For the third week in our mini-residency Dulles 6th graders explored odes. Odes are poems that praise and celebrate people, places, and things. On Tuesday we read “Ode to Kool-Aid” by Marcus Jackson. In his poem he uses similes and alliteration to celebrate the delicious drink and memories from his youth. “Purplesaurus Rex, Roarin’ Rock-A-Dile Red, Ice Blue Island Twist, Sharkleberry Fin; on our tongues, each version keeps a section, like tiles on the elemental table.” Students wrote ode’s poems praising the special people and things in their lives.
On Thursday we continued the theme of celebration by listening to the spoken word poem “Ode to the Selfie,” by poets Megan Falley and Olivia Gatwood. Spoken word poems are usually performed onstage in front of an audience and has elements of theatre, stand-up comedy, storytelling, and music. In their poem Falley and Gatwood celebrate themselves through body positivity and self-acceptance. “Today there was a lipstick named after your pout/Today you loved the gap between your teeth/Today your freckles were sprinkles on ice cream.” Inspired by Falley and Gatwood, students wrote ode poems about the positive things that they love about themselves and what makes them unique.
Come join the celebration and give praise to these outstanding odes!
Ms. Alford
6th Grade
Today
by Lindell J.
Today I’m on top.
Today I’m a god to me.
Today I’m a writer.
Today I’m a drawer.
Today my hair smells like flowers.
Today I like my room.
Today I like my hands.
Today my eyes are blue like the sky.
Ode to Ms. Greenleaf
By Jakayla J.
Ms. Greenleaf is my favorite teacher.
She helps me get done with my work.
Ms. Greenleaf is nice and kind to people.
She teaches 6th grade.
She teaches as Dulles.
And I like her as a teacher.
Ode to Today
By Alexis S.
Today I like my face, it’s as beautiful as the sky.
Today I like my hair because it’s cute as a ball of fluff.
Today I like my eyes, they are as nice as an angel’s.
Today I like my outfit choice, it’s my favorite outfit.
Today I’m as beautiful as I was yesterday.
Somethings I like about Myself
By Lashawna O.
Today I look like my God Mom.
Today I like my face.
Today I like my body.
Today I like the way I can be myself.
Today I love the way my eyebrows are.
They look like the birds on the wind.
