As we all shelter-in-place, students at Taft Freshman Academy continue to generate beautiful poems via E-Learning. This week’s poems are inspired by ‘Quiet Night Thoughts’ by Li Po.
Quiet Night Thoughts by Li Po
Before my bed
there is bright moonlight
So that it seems
Like frost on the ground:
Lifting my head
I watch the bright moon,
Lowering my head
I dream that I’m home.
Lesson Note: ‘In a time of crisis, poetry can help focus our fears and transform ‘noise into music’ … In effect, poetry “aims in every possible way to reaffirm the world that we actually inhabit, in all its vital, messy, beautiful, tragic reality. Mar 10, 2020, The Washington Post.
Ms. Munoz, 9th Grade
Period One
Quiet Night Thought
Max S.
Before I sleep
The fans on level two
And there is only darkness
Pillows in correct order
Meow Meow by my side
And blankets under and over me
Looking up seeing pitch black
I think, till I sleep
Then I dream.
Sleep Schedule
Victoria C.
The light blue sky at 4 am
My dogs snore like pigs
My phone shines in my dark room
Till it’s pitch black
Let’s hope I sleep quick
I dream of my foods and places I crave
Kinda stressed from piled-up work
So I sleep till 9 am awakes.
Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
Period Two
Untitled
Evelyn B.
As I sleep
There is a soft glow
Of a candle lying near,
Hovering at my bedside.
As I drift
Away from the slight breeze
Of the cold,
That is drowned out
By the haunting silence
Of the night.
Falling Asleep
Patrick P.
A sliver of light creeping under my door
A cool breeze cascading over my head
My mom reading a book in the distant room
A nice thunderstorm outside
My cold feet getting warmth from my thick covers
Water running down my throat as I drink my last sip of water
Me slowly closing my eyes to hope to be in dreamland once again
Me slowly breathing in and out
Falling
A
s
l
e
e
P
The night
David R.
A sliver of light creeping under my door
A cool breeze cascading over my head
soft covers covering by body
The “L” passing by my house
A wave of drowsiness threatening to pull me under
The clacking of keys from my stressed mom
The softness of my pillow
A golden light trickling through the window
The lulling swoosh of cars
A swift close of my eyelids
Untitled
Aramis R.
A sliver of light creeping under my door
A cool breeze cascading over my head
Big blasts from the city ahead
EAT THE BREAD
No, I don’t have a lock
Tie the knot
Goin’ to fort Knox
Fire in the hole
I’m in my house like a mole
Oh man I’m cold
Before I Fall Asleep
Alyssa S.
The calming nature in the world around me,
Restless birds chirping throughout the night,
The trees swaying just outside of my bedroom window,
A cool breeze cascading over my head.
The lights turn out and my room fills with darkness,
The relieving feeling of finally relaxing my eyes,
Past experiences are being remembered,
Only to form a vivid dream that passes through my mind.
Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
Period Five
Only a dream…
Jeremy E
A sliver of light creeping under my door
A cool breeze cascading over my head
I was on the couch laying down.
Watching an action movie then closing my eyes.
An image in my head right before my brain turns off.
Being lost in a dream of the future.
I fall off a building in my dream.
Then instantly I wake up.
On my couch, I look at the TV.
There is no movie. And there never was a movie.
The Loud
Dylan P.
Before the Sleep
In the Bed
Noises I hear don’t go dead
The creaking of the floor
The barking of dogs
The bang of thunder
All I wish is for the loud to leave
My Quiet Night
Mia P.
A “Bing” from my phone
A warm feeling under the cover
A calmness in my body
The stars peeking through my window
The need to raise my feet up
My hair against my neck
My eyes slowly closing
And my dreams flowing through my head
Ms. Munoz, 9th Grade
Period Six
The Quiet, But Not So Quiet Bedroom
Zaid A.
A sliver of light creeping underneath my door.
The living room light being shined on into the bedroom hallway with the TV on.
Hearing the sounds of my parents whispering to each other in the other room.
The loud sounds of my older brother snoring can be heard from across the bedroom.
Being able to look up at my dusty ceiling fan and trying to figure out how long it’s been there.
The cold wall is in front of me and I’m able to feel it as I’m trying to fall asleep.
My firm mattress is underneath me so I am able to feel it move every time I move.
The glowing light from outside the window coming from the street light glowing on my ceiling.
The comfiness of my pillow as I have my head above it and my arms underneath it.
Last but not least, a cool breeze cascading over my head.
Night before day
Nicolas L.
Before my rest
I seek attention
To the moon moving
It makes me see my closet
And I always feel some movement
A breeze blows through
I feel a force
It’s pulling the cover I think
The door creaks
I think it’s the wind
But really it’s my mom
I close my eyes
I see my friends
And I see another day
Hard to Sleep
Darian T.
The squeaks of my bed
The bright light from my phone
The lyrics of a song that played in my head
The sound of my ceiling fan spinning
A cool breeze cascading over my head
A sliver of light creeping under my door
Cars driving by
Street lights shining through my shades
A ruffled blanket barely covering my body
Darkness throughout the room.
Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
Period Eight
Untitled
Gaya G.
A sliver of light creeping under my door
A cool breeze cascading over my head
The hum of the heater
The snore of everyone
The hum of the cars passing by
The ticking of the clock
The screeching of the train
The sound of my own thoughts
The flickering of the nightlight
The sound of my dad working
Intrusive Nights
Jaden G.
A sliver of light creeping under my door
A cool breeze cascading over my head
A loving family
Like a warm, comforting hug
Closing my eyes
I’m free-falling, losing everyone
I open my eyes and look out the window
And I’m terrified
Because
Andrew M.
My computer’s on light flashing in sleep mode
My computer’s on light flashing in sleep mode
The weight of my weighted blanket.
The sound of my parent’s TV shows
The sound of my sister whining
The sound of my cats meowing
The sound of my dad singing to my sister
My mouse’s Chroma Lights being on
My pillow being lumpy
A cool breeze
This means I can not go to sleep and I stay up playing Halo CE
Night Time
Alessia O.
The light coming from
The crack in the door,
The room to the left,
The clock
The sound of my
Turtle,
My breath,
The breeze
The soft of my blanket,
And books.
Untitled
Louis O.
A sliver of light creeping under my door
A cool breeze cascading over my head
A fuzzy blanket against my toes in bed
An occasional train passing by my house
A dog barking dog outside
The neighbor’s loud muffled music next door
A police siren ringing past my house once in a while
A car outside most nights coming to pick their friends up and beeping loud
The old air vents making noises when heating
The old air vents making noises when heating
