were so close we loved
each other we never got mad
at each other. Then one
day she was mad at me
I didn’t know why but she
was. What happened. We
both got mad at each other.
What happened. We were so close.
What happened and then I found
out what happened.
I Ran Away from Home
Kayleigh H.
One cold winter day,
I got in a row.
So I told myself,
that I should go.
I packed up my things,
then started to run.
When I was out,
there was no sun.
than at that spot,
I stopped to think.
I thought and thought…
Then I turned…
And ran back home.
The Tortoise and the Hare 2.0
Arman N.
The animals said go
they went and ran.
Tortoise ran and ran.
Tortoise ran
hare slept at the starting line.
Tortoise ran
hare slept
and again and again.
It kept going.
Tortoise ran.
Hare got up.
Tortoise ran.
Hare ran. Tortoise won.
FAST AND STEADY wins the race.
That House
Riaan S.
That house is scary
that makes me dry
and when I was bathroom
it was so big room.
It is a house that
you know that house
is old.
When I noticed
that I was my
eyes wide open and
mouth when I
understood. I was
get gifts and cake
because it was my birthday.
