This week at Peterson we experimented with question poetry, where poets ask a series of questions as a form of self-reflection and deeper meaning. Why do people ask questions? Does every question have to have an answer? Most students thought that people ask questions because they’re curious about the world around them. We also discussed rhetorical questions, questions that are often asked to emphasis a point such as “Is grass green?” Or are asked without expecting a clear answer like “What’s the meaning of life?”
Together we read “Trust,” by Natalia D, a young poet from Taft H.S. who participated last year in the Hands On Stanzas program. In her poem, Natalia D. directly asks readers about trusting others with their secrets, “What do you do when that trust, one of the most important things is broken?” Based on the text, students determined that the poet’s secrets were exposed by someone close her and she’s struggling with how to deal with this betrayal. “Do you confront them? Do you ignore it? Pretend like it never happened?” These questions are universal, everyone at one time in their lives has placed their trust in the wrong people. Natalia D. never provides any concrete answers but leaves it up for the reader to determine the answers for themselves.
Inspired by Natalia D. students wrote poems that focused on questions that reflected on love, friendship, family, life, death, and the future. Enjoy this week’s published poems. Also thank you to Emily Ba for providing the interesting drawing of Sponge Bob, who looks like he has some questions of his own!
Ms. Bell’s 6th Grade
Group 1
Questions
Williem J.
Questions. What are questions?
Why do we need questions?
Can all questions be answered at
the end of the day?
Will my questions help me live
life to the fullest?
If there are no such thing as dumb
questions, why do you ignore some?
Questions, questions. Where would
we be without questions?
Wasn’t all this knowledge at one
point in time, just questions?
Why not just know everything?
Why have questions?
How do people come up with
questions? Does it make you
smart asking questions?
Answering questions?
Questions. What are questions?
Why do we need questions?
Questions to Life and Humans
John L.
Will there ever be a future for us?
Why are humans the cause of extinction?
Why can’t we recycle?
Is recycling hard to do?
Why is there Global Warming?
Why is there so many natural disasters
happening lately?
Is it Earth’s revenge?
Why do we take animals as trophies?
Has an animal ever taken a human
as a trophy?
Will there ever be a future?
Why are humans the cause of extinction.
Love
Camila M.
Is love in everyone?
Can love control anger?
How was love created?
Is love something to take
seriously?
Is love significant?
Do animals love?
How do we control love?
How do we create love
within ourselves?
Is love in everyone?
Can love control anger?
Ms. Bell’s 6th Grade
Group 2
Yoko Questions
Julian B.
Why are you so hungry?
Why do you lay around?
Why are you so tiny?
Why do you love me?
Why do you bark at other dogs?
Why do you hate the mailman?
Why are you so cute?
Why do you love my old
stuffed animal?
What is your favorite food?
Do you miss your mom?
Why do you eat Chapstick?
Why do you hate water?
Why do you love me?
Why are you so cute?
Loyal
Justin S.
Who are you loyal too?
Why are you loyal to them?
Is your bond strong?
If they hang out with other
friends and not you, is your
loyalty broken?
Do you ignore them?
Do you hang out with new people?
Pretend you’re having fun?
Give them your loyalty?
Make your “no longer friend”
jealous?
Who are you loyal too?
Why are you loyal to them?
Future Questions
David V.
What will happen in the future?
Will humanity survive?
Will I be successful?
When will I die?
What will happen to my family?
Will they survive?
What will happen to the world?
Will it survive?
Will racism end?
Will there ever be world peace?
How many animals will go
extinct? How many will be
taken off the endangered list?
What will happen in the future?
Will humanity survive?
Ms. Bell’s 6th Grade
Group 3
Daddy
Gabriel D.
Why did you leave?
Will you ever come back?
What did I do to you?
What have I done wrong?
Did you leave because of mom?
Was it because of me?
Is there a greater reason for
absence? Were the tears of
my mom not enough for you
to come back?
Do you remember me?
Do you remember Chicago?
Do you know the grief you
have caused us?
Do you miss us?
Where have you been?
How are you?
What has become of you?
Are you alright?
Why did you leave knowing I was
too little to understand?
Why did you leave knowing you
were never going to see me again?
Why did you leave when you had
everything, here with us?
Daddy, why did you leave?
Will you ever come back.
Betrayal Question
Isiah L.
Why do you have to act this way?
Why do you need to be so mean?
Why did you have to tell?
What made you think this way?
Why do you do this to people?
Why can’t you be nice?
Why would I tell you my secrets,
if you spill them?
Why me?
Why do you have to act this way?
Why do you have to be so mean?
To Any Higher Power
Evelyn V.
Why am I the way that I am?
Why do you exist?
Why do we exist?
Are you God?
Do you control me?
Do you control everyone?
Why don’t I believe in things?
Why do we like religion?
Is it because we are lonely
or don’t have any hope?
What will happen to the
world?
Why does a moment last forever?
How do we make morally good decisions?
Why do we make bad one?
Do you know people’s secrets?
Do you know mine?
Why do we discriminate?
Why do we hate?
Is there something wrong with us?
With me?
Why am I the way that I am?
Why do we exist?
