This week, we focused on our voices, and students were introduced to poetry slams and spoken word. We watched a recording of “We Day Poem” by the teenagers who were part of the 2016 Chicago Louder Than A Bomb. Then, students brainstormed what their own voices sounded like in the different parts of their lives and wrote poems inspired by thinking about their voices or the voices around them. Read them below!
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Mr. Smith’s Classroom
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Untiltled
by Rahma
صوتي الذي لا يسمعه أحد هو مثل صوت الأم
صوت، لا أحد يسمعه، ولكن عندما يستخدمونه،
وهم يعلمون أنها واحدة من أفضل الأشياء.
أيضًا، مثل الطعام سينتهي أو يفسد
يوم، ولكن إذا أكلته قبل ذلك سيكون شديدا
جيد! صوتي الذي يحاول مساعدة الناس
مثل الهواء، يساعدنا على البقاء على قيد الحياة، لكننا ننهيه
بطريقة ما.
(translated)
My voice that no one hears is like a mother’s
voice, no one hears it, but when they use it,
they know that it is one of the best things.
Also, like the food will end or be ruined one
day, but if you eat it before it will be very
good! My voice, which tries to help people
like air, helps us stay alive, but we end it in
some way.
–
Perfect
by Isabella
They tell us to be perfect but how are
we perfect if we don’t make mistakes.
If we’re perfect, we’re not human. We can’t be
perfect, it’s okay that we’re not perfect
Believe me darling, the stars are made
for falling. They put red squiggly lines
whenever we make a mistake. They point
fingers and laugh because they are afraid
of it, too. We need to speak up and say
I’m not perfect but I’m okay with it.
Being perfect is a lie, nobody is perfect.
Being perfect is overrated. People hate
what they can’t understand and I’m going
to help you understand that you don’t
have to be perfect. You don’t have to
fit into society, just be you and who you
are. You don’t have to be perfect. Don’t
let them tell you that you need to be
perfect. You don’t have to be perfect.
Just be you and don’t be perfect.
–
Strawberry
by McKinley
I come from the ripe-bold and better than
Everyone!
I see the big bold lights of the streets!
Seems loud, seems my style.
If I travel in the woods I’ll meet
A bear!
Traveling through his stomach I’m trying to
escape, I’m trying
Guess you can call me a
Strawbeary!
Describing your style and bold expression
Strawberry – someone confident
Bear-cruel society
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Mr. Hollich’s Classrooms
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Sounds
by Daniel C.
My voice is like the whistle of the wind.
My voice is like the muffled sound of the sewer.
Sometimes my voice yells like a siren.
My voice is caged, always told when to
be quiet. But soon enough it will yell
like a lion.
–
My Potential Future
by Noah
For my future, I want to be an artist.
Drawing away, drawing off. I want this
to be an hobby for myself, and I want
to inpsire many beginners to start.
I want others to improve and I want
to prove that anything takes
practice to get good at.
–
I Can’t Be Free*
By Gionni
I can’t write in my own style
I can’t express myself
I am always told to not do
This Do not Do that
Every time write this write that
I am always told that
doesn’t match wear this instead
*This is not personal toward peers or teachers
–
Soccer Quotes
by Daniel Y.
A bad teamate plays for praise
A good teammate plays for fans
Even the worst players just need a little
encouragement to keep going
The ball is like life
it can go left and it can go right
Scoring is like beating a calling in life
A pass is like getting help from a friend
and your kicks are your courage to keep
going forward .to stand up and aim for the goal
