For their third virtual poetry residency Shoesmith Elementary’ s 5th and 6th grade students explored the relationship between food and memories. We discussed how food is not just for filling our stomachs but allows us to socialize and create close bonds with family and friends. Together we read the poem “Applesauce” by Ted Kooser. In his poem Kooser describes the memory of watching his grandmother as a young boy make applesauce. “I liked how the starry blue lid of the saucepan lifted and puffed, the settled back on a thin hot pad of steam, and her kitchen filled with the warm breath of apples, as if all the apples were talking at once.” Kooser uses sensory details, details that incorporate the five senses of touch, taste, smell, sound, and sight. Readers feel as if they too are in Kooser’s grandmother’s warm kitchen, mouths watering as we watch the apples simmering like magic on the stove.
Inspired by Ted Kooser, students used their five senses to write poems about their memories eating and cooking some of their favorite foods. Please enjoy these delicious, published poems.
Ms. Yassky’s 5th Grade
Group 1
Mash Potatoes and Fried Rice
By Victoria G.
I walk into the kitchen and see my dad
boiling the mashed potatoes.
I smell them as they are cooking.
I go to the dining room and I see
a bag of fried rice.
It feels warm as I touch the bag.
When I taste the rice, its
good with ketchup.
Yum mash potatoes and fried rice.
Heat some up.
There are more leftovers tomorrow!
Cake
By Fajr M.
You bake cake
You eat it on your birthday
You eat it at cool parties
So yummy, you can’t believe your eyes
Cake you bake and eat all the time
Its sweet like cold lemonade on a sunny hot day
But cake is sweeter, then why not say so.
Hurray for cake!
Ice Cream
By Amani W.
Ice cream is cold
Ice cream is a cold swift breeze
Like the wind it cools your mouth
and is sweet like sugar.
Just creamy and when you smell it
you immediately want it.
Ms. Yassky’s 5th Grade
Group 2
Cornbread
By Heaven H.
When I see cornbread, I smile.
I’ll be like I can’t wait to eat it.
When I taste it, its like I have
a rainbow in my mouth.
When I touch it, my fingers glow.
I eat cornbread when I’m sad.
I eat cornbread when I’m mad.
I can’t get it out of my head.
Spaghetti
By Xochitl H.
Spaghetti, Spaghetti, I love Spaghetti.
I love it so much, I can’t wait til’ it’s ready.
Eating spaghetti is what a fork’s for.
I eat til’ I can’t eat anymore.
Noodles so long, I slurp them with ease.
And when I’m done, I ask for, “More Please!”
Spaghetti, Spaghetti I love to be fed.
And when I am all done, my face turns red!
Mixed Vegetables
By Morgan R.
Mixed vegetables.
They’re so good.
When you eat the peas, they melt in your mouth.
When you crunch the carrots, it makes your mouth water.
When you eat them together, it makes you feel like
you’re in veggie heaven.
Peas and carrots might be for babies, but I’ll
be a baby to have that combination.
Ms. Henry’s 6th Grade
Group 1
Pancakes
By Ki’Yanna C.
The warm buttery pancakes
that can take my nose away.
The touch of the cold whipped cream.
The smell of the pan melting the butter.
The delicious aftermath of them
the sweet strawberries topped on it
or the tart blueberries rolling off.
French Fries Heaven
By Keith J.
I love my mom’s French fries.
I like how she peels the skin off the potatoes so good.
So calm and firm and also looks like she is concentrating.
Then cuts the potatoes in kind of look like a triangle.
Seasoning the fries with lemon pepper and other stuff.
Then she heats the oil in the deep fryer to 375.
Put the fries in the deep fryer for 10 minutes.
I hear the deep fryer bubbling.
And I can smell the grease from the deep fryer.
Once the fries are a golden brown color.
Take them out and drain them on a paper towel.
We do that to get rid of the excess grease.
When eating the fries, I feel like I’m in heaven.
I taste the potatoes.
And it feels so soft and warm.
When I ate them, I knew they were one
of my favorite foods.
Cookies Out Of The Oven
By Elliot S.
Infinite ingredients, we accomplished it,
the circular feast we’re hoping for,
its here, and we hope to admire it as
much as we can.
They’re on the tray, baked and warm,
with creamy tan and rich brown,
the cookies have arrived.
Ten minutes ago, you’d see,
They were just dough, but now they sizzle and burn
like the racecars everyone loves.
The beautiful scent is meant to exist,
it’s the king of smells, and so the king rises from
His throne as I hold out my hand to touch. I feel the
comfort of the smooth touch.
But now, its time for the bite of all bites
soft, creamy, buttery, all the elements of taste.
Chocolate chips, dough shell, its the meal
that all should try.
Ms. Henry’s 6th Grade
Group 2
Pizza
By Joshua G.
As my mom and I arrive at Dominos, we dine in.
We wait for our food.
I see and hear lots of people making sounds like “sssssss”
because of the hotness of the pizza.
So I sit and wait….
Our pizza arrives, we sit and eat.
As I eat my pizza, the gooeyness makes the cheese
melt in my hands.
It smells like I’m in the cheese factory all over
again.
So that the cheese won’t fall on the floor,
I try to eat it.
As I eat it, the pizza burns in the mouth
Its tastes like it was 100,000,000x hot Cheetos.
It looks like slime, not being handled correctly
It looks weird.
I wait til’ it cools down.
I see that the cheese is coming off very slowly.
When it finally cools down, I eat it
and it taste DELLLLLLIOUS!!!
Zaxby’s Chicken Tenders
By Maakai R.
I walk into Zaxby’s
As soon as I get in line the smell of food flows into my nose
It makes me feel at home and relaxed, just like laying
down on a vacation.
The taste of chicken tenders and fries, is like how you love
your mom. So good.
The crispy fries make my hands shake because they’re amazing.
When I bite into the chicken all I hear is *CRUNCH* *CHURCH*
The golden-brown chicken tenders call my name,
they’re saying, “EAT ME!” “EAT ME!”
Untitled
By Janiyah R.
It was cold outside.
Sitting in the house waiting.
As the door opened
I felt the cold breeze
but also the smell of food
hit my face
As I sat down, I began to eat.
The rice was hot, it was sweet and sour
It tasted like nice, hot, and good melting butter
It made my nose tingle as I smelled.
I shared with my brother as he begged.
Feels like I’m in a garden filled with flowers.
As I chew, I feel the chicken against my teeth.
Finished with food
I wiped my mouth
And said…
That was some good food
