Letter writing is one of humankind’s earliest means of communication, and the epistle is a poetic form that plays with that concept. Emily Dickinson‘s “Dear March—Come in—” demonstrates how flexible epistles are, while also showing off her inimitable style. We wondered who (or what) the speaker could be, as well as who (or what) is being addressed, and mused on the poet’s deployment of random capitalized words for emphasis. While we’ve enjoyed a moderate winter this year, Chicagoans know what it’s like to eagerly await the start of spring, with its promise of warmer temperatures and nature’s resurgence. On the surface, Dickinson’s poem personifies the month spring begins, but also tackles deeper, more philosophical ideas, such as in its concluding couplet, “That blame is just as dear as Praise / And Praise as mere as Blame—,” ending with the poet’s idiosyncratic em dash effectively leaving issues unresolved, or suggesting the unpredictability of the changing seasons.
In response, here’s a selection of the students’ own epistles, on a variety of topics…
Mrs. Rupp, 4th Grade
Colors
Kingston B.
Dear Colors,
colors are nice
need something white
take some rice
need to pay the price
the paper is green
now some of the colors
you have seen.
Dear Airhead
Connor G.
Dear Airhead
so yummy it is
the world needs you
Why Airhead why
come to me now
I need you tonight
The best food of all
Airhead
Dear Yellow Supervolcano
Joshua M.
Dear Yellowstone Supervolcano
please do not erupt
in our faces. You will
explode our faces
OFF!!! You will spread
ash across the U.S.
Many parks will
be closed and if
I do survive, I will
have to move
Please do NOT
erupt
Dear Epic Games
Zander R.
I want to
say your
games
are
great!
Your best game
is Fortnite
it is the
best I love
it thank
you.
Television
Micah S.
Dear television
you broadcast my shows—
I never know where it goes
how do you do it
your speaking is fluid
that’s all I say too
Dear television
I like to hear
or horror I like to fear
sometimes I shed a tear
That’s all I say
I wish I could
but instead you slay
Dear Summer
David V.
you are great
we all love you
they have less time
but I love it
summer is hot
once you leave
fall will rot trees
we will still play
but I will miss summer
Dear May
Cooper W.
May. Could you come faster?
I am done with winter
and I want spring to replace.
May. May you come any faster,
I am frozen
and have frostbite
I need you, May to
melt me.
I want some May sunshine.
May I beg you to come fast.
Mrs. Carlson, 4th Grade
Dear Mom
Aniya B.
thanks for being my mom
thanks for being there for me
thanks for being a lovable mom and
no one can stop loving you
thanks for being a great mom.
Love you mom
thanks for loving me and my brother, sister
Dear Shoes
Marko C.
I don’t know how you feel so
comfortably on my toes
Dear Future Me
Ptah E.
How is the future in 5th
grade? What teacher do
we have? Is it fun is it
bad what is it? Are we getting
good grades like we are
now in 4th grade?
Well right now I have
a poetry teacher Mr. Dean
but of course you already know
that because you’re in the
future and I know you know
that if we have a good job or
not OK then I will see you
in the future!!!
Dear Chicago
Remy F.
What a beautiful city you are.
You have a lot of cool monuments which I
strongly enjoy. You have a cold winter, but
a hot summer too. You have a good hot
dog named after you. You are 2nd in
how big, but number 1 in how beautiful. You
have some good sports which make me
go woo hoo!
Dear My Glasses
Amber H.
If I don’t have you I can’t see
If I don’t have you I can’t read good
books
If I don’t have you I can’t work
If I don’t have you I can’t study
Dear Love
Sophia H.
How do you work
I know that you
can’t help you work
have you ever wanted
what you have made.
I know if it’s a
puppy that you see it is a puppy you need.
You are a very different word but have you heard.
You don’t do it all the heart helps you
like a ball.
Dear Humans
Austin L.
Thank you for being a friend of mine with-
out you I can’t make any friends or have any money.
Life and friends is my only thing to stay alive.
If no you things I can be no good at all. I could
have myself as friend, but that is impossible.
Dear Friend
Aarna S.
Oh I miss you very much
why did you have to move?
Sometimes when I’m bored
I think of you
you brighten my day
and make me smile
and I have been missing you
for a while
Eye
Shlok S.
Dear eye
you rhyme with I
you don’t make me sigh
you are up high
you watch a bird
in the sky
your retina causes reflection
I like cornea, it keeps me protected
woohoo
yay
the pupil and iris make a circle
Mrs. Johnson, 4th Grade
Dear May
Elle C.
Can’t wait for your spring wonders
I know you’ll bring—
Joy in me
I hope to see—
Myriad things
Can’t wait
Dear the Person Right Next to Me
Chloe E.
Dear the person right next
to me your
hair
is so
brown
and you have
so many art
supplies your hair
always waves
in my
face
you’re very quiet and silent
you care
about everyone
you read calmly and always
share your supplies
with me you
are kind, thoughtful, leader
when have been
best friends in kindergarten
I hope I sit next to you
next year.
Dear…
Sophia H.
Dear Narwhal
my name is
Sophia. I wonder
what is your
favorite color?
Dear Narwhal
it’s me again
Sophia! What is
your favorite food?
Dear Narwhal
am I bothering
you just wanted
to know.
Dear Narwhal
we are moving.
Dear Narwhal
where is your house?
Dear Narwhal
I can’t write
to you any more.
At the Narwhal’s
home he got the
last letter “Phew”
Dear Greg Heffley
Levi H.
Your diaries are very funny
and my favorite book series.
I hope you make more books
soon. My favorite is The Meltdown
because of the snow-war.
Dear Mr. Penguin
Dilan J.
Dear Mr. Penguin
thank you for
being the best
stuffed animal
ever you are the
best, the best
puppet ever in the
WORLD. I know that
penguins are going to be
extinct so I am going to
go extinct with you.
Dear Elle
Jayla L.
You are the sweetest
person in the world you smell
like candy and you are the
nicest person and the only
friend that does not
say I don’t want to
be my friend you and
I are having the same
hair today
Spring
Keshav P.
Dear Spring,
Spring is the key to nature
Spring is beautiful
Spring makes flowers bloom
Spring, spring, spring
The birds start singing
Spring!
Be yourself Spring.
Dear Spring
Simone S.
Dear spring
I would love
to see what
you will bring
Not the winter
not the fall
not the summer
at all
I want you
spring you
You hold the
perfect weather
come on spring
Fine spring
I will get
fall fall will
show it all
Dear fall
thanks for
the call
you hold the
leaves not
the flowers
please get summer
Summer yes
summer you
are hot
you burn my
skin go get
winter and
bring him in
Winter winter
you’re too cold
go get spring
you’re too old
and weary
wear me out
yes you know
what I’m talking
about
Dear People
Nathan T.
Dear people, I too am one
of you.
Dear Harry
Tristan V.
Dear Harry Potter I hoped you
come to
a real city like Chicago
come in not with
your broomstick and bring
Ron and Hermione
peace out.
Future Me
Maya W.
Dear future me,
please don’t do anything
bad to me.
Dear future me,
I really really
LOVE YOU!
Dear future me,
I’m almost
double digits.
Dear future me,
today I’m very
hungry.
Dear You
Katherine X.
Dear You,
Hey, hi you! Thanks for being you.
You are you and I’m me. Everyone is
already taken. Thanks for being you.
Mr. O’Brien, 4th Grade
Dear Stability
Vivienne B.
Dear Stability,
the only way I stay on track,
you fight off anxiety
in the deadly battle at night.
Dear Unknown Fortnite Player
Neil D.
Dear Unknown Fortnite Player, I hope you had a great
Fortnite sorry “typo” weekend. I played Fortnite but got
killed. THUMBS UP!!! Ha Ha Ha. This was pretty
shortttttN.E.V.E.R. M.I.N.D.tttttt. The end. Or
is it?????????
Dear Sun
Ryan J.
Why do you go away for so long
and where do you go?
Dear Miltoniopsis
Hudson L.
Dear Miltoniopsis,
why are you so fussy?
We tried to hybrid you—
into an easier grower.
Dear Paphinia,
why do you bloom
such weird and strange?
You send flower spikes
into the pot which
makes us must work even more.
Dear Vanda,
why do you need so much light?
Your massive roots take up my space.
And then I must soak your roots
in a Big Bucket of Water.
Such a hassle.
Dear Sun,
why are you so bright?
You’ve burned my orchids
and now I have to save them.
Dear Fusarium,
why are you so bad?
You kill my orchids
and it’s not good
Dear Potato Chips
Zoe M.
Why are you so crunchy?
Why are you so gold?
Why are you so good?
Why are you so tasty?
So gold so crunchy so tasty
so salty.
Dear Clock
Simran M.
Why are you always 5:30?
Are you out of breath?
Do you need water?
Are you not working?
Come to my house. I’ll give you shade.
Make sure you wear a hat on your way.
Dear Bob
Colton O.
I like the idea of a sandwich
with sand in it and sunscreen
made with part of the sun
and shampoo with poo in it.
But you need to make
more funny jokes.
Dear City
Julian R.
Dear city why is it cold all the time
in the winter why cry when it’s cold
I wish it can be warm.
Books
Sonya T.
Dear Books,
You wondrous things—
full of Queens and Kings—
Things to read in the Spring
Dear Books,
You are so wise
But why do your lies
and tell tales of your dies
Dear Books.
