All posts in Poems

Poems and Paintbrushes

As we get closer to the end of our residency, I wanted to have have a colorful theme. For their 17th week, O-School students learned about Ekphrastic poetry. Ekphrastic poetry is poetry that is […]

“This is class is not demure”

This past Monday and Tuesday marked the beginning of a new partnership with Howe School of Excellence’s after-school program. The group is made up of boys ranging in age from 2nd – 7th grade, […]

‘I can’t. Take it. ANYMORE!!!’: Repetition Poems

We explored the powerful device of Repetition in Phil Kaye’s poem of the same name. Some poems in our workshop are ‘after’ Kaye’s work. Lesson Note: “Repetition can make magic happen- repeat a word or […]

Love Poems

“What are some different kinds of love”. is the question we started off with this week, before reading Gwylym Cano’s poem “Love”. Sushi, pets, family, friends…we had a lively discussion about all the different […]

Can You See It?

This week Brennemann 2nd graders joined me on the carpets in their classrooms, to think about places where poems are found. Students said poems can be found in books and on walls, in computers, […]

Farewell Centos

This past Monday was Lawndale’s penultimate workshop. To commemorate our time together, we are putting together a chapbook! Students returned to their favorite poems and each submitted one. Our tool for the week was […]

Lessons in Joy

Last week at Smyser Elementary, we read Ross Gay’s poem “Sorrow is Not My Name.” Students challenged themselves to write their own poems about joy or a difficult experience utilizing metaphors and similes. Check […]

‘Then repeat with essence’: Instruction Poems

Students read Dana Levin’s poem, ‘Instructions for Stopping,’ and then crafted their instruction-based poems! Lesson Note: Instruction poems offer a unique blend of creativity and utility. They can be memorable and engaging ways to convey information, […]

The Lasagna of Life

This week was all about similes as entrances to extended metaphors, specifically about life. Reading Langston Hughes’ “Mother to Son” inspired a conversation about struggle, growth, and change. These poets then used the extended […]

Ask me any question

For our 5th poetry session, the theme was questions. Twain 6th graders were asked, Why do people ask questions? Most students mentioned how people ask questions because they want to gain knowledge and know […]

Donate

Support our student poets today!

CONNECT WITH US!

Twitter Facebook-f Instagram

STUDENT POETRY

Click on a school name below to browse student poems from current school partners.

POETRY ARCHIVE

Click on a school name below to browse student poems from our archive.

RECENT FACEBOOK POSTS

TESTIMONIALS

“Writing poetry makes me feel like I can see myself, like I can see my reflection, but not in a mirror, in the world. I write and I know I can be reflected.”
-Oscar S.

“Writing poetry makes me feel free.”
-Buenda D.

“Writing poetry is like your best friend.”
-Jessica M.

Search

CONTACT US

General Inquiries
info@poetrycenter.org

Programs (School & Organizational)
programs@poetrycenter.org

Reading Series and Events:
curator@poetrycenter.org

The Chicago Poetry Center is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
FEIN: 23-7400515

SEND US A POSTCARD

Chicago Poetry Center
1448 E. 52nd St, #256
Chicago, IL 60615

I’M FROM THE CITY LIGHTS / STREAMING OUT IN THE NIGHT / AND HUGE SKYSCRAPERS / TOWERING OVER THE LAKE – MELISSA E., 7TH GRADE POET