For our 5th week of poetry 5th and 6th graders explored opposite personas. Persona is when a poet takes the voice of a person, place, or object. Together we read Haugan 8th grader Ingrid H. poem “The King and the Peasant.” In her poem, Ingrid takes on two personas, two voices. On one side of the poem the king brags about his wonderful life of riches and laziness, while on the other side the peasant laments on his life of poverty and hard work. I sit around all day without having to move a muscle/ I work all day moving muscles all hours of the day. Each line spoken by the two voices seems similar but with slight differences, as if everything is flipped upside down. But they share a few things in common, such as the yearning to rest and relax in comfort. Wishing nothing more than to sit here for eternity/ Wishing nothing more than to sit here for eternity.
After the poem, we discussed the character of Alice, from the Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland books, which most of the students were familiar with from movie adaptations. In one of her adventures Alice travels through a looking glass, a type of mirror. On the other side of the mirror, she realizes that just like a reflection, everything is reversed, including the people, creatures, and their personalities.
Inspired by Ingrid H., students wrote poems using opposite personas. So, readers travel with us through the looking glass to discover new ideas about people and things from different angles.
Ms. Yassky’s 5th Grade
Group 1
Sponge Bob vs. Squidward
By Khaleah B.
Sponge Bob Squidward
I love my life I hate my life
I am a kind person I am a mean person
I live in Bikini Bottom I live in Bikini Bottom
I work with Squidward I work with Sponge Bob
I LOVE my job I HATE my job
I love Patrick I hate Sponge Bob and Patrick
I like being outside I like being at home.
Sun and Moon
by Natalia C.
Sun Moon
I have sunlight I have moonlight
I help with plants I help with the tide
I’m bright I’m dimmed
I have daytime I have nighttime
I’m a star I’m a moon
I’m light I’m light
I help the solar system I help the solar system
I’m in space I’m in space
I do good deeds for the earth I do good deeds for the earth
I rotate I rotate
I orbit I orbit
Girl vs. Boy
by Savannah G.
I am a girl I am a boy
I am expected to be flexible I am expected to play sports
Expected to wear a dress Expected to like
will ink all around trucks and cars
Funny when nobody is around Expected to play rough
I want to be like me, I want to be like me,
nice and mean. mean and nice
For life For life
Tree vs. Flower
by Jalen L.
Tree Flower
I’m really tall I’m really short
I have leaves I have petals
I am brown I am green
I get climbed on I get stepped on
I’m wide I’m skinny
I’m a plant I’m a plant
I grow I grow
I have roots I have roots
I have a stem I have a stem
I’m outside I’m outside
Love and Hate
By Jahlil W.
Love Hate
I love people I hate people
I am a strong emotion I am a strong emotion
I make people happy I make people mad
I make life I hurt people
I make people love I make people hurt people
I make friends I make enemies
Ms. Yassky’s 5th Grade
Group 2
Madison vs Shariyah
by Shariyah E.
Madison Shariyah
I’m tall I’m short
I like vanilla I like chocolate
I wear a size 9 1/2 shoe I wear a size 4 shoe
I run fast I run fast
I like Takis I like Takis
I’m a girl I’m a girl
I like blue I like blue
Me vs. My Sister
by Taniya H.
Me Sister
I’m younger! I’m older…
I’m a singer I hate when you song (make my ears hurt)
I’m better I’m stronger
at everything Even me?
Fine whatever, That’s right
you’re still my blood On top
sister
Cuz we are sisters
Anedith vs. Mason
by Anedith Y.
Anedith Mason
I love being older I hate being younger
I’m too funny I’m not that funny
I could lift a desk I can’t even lift a pencil
I like being in 5th grade I like being in 5th grade
Ms. Henry’s 6th grade
Group 1
Batman vs. Joker
By Siyaar C.
Batman Joker
I save people I kill people
I am a bat I am a clown
I want respect I want respect
I am sneaky I am loud
I wear black I wear more colorful clothes
I am good I am bad
I am sweet I am salty
I want peace I want peace
Teacher vs. Student
By Richard H.
Teacher Student
I go to school every day I go to school every day
I teach my students all day I learn from my teachers all day
I watch all my students every day I talk to my friends all day
I walk to class every day I walk to class every day
I stand in front of the board all day I sit at my desk all day
I teach my 24 students every day I read my books every day
Every day is just a loop Every day is just a loop
Sweet and Salty
By Ameer R.
Sweet Salty
I have a sweet apple I have a salty pretzel
I have sweet candy I have some salty popcorn
I have a sweetheart I have been in a salty ocean
I have a sweet drink I have some salty soup
I have a sweet balance I have a salty fry
I have sweet money I have some salty chips
Ms. Henry’s 6th grade
Group 2
Kid vs. Parent
by Mbaye D.
Kid Parent
I go to school I go to work
I don’t have responsibilities I have responsibilities
I have chores I don’t have chores
I ride bikes I drive a car
I receive I buy stuff
We live together We live together
We eat together We eat together
We watch tv together We watch tv together
We go through We go through
good and hard times good and hard times
together together
Teacher vs. Student
By Goumbala D.
Teacher Student
I have to pay bills I don’t have to pay bills
I have a job I don’t have a job
I grade work I do work
I have a degree I’m working on a degree
I get paid I don’t get paid
I go to school I go to school
I work 8 hours I work 8 hours
I go through obstacles I go through obstacles
Sparkling Water vs. Pop
By Gian R.
Sparkling Water Pop
I am clear I am tasty
I am carbonated I am carbonated
I have one flavor I am flavorful
I am confined, I am confined,
trapped in a bottle trapped in a bottle
Eventually forgotten Eventually Forgotten
Lavine vs. Diggs
By Dion T.
Lavine Diggs
I have a 3 star in CBB I have a 4 star in CFB
Stefan Diggs? Zach Lavine?
I play in the NBA I play in the NFL
I was a good kid I was a bad kid
I lived in a rich family I lived in a hard-working family
for life for life
