For our first post-spring break session, we read and discussed “Alone” by Maya Angelou. Immediate impressions involved a few things: the poem’s longer length, its more story-like format, use of repetition, and its musicality, reinforced by the incorporation of rhyme as well as its aforementioned refrain-like passages, with certain stanzas repeating verbatim, and other sections of longer stanzas repeating with certain variances. Those divergences may be slight—not affecting how we read the poem overall—but appearing when they do in the text of the poem works in tandem with its other literary devices (metaphor, simile, alliteration) to add complexity to an apparently straightforward narrative. While the poem’s language is immediate and approachable, such lines as “Where water is not thirsty / And bread loaf is not stone,” “There are some millionaires / With money they can’t use,” “They’ve got expensive doctors / To cure their hearts of stone,” and “Storm clouds are gathering / The wind is gonna blow” invited multiple interpretations, depending on how students read the poem’s main expression, that “Nobody, but nobody / Can make it out here alone.”
Here’s some of their own ‘alone’ poems.
Ms. Kawa, 4th Grade
Feeling Emotionally Alone
Alec B.
Emotionally alone leads to one thing.
Depression. Depression is sad and terrible.
Depression means that you don’t want to
exist. Though it is terrible, you can get
out. Find a job or start making videos on social media
that you enjoy. As long as you’re being positive, you can get
out. And that’s what matters.
Darkness
Audrey C.
No one likes me.
Help me.
In this scary place.
With scary things.
Pitch black.
Not a sound to be heard.
I’m alone—
I’m— . . . alone.
In the darkness
darkness.
Nobody
Mayumi F.
The path is lined
with
Hope.
Life.
Happiness.
I drink it in,
like sweet nectar.
More good feelings.
Love.
Dreams.
Potential.
Mine.
You’re being selfish,
I want to believe,
but I can’t.
The feelings are mine.
A secret.
Nobody
has to know.
Nobody can know.
Nobody will know.
Nobody has to know.
The feelings are to keep.
They won’t believe.
Will they?
No.
Nobody
has to know
what I’ve found.
Nobody has to know.
Bitter days are gone.
Nobody has to know.
Untitled
Ayden J.
I was thinking
“What is it like to be alone?”
On the one hand, being alone is like being at home.
The other hand being alone is scary.
Alone, Alone.
I feel calm.
Along is good.
I feel calm
not lonely
happy.
Free
Parrish L.
Sitting down
In the quiet
All alone.
At last
Just me and the air flying through my room.
All alone
I don’t know how to feel
Anxious or relieved.
Alone, Alone, What Is Alone?
Eytan W.
Alone, alone, what is alone?
A speck out of 7 billion,
with not a soul in sight.
No one near,
what can I do?
What can I do?
What can I do?
I can run around—
—by myself.
I can run—
—by myself.
What does this mean
if I’m alone?
This doesn’t affect anyone
because there is no one in sight.
Alone, alone, what is alone?
Ms. Ball, 4th Grade
Beach
Destiny F.
Water on the beach
shells by the sea
playing in the ocean
fish are in the sea.
Be home by dark.
Nobody is here
but me. I am alone on this
beach.
I am stranded on an island.
I am far from home.
Lying and Alone
Kristoph G.
Lying, lying, lying
Lying like stone
Lying like wood with fire
Lying, lying, lying
Lying like water and fire
Or life and death
Lying, lying, lying
Alone with the only
Companion lying
Alone like an island
Alone like in space
Alone like a mismatched shoe
Your Own World
Matthew M.
When I’m alone,
I sit and think.
Your brain is a really
powerful
part of your body.
Sometimes
you leave the world
and go in your brain.
Anything will come true,
you just have to make it
happen.
You can do a lot when you’re
alone.
Space!
Dakota O.
Space is being alone
You might get bored
Being alone is the worst
Space is actually getting
privacy and someone
annoying
Space is just space!
I hate space!
Your Means
Arjun R.
Alone gives me times to finish my
means.
Alone gives me my privacy.
Alone gives me my calmness
and mindfulness.
Alone gives me time to
focus.
Alone is smooth.
Alone is my mean.
So Sad
Olivia W.
Alone
So alone
Why am I alone?
Alone
Alone, so sad
Alone
Alone I cry
Alone, so sad
Alone
Makes me want to scream
AHHH!
Mr. O’Brien, 4th Grade
The Feeling of Being Alone
Olivia C.
I’m alone with my dog.
My dog wants me to play with her.
Mom is at the store.
Dad is at work.
I left the door open.
My dog leaves.
I chased her but she’s gone.
I’m alone.
I start feeling sad.
I sit in the corner.
Nobody is here.
I’m in trouble.
I start crying.
I can’t stop.
I’m out of control.
Being Alone Is Cool Sometimes
Zoë F.
Sometimes I like being alone
sometimes I don’t
Sometimes I like being with other people
sometimes I don’t
Sometimes I don’t like other people
sometimes I do
Every second I think about every little thing
I always do. I never stop.
Alone in a Lost World
Sasha G.
I am alone, I am alone
I don’t know what to do
When I go to some homes—
They moan—
With no reason
The season changes—
I feel cold
I don’t know what to do
I have a sock to cover me
People see me weird.
Lonely Time
John K.
When I’m alone I feel good I can do
whatever I want, be whoever I want.
No one is around to stop me. My own
private world and nobody can ruin it.
Once it’s over I get back in the
real world, where I’m not lonely.
Alone
Victoria M.
Feelings can be alone they can feel
scary or happy
being alone can be scary it can
affect you a lot
it can be relaxing and feel private
but it can also affect your
health
if you’re alone you will be a person
who will not open up
I cry sometimes I want to be
ALONE
I’m excited I do want to not
be alone I want to scream yay
but I also want to be alone
so people don’t judge me.
The Difference of Being Alone
Olivia M.
Being alone
How does it feel?
Good or bad
It can mean different things
In different scenarios
Like when
You want peace and quiet
You are in thought
All you need is time to relax
To focus
Or when
You feel like having company
Talking about anything
Being a chatterbox
As you can see
Emotion decides this
Untitled
Quintin W.
Alone is kinda fun
not helpful but
it’s a sunny day
until boom thunder
that’s what happened
when you are alone!
Untitled
Lyric W.
Alone, alone, I’m stuck out here
on my own. On my own, I’m so sad being
on my own. I need help, but my
friends are toxic, I need to
find new friends and friends
are toxic and they’re hanging
with the betrayers and
so now I want loyal friends
so I’m not on my own on my own
and I want to scream because I
need I’m going to try so that I can
have loyal friends I need loyal
friends
Mrs. Johnson, 4th Grade
Stuck
Erin C.
Dark as the night,
wondering when it becomes right,
being stuck
in a place that never
is bright.
The wind blows,
the water flows
and all I see
is no sight.
The fire roars,
just across the door
and what do I
see?
Nothing in sight.
I’m Alone
Atessa D.
I’m alone
I can’t go home.
I bought a house
And I got a mouse.
I can’t buy love
But I can have a dove.
I’m alone
And I want to go home.
Blank Roof
Oliver G.
Alone . . .
space . . .
I’m in my room.
Alone.
Just looking . . .
at the roof.
Just blank.
It’s just a white wall.
Just there.
It’s so blank.
I’m bored but I’m used to it.
I’m just sitting on the floor.
Just passing the time . . .
alone.
Roblox
Lea K.
In my bed . . .
The bright screen on my face.
A little character runs.
Millions of games all for fun.
All in an app called Roblox.
In my bed
All in my head.
A game that was perfect for me.
200 friends.
It’s like a dream.
Online bullies. That’s kinda sad.
But it’s still fun, so don’t be mad.
Alone
Maansi S.
Alone is weird
but sometimes
PINK
Alone is happy
but sometimes
ORANGE
Alone is sad
but sometimes
YELLOW
Alone, Alone
Millen S.
Alone, Alone
Leave me Alone
I want to be Alone
LEAVE ME ALONE!
Alone, Alone
All Alone
I want to be Alone
Alone, Alone
Alone, Alone
Alone, Alone
I want to be Alone
Untitled
A’marius W.
Nooooo I do not like to be alone
nooooo I don’t have any money
now I need a car nooooo no car
F oof game over no
I get an F. What do I do?
I got to get food
no food (sad) I guess I get none then
game over.
