Sketches of the Poetry Kids

Acknowledgments

Laurence Steven Minter

To the Academy Group, who’s mission is fueled by the belief that talent is ubiquitous, thank you for trusting and believing in the transformative power of poetry. The allowance of this course being offered is a testament to the demonstrated excellence, curiosity, and eloquence of these students.

To my young poets who have taught me so much. Thank you for for the laughs, the attention, and the patience we have shared with each other. This jouney was not easy, and it came with many challenges but we faced them together. Thought it was hard at times, you kept trying and you found the language.

Remember the power in your name, remember to be curious, and rememeber that even in the silence you can find your voice. Keep writing and keep growing.

Continue to be a light in this world of ours.

Contributors

Jose David Del Aguila is going into the fifth grade at Moos Elementary school. Writing calms him down.

Oluwapemisire Akala is going into the fifth grade at Thorp Elementary school. He’s a gamer, loves playing soccer, and cooking. This summer he’s learned to give confidence to what he’s writing.

Derek Blodgett is going into the fifth grade at Ray Elementary School.

Tylend Coleman is going into the fifth grade at Wrightwood Elementary School. He enjoys playing video games. His specialty is writing sentences.

Tyler Coleman is going into the fifth grade at Wrightwood Elementary School. He likes anime, animals, sports, and cars. He enjoyed writing a Haiku with his group for the first time this summer.

Camila Cordero is going into the fifth grade at AGC Academy for Global Citizenship. She likes writing Haiku’s !

Caleb Henderson is going into the fifth grade at CICS Prairie. In three words he would describe himself as silly, kind, and happy. His favorite subjects are reading and math. His favorite experience with poetry was writing at Billy Barn’s Community Garden.

Jordan Hester is going into the fifth grade at Kellogg School. He loves his family and friends, as well as playing sports. His main sports are basketball and football. He loves god and puppies. Writing makes him calm down when he’s mad.

Maria Howard is going into the fifth grade at North Kenwood Oakland (NKO). Through writing she’s learned to take her time.

Xoe Kippers is going into the fifth grade at Lenart Regional Gifted Center. She has written multiple books, poems, and wants to be an author. She plans on going to Howard for college and is participating in AG to help her reach that goal.

Xolani Kippers is going into the fifth grade at Andrew Carnegie Elementary School. He likes to cook, play games, and talking to his friends. He sees writing as a way that people can express their feelings deeply.

Arianna Maldonado is going into the fifth grade at Matthew Gallistel Language Academy. She’s in love with ducks and has a duck plushie. She likes reading and her favorite book is They Both Die at the End and If This Were a Story.

Jasmine Martinez is going into the fifth grade at Cesar E. Chavez Multicultural Academic Center (MAC). My favorite book is Babymouse because it shows the life of a young mouse in high school and how the life of a teenager is.

“I know I can Be what I wanna be If I work hard at it I’ll be where I wanna be”

- Nas

Cinquain

Fruits

Sweet sour

Eating, cleaning, picking

Good for your health

Fruits Haiku

So flavorful to Me. I was hyper and tired

Still love doritos

Cinquain

Soccer

Fun time

Winning, losing, crying

Playing with your friends

Fútbol

Jose David Del Aguila

Oluwapemisire Akala

World Cup

When I am 23 years old I will win the world cup And brag to DJ so much

Cinquain

Winter Cold and snow

Blowing, coming, snowing Cold earth and feelings

Winter

Ronaldo

Ronaldo is one of the best players in soccer

I want Ronaldo to win the world cup

CR7 stands for Christiano Ronaldo seven

When I grow up I want to be the best soccer player like ronaldo

Ronaldo is better than Messi for a fact

Haiku

I remember the first time I tasted ice cream it was sweet and cold Cinquain DJ

Helpful, nice, smart Helping, loving, thinking, Symbol of nice and helpful DJ

Haiku

I remember the First time I tried hot chicken It was very hot.

Derek Blodgett

Tylend Coleman

Jumpforce A fighting game that people can play Inspired by anime

Characters are Goku, Trunks, Naruto, Vegeta, Boruto, Luffy

There can be two ways

Offline and online

Game time !

Tyler Coleman

My Pup Jackie

Jackie brings me joy

Jackie loves her toy

Jackie is so cute

Jackie is a beaut

Jackie is so small

Jackie could be so tall

Jackie is kind

Jackie is sometimes hard to find

Jackie is so soft

Jackie feels like a cloth

Jackie,

You are so charming

But it stinks when you’re farting

Camila Cordero

Haiku Duck

Cute lovely

Living caring swimming

Kwak kwak kwak kwak

Animal

Caleb Henderson

LeBron James

Traded in 2018, To a new team

He is the king because of Records and rings.

Gold medal olympian, NBA champion.

LeBron helps his friends. And he helps people at the game when they are down.

Jordan Hester

Cinquain

Jordan

Smart and tall

Helping, loving, working Happy when I’m home

Jordan

Haiku

I remember the First time I had pizza it Was delicious, hot, big, great

Basketball

I love basketball

It’s just so fun

It helps me when I’m mad and when I’m sad Or when in my thoughts

Maria Howard

Billy’s Barn

Billy made Billy’s Barn

I see flowers, dirt, and kids playing

I smell pollen and hear joy

Football

I play for my school

I play with my brother

I like playing with my family

Xoe Kippers

Fantasy

The bleak streak on the map

The great school of wizardry

And a Bureau of magic

The great story is laid out

Its unfolding in my hand

Its twisting

Its turning

And its pulling at my consciousness

Im slowly losing it

My grip isnt that strong

The Darking

The horcruxes

The magician

A great escape

From terrible reality

Where everything is possible

Where nothing seems possible

I found a place

No one else could go

I’m navigating through this new land

Alina our god

Harry, the boy who lived

Amari, the good magician

The inspiring stories

In which that one can

Not brave at the beginning

But brave at the end

Allies, friends, and enemies

The test decides this story’s fate

But they believe that one can

So how do they end?

Xolani Kippers

Meaning in Our Names

People’s names and identity is what makes them who they are. What people say can change what people want to be and who they think they are. When we say good things to people their spirits can be lifted and they can believe more. But when we say bad things it can make them doubt themselves and think poorly of themselves.

Names have deeper meanings and when we call people out of their names, it can make them forget the power in their names and how they are. My name means peace and when I’m angry or thinking negative it reminds me to be peaceful.

Arianna Maldonado

Color

Blue for sea

Green for trees

Soon it’ll be me

When teal comes to me

Money

Good, bad Maybe for helping Helping or for spending

Money

Flowers

Pretty, romance

Maybe for loving

Yellow, red, or blue

Flowers

Ducks

Quack, Quack

Noise goes through my ear

White my eyes shall see

Noisy they shall be

Pets they might be

Green they can be

Water or land they shall be

Laurence Steven Minter

Poetry

Poetry is motion

Poetry’s in the ocean’s silk sway

Poetry’s the way that words melt inside of us

Poetry is in the power of the tongue

Poetry is hung, on every wall

Poetry is here

Poetry is there

Poetry is everywhere

Poetry is global

Poetry is local

Poetry is mobil

We hear poetry in music and see poetry in movements

Poetry’s evident in the eloquence of the air we breath

Poetry is patience

poetry is fragrance

Poetry’s the sound that stirs the vacant silence

Poetry is truth

Poetry is you