Poetica 2024-2025 by Pope John Paul II Preparatory School

POETICA

Pope John Paul II Preparatory School

117 Caldwell Drive Hendersonville TN 37075

www.popeprep.org

Editor Emily Parrelli

English Department Chair Josh Mauthe

Middle School English Department Teachers

Arrione Galvin, Jaime Littrell, and Emily Parrelli

President Principal Dr. Erick Chittle Jennifer Dye

Nick Nitsch

Art Department Chair

SPECIALTHANKS

Thank you for the photo and art contributions!

Jennifer Smith

Director of Marking and Public Relations

Thank you for your guidance and support!

Cover Art by Cora Smelcer (Class of 2029)

THE ISSUE

2 3-4

From the desk of Josh Mauthe, on the importance of poetry

5-6

Student submissions from across the grade levels

Poems selected by their classmates for the annual 6 Grade Poetry Slam th

Combining “found poetry” with art, these are a signature project in 8th Grade English using two of our anchor texts, The Crucible and The House on Mango Street.

7th Grade Poems modeled after the work of Nikki Giovanni

LETTER FROM THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR

As an English teacher, one of the joys of my year is getting to see students’ growth as writers. To see students who struggled to build a single idea clearly eventually get to where they can knock out a solid essay within an hour or two gives you a sense of accomplishment, but also a sense of pride for how much our students are capable of. But there’s more to writing than just essays, and more growth than just analysis. In this collection, you’ll get to see how our students have grown not just academically but also creatively - in this case, learning to express themselves through the medium of poetry.

Here, you’ll get a sense of our middle school students as far more than just the energetic crew they often appear to be, seeing the feelings, thoughtfulness, and emotions that hide underneath that surface. I always look forward to this collection; it reminds me how creative and insightful our students are, allowing me to see students finding their own voices and new ways to express themselves. What’s more, through these poems, the students show us that, for all their silliness, their hearts are much bigger than we sometimes realize, demonstrating how creativity is just as valid a means of self-expression as essays or short responses.

As a final note: this collection of poetry is thanks to the efforts of our amazing middle school English teachersMrs. Parrelli, Mrs. Galvin, and Mrs. Littrell - without whom none of this would be possible. And I don’t mean just in terms of the work not being done; no, I mean that without their inspiration, guidance, and creation of a welcoming place where students can be themselves and express themselves freely, our students wouldn’t be as willing to be so emotionally open here. For all of their work, love, and encouragement, I cannot possibly express enough gratitude for what these teachers do for our students, be it academically, socially, or emotionally.

Josh Mauthe

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT CHAIR

6THGRADE

Whatwewonder:

Arewe?Dowe?

If we are one, we are many

Many through the fields wandering around. Wandering like pollen flying through the trees. The trees have stories, if we listen and all is sound, we will hear them

They will tell us what they have seen, what they have dreamed. But are they really trees? Have they really dreamed?

They tell us the stories of how they were picked at by animals, dug by a woodpecker that has already seen the leaves of a tree. Do trees ever really see their own leaves?

This we shall not know, just like the other 80 percent of the sea.

2024-2025

Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, you wonder, what the fish think

Wondering if humans are the only creatures with the ability to think for themselves? Are we?

Do we?

What nature is, what we do

If our bodies are one with our soul, Are we our soul?

These I haven’t known, nor will I know, for this only known by God.

God the one and only.

All my destiny in his hands

The sea is wondrous and large, filled with many fish swimming, fending for their lives. Fending for their kin, fending for the ability to eat. The way that they have to try to thrive. The sharks that drive out anything that stands in their way

All my sins and thoughts and feels, in his Hands.

Lay everything on Him.

We might wonder or question our faith, but what we need is faith.

byJessicaShaar

OdetoMyLittleBrother

My precious little brother

You have stood by my side I’ve watched you travel

Through the little events called life

Oh when will you realize How much you mean to me

I even notice the little things

Like how you love cookies

I enjoy spending time with you

Through all the moments of the year

And when we ever fight I know you’re always near

Oh how I miss you

When you’re gone away

Like the feeling of your hugs

From when I have a bad day

And you never fail

To put a smile on my face

Like when you shoot me a grin While we are saying grace byOliviaFulks

Food:AHaiku

there are many kinds super scrumptious to consume it tastes really good

I once had a grandma named Holly

I know her last name was Ivy

She was always so sweet and jolly

She definitely deserved a massive high-fivey

Christmas was her favorite time of year

Her name was very related to it

Her treasures were very dear

She loved her precious antique kit

She cooked amazing food

Even if you weren't in the mood

My grandma is the one to pick

Even though she did get sick

She always had a loving touch I love her love her so very much

byMasonRitzhaupt

byLaylaCole

she is super fast her blonde hair waves through the air she is my best friend

Evie:AHaiku

SUBMISSIONS

IThinkICanFly

I used to dream about the sky

Now I am flying past the clouds so high.

From my seat, I see the buildings and cars so small.

And my seat belt is feeling a little too tight, y’all.

But I’ve got my cheese and wi-fi.

Wondering why this thing is making that weird sound

One wrong move and mission failed

But I know how to fly this thing.

I believe I can fly - with wings so high.

Up above the clouds, the gravity says bye-bye.

I believe I can zoom - with jet engines that boom.

Into the sky, escaping all this groundily gloom

I’m skybound, not just some plane

The sky is calling. I’m ready to race.

Watch me soar across the sky.

Engines on, I’m ready to climb.

I’ve got my sights on 80,000 feet.

I’m in the sky so high and blue

So calm up here

Can’t complain in this SR-71 Blackbird.

I can touch the sky. It’s all within my reach.

I’ve passed the speed of sound.

Don’t wish I were on the beach.

Racing through the sky,

Going speeds of 767 mph while I fly

byGraysonNobles

TheScoreboard

Oh baseball, oh baseball

The crack! of the bat

The whoosh! of the pitch

The sound of the dirt

When the ball rolls

The sound of the glove

When you catch it in your hand

If there were someplace I would want to be

It would be there

Always checking the scoreboard

Looking into the stands for my family

Talking to my teammates

Feeling the breeze as I run

Oh baseball, oh baseball

If there were anywhere I would want to be

It’d be there

byEthanHankins

War War and peace

The lifeblood of humanity that kills our sanity

cast the ones who start the wars to hell and suffering forbear forth the coming of war the eternal fight with little cause or blight of war

war comes peace and peace comes war war is endless war is paltry war is a fight that never ends war war war war and peace

the lifeblood of humanity that is our insanity That will end us that will destroy us that will break us and will help us

war and peace whether blight or obliging Is and will be the end of our humanity

byJackNowell

NeverForget

Have we forgotten?

The Twin Towers standing tall and proud Were mercilessly knocked crumbling to the ground

A group of terrorists, vicious and evil

Decided to kill over 3,000 people

The red, white, and blue under attack

That’s the day we never looked back

We showed the world our strength and power That just because they knocked down the towers They cannot touch the American heart That has shown its pride right from the start

So even in this election year

Let us not forget what is dear

To be Americans, brave and true

To be united, me and you

To live so we have no regret

And to remember so we will never forget

byCheyenneJohnson

POETRYINSPIREDBYTHENATIVE TENNESSEANPOET,NIKKIGIOVANNI

SunlightIs

Sunlight is warm like a hug on my face. It peeks in my window and wakes me up. It makes my room glow and turns the floor to gold It helps flowers grow and makes me smile. Sunlight is soft and never loud. It says, “Hey, it’s a new day”

byAvaRoseKing

GodIs

Some people forget that God is our creator and source of life no matter how happy or sad we are Some people don’t remember that God is love, life, and laughter no matter how bad we sin Few recognize that God is almighty, and unconditional no strings attached unless God is in you and me

byBrooklynWeatherford

ADayattheLake

The sun shines like a flashlight on the water. I throw my line and watch my bobber bounce . The lake is quiet, but I hear the birds croak The trees wave at me in the wind. My fishing rod feels like apart of my hand. I wait, and wait, and wait A fish bites.

But swims away and doesn’t put up a fight. Fishing isn’t about the fish, it’s about the peace

byEliSaddy

RealityofFame

Some people forget that fame is a lifestyle that few people have no matter actress or musician Some people don’t remember that fame is feeling like you have to be perfect no matter in or out of the house few recognize that fame is just popularity, and peoples opinion no freedom unless fame is having true supporters

bySophiaRoseBaldini

Masterpiece

Like a fading painting I am colorless no longer do I bring life to dark walls my colors are dim my strokes are rough my brightness no longer able to shine and light up a room I wish for a few moments when someone will gawk at my once bright frame and see my beauty once dazzling all who see it

TimeIs

Some people forget that time is passing notes, laughing too loud or running to class no matter how long we want these moments to last

Some people don’t remember that time is the small talks in the hallways and even just being bored in class no matter how much we wish we could fast forward

Few recognize that time is scarce, slipping away no way to stop the clock unless Time is realized when we miss it most

byEmersynGregor

I feel my colors fade though I have been much the brightness I can no longer show causes my thoughts to slow I offer no apology only this plea: when I am dreary and colorless

please someone take my frame that my frame might help brighten a boring room And someone will see it and they will smile and I will know then that I have become a masterpiece

byNorahRuehe

TheMourner

I get nervous around the word trigger-happy

I used to think lightly of it, but not anymore.

I don’t want to turn on the TV, and see another crying face. I don’t want to turn on the TV, and see another mother missing her son

I am a bird with my wings clipped There is no way to fly away from this. I will forever see children cry over their lost brothers and sisters. The world is a graveyard, and I am just a mourner

byCharleyBerwanger

JustWait

Some people forget that patience is respecting you and waiting for you no matter how fast or slow you are some people don’t remember that patience is waiting for a garden to grow or trusting the process no matter who you are Few recognize that patience is tolerance, composure no kindness, just tolerance unless

Patience is you

byPattersonFowler

ChangeisNew

Some people forget that change is will, and unpredictable setting a bird free

no matter how young or old you are some people don’t remember that change is the winter ending and the sun coming Out

no matter your age few recognize that change is different and strange no stability, no guard rail unless change is a hand to hold

as you jump together into the unknown

byMegOrendorff

Dandelife

Like a dandelion

I am flimsy and changing

No longer do I shine young and yellow

My petals are falling, my color is changing, my stem is tearing, no longer am I yellow. To hold everyone’s wishes I wish for health and healing

When I blow away for someone else’s benefit hoping to find somewhere I fit I land, and someone may step on me, but I plant another seed I knew I would move, though am I ready The wind was pushing every which way Will I find somewhere to stay I offer no apology, only this plea:

When I am used and tired

Please, someone catch me and lay me down That I might put another seed in the ground And some will step on me and Will disregard it And I will still go on for those who could not

byCharlotteMccarrell