For our last classes, I brought in a poem of my own, “The Saddest Ice Cube Tray Ever,” and fielded questions regarding what inspired it as well as choices made when drafting. As always, I truly appreciated the students’ deeply insightful comments and perceptions. Then, for our finale, I explained that everyone would be contributing to a cento, or collage poem, composed entirely of lines by individual writers. The prompt was their thoughts/feelings about poetry at the conclusion of the residency, with each submission added randomly.
Thanks to the teachers and students for making this experience so memorable!
Ms. Travis' Class
4th Grade
Poetry is like a puzzle: sometimes it's hard, sometimes it's easy.
Poetry is different than writing, it can have emordnilaps, rhyming—so much more.
Poetry is like a flying kite.
Poetry is like a crazy clown on a tightrope.
Poetry is like diamonds in a cave.
Poetry is as big as the multi-verse.
Poetry is like you're talking to a person.
Poetry is like an individual person: unique, lively, and amazing.
Poetry: when I read it, I am in a different world, I imagine myself in the poem.
It makes me good and happy, it's cool.
Creating words made of fun and laughter and rainbows.
Poetry is the best, it makes me happy.
Poetry is as complicated as life.
Poetry is words that form a poem of emotion, mystery, and more; the rule is none in the land of poetry.
Poetry is as big as the ocean with different emotions.
Poetry is like emotions, to show how you feel.
Poetry is as good as a summer day.
I like poetry because it makes me happy and I can talk about my story.
I like poetry because it makes me happy and there's really funny stories.
Poetry makes me feel confused because there's a lot of amazing concepts.
Poetry is like something you do not understand but then it becomes silly.
Poetry is fun to write.
Poetry makes me happy.
Poetry is as big as the words on the page.
Poetry brightens up the heart with feeling and emotion mixed together like a smoothie in the blender.
Poetry is like a shining diamond.
Poetry is like an ocean of rhyming and different words.
Poetry is as good as Star Wars.
Poetry makes me feel happy and calm.
I think poetry is fun, cool, sometimes to help express your feelings and how to get people to know yourself better.
Ms. Nelson's Class
4th Grade
Poetry is like shopping for expensive books.
Poetry feels like creating new quilts out of words.
I'm fresh and new, as happy as anything.
Poetry gives me a good feeling.
Poetry is a crazy rhyme and special similes and metaphors.
Poetry gives me the chills of not knowing everything and anything.
Poetry can be like a happy rainbow in the fall like sky.
Poetry makes me feel like a homeless man eating a well-cooked meal.
The ocean waves is the way that poems come and go.
Poetry makes me feel happy.
I love poetry, it's so much fun, I can't believe my time is done.
I think that poetry is as good as nice.
Poetry makes me happy and wonderful and it makes me feel good and fast.
Poetry makes me feel as free as a bird when I do poetry.
Writing words, poems, and lines.
Poetry makes me feel happy, I have to do one line because I know I'm out of time.
Poetry makes me silly; I like that, I like poetry and I like cheese.
Poetry is an imagination word where everyone can be there.
Poetry is dark, funny, amazing, and bold but mostly feeling.
Poetry has made me realize what I can do and may do in life and has inspired me to do more in life thanks to Larry O. Dean.
Poetry makes me happy; it's fun, you can learn more.
Poetry, poetry, so many words, so many ways.
Poetry is like a maze: one wrong move and you're out.
Poetry makes me feel happy and you can express your feelings! I love poetry so much!
Poetry is like waves that grow bigger and bigger.
Words carve into creativity.
Mrs. Keffer's Class
4th Grade
Poetry is like the sun beaming down on you.
Poetry is as cool as Antarctica.
Poetry is an explosion.
Poetry has no rules but it has amazing stories.
Poetry is a tornado of words.
Poetry is like space waiting to be discovered.
Poetry has no rules, so I can let my imagination glide through my paper.
Poetry is like playing Russian roulette with words.
Poetry makes me feel happy, flowers blooming within me.
Poetry isn't a class, it's a choice.
Poetry can be as big as the sun or as small as an atom.
Poetry, a time to calm down.
Poetry is like a tree next to a thousand bushes.
Poetry is as calm as doing a puzzle by yourself.
Poetry is everyone at once.
Poetry is as good as McDonald's french fries.
Poetry is like having the world in your hands.
Poetry makes me calm and happy, it's like sunshine in the sky.
Poetry is like Skibidi Lava Chicken and Demure Fred.
Poetry is as endless as the universe.
Lines of art.
Poetry makes me feel magical.
Poetry can be as brave as Sundew or as nice as Cora Oranything.
Poetry is like life on a page but in a chill way.
Poetry is like Caseoh.
Poetry is as endless as the infinite void of space.
Poetry is creativity.
Poetry expresses your feelings.
Poetry is like having a puppy lay on you while you read a good book.
Poetry is full of mysteries and da unknown.
Mr. O'Brien's Class
4th Grade
When someone rhymes in poetry you know it's me.
Poetry makes me feel free, poetry rules even though there are NO RULES.
Poetry is fun while you are eating a ton.
Poetry is awesome, I act like a possum.
I like writing poetry because it's like a short story.
Poetry, poetry makes me feel cool.
Poetry has no limits, no rules.
The sudden burst of random thoughts pop into my poetic head.
Poetry is like a heart: hearts have valves that have different purposes and meanings.
The poetry in my brain, I feel happy.
Poetry is like drifting away from an island.
Poetry is freedom because there is no rules and you rule.
Poetry is the art of words.
Poetry rhymes just as I mind.
Is poetry poetry, because I just need it to, poetry is just...just...good.
Poetry is like a booming, beating heart, everyone has a heart.
Poetry is like words made of gold and bursts of silver.
Poetry is poking through my mind.
Poetry is the best!
Poetry is like writing a book but more creativity included.
Poetry is a dictionary of your heart.
Poetry is fun only if there is art that goes with it.
Poetry is a type of summary with crazy stuff, rhyming and more.
Poetry makes you calm as a flower in a field blooming its way.
Poetry helps you calm down and it makes you laugh too.
Poetry is berry interesting.
