In response to last week’s longer and more lexically challenging poem, our selection this week was Carl Sandburg‘s “Doors.” This deceptively simple nine-line poem employs personification, which the 2nd graders had already been introduced to, with doors apparently talking, thinking, remembering, and forgetting. It also presents two questions as part of its single stanza. We discussed what the answers might be to those questions, and also why the poet would write about doors in human terms?
I next asked the students to name some common objects they see every day, and suggested ways in which those objects could be personified. They then chose their own to write about, using personification.
Ms. Thiel, 2nd Grade
Crazy Backpack
Deondre C.
My backpack can fly walk
to school by itself and
run like he is really crazy.
He can jump off buildings
and it can write things.
He does homework for you
and has super speed
and reads books with eating
fire and claps.
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Leo J.
Door looks like a
tall building
and looks like a
basket and looks
like a window
but cannot
talk cannot
walk.
Snowman Talks
Luke R.
A snowman talks to you.
First you build a snowman
then it talks to you.
A snowman talks to you.
First you build a snowman then it
talks to you.
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Albert S.
Stop running around.
The windows were speaking.
Ms. Ward, 2nd Grade
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Deshontay B.
There is a talking locker there are
talking Chicago there is a talking
window there is a talking story!
My Little Paper
Alistair G.
I am paper
I could turn into anything
When I get ripped I scream yell!
When I get wet I yell.
When the stapler hears me scream
He starts stapling.
When other paper
Hears me they start folding.
When the cabinet hears me
They keep
Opening and shutting.
My Wall
Morgan M.
My wall can talk it can kick and flip
and all those kinds of things with
your body that you can do. My
wall is pink it is ALIVE so alive
can your wall talk? I know mine can.
Pencil
Jasmine M.
I’m a pencil, just laying here
on the ground.
When the lights turn back on,
I’m happy, my owner picks me
up and writes with me.
When I break, I’m sad I go
in the garbage, laying there again.
A Locker
Olive P.
I have a locker it is very
helpful I put my backpack
there and everything
I love my locker
It has my name
on it says good morning
and goodnight
I love my locker.
Around the World
Lucie R.
There is only one Chicago.
It says November is coming!
Prepare for winter.
The cold season is here.
Be warm and cozy.
Get ready for a blizzard
outside of your door.
The winter says “look out
here I come!”
I’m coming here fast!
For three cold months.
Ms. O’Connor, 2nd Grade
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Adrian F.
I told my iPad to flip a coin
for whoever gets my snack and
I was tails and my brother
was heads and it said tails so
I had my snack ha ha.
Hats
Ray H.
Hats hats you like
hats? Hats will remember
but forget everything.
Hats won’t like you
wearing them on
your head.
They will say
get me off this
thing!
Beds
Alexis M.
I come to lay on bed.
Suddenly hear sound.
Ugggggggggggh. Would you
get off me says bed.
I’ve been laid on and spit on
and threw up on since I was
little. It is so annoying.
I’m so tattered and withered
I feel terrible take care of me
better because I’m sick of this
treatment! I’m sick of being a bed.
Pen
Madison N.
Stop!
Don’t write with me.
Why pen?
Because I said so, human.
What a fluff now I will rest.
Come on, you’re my
favorite!!
Blah blah blah
The Scared Eraser
Shirley R.
Ahh!
Don’t use me!
Mfffhhh! Mfh! Haaah!
I almost ran out of breath!
I used to be nice and pink!
Uh-oh! Ahhh!
MMM! Mffffhhh Phhh Foooh!
You used me again!
Ahhh! Noo!
Man, it’s so dark now…
No! I’m in the pencil case!
After school!
Ahhh…I feel sleepy…
Mmmh…It’s morning!
And no erasing so far!
Waitttt….
It’s Saturday!
I take that back!
Mfffhh! Mfhhh!
It’s a dreaded Monday!
Mffhh! Phhhh! Ahhh!
The Legos
Bennett S.
Legos walking around and building.
Legos telling you stuff.
Legos arguing over stuff, but
also having fun.
Ms. Rupp, 2nd Grade
Wind
Nia A.
I’m wind I can move around
tickle and everything I’m really
strong. But that doesn’t mean a
thing I’m loved and that’s
all that matters.
House
Naima R.
I give people shelter.
Make life better.
But stuck into the ground.
Is like a hound stuck on a leash.
Although people are rough,
they’re perfect just enough.
I wish I were a person.
Flowers
Sophia S.
A flower
wishes
it could
fall to
the
ground
or in
someone’s
hair
it
be
a
happy
life
for it
Trees
Clara S.
When a tree falls
down it says “why did I
have to fall down?” When
a tree stays it says “I love
to stand.” Some things
don’t. A leaf is on a
tree. The leaf always echoes
a tree. A tree should sometimes
have a good day.
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Levi T.
I am breakfast I get eat
I am
a
waffle I
get syrup
on me I am
liquid I
go all
over
the
waffles.
Charger
Jordan W.
Hi my name is Charger
I’m sad because I’m losing
my energy I really need
to get off the batteries
I just need some more
juice! Whoah! Please help
me! Now.
White Boards
Matthew W.
I’m a white board.
Why do people have to
draw on me?
And why do some
people have to bang on me?
It really hurts.
Why can’t I move?
I really want to move.
But I’m stuck on the wall.
Ms. Schwartz, 2nd Grade
The Hot Dogs
Sienna B.
The hot dog said I am
ready to be eaten can you
“please” eat me?
The Stone
Ava J.
The stone was happy
Even in the dark
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Jayce M.
A board says I’m sitting
here too long I want to run
away why do this
it’s boring like sitting for 53 hours
later come on!!!! I’ve been here for 10,000
hours!!!!!!! Food I need markers!!!!
I’m outta here.
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Arjun N.
I watch TV every day
I think the device is so fun
if I play on you
I think the door is excellent
for me to play on the device
too.
The vampire game there is
Minecraft there’s Pinaka too.
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Vishal S.
La la la a pizza that eats you
ha! “Prepare to be eaten!” Burned, very
tasty. Ha ha ha ha ha.
Glasses
Gigi S.
I see glasses a lot!
The glass would say
please do not put food in me
or please do not clean
me or please do not
trade me
or please do not put
fishes in me.
A Chair
Jade Z.
is frustrated it’s
sat on
it says “stop sitting on me!
Get your butt
off of
me. Stop
farting on me!
AHHHHHH!”
