For their fifteenth virtual lesson Haugan 8th graders explored myths. A myth is an ancient story or legend explaining the early history of a group of people or about a natural phenomenon. Myths involve Gods and Goddesses and supernatural creatures. Greek myths are very popular. Students mentioned Hades the God of the underworld and Medusa who has snakes for hair and can turn men into stone. Myths are usually passed down from one generation to the next. Every culture around world has their their own unique myths.
Together we read the poem, “Once The World Was Perfect,” by Joy Harjo. Joy Harjo is from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and is the 23rd yet first ever Indigenous Poet Laurate of the U.S. In her poem Harjo describes how the world was like in ancient times. We destroyed the world/ we had been given/ For inspiration, for life/ Each stone of jealousy, each stone/Of fear, greed, envy, and hatred, put out the light. According to Harjo the world was beautiful and peaceful before discontent created darkness. Yet all was not lost. Then one of the stumbling ones took pity on another/And shared a blanket/A spark of kindness made a light/The light made an opening in the darkness/Everyone worked together to make a ladder. This one act of kindness allowed light to shine through the world and its people.
Inspired by Joy Harjo’s beautiful storytelling, students wrote their own myths. Please enjoy this week’s published poems.
Ms. Thomas 8th Grade
Group 1
A New Life As The Heart Stops
By Celeste L.
Only one life bbecause no rose can last forever No season lasts forever No heart beats forever
But we’ll be alive again
Like when nature starts appearing outside after a white long winter
But it won’t look the same
Won’t be the same
We’ll be what were meant to be To whom or to where we belong
Turn into another parent’s child
Or
A beautiful feathered creature
Because they were carefree and adventurous
And when it looks down from up the cerulean sky on a warm day It ́ll see roses
People that were meant to be roses
Because they were beautiful and delicate
But when winter comes…
Nothing lasts
Because…we were meant to happen, not to last
only one life
King Of Gods
By Kimberly G.
Controls The Weather
Yes He Does
King of Gods and Goddess
He Uses Thunder As A Threat
Up So HIgh
Bigger Than Mountains
There is Where He Lives
Eaten By His Father
Loved By His Mother
Swallowed His Wife
Had To Many Wives
Loved Some Of His Children
Not All But Some
Lead Victory
Defeated The Enemy
Call His His Name He will Hear Don’t Talk Bad
Furious He’ll Be
Punishment awaits
Call His Name
-Zeus
Big Foot
By Demetrius M.
A man with a big foot.
He is hairy and big.
He roams around forests.
He has never been captured.
He looks like a monkey.
He is big foot.
Creation of Memes
By Landis V.
Earth was fine then but….
People were bored.
Nothing for them to get laugh. Nothing to do other than work.
People that like to socialize were ok.
But the introverts were bored and sad. Nothing to distract them
from their loneliness.
Then a king of an introvert got his computer.
He raised his stylist and said “No depresso today.”
He put his meme on a ancient social media.
And by no surprise it got a ton of likes.
Introverts saw and decided to make one of there own.
And then the culture of memes was born.
Ms. Thomas 8th Grade
Group 2
Peace and Love
By Melanie A.
A long time ago the world was full of people, and no happiness nor a spark of love
We took it as a punishment
Unsatisfied we began to destroy ourselves
Next anger got control over us,
Once anger took over our lives
All we happen to do was done with anger and sadness
Without noticing-
We have become wild animals
For death, for fear–
Each of the feelings, each action
Made out of fear, hate, sadness, the devil inside of us came out
No one had felt real love, only hate and pain
Waiting for love to come, for light to come
Right where we started,
We were alone, with pain, and no light
In the dark we await
And now we were destined to die, since there was not
A single piece of love or goodness in this world
Then one of the lonely ones found love and peace with those in need
And sharing some food to those in need
A spark of love and peace grew
Creating a path,
A path guiding those in the darkness and loneliness to a beautiful place
Everyone helping each other out towards the beautiful field
Someone lead people safely,
And then mothers, children, families-
Took the path to a happy and peaceful life
To now into this world where at least some love is left with a spark of peace we help others to find it too.
Valhalla
By Fernando D. L. S.
The pagan ways are over
Only few are those who follow them
Only few who follow the old ways
Vikings followed pagan gods
That’s what made them powerful
For death was the greatest gift
For those who fight
For those who fall
Valhalla was the next step
Valhalla, the hall of legends
The mighty hall
For those who fight
For those who fall
A hall for those who fought
For Odin, for the gods
A hall with mead, and celebration
A hall where time doesn’t go by
For Valhalla is the beginning of the end
Those in Valhalla get to fight alongside Odin
They get to fight during Ragnarok
The greatest privilege they can get
The Sun
By Valeria R.
A day very long ago from today
There was a girl crying
Everyone gathered around
Her mom held her in her hands
They welcomed her to the world
Her hair flew with the wind
Her eyes shined
The shine was something nobody had seen
And her skin… her skin… it was golden
It could possibly make you go blind
You would receive such a warm feeling
It had been very cold before she was born
But all of a sudden after her coming
It all was warm
Where ever she passed the snow melted and flowers grew
Her name was SUN
But…
One day her spark, golden skin, and warmth
It was all gone
All there was left, was cold and sadness
Everyone faded but her… she was just lonely now
THE END!
A Companion
By: John Q.
Long Ago
There were People like us
Who thrived on Green Nature
Lived in one Spot then Migrated to another
One day they were in a home
Where the temperature was low
All you really saw was white
And there wasn’t much Resources to live on
Then they saw them
These Creatures so big and fluffy
It looked like it they were cold
The Creatures got close to their current home
They didn’t see harm and ended up staying close after that event
They were shown to be good hunters and be good for receiving food
Nowadays we know these creatures as Wolves or Even Dogs
Ms. Thomas 8th Grade
Group 3
Tartarus
By: Evelyn P.
It was a dark night
Fighting, killing, and Gods winning.
Everything shaking like an earthquake.
Standing Watching
Cloud of burning fire
Titans winning
Gods struggling
Titans lucked up in holes of darkness.
Gods in gold chairs praised
And loved .
Eating fruits and meat
Titans eating rest of God’s foods behind gray poles
Waiting for the year to be free.
Shakuguru
By Gena Q.
Let me take you where the legends handed one of the devils
Down to one generation to another where
Villages were destroyed leaving dead and half devoured people by that creature legends say
“It’s Harmless As Long You gave them what they want “ that includes 4 bloody parts
The name “Shakuguru” was a witch that cursed the living
that walks around her witchcraft will be harm in few days to death.
Orbs
By Adriana T.
Back when the earth had no animals in sight, and just a little human alive
the world was perfect.
The breeze was as gentle as can be
and the dusty blue sky seemed to stay forever…
One day the little human dug a hole in the soil,
and mistakenly hit something,
It was a dusty bag, it was a bag that was buried by the human, this bag was never to be dug up.
The little human quickly grabbed the bag and ran far from the trees,
not realizing there was a hole in the bag. Glowing orbs came out of the bag,
each orb quickly hiding themselves in the powdery dirt, the little human devastated
had nothing else to do,
but hope the orbs won’t bloom.
Years to come the orbs bloomed into animals
and the animals lived in the trees.
The little human had nowhere else to go, so had to stay,
the animals protected the human in order to live with the human, and the little human took care of the animals.
Both animals and the little human got along with each other creating a good bond between the human and animals.
But soon or later
the little human decided to leave the animals behind
and have a new fresh start.
