For our last session before the winter break and new year, 7th graders thought about ideal worlds. We discussed the fact that poetry can be a powerful tool for envisioning the world you want to see. Danez Smith is a poet who wholeheartedly agrees, and we read an excerpt from their poem “summer, somewhere.” We talked about Smith’s rich images before students wrote poems about their own utopias (many in couplet form, in the style of Smith). Take a look below and enjoy!
Ms. Hernandez’ Homeroom
If the World was Pink
by Julia C.
If the world was pink then
everything would be fine
If the world was pink then
people would fly
If the world was pink then
the twinkling lights would become stars
If the world was pink then
you would never have to say goodbye
If the world was blue and green
then people would die, people would lose things
the most meaningful thing that they have ever seen
If the world was pink
then there would be endless happiness and possibilities
The different world
by Avery W.
rolling down the hill she’s allergic to pollen, hopefully the bees don’t call
fall and the sun will catch her, wraps her in its arms, the warmth surrounds
then she’s crushed under the crashing waves bubbles of breath
float up towards the sand
lay down and the sky will drop.
stand up as the harmonies collide
would a different world be new, or just unexplored
Taco
by Chris A.
a world where everything is a taco, a world where every day
is taco tuesday and where eating a taco is cannibalism, a world where
tacos are delicious
PHAHCB
by Lilian E.M.
the city would be busy
you could bump into someone
they wouldn’t mid
and they would give you
a lollipop
for your troubles
you could get to school late
the teachers wouldn’t be mad
they would give you
a jolly good smile
and say
take a seat and have a good day
No one would feel bad
or be left out
people wouldn’t
no…couldn’t
be mean
there’s no jail
because who would
go in it
