All posts in Poetry

‘I remember now. Aha!’: James Tate Imitations.

Students read James Tate’s poem, ‘Untitled,’ where the speaker embellishes their accomplishments…just a little. Lesson Note: “I love my funny poems, but I’d rather break your heart. And if I can do both in […]

‘And, of course, Adidas’: Odes

Students wrote Odes, using personification, after reading Francisco X. Alarcon’s poem, ‘Ode to My Shoes.’ Lesson Note: “If it were up to me, everything I love would have a poem in praise of it. […]

‘I sift my hands through the sail sand I see’: Poems of Observation

Students read ‘Along the East River and in the Bronx Young Men Were Singing‘ by Ariel Francisco, in a nod to the opening lines of Fredrico Lorca’s ode to Walt Whitman, ‘ By the […]

‘I like the way Jacky says my name’: Name Poems

‘I celebrate and sing myself…’-Walt Whitman Students explored names through a series of prompts, which began with a reading of ‘a girl named jack’ by Jaqueline Woodson. What occurs when someone or something is […]

‘where the dove still sings’ : Poems of Place

Students wrote ‘Where I’m From’ poems investigating the real and fantastical in poetry. Lesson Note: “What I like about this exercise is that it asks poets to look at what we think and think […]

‘First of all, I am thankful for Beyonce’: Thanks Poems

Students read ‘Thanks’ by W.S. Merwin before crafting their poems and musings on thanks! Lesson Note: “Being grateful is linked to higher levels of life satisfaction, optimism, vitality, helpfulness, empathy, forgiveness, and positive affect. […]

‘Some things are meant to keep still/Stopped’: Potion Poems

Students read Naomi Shihab Nye’s poem ‘Truth Serum’ and then talked about wishes, wants, and dreams that might come true if they made a special serum of their own! Lesson Note: “Writers don’t need […]

“bit by/bit” Narrative Food Poems

Our class began with a discussion of food and memory in preparation for studying Gary Soto’s Narrative-Style poem, Oranges. Nostalgia and feelings came up frequently in our discussions. What emotions are attached to memory […]

‘And steal a lollipop to eat.’: Age Poems

Students shared childhood stories before writing their own poems, reflecting on their younger selves, as the speaker did in Billy Collin’s poem, On Turning Ten. Lesson Note. “I think one of the strengths of […]

Poetry | La Poesía

Metaphor| Metáfora Sabin Elementary School | 4th Grade Our work with metaphor! We read Nikki Giovani’s poem, “Poetry” What is poetry? Students thought about what poetry is to them. Check out some student poetry […]

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“Writing poetry makes me feel like I can see myself, like I can see my reflection, but not in a mirror, in the world. I write and I know I can be reflected.”
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I’M FROM THE CITY LIGHTS / STREAMING OUT IN THE NIGHT / AND HUGE SKYSCRAPERS / TOWERING OVER THE LAKE – MELISSA E., 7TH GRADE POET