It was recently Earth Day, so this week’s poem choice was inspired by that annual event commemorating the environmental movement. Matthew Olzmann‘s “Letter to Someone Living Fifty Years from Now” isn’t very subtle; after all, its first line is “Most likely, you think we hated the elephant,” and its last, a very blunt “And then all the bees were dead.” But the poem isn’t just about the (real or forewarned) extinction of those animals, along with the golden toad, Thylacine, seagulls, or whales; more so, it’s a warning to present-day humans to get with the proverbial program before it’s too late. We thought about the “fifty years” of the title, which doesn’t seem like very long in the scheme of human existence, until you measure it against our daily lives, which can make such an overwhelming concern as climate change more tenable. While some of the poem’s word choices were advanced, it lays out its argument simply and straightforwardly, augmenting it with striking imagery, such as the “illuminated doodles / of scorpion outlines and upside-down ladles” and “a euphoria of flowers,” slant rhyme, and alliteration.
As its title declares, “Letter to Someone Living Fifty Years from Now” is an epistolary poem. Students then wrote variations of their own.
Ms. Kawa, 4th Grade
Enchanting
Kennedy B.
Oh today is a wonderful day
Flowers are blooming the wind is
Whooshing the sky is lit up
Like a candle in the dark
The flowers
Were colorful the birds were
Singing and a beautiful blue light along
The sky
It was an enchanting paradise
Going Back
Theo K.
Alright we’re not gonna make
this simple
my ancestors I’ve got to say you
took good care of our planet
we ruined
What do we do?
A mystery, we’ve tried to
answer did we get it correct?
Dear Jaime, What Was It Like?
Lillian Q.
Dear Jaime, what was it like having your
friends abandon you, and make fun of you? Having a
close friend ditch you,
been there,
done that.
But somehow, I’m not done
only 2 care about me
the rest, gone
two more problems,
no more solutions
what
was
it
like?
The real world is crumbling, and so is mine.
Great Grand-Children
Rohan R.
My Great Grand-Children
I wonder—
wonder what your life
is like
Is it fruitless—
no happiness?
Is it just
all devices?
Or—
or is it the life that I had?
With love, friends, games, and fun
I wish you do have that life
to live a great life.
A Life Letter
Montgomery W.
Hello Life
how is Life
I have many memories in Life
Great and sour times
How is your life, Life?
Life is special for me
a new breath
a new day
Life
Ms. Ball, 4th Grade
Epistula
Kyleigh G.
You might think I’m easy to write but
I’m a “minder”
I can share my “tea” with you
but you might have no “clue”
Wait so what am I saying to you?
I don’t know but what is nature
in the blue of “euphoria.”
If you’re confused go to the zoo!
Ahh not the zoo then I’ll come to
you like a gold medal.
It must be nice to see the future
I’ll be gone and waiting for you
in the sky
Watching and living the dream!
Epistula.
Hey Xena
Sara K.
Hey Xena, I’ll see you soon!
I jump and hug you.
You’re so soft fluffy
and cute!
I’ll
see
you
soon
I’ll be there
I’ll be home
I stay home
forever thanks
for reading this
But I wonder
how you are
Are you okay?
Are you having fun?
Anyway
Bye-bye
The Night Sky in 50 Years
Zoë R.
Has there been anymore planets yet?
Are there anymore constellations there?
There were 1B constellations when I was in
4th grade. Are there purple stars? I only
had red, blue, yellow, orange.
Questions Curious Future
Aimee Z.
Dear somebody
You are reading a “curious” letter
War, Humanity, Global Warming, and Wild life
Has War ended? Nobody yelling, arguing,
and damaging Earth?
Has Global Warming changed everyone
on Earth?
Animals hunted and killed. Nobody cares
or notices, only if we cared and noticed.
Are we fading and disappearing? Now
everyone notices when it’s gone.
Future
Love
Sisley Z.
Dear Mother,
Oh mother love is hard
Love is imaginary
I wish you could see what I think love
is . . .
Love is imaginary, love is unreal!
This is how I felt when you and dad
broke apart.
I can’t deal with love anymore
I’ve been heartbroken multiple times
and given so much chance that
never should have been given.
Sorry mother to bring it up.
But I will be waiting for you
mother . . .
Mr. O’Brien, 4th Grade
Nothing Is Ever Fair
Viriya C.
Hello, future-girl,
I’ve seen you in my dreams
I don’t know when you’ll arrive
But I hope you come soon
Life is short
Too short
Enjoy it while you can
Death comes, like a thief
With its companions
Sickness and Murder. To take lives.
But who can blame them?
They’re only doing their jobs.
Everyone says, “It’s not fair!”
But to question them
Has it ever been fair?
A better answer.
Death is essential
It makes sure we don’t overpopulate.
Besides . . .
Nothing is ever fair.
Me in Sports Future
Bryce K.
Hi me
I just asked am
I in the NBA?
Do I win a basketball
National championship?
Do I become a Rookie
of the Year of
2039?
Will I be a player in Top 10 history?
Will I meet Steph Curry?
Do I meet Klay?
Do I meet Jordan?
Poole?
Do I meet the Poole Party?
Dear Future Me
Isabelle L.
Dear Future Me
When you give you’ll struggle
When you try you’ll succeed
When you grow up and move away
Don’t make the same mistakes I made
Like letting go of your childhood and memories
Distancing from the world
Polluting.
Remember the good times.
Love,
Isabelle
You Can Help
Emily R.
There is climate change
you can help
you can save the animals
you can help
animals need you help them
you can help the polar bears by
using your bikes instead of cars
you can help
you can help the sea lion by
recycling your recyclables
that can help
you can reuse that can help
you can reduce that can help
all of that helps
you can make a difference
you can help
What Is Next?
Mia T.
Are you there?
Have you seen good?
I never know what’s gonna happen. Tell me
please.
It’s been a year, now I’m here.
It is good with some friends.
It’s been fun.
It has been great.
Now I’ll ask you,
What will happen?
Me
Dilan T.
Hello, it’s me
I have been through
all these years and the past has come to
possibly me
and now I tell about old me
and you
so now that you know me it’s time I tell you
this
I am me!
Dear Granpapa and Granmama Mary
Kinsley W.
I miss you guys!
I hope heaven is good and
you are happy.
I wish I was able
to see you granmama
before you died.
I still have some
pictures of you.
And granpapa I
love you.
Mrs. Johnson, 4th Grade
A Letter to . . .
Aidan B.
Dear Leonardo DiCaprio,
I watched your documentary and did you
have to move for Titanic?
Riddles
Are you sad on happy days or are you
happy on sad days?
My List
Favorite movie: Titanic!
Favorite actor: You!
Favorite skin in Fortnite: You (if they
had you).
Dear . . . Someone from 2028
Jessica C.
A few things about 2022 are
there is more climate change
and pollution. It’s not fun
it’s very sad. Black people get
treated like they’re no one like
they do not matter. I should
know. I have friends we believe
we can change the
world. Fire and fire can’t
fight alone, but we can do it
like a fish in a school we can’t
stand alone but we can do
it together. Side by side.
We have nothing to hide.
Dear Kobe Bryant
Blake E.
Dear Kobe Bryant, I was
wondering was the game
of basketball your only love?
I know that you put in
your heart and soul
into the game but
seriously, did you have
a life off the court? I
watched your dear basketball
film. Was it hard
to live it Italy? Was
MJ nice? Anyway, I’ll
meet you some day some
day . . . . . . . . .
Alive
Maddie M.
Dear You,
You must think me as a stranger
Well, you are not in danger
Do you feel alive?
This show is live!
I feel like I am stone.
Do you feel like you are home?
Did you keep people well?
I have so much to tell!
It is Spring!
Can you sing?
Hope you have fun!
I am done.
Sincerely,
Maddie M.
Letter to Israel
Sophia M.
Dear Israel,
You should give up the racism.
Millions of Palestinians are suffering day after day.
Palestine is its own country.
Palestine was a country before Israel was.
You can’t tell Palestinians to leave their homes.
You can’t destroy their property.
You have to stop.
The violence is unwanted.
You can’t leave them taunted.
Dear Israel,
please, please stop.
Hi
Miles S.
Dear Miles S., Hi it’s you.
Miles S. Do you remember when
Lea K. wrote a letter to Barney?
Honestly, I just want to say
Hi. So Hi. Hope you have a
good day. Write me a
letter about your day.
Dear Russian Army
Isaac Z.
Russian army Russian army
Why the war why the war?
Are you that bored? If you’re
bored, fight your own army.
Bad Russia
Russia’s bad
Stop this war
Stop this war
You’re not just bad
you’re really bad
actually, you’re really really bad.
From war hater,
Isaac
