In the final week of HOS at DuBois, I wanted class to be all about the students thinking about our 20-week journey together. I passed back index cards that I had the students make on the first day of class back in October of 2016, which now feels like a world away from today. On that first day, I asked the students to complete the statement, “Poetry is…” There were many iterations of the definition of poetry, you might remember, or you can take a journey back through the blog to remind yourself. I want to say that this blog has never been about me selecting the “best” poems, rather it has been about giving each student equal opportunity to share his/her work with the larger audience. This week, I chose poems that I feel represented all that the student learned this school year as a part of this program. These poems display many of the poetic elements that we covered. There is alliteration, emphatic repetition, metaphor and simile, rhythm and rhyme, personification, there are stanzas, themes, refrains, turns, juxtapositions and words that dance around the page. There is even visual art, because poetry is not even confined by words. This is all without a sample poem or lesson on form.
Instead of a traditional lesson, on June 8, 2017, I simply asked the students to complete the statement, poetry is…again and to also tell me what they learned in poetry class this school-year. There are responses like, “Poetry is whatever you want it to be”, and “Poetry is just you”. Overwhelmingly, they spoke of poetry being about feelings and self- expression. They learned how to write different types of poems, learned about different poets and how to express themselves.
While the 8th graders prepared for pomp and circumstance, I asked the 6th and 7th grade students to close the final class before they retreat into summer with poems about what else, but why they are ready for #summertimechi! They all wrote some pretty sweet list poems about the fun that awaits us all. It a climate that I won’t name, it is amazing to read poems about Chicago summer filled with promise and innocence that are about hanging with friends and swimming and playing and sleeping in and no school. We should all work, every day to give our youth the kind of summer in their city that they envision for themselves.
I wish everyone a safe, happy and relaxing summer. Fill it with family, BBQ’s, ice cream, outside, swimming and everything in between…with that, you will fill it with poetry because poetry is everything. It is anything we want it to be, it is the way we live and the way we love. Love every minute of it…we all know it won’t last forever.
With a bit of sadness, I ask you for the final time this 2016/17 schoolyear…please enjoy.
See you later my babies!
Peace,
Chanell Ruth
6th Grade
Kori R.
Untitled
Going to the beach
Playing in the sun
Hanging out with friends
The fun’s never done
4th of July
It just seems so nice
Family
Birthdays
Cake
Out of town
Such a delight
Sleepovers
Money
Funny
And food
Leaves
Flowers
Trees
Dresses and bows waiting for me
Danny S.
Untitled
- Chilling
- No school
- No teachers
- No rules
- Going to the beach
- All types of food
- Gym
- Parks
- Water park
- Ice cream truck
Micah T.
Summer
Summer is a beautiful time of the year
The warm wind blowing in my face
The sunshine on my face
The sound of ocean water
It is also peaceful
And the smell of flowers
My toes in the sand
Eat ice cream
The smooth ice cream in my mouth
Keyonna W.
Summer
Summer, I can’t wait
The time I have to swim and play
I had a really nice day
Summer, I can’t wait
Trees I climb everyday
I will be there everyday
They will be there when I’m ready to play
Trees I climb everyday
Breeze blowing trees
I like the way it blows me when I’m on the swings
It gets me every time
Breeze blowing the trees
William G.
Untitled
Sleep
Camping
Sleep
Play with friends
Sleep
Play Pokemon Go
Sleep
Drink
Sleep
Watch anime
Sleep
Go outside
Sleep
Probably make a YouTube commercial
Sleep
Learn how to swim again
Sleep
Taco bell!!!
Sleep
Eat buffalo ribs
Sleep
Learn how to speak Chinese
Sleep
Try to overcome my fear of heights
Sleep
Cherif H.
Summer is Me
Summer is fun.
Summer is vacation.
Summer is friends.
Summer is smores.
Summer is dirt bikes.
Summer is dirty.
Summer is ice cream.
Summer is swimming.
Summer is sports.
Summer is camping.
Summer is family.
Summer is me.
7th Grade
Aaron W.
Summer Fun
Pollen
Sunshine
Baseball
Swimming
Playing
Running
Breeze
Festivals
Sleeping
Playing games
Blue sky
Animals
Birds
Traveling
Family
Food
Exploring
Creativity
Trees
Seeing my brother
Resting
No school
Fresh air
Birthday
Party
NBA
Netflix
Fireworks
4th of July
Makiya D.
Why I am Ready for Summer
The stars that shine
The weather is gone be fine
Don’t wake up and go to school
Wake up and go to the pool
I can go straight to the beach
Don’t have to say no speech
The weather is going to be great
Now everybody can celebrate
But the worst thing at night
Is the mosquito bites
Aniah P.
Why I am Ready for Summer
Water parks
Splashing
Beach party
Hotel Lick
BBQ
Food
Great America
Water fights
Candy stores
Hit the mall
Water
Pool
Drive-in
Eating all day
No school
Turn up
Sleep overs
Come here Besties!
Kanyeh M.
The Summer
The breeze in the aor, the warn cozy
Chair, the water on my back slowly
Falling from my hair, flaying football
In the sand, water dripping from my hands
Walking in the grass throwing bread to seagulls
as they pass, watching the trees, ducking
and dodging bees, cooking hotdogs on
a grill, having picnics in the fields, the
best part of the year, when your family
is near, campfires flashing as they lay, you
can smell summer in the air, living your
days, in the future summers we gaze,
turn like a maze, but its summertime,
let’s turn the page.
Ziclaly D.
Why I am ready for Summer
Wisconsin Dells
Beach
Texas
Uncle
Auntie
Pool house
No school
Six Flags
Family
Movies
Park
Friends
Navy Pier
Brother sister graduation
New phone
My bed
My dogs
4th of July
Indiana
New things
Sleep over
Food
Shopping
New friends
Have fun with my old friends
Morning
St. Louis
Field trips
Meet Prince Royce
Sun
Moon
Rayonna M.
About Time
About time Summer,
Hopefully you don’t make this year a bummer
I can imagine me getting soaking wet
And catching butterflies in a net
About time Summer,
Hopefully you’ll be funner
Popping fireworks on the 4th
And might visit my aunt up North
About time Summer,
Hopefully the kids don’t get dumber
Walking through the sand
oh man, I love summer
in Chicagoland
