At Social Justice HS, we studied how to incorporate conversational language into poetry by analyzing Anis Mojgani’s “To Where the Trees Grow Tall.” How can conversations be a doorway into another world? How can we use conversations to juxtapose a setting inside of a poem, similar to how Mojgani does in his poem? I asked the students to think of a conversation they overheard on the bus, a text conversation from their phone, or one they were a part of with at least one other person as inspiration for the poem.
Lillian D.
“I have to talk to you”
usually when I hear these words from my mom
I know I’m in trouble
She sits across from me with a serious look
“I need you to take into mind that we might not
stay here for long”
I already know where this conversation is heading
It’s dark out, quiet, and cold
I look over at her and sat my phone down
She keeps talking for about an hour
In that hour I mimic the quiet
I say nothing
I start to wonder how it might be like over there
quiet, birds chirping, and sunlight glimmering
through the window
a small little rancho with nothing but land for
miles
Belen O. “I Thought You loved Me”
“I shouldn’t be treating you like this,” he said
“I should be Treating you better,” he said
“Then why can’t you…” I replied
Silence… I didn’t know how to feel or act
Anger rushed, sadness & overthinking
“because I don’t know,” he said
“because you don’t know…” I repeated
sitting in the couch not knowing what to feel or think.
“I shouldn’t always be telling you,” I replied
“If you love me, you wouldn’t keep hurting me & lying to me,” I replied
Crying in the room not knowing what to do next.
not knowing if I stay or leave runs through my mind. everyday.
Does he even love me…or ever did… why couldn’t I be enough!
Lluvia G.
Why is life so hard when your own
father doesn’t want you around.
Sitting at the dining table,
father and his god son Harry
come to sit as well.
Always felt second to best.
London was always happy, but since
Father got back from Azkaban,
London is now gloomy, even
my favorite fish n’ chip spot.
Ran away from home,
Father told me face to face
“You’re my payback.”
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