What do you think about as you drift off to sleep? We used Li Po’s contemplative “Quiet Night Thoughts,” to consider our thoughts between waking life and dreams. Because he is so skilled in brevity, we also used the poem to think about line breaks, sometimes tricky for any poet! We tried smushing the poem into a paragraph, and then breaking it back out, and the students discussed how Li Po makes a sleepy night rhythm, full of popping images with the line breaks as intended. Enjoy their work below!
Ms. Sweeney
3rd Grade
Night Thoughts
Josephine
I see my sister laying down
The books stand still.
Outside the windy skies
shimmer.
I think about the
next day. Think about
a whole new day.
Quiet Night Thought
Jadyn
I see beautiful stars on the ceiling
And that nursery rhyme the cow
jumped over the moon
I think I see my future
self being a grown up
Hang On
Brianna T.
When I rest my head on my soft pillow
I see some cool stuff that I look
at, it does not look the same like in day,
I see my toy chest, my kitchen set
Slowly getting my cover, thinking
about what to dream, what new
for tomorrow dream, where should
I go, is tomorrow special, let’s find
out in my dream
Ms. Freedman
3rd Grade
Sunlight In My Bedroom
Edward R. A.
Before my toy there is bright
sunlight, so that it seems like soft
grass on the ground, and white clouds
Lifting my head, I watch the bright sunlight,
Lowering my head I dream that I’m at
my bedroom at home watching people
passing by my house and rain coming down the sky
What Do I See Or Imagine At Moon Light
Anthony
In my bedroom I see the moon
night looking at me like it
had eyes like I do and
shines through me
When I go to
sleep I think that
I am somebody special
trying to keep people safe
Slent Night Thoughts
Itzly
I see my 2 fishes
I see my 10 teddy bears
I see my closet
I see my lamp
My dream dancing with my sister
My dream is my dad bringing ice cream
My dream me playing with Cherrilyn
My dream giving a flower to my teacher
My dream me sleeping on the moon
Ms. Brown
3rd Grade
Sleepyhead
Yahira L.
From my bed I see my dog laying
down on his pillow he looks like
a cuddle blanket laying there
I dream that I have a
better life in the future
with everything I wanted
in the past
Untitled
Leyla
From my bed
I see my kittens paw
hugging me every night
when I go to sleep
at night time
I Think And See
Dezlyn T.
From my bed
I see my t.v.
I watched the stars
I always see my hair stuff
Lifting my head
I think of wearing a dress and going to the moon
I dream of my house full of chocolate
I think of watching two movies at the same time
