This week at Taft, we looked at a truncated version of the Long Form poem, ‘Library’ by writer and toy collector, Albert Goldbarth. We took a look at its density and repetition and what effects that had on us as readers. Then it was time to create our own libraries. After showing the students how to create a book out of one sheet of paper, they were given the choice of placing their poem in that book or in our regular form. In one class period, an impromptu performance piece was created with multiple players. Here we see both our positive and negative feelings about books and the world around us. ‘Library’ was a hit!
7th Grade Teacher, Ms. Munoz, created her own library poem and read it to each class period. She talked a little about stage fright. I will begin with her poem and then move on to the student’s work. Enjoy!
Bookshelf Standouts
Ms. Munoz
This book is my life.
This book is my sister’s from high school that I read in 8th grade and was somewhat lost with.
This book has been read by everyone except me.
This book has one of my essays.
This book… I can’t stand this book although I’ve read it twice.
This book I’ve never read.
This book was given to me by my first real boyfriend which I’ve never read.
This book was given to me by a non-boyfriend and I did read.
This book is too heavy for my bookshelf… why do I even keep it?
This book is the Bible.
This book is the Mormon Bible.
This book is the Quran.
This book I’ve actually read.
This book is dusty.
This book has Hot Cheetos fingerprints.
This book got me this job.
This book I hate teaching.
This book I hate but love teaching.
This book makes me believe in love.
This book makes me believe in God
and this book does not.
Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
1st Period
Untitled
Nathan S.
This book is OK
This book is boring
This book is amazing
This book was dropped on me from
10 ft. up
This book is not mine, it is my sisters
book
This book is not a book
This book is a book
This book was terrible
This book I never read
This book grew legs and ran away
This book was made I Mexica, hecho en
Mexico
This book grew teeth
This book was OK
This book is a book
Untitled
Kaila P.
This book has a beginning, middle and end.
This book is all about fairy tails.
This book I wish grew legs and walked away.
This book is mysterious.
This book was taken.
This book was a gift.
This book got left behind.
This book was worth $22.
This book was worth $2.
This book was curious.
This book taught me many lessons.
This book taught one.
This book smells old and dusty.
This book smells new-o-new
This book was red.
This book was blue.
This book is empty (No one knows why).
This book has 300 pages inside.
This book has 756 pages.
This book has red the word
all over it.
This one screams out the pages.
This book is as cold as a winter night.
This book is shining yellow as we
speak.
This book is as funny as Kevin Hart.
Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
3rd Period
Untitled
Evelyn P.
This book is finished
This book is the love story of Salvador and
Emily.
This book is a mystery.
This book is by Destiny and Emily.
This book shall continue.
This book is boring.
This book has no emotion/feeling.
This book smells old and dusty.
This book hides the truth.
This book is magic.
This book is a movie.
This book came to life.
This book is as big as me.
This book is a duck–it’s free.
This book has chapters.
This book is older than anyone
on earth.
This book has food.
This book is about a young
girl and boy who are on an
adventure.
This book is from outer
space.
This book is you.
Untitled
Emily A.
This book is like Evelyn
This book reminds me of death
This book looks
This book is my favorite
This book is boring
This book is scary
This book is pretty
This book is burning
This book is on fire
This book is lonely
This book has a bite mark
This book is huge
This book is older than Piertiussi
This book is called: ‘I’m Not A Book!”
This book is overdue
This book survived me
This book is my dogs
This book is my cats
This book is my fish
This book is my own
This book is stolen
This book is my parrots
This book is my monkeys
This book is my teachers
This book makes me think
This book…
This Book
Patrick S.
This book is amazing
This book survived a fire
This book saved me from a shot
This book was in the library for 50 years
This book has dog hair
This book is long forgotten
This book was buried
This book was my tour guide
This book has no pages
This book has paper towel in it
This book has no words
This book is missing a page
This book is wet
This book needs some…
This book doesn’t exist
This book repeats itself
This book, my friend stepped on
This book is muddy
This book survived a fire
Did I repeat myself?
This book is boring
This book smells like bees
This book tastes like wood
This book has food in it
This book has jelly
This book makes me hungry
This book is sad
This book is now a TV
This book once was a dog
This book is horrible
This book makes me feel smart
How did this book get published?
Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
6th Period
Untitled
Andrew K.
This book is a mystery
This book is weird
This book is about a bird
This book is about racism in the South
This book has lots of information
This book is one of a kind
This book is about history
The Non-Fiction of Fiction
Gabriella M.
Walk on over to the fiction shelf
C’mon lets check these out
This book is a tiny four defeat
in a big book
This book made me fall in
love
This book turned my love into
a mathematical equation
This book didn’t make my
dreams come true
This book is a lie
This book broke me into a
million pieces
This book build me back
up again
This book gave me life
This book showed me
death
This book took me on
a roller coaster
This book made me sick
This book got me confused
This book gave me love
This book threw hurt at
me
This book took me to another point of view
This book gave me
everything
This book stole my
heart
I love these books
Untitled
Jason B.
This book made me cry
This book brought me to life
This book healed my heart
This book is about racism
This book is about history
This book has a cave
This book tore me to pieces
This book is fiction
This book is the present
This book is the past
This book is my life
Untitled
Luis R.
This book is ugly
This book is mysterious
This book made my life
This is wonderful and dreadful
I don’t like these books
This book is lovely
This book is awesome
This book is crazy but nice
This book gets me going
This book makes me think
I like these books
I love my library
Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
7th Period
Untitled
Ethan C.
This book plays games
This book can fly
This book at my lunch
This book goes go school
This book ran a marathon
This book is still being written
This book is blunt but still amazing
This book got hit by a truck
This book tastes like chocolate
This book is plated with diamonds
This book has the Midas touch
This book runs a TV show
This book is the best book ever
This book argues with this book
This book rode a train
This book I accidently kicked
This book cooks people for fun
This book loves to eat pizza
Look At This
Iga K.
Look at this book it’s full of color
Look at this book it’s square shaped
Look at this book it smells like pizza
Look at this book it fell apart
Look at this book it’s meaningful
Look at this book its author is dead
Look at this book it’s not copyrighted yet
Look at this book it’s talking to you
This book is the one I killed a bug with
Look, this book is 90 years old
This book is the final book of the world
This book is about everyone
This book makes me forever alone
This book makes me buy cakes now
This book makes me a crazy soccer mom
My Book
Nyah B.
This book is my life
It released my creative side and let me be free
This book is colorful
This book is fanciful and lets me dream
This book transports me to other worlds
This book is full of stains from food remains
This book is sitting on a dusty book shelf
This book smells amazing-just like steak
This book will take you on an emotional roller-coaster
This book is covered in glitter
My Books
Alex B.
This book…oh, I have 20 copies of it.
This book is wacky.
This book has not been touched in 20 years.
This book was boooooooooooooooooooooring…ooops, I slept
through it.
This book was so exciting that I set up a
schedule to read it every day.
This book was so sad that I cried all day.
This book was so boring that I burned it.
This book was so good that I invested a bagillion
dollars in making popular.
This book was soooooooooooooooooo long that
I forgot what the beginning of the book was about.
This book is so heavy that I dropped it
in my dinner and it is no longer readable.
My books…
Ms. Munoz, 7th Grade
8th Period
A Group of Books Through The Eyes of A Pessimist
Madeline P.
This book had its spine broken after a child put it in his book bag.
This book replaced the one my dad accidently threw in the
washing machine and I had to pluck the remains from my blanket
on the porch.
This hard covered masterpiece I accidently stole from the school
library.
This book was thrown on the ground when my brother complained
about the ending.
This book lost page 375 five years ago-I just found it yesterday.
This book was used as a stepladder to reach the balloon I let
float up to the ceiling.
This book only has three pages.
I wonder how this book got published.
This book had a page ripped out and cut into the shape
of a star.
This book is meant to be romantic-it’s stupid.
This book lost its back cover.
This book was turned into the worst movie.
This book is awesome–all the characters died.
The book I’m writing only has 15 pages so far.
This book is based on a movie.
This book is based on a movie but its nothing like the movie.
This book made me die inside.
This book was written by a woman who watched her brother
get run over by a bulldozer.
I’m disappointed in myself. I’ve only seen this book’s movie.
This book is about people dying from frostbite.
This book was given to me in the 4th grade as a reading
assignment but I never read it.
To quote Amazon: ‘This book is only available s an E-Book.’
This book I found in the refrigerator.
I’m sure I’m the only person to read this book.
Untitled
Marcos J.
This poem ruins every day
This poem is stupid
This poem makes me want to smash my head in
This poem would kill someone with boredom
This poem is killing me
This poem is silly
This poem is useless
This poem is dumb
Its author is dumber
I hate this poem
Untitled
Abby D.
This book is the best
This book is my favorite
The book has all the worlds in it
This book is all pictures, no words and has no characters
This book I’ve read 12 times in less than 2 years
This book made me laugh
This book has food in it
This book I didn’t finish
This book I tried to kill a spider, but instead
the spider jumped on me, bit me and I
had to go to the emergency room
This book I read all the time
This book a teacher read to me
This book Ms. Munoz gave us (but nobody read it)
This book was a gift
This book I wrote
This book was never supposed to be published
This book mentions God
This book is about sports
This book is about Chicago
This book may soon Rest In Peace
This book I gave away
This book has glitter on the cover
This book made me throw up
This book has tongue -twisters
This book is part of my favorite series
This book left me heartbroken
This book gave me the chills
This book broke me forever
This book made me see everything differently
This book is a book
This Is Why I Read
Tondum P.
This book is full of puns, I always got it.
This book is invincible, that’s how it survived this long.
This book is weird, that’s why I have it.
This book is yellow. I got it wet sometimes.
This book is amusing, it doesn’t have periods or commas.
This book is my favorite, its about food.
This book is my 2nd favorite, you’re not in it.
This book I keep throwing out, but here it is.
This book I accidently stole (and kept) even when I
could give it back.
This book is where I had my first crush.
This book made me hatch my first murder plot.
