25_Poetry_Anthology_Final by The Willows Community School

POETRY ANTHOLOGY 2024-2025

THE WILLOWS COMMUNITY SCHOOL

FLOAT INTO HOPE

I open my eyes I let go of gravity And float into tomorrow.

THE WILLOWS COMMUNITY SCHOOL

POETRY ANTHOLOGY

2024-2025

DK - 8TH GRADE

COVER POEM BY

COSMO COWLING, 4A

COVER ART BY

ELLE GUSTAFSON, 6A

At The Willows, many of our teachers and staff are former Willows students.

In honor of our 30th anniversary, please enjoy a selection of their original poems from previous anthologies.

Curated by current 5th graders Mimi Hines and Carmella Kedan.

LOOKING BACK: THE POEMS

“Happy Days” by Christian Isbell, Art teacher written in 1st grade, 2003

“Waves crashing loudly” by Willa Baigelman, 5th grade teacher written in 1st grade, 2002

“Peace” by Taylor Stacey, 4th grade teacher written in 4th grade, 1999

“The Venice Beach Park,” by Anthony Isbell, DK teacher written in kindergarten, 2002

“Stretch It” by Greg Blum, E-music teacher written in 7th grade, 1998

“Dogs” by Chaysen Olshansky, Library Assistant written in 2nd grade, 1999

“Feelings” by Madison Besser, School Counselor written in 1st grade, 1998

“When I Grow Up” by Lily Solomon, Dean of Curriculum & Integrated Programming written in 4th grade, 2002

“Bacon” by Carl Lyons, 4th grade teacher written in 5th grade, 2005

“The past, shaken down” by Sarah Gueno, Willows Fund Manger written in 6th grade 2010

By Taylor Stacey

DEVELOPMENTAL KINDERGARTEN

I dream of holding a donut shop in my hand.

– Leo F., DK poet

DKO

Dream Autobiography

I am a 25-year-old tiger. I live in a house with a pool and a diving board in California. I dream of holding a picture of my whole class going to the zoo in my hand.

Dream Autobiography

I am a ten-year-old unicorn. I live on a rainbow in Japan, and I jump and run all day I dream of holding a rainbow heart in my hand.

Chloe

Dream Autobiography

I am a 20-year-old rainbow leopard. I live on Jupiter with elephants who don’t know who I am. I dream of holding the letter R in my hand.

Dream Autobiography

I am a 67-year-old rainbow giraffe. I live on the savanna and eat strawberries I dream of holding a pony horse in my hand.

Elias

Amayah

Oli

Dream Autobiography

I am a 67-year-old rainbow elephant. I live on top of The Willows and reach for a star to play with as a friend I dream of holding 3,000,000 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in my hand.

Ian

Dream Autobiography

I am a one-million-and-two-thousand-thousand-year-old unicorn. I live in Arendelle with Anna and Elsa. I dream of holding the whole earth, the queen, and everything else in my hand.

Rumi

Dream Autobiography

I am a 24-year-old emperor penguin.

I live in Antarctica with a macaroni penguin and a Magellanic penguin. I dream of holding my bed and a cold pillow in my hand.

Jonah

Dream Autobiography

I am a six-year-old kitty cat. I live in an apartment in Japan. I dream of holding a princess and a rainbow cat in my hand.

Obsidian

Dream Autobiography

I am a 67-year-old cheetah. I live in the North Pole with Santa, the reindeer, and the elves. I dream of holding my three baby kitties in my hand.

Mercer

Dream Autobiography

I am a one-million-nine-nine-nine-year-old elephant. I live in the Arctic cold with penguins on my head. I dream of holding an astronaut with a lightsaber in my hand.

Miles

Dream Autobiography

I am a 100-year-old lion.

I live in a skyscraper in Asia and go to a 100-year-old preschool. I dream of holding a pretend brown puppy in my hand.

Myles

Dream Autobiography

I am a six-year-old pink cat. I live in Africa with my baby kitties. I dream of holding a rainbow in my hand.

Willa

DKP

Dream Autobiography

I am a ten-year-old little purple puppy.

I live in a pool in New York City.

Dream Autobiography

I am a six-trillion-year-old blue cat.

I live in a pool in the Arctic.

I dream of holding the entire universe in my hand.

– Jack

I dream of holding an orange and black kitten in my hand.

– Frankie

Dream Autobiography

I am a six-year-old small purple doggie.

I live in the woods in Germany.

I dream of holding a little emperor penguin chick in my hand.

-Yena

Dream Autobiography

I am a 1,000,000 -year-old red and green tiger.

I live in the wild on the moon.

I dream of holding a skyscraper in my hand.

– Kieran

Dream Autobiography

I am a seven-year-old grey flamingo.

I live in a leaf house that’s in a box.

I dream of holding a chicken in my hand.

– Owen

Dream Autobiography

I am a 1,000,000 -hundred hundred year-old big white doggie.

I live in Antarctica with my brother.

I dream of holding one million ice cubes in my hand.

– Lucy

Dream Autobiography

I am a five-year-old brown tiger.

I live under the trees in the forest.

I dream of holding a baby in my hand.

– Roman

Dream Autobiography

I am a nine-year-old red giraffe with orange spots.

I live on a boat in Alaska and eat plain pasta.

I dream of holding a whole city in my hand.

– Tyler

Dream Autobiography

I am a one-hundred-year-old orange hyena. I live in a leaf house in the ocean. I dream of holding a donut shop in my hand.

– Leo F.

Dream Autobiography

I am a 200 -year-old red hyena. I live in the ocean in Hawaii.

I dream of holding the whole school in my hand.

- Leo R.

Dream Autobiography

I am a five-year-old white bunny.

I live in a treehouse with my sister.

I dream of holding a big pumpkin in my hand.

– Ruthie

Dream Autobiography

I am an 800 -year-old blue shark.

I live in a river in Canada.

I dream of holding a star in my hand.

– Viggo

KINDERGARTEN

I’m hoping for more happy people in the world.

– Erin, kindergarten poet

When I’m 49 Years Old

BK

When I’m 18 Years Old

When I’m 18 years old

I will still remember my Joe Dumars basketball jersey, my wheel pasta with butter, and opening sports cards with my family.

Jack

When I’m 25 Years Old

When I’m 25 years old

I will still remember my Elsa dress, my slice of Fresh Brothers pizza, and making toys to give out with my mother.

-Austin

When I’m 49 years old

I will still remember my Tom and Jerry hat, my hamburger with lettuce and ketchup from Burger King , and playing with my favorite Tech Deck with my sister, mom and dad.

Ollin

When I’m In College

When I’m in college

I will still remember my bomber jacket that I can turn inside out, my fresh, sweet cherries, and playing with my Judy doll in the toy camper van.

-Bea

When I’m 8 Years Old

When I’m 8 years old

I will still remember my black Willows shirt, my hot pepperoni pizza and getting ice cream with my family.

Teddy F.

When I’m 24 Years Old

When I’m 24 years old

I will still remember my furry blue jacket that I lost at the Willows, my dino -shaped chicken nuggets from Vons, and playing baseball with Dad in my backyard.

James

When I’m 58 Years Old

When I’m 58 years old

I will still remember my white unicorn jacket, my dad’s chocolate chip pancakes with syrup, and doing crafts with my family.

Miles When I’m 17 Years Old

When I’m 17 years old

I will still remember my long Elsa dress with the cape, my California rolls, and going to friends’ birthday parties.

Emery

When I’m 13 Years Old

When I’m 13 years old

I will still remember my brown and white hoodie, my Chick-ﬁl-A sandwich, and playing tug- of-war with my dog, Kobe.

Layla

When I’m 55 years old

I will still remember my pink boots, my broccoli and cheese soup, and drawing every day with my family.

Erin

When I’m 100 Years Old

When I’m 100 years old

I will still remember my Dodgers sweatshirt, the pepperoni pizza from Red Robin, and playing soccer with my sister, Lauryn.

Luke

When I’m 19 Years Old

When I’m 19 years old

I will still remember the white shirt that I wear to Big Bear, my cinnamon rolls from Target, and going to Big Bear and snowboarding with Leon.

Teddy Z.

When I’m 41 Years Old

When I’m 41 years old

I will still remember my Lakers jersey that has LeBron’s number 23 on it, my butter pasta, and playing baseball with my friends and my family.

Elliot

When I’m 88 Years Old

I will still remember my cozy red and black pajama shirt, my bacon when I go out for breakfast, and playing football and basketball by myself.

Lucas

When I’m 9 Years Old

When I’m 9 years old

I will still remember my grey Willows t-shirt, my avocado rolls, and going to Palm Springs with my family.

When I’m 9 Years Old

When I’m 9 years old

I will still remember my rainbow dress, my cheese pizza, and going to Joshua Tree with my family.

Lily

Casey When I’m 10 Years Old

When I’m 10 years old

I will still remember my ladybug necklace, tuna ﬁsh in my lunchbox, and riding my bike my with Dada.

Davis

When I’m 11 Years Old

When I’m 11 years old

I will still remember my Elsa dress, my fresh mangoes, and doing arts and crafts with my nanny

When I’m 10 Years Old

When I’m 10 years old

I will still remember my Spiderman costume, my peaches in a cup with peach juice, and playing Frozen with my sister, Hazel.

When I’m 7 Years Old

When I’m 7 years old

I will still remember my black underpants, my dad’s cinnamon rolls, and playing baseball with the North Venice Little League.

Louis

When I’m 20 Years Old

When I’m 20 years old

I will still remember my red sweatshirt, my black cherries, and playing with my toy kitchen.

Bodhi

Penelope

Sophie

When I’m 17 Years Old

When I’m 17 years old

I will still remember the Spiderman costume from when I was three, my mom’s rainbow sprinkle pancakes, and doing crafts with my family and my spraying my unicorn stu>ie.

When I’m 40 Years Old

Ellie

When I’m 26 Years Old

When I’m 26 years old

I will still remember my stinky socks, my mom and dad’s garlic bread, and sleeping with my stu<y, Sheepie.

-Bear

When I’m 40 years old

I will still remember my Texans jersey, my Honey Bunches of Oats, opening sports cards, and playing baseball and football with my family.

Lincoln

When I’m 9 Years Old

When I’m 9 years old

I will still remember my unicorn robe, my roasted red and yellow peppers on pizza, and going to the climbing gym.

Hanna

GK

When I’m 19 years old

When I’m 40 years old

I will still remember my dark pink sweater, my tomato soup, and getting ice cream with my family.

-Sloane

I will still remember my purple heart necklace, my hamburger with ketchup, lettuce, and cheese, and going to Hawaii with my family.

-Annika

When I’m 22 years old

When I’m 17 years old

I will still remember my black beret, my churro at Disneyland, and drawing with my daddy.

I will still remember my rainbow dress, my chicken nuggets with Ranch, and playing at the park with my mom, my dad, and my brother.

-Benny

-Olivia

When I’m seven years old

I will still remember my blue butterﬂy pants, my yellow lemonade, and drawing with my sister, Ari, and her friends .

-Edie

When I’m 22 years old

I will still remember my brown and blue ﬂeece jacket, my cotton candy ice cream, and playing baseball at little league.

-Bennett

When I’m 12 years old

I will still remember my favorite rainbow unicorn kitty dress, my vanilla ice cream, and walking my dog, Roxie

-Charlotte

When I’m 14 years old

I will still remember the bracelet that I made for my baby sister, my mac and cheese, and drawing with my best friend, Olivia.

-Crosby

When I’m 7 years old

I will still remember my fuzzy, pink jacket my fresh, plain blueberries, and playing Bingo with my family.

-Poppy

When I’m 7 years old

I will still remember my pink onesie from when I was a baby, my rainbow lollipops, and going to ninja gym.

-Madison

When I’m nine years old

I will still remember my Grandma Pam’s bracelet (she died before I was born), my hamburger with ketchup, and my mom’s sauce on the side, and playing with my bearded dragon and my dog.

-Maya

When I’m 10 years old

I will still remember my rainbow skirt, my cheese pizza, and watching movies with my family.

-Easton

When I’m 11 years old

I will still remember my fuzzy pink jacket, my strawberry ice cream, and making pancakes with my family.

-Georgia

When I’m 10 years old

I will still remember my black and white snake pants, my fruit tape from hot lunch, and going to Sloomoo to make slime and play with slime.

-Emerson

When I’m 200 years old

When I’m 100 years old

I will still remember my blue comfy jacket my brussels sprouts and shrimp and hotels on trips.

-Clay

When I’m 200 years old

I will still remember my flower shoes when I was two, my regular tofu, and going on a trip to Coco Cay.

-Holden

When I’m 22 years old

I will still remember my red and gold tiger necklace, my red cherries, and going to the beach with my family.

-Freddie

When I’m 60 years old

I will still remember my yellow sweatshirt, my ginormous lollipop, and playing with my stuffie, Gogo.

-Maximus

When I’m 9 years old

I will still remember the grey shirt that I made, my fresh pears, and playing “family” with my brother, Luca.

-Soﬁa

When I’m 83 years old

I will still remember my orange sweatpants, my chicken nuggets with BBQ sauce, and playing football with Bennett on the ﬁeld.

-Knox

When I’m 2025 years old

I will still remember my favorite socks that I got for my birthday, my plain hot dogs, and perler beads.

-Jules

When I’m 102 years old

I will still remember my green hoodie, my chicken pad thai, and going on a trip to Paris with my brother, mom, and dad.

-Landon

When I’m 11 years old

I will still remember my blue puffy jacket that was my sister’s gift to me, my pasta with red sauce, and drawing with markers with my sister, Sasha.

-Laila

When I’m 19 years old

I will still remember my rainbow polo shirt, my chocolate M & Ms (not peanut), and going to the biggest playground of my life in Italy.

When I’m 58 years old

-Jonathan

When I’m 15 years old

I will still remember my flower sweater, my plain butter pasta, and going to get ice cream with my family.

-Carmen

When I’m 58 years old

I will still remember my flower skirt, my french fries with ketchup, and going to Carmel with my family.

-Hannah

When I’m 10 years old

When I’m 10 years old I will still remember my blue puppy t-shirt, my plain steak, and playing with my dog, Linus.

-Voyager

1ST GRADE

Hope is bananas. It looks like sunflowers, smells like oceans.

–

Corey, 1st grade poet

My Special Place is the Ocean

The ocean is blue like the sky at the beach. It sounds like wind in the trees. It tastes like icy water. It smells like soft sand. The ocean reminds me of blue balloons.

~Archie

Not Going to Write!

I’m not going to write about thinking.

I’m not going to write about ﬂying cupcakes. I’m not going to write about ﬂying pencils. I am going to write about ducks.

~Ari

Not Going to Write!

I’m not going to write about jellyﬁsh. I’m not going to write about pencils.

I’m not going to write about Pusheen the Cat. I am going to write about feeling safe in my home.

My Special Place is My Grandparents’ House

My grandparents' house is green, like big apple trees. It sounds like clouds moving because of the wind. It tastes like sweet strawberries. It smells like yellow roses. The grandparents’ house reminds me of the world.

~Aurie

~Nira

Not Going to Write!

I’m not going to write about the letter H. I’m not going to write about scented soap. I’m not going to write about my brother Van I am going to write about a live chicken!

~Mac

My Special Place is the Hillside

The hillside is brown like my dog, Lily. It sounds like fresh air. It tastes like margherita pizza. It smells like salt water. The hillside reminds me of making sandcastles at the beach.

~Nova

Not Going to Write!

I’m not going to write about narwhals. I’m not going to write about cats. I’m not going to write about dogs. I am going to write about bunnies!

~Ella

My Special Place is My Playroom

My playroom is white like a rug. It sounds like the ocean ﬂowing. It tastes like confetti cake. It smells like fresh air. My playroom reminds me of Mom.

~Lulu

My Special Place is the Beach

The beach is blue like a pool. It sounds like waves. It tastes like salt. It smells like salmon. The beach reminds me of surﬁng with my friends.

~Austen

Under the Quiet House

Under the quiet house are striped socks. Under the striped socks is brown dirt. Under the dirt is hot water.

Under the water is a dirty crystal. Under the crystal is the Island of Mystery.

~Chaya

Under the Moon

Under the moon is outer space. Under outer space is the earth. Under the earth is a city. Under the city are tigers. Under the tiger is a daisy.

~Charlie

Not Going to Write!

I’m not going to write about my mom. I’m not going to write about me, Bobby.

I’m not going to write about the number one quadrillion. I am going to write about The Magical Yet.

~Bobby

My Special Place is My Room

My room is blue like paint. It sounds like peace. It tastes like blueberries. It smells like fresh water. My room reminds me of the Atlantic Ocean.

~Jude

Under the Star

Under the star is a diamond. Under the diamond is a dog. Under the dog is a bear.

Under the bear is earth. Under the earth is a leaf.

Under the leaf is a blue rock. Under the blue rock is a bee.

~Matan

Not Going to Write!

I’m not going to write about pancakes. I’m not going to write about myself. I’m not going to write about my TV. I am going to write about pesto!

~Riley

My Special Place is Legoland

Legoland is red like the Ninjago ride. It sounds like random screams. It tastes like hot dogs. It smells like gas from a car. Legoland reminds me of my parents.

~Ellis

Under the Water

Under the water is a crystal. Under the crystal is a ﬁsh. Under the ﬁsh is a hungry shark. Under the hungry shark is treasure. Under the treasure is a coral reef!

~Emilia

Hope is Pink

Hope is pink like hearts breaking apart slowly like lavender ﬂowers

~Scarlett

Under the Rainbow

Under the rainbow is a unicorn. Under the unicorn is a cat. Under the cat is a diamond. Under the diamond is a bunny. Under the bunny is a spotted dog!

~Lucia

Under the Dragon

Under the dragon is a cave. Under the cave are diamonds

Under the diamonds is Ellis Island. Under Ellis Island is the 1950s. Under the 1950s is the olden times.

Not Going to Write!

I’m not going to write about lasagna. I’m not going to write about my mom.

I’m not going to write about chicken I am going to write about space.

~Stella

~Julian

Not Going to Write!

I’m not going to write about the color brown. I’m not going to write about socks. I’m not going to write about pickles. I am going to write about zucchini with pasta!

~Leo

Not Going to Write!

I’m not going to write about salmon. I’m not going to write about cats. I’m not going to write about chickens. I am going to write about my mom’s family.

~Kennedy

Under the Water

Under the water is a sun. Under the sun is a rainbow. Under the rainbow is a city. Under the city is a pencil. Under the pencil is a beach with crabs.

~Ezabel

My Special Place is My Home

My home is gray like the sidewalk. It sounds like the bath. It tastes like strawberries. It smells like any kind of ﬂowers

My home reminds me of Disneyland.

~L ando

My Special Place is Sweden

Sweden is red like all of the houses. It sounds like rain. It tastes like normal pasta. It smells like trees.

Sweden reminds me of my great, great, great, great grandpa.

~Viktoria

My Special Place is the Library

The library is rainbow like books. It sounds like silence. It tastes like possibility. It smells like paradise.

The library reminds me of my mind.

~Alden

My Special Place is the Desert

The desert is brown like the skin on my body. It sounds like wind blowing through my hair. It tastes like hot dogs. It smells like fresh bread. The desert reminds me of the wind in my backyard.

~Ethan

My Special Place is My Fairy Garden

My fairy garden is green like the forest. It sounds like butterﬂies. It tastes like honey. It smells like red roses.

My fairy garden reminds me of the woods.

~Ellie

My

Special Place

is Eating Hot Dogs in New York

Eating hot dogs in New York is grey like the wind. It sounds like cars screeching

It tastes like hot dogs with ketchup. It smells like gas from cars.

Eating hot dogs in New York reminds me of home.

~Charlie

My Special Place is My Room

My room is purple like my blanket. It sounds like shhhhhhhh. It tastes like good pizza. It smells like strawberry donuts. My room reminds me of good vibes.

~Avery

My Special Place is My Bedroom

My bedroom is blue and green like blue skies and green plants. It sounds like wind blowing . It tastes like hot dogs. It smells like chocolate cake baking. My bedroom reminds me of sweet cookies.

~Lily

Under the Clouds

Under the clouds is a peregrine falcon.

Under the peregrine falcon is an ocean.

Under the ocean is a sea creature.

Under the sea creature is a squid that shoots ink at a whale!

~Corey

Not Going to Write!

I’m not going to write about the color red. I’m not going to write about the color brown. I’m not going to write about the color green. I am going to write about my dog, Charlie, who loved to play.

~Drew

Under the Sky

Under the sky there are trees. Under the trees there is a butterfly. Under the butterfly there is grass. Under the grass there is soil. Under the soil there are pebbles filled with crystals.

~Bella

My Special Place is My Hammock

My hammock is rainbow like a kite. It sounds like leaves rustling in the wind. It tastes like the happiness of lemonade. It smells like a tree in the dirt. My hammock reminds me of being at the park.

~Leona

My Special Place is the Halfway House Restaurant in Wisconsin

The Halfway House is brown like a wooden shack. It sounds like chefs cooking food. It tastes like Chicago hot dogs. It smells like rosemary. The Halfway House reminds me of when they hosted a pajama party on the day I was leaving.

~Forest

Under the Stars

Under the stars are clouds. Under the clouds is a tree.

Under the tree is the ground. Under the ground is a crystal. Under the crystal is dirt.

Under the Clouds

Under the clouds is the city. Under the city is the house.

Under the house is the bed.

Under the bed is the pillow. Under the pillow is Lola!

~Frankie ⚡

Under the Tree

Under the tree there is a bear.

Under the bear there is ground.

Under the ground there is green grass.

Under the green grass there is soil.

Under the soil there is sky.

~Lucas

My Special Place is the Beach

The beach is yellow like the wind blowing through the sand. It sounds like when my mom is cooking. It tastes like a raindrop. It smells like the sea. The beach reminds me of home.

~Ilaria

~Lola

My Special Place is a Plane

The plane is red like the leaves. It sounds like a loud fan. It tastes like sugar cookies. It smells like fresh air.

The plan reminds me of a bluebird!

~May

Under the Clouds

Under the clouds is a cave.

Under the cave is a crystal. Under the crystal is lava.

Under the lava is cement.

Under the cement are rocks from the beach.

~Marianne

My Special Place is Maryland

Maryland is pink like sunset skies. It sounds like wind blowing through the beach. It tastes like S’mores with my cousins. It smells like the ﬁreplace at The River House. Maryland reminds me of being with water and sand.

~Josh

Not Going to Write!

I’m not going to write about P.E.

I’m not going to write about losing my water bottle.

I’m not going to write about having a shot at the doctor.

I am going to write about playing with my putty!

~Leo

Not Going to Write!

I’m not going to write about the L.A. Dodgers. I’m not going to write about Ohtani.

I’m not going to write about the Angels. I am going to write about the Giants!

~Jordan

Under the Clouds

Under the clouds is the Empire State Building . Under the Empire State Building is New York. Under New York is the subway. Under the subway are mice.

~Isaac

Hope

Hope feels like eating my favorite food in my red room

Hope feels like petting my pet turtle Sunny I love him

~Lucy

Under Space

Under space is sky. Under sky is Earth. Under Earth is a human. Under the human is a heart. Under the heart is love.

Not Going to Write!

I’m not going to write about a raptor.

I’m not going to write about the Dodgers. I’m not going to write about the White Sox. I am going to write about Ravens football!

~Rafael

~Talya

My Special Place is My Stuffie Box

My stuffie box is brown, like teddy bears. It sounds like silence. It tastes like light chocolate. It smells like fresh air. My stuffie box reminds me of love.

~Zara

2ND GRADE

Open an apple tree and find the sun.

– Meadow, 2nd grade poet

2A

Animals and Substances

Sometimes I feel like a bored cloud.

Sometimes I feel like a bumpy playground .

Sometimes I feel like a soft noodle.

Sometimes I feel like an adventurous cat.

Today I feel like a sleepy ant.

- Kitae

Excited Firework

Sometimes I feel like a sleepy donut.

Sometimes I feel like a squishy marshmallow.

Sometimes I feel like a bored pizza.

Sometimes I feel like a calm clam.

Today I feel like an excited firework.

- Jordan

Open the World

Open a door and find a bed.

Open a dog and find a friend.

Open a cat and find a heart.

Open a heart and find happiness. - Caspian

A Jungle Land

spotted in a land baby cheetah in a tree looking for its prey

- Vivien

Jumping Gorillas

brown trees and long vines

gorillas jumping from high walking to find food

- Lana

Sparkling Feelings

Sometimes I feel like a scared cake.

Sometimes I feel like a silly orange.

Sometimes I feel like a fluffy guppy.

Sometimes I feel like a hopping kitten.

Today I feel like a happy golden doodle!

- Ally

The Excited Potato

Sometimes I feel like a crazy taco.

Sometimes I feel like a floppy noodle.

Sometimes I feel like a wiggly marshmallow.

Sometimes I feel like a silly pizza.

Today I feel like an excited potato.

- Marley

Snowy Mountains

a stone wall is strong protecting the countryside snow covers mountains - Carter

The Predator

In a black, black cave Tiger lies there looking out He wants to eat deer - Sofia

Sticky Candy

Sticky LifeSavers

Yummy pink cotton candy Yummy chocolate Twix - Diego

A Weird Mix

Open a basketball box and find LeBron James.

Open the car and find a seatbelt.

Open a cage and find a snake.

Open an iPad and find poems.

- Wiley

Open the Universe

Open fire with ice and find animals.

Open a wall with a hammer and find gold.

Open a battery by crushing it and find a gem .

Open an ancient book with a lock on it and find spells .

- Grayson

Mixed-Up Words

Sometimes I feel like a creative marshmallow.

Sometimes I feel like a hungry bunny.

Sometimes I feel like a happy tree.

Sometimes I feel like a shy shell.

Today I feel like a smooth surfer.

- Isla

We see a raven and she sees a home with sticks. But where is the home? - Sienna

Open and Find

Open a school and find a teacher.

Open a home and find a TV.

Open a LEGO and find plastic.

Open a clock and find metal.

- Jack A Raven’s Eye

Joy of the Sea

Open a locket and find a picture of the sea

Open a leaf and find a wish that brings you joy

Open a wall and find a King on a throne

Open the earth and find your home

- Frankie

Flying Feelings

Sometimes I feel like angry guacamole.

Sometimes I feel like a frustrated golden doodle.

Sometimes I feel like a sleepy sock.

Sometimes I feel like an excited pancake.

Sometimes I feel like a hot hot dog.

Sometimes I feel like a goofy cat.

Sometimes I feel like bumpy sprinkles.

Today I feel like a funny taco.

- Felicity

United States Feelings

Sometimes I feel like an athletic pizza.

Sometimes I feel like a funky donut.

Sometimes I feel like a cozy basketball.

Sometimes I feel like a dancing cow.

Today I feel like a sad cat.

- Jackson

Open Anything!

Open a mood meter and find happiness.

Open the world and find lava.

Open a light and find the sun.

Open a head and find love.

- Shiraz

The Energetic Rocket

Emotions Sometimes I feel like a spooky skeleton.

Sometimes I feel like a rough lion.

Sometimes I feel like a splashing water.

Sometimes I feel like erupting soda.

Today I feel like a soft table.

- Hudson

Sometimes I feel like an angry marshmallow.

Sometimes I feel like an energetic rocket.

Sometimes I feel like an excited basketball.

Sometimes I feel like a sad shell.

Today I feel like a relaxed person chilling on the beach. - Jackson

The Ocean Moved

sharks attacked their prey in tidepools, sea slugs were wet the Titanic sank - Tristan

The Ship Has Sunk

animals battle in the depths of the dark sea on top of a ship - Liev

Mysterious Caves

people dance in caves

rocks hiding in the shadows

people hang on vines - Lucien

The Crash crashing to the floor

trees being bent to pieces the plane is roaring - Reuvi

My Favorite Things

Open a door and find a floor.

Open a star and find a heart.

Open a ruby and find a bead bracelet.

Open a cake and find rainbow sprinkles!

The Calm, Lovely Poet

- Penny

Sometimes I feel like a pointy clam.

Sometimes I feel like a tired Hello Kitty.

Sometimes I feel like a smelly pumpkin.

Sometimes I feel like a sad lamp.

Today I feel like a calm teddy bear. - Stella

Pouring Raindrops

Sometimes I feel like hairy spaghetti.

Sometimes I feel like a fat, sharp table.

Sometimes I feel like a chunky chocolate bar.

Sometimes I feel like a wrinkly old lady.

Today I feel like a red Valentine’s Day cow. - Luna

A Blizzard in Your Heart

water in a cave

a slight glow from the water a waterfall splash - Heron

Hidden Ashes the fiery flames

scorching as hot as the sun metal hard as stone

- Oliver

Splish Splash, Fish Go Over the Waves

the ocean is dark fish like to jump in water big waves are splashing - Andrew

Pillow Puff Magic

Open a star and find a bow.

Open a backpack and find a locket.

Open the sun and find a moon.

Open a seashell and find the sea.

- Naya

The Glowing Blue Starfish some starfish are blue some are smooth, some are bumpy some starfish have dots - Cora

Thumping Waves the waves are crashing octopi squirt ink at fish turtles come to shore

- Charlie

Sparkly Lamplight

Sometimes I feel like a sparkly lamp.

Sometimes I feel like a flat raindrop.

Sometimes I feel like a happy, happy bunny.

Sometimes I feel like a blue heron gliding.

Today I feel like a silly feather.

- Harper

The Feelings

The Unexpected Poem

Open a flower and find a seed.

Open a door and find a kitten.

Open the sun and find a moon.

Open a wave and find a seashell !

I Open a Door

- Clara

I open an empty room and find New York City.

I open a rose with vines and find a crystal.

I open a chocolate bar and find you.

I open a leaf and find me.

- Artie

Sometimes I feel like a tired baseball.

Sometimes I feel like an energetic snowflake.

Sometimes I feel like an angry chicken.

Sometimes I feel like surprised sushi.

Today I feel like an excited leaf.

- Max

The Last Penguin

Ice ﬂoa:ng by. A single penguin on it. Penguin in the snow.

- Lauryn

Jellyﬁsh Going Crazy

jellyﬁsh ea:ng

jellyﬁsh ea:ng good dog

jellyﬁsh ate dog

- Sebas:an

It’s Interes,ng

Open a bucket of ocean water and ﬁnd salt.

Open a mountain and ﬁnd dirt.

Open a sunﬂower and ﬁnd pollen.

Open a box of air and ﬁnd nothing!

- Wilder

Open a Clock

Open a movie and ﬁnd ac:on.

Open a tree and ﬁnd sap.

Open a ﬂower and ﬁnd bees.

Open a soccer ball and ﬁnd air.

Open a clock and ﬁnd :me.

Open a burger and ﬁnd meat.

Open a world and ﬁnd love.

- Jake

Outside the Farm

The girls are playing. See them walking on the hay. On a windy day.

- Paige

A Night in the Cliﬀs

I love the high cliﬀs. I love to look at night stars. I love the tall trees.

- Lucy

Open a Door

Open sushi and ﬁnd rice.

Open an airplane and ﬁnd people.

Open ice and ﬁnd water.

Open a book and ﬁnd worlds.

- Armaan

The Best Tree in the World

sturdy maple tree the blue birds are looking down trees sway in the sky

- Sloane

The Meadow of Paradise

Trees of fresh green leaves. A high valley awaits there, close to the rainbow.

- Meadow

Some,mes is Today

Some:mes I feel like a lollipop in a mountain. Some:mes I feel like a calm pillow. Some:mes I feel like grateful rain. Some:mes I feel like a peaceful balloon. Today I feel like a :red wishing well.

- Bella

Open a soccer ball

Open a soccer ball and ﬁnd a goal.

Open a body and ﬁnd bones.

Open a box and ﬁnd a Nintendo switch.

Open a cone and ﬁnd ice cream.

Open a strawberry and ﬁnd seeds.

-Riaan

The Helpful Dog

wolves ruin in the night they howl in the moonlight air a pack together

- Michael

Dreamy Feelings

Some:mes I feel like a dreamy limo.

Some:mes I feel like a powerful strawberry.

Some:mes I feel like a hurt iPad.

Some:mes I feel like an excluded pig.

Today I feel like an expanded clock with no ending.

- Mateo

Joyful Feelings

Some:mes I feel like a happy cloud.

Some:mes I feel like a calm star.

Some:mes I feel like a thoughMul mountain.

Some:mes I feel like an honest marshmallow.

Today I feel like a joyful ﬁsh.

- Noah

Gut Feelings

Some:mes I feel like a ripped notebook.

Some:mes I feel like a funny picture.

Some:mes I feel like a mel:ng marshmallow.

Some:mes I feel like a cracked driveway.

Today I feel like an empty seashell wai:ng for a crab on Venice beach.

- Emme

The Room with an Idea

room being worked on inside will be a human with an idea - Indy

Open the Window

Open a forest and ﬁnd animals.

Open a mountain and ﬁnd rain.

Open the Dodgers and ﬁnd a homerun.

Open the world and ﬁnd cultures

Open your friend and ﬁnd love.

- Mikail

The Dreamy Clouds

Some:mes I feel like scared rain falling into my skin. Some:mes I feel like mad thunder about to hit me.

Some:mes I feel like a heartbroken mountain. Some:mes I feel like a funny cactus in the foggy desert. Today I feel like a dreamy cloud in the rain with the birds behind me and the wind in my hair.

- Emerson

Not Going to Write!

I’m not going to write about backpacks.

I’m not going to write about BFF1, BFF2, and BFF3.

I’m not going to write about unicorns.

I am going to write about werewolves!

-Maddox

Dreamy Feelings

Some:mes I feel like a dreamy limo.

Some:mes I feel like a powerful strawberry. Some:mes I feel like a hurt iPad.

Some:mes I feel like an excluded pig. Today I feel like an expanded clock with no ending.

- Mateo

Emo,ons

Some:mes I feel like a happy jellyﬁsh. Some:mes I feel like a splashing dolphin.

Some:mes I feel like an excited cheetah. Today I feel like a joyful ocean.

- Oona

3RD GRADE

What will the stars sing in the night sky?

– Quincy, 3rd grade poet

How I Feel Inside

Sometimes I feel down

Sometimes I write in the light

Inside I feel calm

I open up like an ocean

Blue like the sky

~ Oscar

Inside Me

I have a knot in me, It keeps me safe.

It ’s the thing that keeps me together.

When I want to erupt, it ’s there for me.

When times are tough, it tells me everything ’s okay and it always keeps what I love inside my heart

~ Amelia C.

I Have a Warrior Inside Me

I have a warrior inside me making its battle cries, and shouting orders to his men

I have a piano inside me playing beautiful notes even in the worst of events

I have a soul inside me knowing my conﬁdence and helping me in hard times

I have a home inside me welcoming me whenever I come to it

~ Ezra

The Quiet Night

When you look up, you see stars. They are so bright. You hear music coming from an owl. If you listen hard you can hear the owl ﬂying. The only thing you feel is very, very calm.

How to Be a Pig

step into the warm mud splash it on you might feel a tingle step out of it and get washed go take a nap you might dream about your next meal when you get up you smell pizza and chocolate chip cookies the scent comes closer and closer you gobble it all up you go back into the mud to splash around it gets you wet you bathe in the sun and still smell like mud

~ Dylan

~ Ida

I Have a Star in Me

I have a star in me that shimmers brightly as I cry and at night acts like a nightlight guiding the way whenever I’m sad it cheers me up and helps me remember who I am and my gratitude for life

~ Asher

Birds Sing Words

I am dreaming hope At the beach outside on sand

I’ve heard birds sing words Out loud in the warm water So much hope little birds hold

How to Be a Horse

Jump into what you love over the fence you go running free off into your thoughts having the greenest grass finding shelter and friends when you wake up in the mid-morning you continue on your adventure running through the fields frolicking dancing through the air up and down side to side black and white calm and brave

~ Amelia M.

~ Rachel

Open Up the World

Sometimes everything fades so I write in the moonlight and deep down inside I make the world open up with the blue quiet sky at night

~ Clive

My World

I have a stream in me I have nature in me I have fall in me inside it feels like a jungle full of rivers

ﬁlled with happy animals they are splashing in the water

I look to the right

I see a beautiful tree with bluebirds

ﬂying all around it is a willow the branches are swaying

I Have Poems in Me

I have a sun in me that shines when I’m happy and sets when I’m sad. My sun helps me really stand out.

I have ﬁre and water in me. When I’m mad, I feel like I just started a blaze and my water helps me burn down my anger

I have nature in me. It shines as bright as the sun it ’s as clear as the sky I get thoughts from my trees.

~ Sam

Writing at My House

Sometimes I can shine and maybe I write at my house, Inside, where it ’s quiet. Open space shines under the Blue light.

~ Wes

~ Coco

Special Star

Sometimes I wonder why

I write about soft stars in the night sky

Inside the star I see something. Something diﬀerent than other stars.

Upon up until the light Blue sky comes in and the stars vanish and I vanish too.

~ Vivian

The Sweetest Song

I’ve heard the soul sing the sweetest song under the storm without the bird’s warm feathers it kept me on my feet it was a sad thing

~ Luca

Slither Bones

I have a reptile in me that slithers down my throat that watches over me and dreams big for me that tells me courage is your heart

~ Miles

The City in Me

I have a city in me that never stops takes hard hits but still keeps running and always has a slow breeze with little blades of grass even when the world is hard it always wakes up when I see it and the city feels great

~ James

A Diﬀerent Thing

Sometimes I see the blue bright sky brighter than it was before.

I write about this because it might be magical. I open my heart deeper than it can go.

Open your mind, take a bite of history and wander through the big blue world of history.

Blue is a word of many diﬀerent languages combined together in harmony.

~ Kellen

The Loud Bird

I have a hummingbird in me its feathery coat is blue it vibrates and moves like a tree it helps me breathe and stay calm it will never give up and I will never forget about it

~ Leighton

In Me

I have a cloud in me wrapped around a flag the flag holds memories of everything inside me it is a red and black flag it is a very strong flag the cloud feels my emotions when I’m upset it rains and when I’m happy the cloud gets big ger

~ Caspian

I Have A Dream In Me

I have a dream in me

It helps me reach for the stars

It helps me through hard times

It ’s there to comfort me

To love me

To be as bright as the Sun

It helps me to never lose courage

It makes me feel safe for ever And ever

~ Ivy

I Have a War Inside Me there is a jet plane in me there is a tank there is a storm the wind is fast the soldiers are yelling it is night the war is asleep now

~ Calvin

The Sound in Me

I have a place in me where my grandparents live and they have a room in that building where I love listening to the sound of the candy machines turning and the people playing games and it makes me feel calm

I Love to Write

I write in my bed, at school, In my house, in the park

I open my eyes so I can write!

Blue paper, black paper, red paper Any type of paper so I can write!

~ Brodie

~ Blaise

3B

The Purple Sea

How does the sea turn purple?

What will people say when they see it?

I search the ocean to ﬁnd it.

I ﬁnd it when it’s night.

I hope there are no sea monsters there.

~ Miles

How to Be a Pineapple

Dance the hula in the sun

Lay down on the beach

Make a sand angel in the pa7ern of a pineapple wearing sunglasses

Float away in the sea with a pineapple cup with pineapple juice in it

~ Adi

The Bird Gives Me Hope

I’ve heard hope sings words

So many sweet souls keep tune

The bird asks me things

The sea takes me on a trip

I feel so warm with my mom

~ Murphy

Remember

Whenever I wake up from a long slumber I hear the birds singing. I think of many beau:ful songs I have heard. Some:mes I forget the words but remember the gorgeous melody.

~ Zac

How to Be a Relaxed Teacher

1. Take a deep breath.

2. Get coﬀee in a cup.

3. Get comfy in a chair.

4. Turn oﬀ lights.

5. Be quiet, kids.

~ Lola

I have a shark in me. It swims forward and can never stop.

~ Chase

I Have an Octopus in Me

that swims with the current its squiggly all day changing its color and the texture of its skin inking its way out of trouble it sees all the life in the ocean and it swims forever with the moon

The octopi’s three hearts beat with love.

~ Quincy Shark

I have butter with corn in me

Colorful Carrot

How do you know carrots are orange? What happens if I ﬁnd a rainbow carrot?

I search the Death Star for a rainbow carrot

I ﬁnd nothing but exploded X ﬁghters and laser guns. I still wonder if there is such a thing as a rainbow carrot.

~Andrew

The

Time I See Benny

Whenever I come out to carpool

I see Benny, my dog

I think he might jump out the window

I forget Benny is as so< as light

Maybe he is so<er than today

~ Olivia

The corn is juicy, crunchy, delicious and bright yellow

The butter is shiny on the corn

I eat it in less than 3 minutes

The corn always tastes the same

~Leo

How to Be a Basketball

I see the net. I need someone to pick me up. I can’t hold much longer. LeBron forgot to dunk me. Kobe forgot to shoot me. I might explode ahhhhhh! OK. I am ﬁne. I can wait. I think someone is coming Oh no its Draymond Green and Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

~Alijah

Hope Trees whisper secrets

The sky is painted with hope

A musty messy cabin pulling me closer The sea sings a soulful, lonely tune Tornado of never-said words

~ Emi

What I Have in Me

I have a giant book in me it is very old and has inﬁnite pages. Some have ideas other people try to take out and throw away in the trash, but I protect the book as much as I can. I hold it in me and it feels warm in my body. I hold it in myself un=l I get sleepy and dream sweet dreams. I will always wake up peacefully. Then I ﬂip through it and get really good ideas. I feel warm inside when I imagine.

~ Quinn H.

I Have Elements in Me

I have ﬁre in me it is burning bright when everything seems dark it shows me light and hope

I have water in me it splashes around in my head and it gives ideas and posi8ve thoughts it brings me joy and happiness

I have earth in me it builds conﬁdence and empathy

I have air in me it makes crea8ve determined and present thoughts into reality

~ Larkin

The Snowy Owl

I have a snowy owl in me that can ﬂy to the end of the world so quiet that you wouldn’t no8ce that it’s there with its head that looks all around and can see to the end of the world and no one knows if it can see to outer space with its eye

~ Jacqueline

I Have a Desert in Me

I see no water

I see no land

I see no cactus

I see no people

I wonder where everybody is

~ William

How to Be a Lizard

• Crawl around on the grass

• Hide in the bushes

• Run out to catch 5ny bugs

• Eat fruit

• Climb trees

• Lay on rocks and bask in the warm sun

~ Jack

How to Tame a Crazy Gorilla and a Playful Gray Wolf

How do you tame a crazy gorilla?

What will I do with a crazy gorilla?

I search for another animal that is ready to be tamed.

I ﬁnd a playful gray wolf.

I hope I can teach them both tricks!

~ Idan

How do I know when to wake up?

What will I do when I wake up?

I search for something to do. I found a job at McDonalds. Maybe I will get the job.

~ Roger

What Happens Tomorrow

How do stars shine bright in the city?

What will the sunset look like tomorrow?

And what will people see?

I search for rocks and pebbles ﬂoa=ng down the stream.

I ﬁnd trees with birds chirping in ﬂowers.

I hope that tomorrow I will go to a mountain, and it will be a brand new day.

~ Quinn S.

Tomatoes Cannot Be Real

How do I know that tomatoes are real?

What will happen if tomatoes turn purple?

I search for green tomatoes

I ﬁnd all the red tomatoes and I’m sick of it

I hope that I’ll ﬁnd a blue tomato some day

~ Emme?

Pro Dog!

Whenever I think about dogs they make me happy and smiley.

I think they are the best pet in the world.

I forget that some:mes others don’t like dogs and I get sad. Maybe it is because they haven’t had a dog. But I s:ll love dogs. Like a lot.

~ Ryan

The Horizon

Whenever I look out of the window

I see the ocean going out to the horizon. I think, what is the horizon like.

In the deep sea I see the sun going down slowly. I forget how calm the horizon is. Maybe I will go into the horizon

~ Shawn

I Have a Tiger in Me

Where the tiger steps my pencil follows. The tiger has dark magenta stripes and a rainbow body with white paws and a warm heart. When the tiger roars, I see my vision. The tiger gives me creativity.

~ Emilia

4TH GRADE

we aren’t just students. we’re poets.

– Noa, 4th grade poet

30 for 25

30 highlighters in the silver tin can 30 minutes left till 10:00 o'clock

30 people laughing in the long white hall

All the people seem so happy

All the buildings are too small for all the people

My life seems too short for all that happens

Benji

4 P M

The hour of getting lost in my book on my beanbag chair feeling like I was in the book. The hour of basketball practice getting stronger by the minute.

The hour of watching tv on the couch with my sister in the living room. The hour of winding down from a day with my family, a movie, my dad is asleep and so is my mom, my sister and me, our eyes are glued to the screen

August

FORGOTTEN LAND

Inside my brain where numbers wonder. What I don't see.

There are 40 buildings with 100 people,150 roads with 1,000 cars, 3 parks with 50,000 birds and 50 forests with 600 trees, people roaming playful pets, but eyes everywhere. We go camping in 60 cabins and meet 10 mathematicians. 300,000 people for 1 house, 300 cars and only 2 subways. I look at the clock and it is 3:00 am but a second later it is 4:00 pm. I hope sometime I will see it

Isadora

1 2 : 3 5 P M

The hour of: Hot Cheetos dropping on the cold hard ground

The hour of: Lunch boxes clicking as they close

The hour of: Stomachs just starting to grumble

The hour of: All the kids running with their souls from P.E. to hot lunch

Aisha

7 P M

The hour of opening the window and letting the cold air flow onto my face, The hour of sinking into my colorful bean bag and almost drifting away, The hour of falling into my book for hours and not letting go, The hour of the sun going down and me gazing at the stars.

1,000 BEES

My life is like a swarm of bees They are always in a hive 1,000 tiny bits of bees just flying minding their own business I hope those 1,000 bees don't spread apart

Shane

The stars float in space, some of them are silver, some are gold. I see them orbit and spin around the light of the sun. The strength of the sun is so strong my eyes won’t let go, it’s too strong. I feel space’s loneliness towering over me. The gravity pulls me back down, my limbs go flying over my head. When it’s tomorrow I’ll come back up again, and I WILL STAY!

Orla

Cosmo

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

I float over strength

I look at the stars: nothing

Light shines, the sun is not there

Ryan

W h e n I w a s b o r n …

When I was born I looked like I was 800 years old but when I was older I decided to go to the gym to watch people work out. When I got there the person at the front desk said that if I want to go here I will need to work out but I really did not want to but I decided that I will so I had to do 500 pushups, 2,000 burpees and lift 25 pound weights 55 times.

I hope that working out will get easier.

Indigo 7 : 1 5 AM

The hour of light out of my bedroom window

The hour of eggs, apple sauce, toast, and nuts (ewe)

The hour of soccer games, cheering and winning

The hour of getting all my energy out

The hour of my friends knocking on my door

The hour of dog’s barking outside and the hour of the sun coming up

Lenaiya

A R O UND ME

30 kids running on the yard

30 shelves full of books in the library

30 teachers everywhere I go

All the basketballs bouncing

All the people at The Willows growing minds

My year can’t get any better Kids, teachers, growing minds every year

Emilia

6:00 AM

The hour I wake up for school every morning

My alarm goes off

The hour of me rolling out of bed

I brush my teeth for two minutes

The hour I spend 30 minutes finding an outfit

I finally find one and put it on

The hour I arrive to school

C O M E W I T H M E

Stars will float away

Soon light will float away

Today the growing earth flo ats

Etta

30 SCHOOL THINGS

30 backpacks outside classroom 4A

30 grey chairs in my classroom 4A

30 yellow, blue, red, and green computers

All the fuzzes on the blue rug in the classroom

All the birds outside in the light blue sky and My pretty purple backpack

I walk in the door to my classroom and everybody turns their head

Liberty

W H Y ? W H Y ? W H Y ? ? ?

30 watermelons rolling down a hill

30 hugs I gave to my friend, Dean

30 compliments I gave to a human

30 echoes have went through my ear

Ruby

SPACE STUFF

The stars float in space. Planets orbit stars all day. Gravity lets go.

Jackson

All the bad and good I have done at The Willows Good bad in my ear. Why?

Leo

T H E S T A R S

When you look at them you feel like you drift away A silver tomorrow and a golden today

Strength in gravity

My soul spins when I let everything go

Dean

TH E S C HO OL

30 lights shining

30 spiders on the wall making homes out of web

30 kids on the structure

All the monkey bars are swinging

All the leaves are falling

Elijah

The hour of going to my friend’s house and playing on the swing.

The hour of tacos and fresh yogurt and a game of checkers.

The hour of getting in my ninja pajamas and having some screen time.

The hour of playful spirits.

Luca

T HE W AY O F T H E MI ND

My head in the stars

Tomorrow’s strength leads a bright path

Silver scorched light always beams forward

Charles

STARS OF HOPE

Stars are glowing with hope.

All of them floating, scorching bravery with light that stays in space cheering you on.

The stars are filled with hope.

Rowan

When the stars orbit around space, It feels like I can touch their bright silver lights.

ECHOES

30 echoes through the hallways

30 memories studied into the stones

30 eyes darting every which way

All the trees have been cared for

All the voices filled with hope

My imagination will last a long time

QiQi

4 P . M.

NEW ME

6:00 a.m. the hour of rising up in the Sun Exploding yesterday behind The Whispers honored by all types of folks birds like angels

Feeling like I'm the only soul on Earth the whole day yet to come

Van

The hour of rushed people heading home from work and school

The hour of freedom playing your favorite games on the couch and having a great time at home

The hour of a peaceful place and time to be out studying

The hour of the crisp, fresh, warm, breeze going in your room when you are reading in bed and letting go of your feelings

Mish

Asteroid Coming To Earth

Stars are spinning super fast

Asteroid coming to earth

People running to their houses

I am panicking

The world is about to end

The asteroid missed Earth foo!

- Bobby Spotify

I listen to the same 100 songs on Spotify every day.

I wear the same 59 shirts every day.

I write the same 45 sentences every day.

I listen to the same 36 whales at the beach every day.

I watch the same 12 clocks strike midnight every day.

I hope I don’t die of boredom.

- Bridget

5:06 pm

The hour of Eati ng avocado toast with salt, pepper, and chia seeds.

The hour of Cal li ng my best friends to play Roblox.

The hour of Bei ng bored and thi nki ng about the meani ng of life.

The hour of people Succeedi ng at the end of their 9/5 jobs.

and Pushi ng open the door to happi ness.

All That I see

30 pairs of scissors doing a criss cross motion.

39 invisible moons and stars.

I see 29 pairs of eyes

All 57 people I see are waiting to go down an electric slide.

Soon, all 40 planets that I smell are going to collide together.

All About Space

30 stars in the sky.

30 million light years flying.

30 astronauts with my name.

All the moons in the universe.

All the years I can see.

My Sun can fit a million moons in it.

- Ben V.

7:30 a.m.

The hour of a strawberry smoothie.

The hour of rushing to the kitchen for breakfast.

The hour of getting into the black car with a white interior.

The hour of feeling relaxed as the car starts to drift down onto the road.

The hour when the fog slowly disappears.

-Iris

Saturday: 12:12 pm

My dog, Onchow, yawns 2 times.

I look out my window 5 times.

My house has 20 windows.

I look at the 19 dollar package on the ﬂoor.

I count the Culver steps. There are 56.

I make 24 different bracelets.

I count the plants on the driveway. I see 88.

Then I count 6 colors in the rainbow.

I hope I have good dreams.

- Maeve

My World of Numbers

I have 8 mill ion kittens

65 Amazon packages arrived

I went on Ebay and bought 6 phones

Last night there were 100,000 stars i n the sky

I went to the store and got 6 pounds of strawberries

I got 100 dollars at work

I hope I become a cat

-Devyn

Life in space

I was born in space

I lived there for centuries

Tomorrow I will ﬂoat home -George

My Orbiting Planets

Stars are flying lights. Magic planets are dying. 1,000 silver moons orbiting.

-Annika

O g s

e s t e m e s g h .

w I l t g e s , y I l t o f y .

e s g n t s g .

- V a

Floating In The Universe

Floating in orbit

while watching Earth fly away. Where will I stay tomorrow?

-Hayden

Silver Skies

Tomorrow when the stars shine on Earth

I will float up to the silver skies

to let go of gravity and light.

To strengthen my mind.

To soar like a bird.

To come down again.

-Kayla

Poetry In Space

When the stars float

Tomorrow gravity let’s go

I will stay with the light And orbit around the Sun

I will run around Saturn's rings And jump from planet to planet And make poetry

In space

- Satrio

Rules

The infinite void

All my life there have been rules

Now I’m free in poetry - Noa

30 Memories

30 basketballs rolling around in the gym

30 sunflowers thriving in the garden

30 scientists experimenting with chemicals

All the paint brushes dancing on paper

All the memories of the friends we made

We celebrate 30 years at The Willows

-Vale

My World of 30

30 fields with freshly cut grass

30 classrooms blossoming with memories

30 Willows signs at the entrance

All the memories rushing back to me

All the kids playing on the yard

I feel at peace with the world knowing that I had a great day - Jackson P.

My World In 30’s

Thirty 30s on the Schedule

30 mood meters on the wall

30 peaceful Debs walking

All the words on the board

All the silhouettes on the wall

Why was poetry created?

POETRY

Poetry is the weaving in the vines, The seed floating on the breeze, The waves in the ocean.

Poetry is everywhere and in everything.

-Miles

DARKNESS

I woke up on December 30th a t the s troke of 9:00 am

It was a cold day, abou t 59 F, which worried me

I a te a lef tover breakfas t and 2 years' wor th of expired milk

At 9:05 my friends called me and told me they were sick,

so I had no thing to do

My dog and all my goldfish had died a t 9:07 am

We sa t ou tside in the pouring rain and cried for wha t seemed like a year

We lis tened to 101 sad days on the radio

The tempera ture jus t went down 30 degrees until i t s tar ted snowing

I go t fros tbi te from the 4 inches of snow

We had a funeral and we invi ted 3 people in the snow and rain

I hope tomorrow will be a lo t be t ter

- Ty

Hope

Hope is a place where the sun doesn’t go down, always up and around. Hope is a place where it fades, but at a cost Hope is our only aide Hope is the thing that we hold on to, but we don’t want to…

-Natai

Gravity

I

will stay i n orbit. When tomorrow comes, I will let go of gravity. When I ﬂoat away, I will see l ight shi ni ng. Light spi nni ng, Light and gravity. - Levi

Nothing Else Does This

I draw what I hear. Abstract ar t controls me. Ever ything I think.

Ever y feeling or emotion that crosses my mind ends up on paper and pen. A faint memor y

The sweet and soothing voice of relatives All ends up on a piece of paper. - Sophie

School Rush 101

7:51. The hour of green eggs and ham. Weird but good.

The hour of rushing to my room and getting dressed in gray top red shoes. The hour of my parents yelling at me to get in the car, the Jeep with no roof.

The hour of playing football with the QB saying blue forty-two, set, hike. I run as fast as I can.

-Rudy

The U

niverse

Tomorrow I will go to space. I will follow the stars. I don't need gravity. I chase the light. When I'm in my imagination I'm unstoppable.

- Parker

Exploring Space

Tomorrow I will explore space before my mind drifts to a different galaxy.

- Rhys

5TH GRADE

The only thing between us is us.

– Sammy S., 5th grade poet

Gone Heart

I wish to stop this.

Stop this thing.

Stop this day...

Stop all the poems and thoughts

The night falls

My heart is no longer with me

No more me anymore

No more nothing as the day begins and you

More you now

You shall stop

I will possess you

All of the stories

The origin

The origin Of Of all

The poems

~ Harrison

Travel that road for you…

A line from Walt Whitman

You have to Travel the way you need to

Sometimes I want something That crosses paths

But other times the Road is destined to fail

Life is For surprises

I want You to know that

~ Arya

Waves Crashing

When the waves crash

I can feel the breeze and the tension throughout even the water can hear my thoughts

I don’t know how this happened but I’m sure it is meant to be

~ Sara

Yellow Hope ♡

Is the hope of lite, Texas,the sound of bells, your birthday, the first day of summer, the feeling of sand sliding through your toes, the color of the sky at dawnbreak

~ Stella

The Sad Truth sabotage

truths

All Truths Wait

Wait in love

All lies wait

Wait in hate

Things always get closer but always go separate ways

FLIES BY When time flies by

I can feel my heart beating

Even the smallest beats can make my heart pound

I don’t know how or where but I feel I am too young to care

Bailey

~ Azzy

Far Away Hurricane

The only fire hurricane you will find is in a volcano but watch out for lava if you go to there only walk on mud

~ Evan

How to Make a Poem

Honor your pace

Open the safe where your keep your best thoughts

Pave the path to your perfect poem

Exceed your expectations ~ Eliza

Finding You… I will find you at The End. The only thing between Us is us. We Will Meet eventually. We will find ourselves soon, let me Ensure you of this. It has always Been true.

Forever, and ever.

~ Sammy

Run

If you find yourself in the middle of nowhere in nowhere what do you do first you

RUN, run until you find something anything waiting for you and then go inside go go go just go and then stand and wait wait until it’s 100 years later and then run again

~ Dash

WILL YOU PRETEND

Will you pretend

There is a way

To define

Why the heart

Beats slowly And softly ~ Jack

Revealed Truths

All of it comes in my mind

The truths are now revealed

Waiting for more

Inside I can feel

All of the past coming back alive

Seeing things again and again

~ Chili

The Unknown A Line from Walt Whitman

There are words it says that you will never understand

The day is the dark part of the night

You must know the right time to listen

Someday you have to know what the words truly mean

Let me explain how to throw away your common sense

~ Carmella

I myself am still trying to find the true meaning of words that run deeper through a person than their own consciousness

If you need me

If you need me I will probably be in Paris

Drinking a smooth cup of coffee and eating a croissant, right next to the Eiffel Tower, Except I won't be in Paris

And I won't be drinking coffee or eating a croissant In fact I will instead be in LA on the couch with my brother playing on his PS5 ~ India Gold

FRIDAY

1.White is the cotton spilling out of my pillows

2 Green hope is the ancient tree I have been searching for.

3. Yellow hope is the beautiful sunflower on my doorstep

4. Red hope is the anger of losing my TV remote on a Friday movie night.

5. Blue hope is the miraculous sky on a sunday morning

6. Finally gray hope, the rumbling thunderstorm in the middle of nowhere.

~ Carter

Hope Isn't Just A Word; It's A Poem

Neon hope glows like a light bulb in the dark under a blue light.

Orange hope is a volcano with lava pouring out of its peak.

Salmon hope is like a fish swimming from the ocean to the river jumping up waterfalls.

Fossil hope is the remains of dinosaurs, plants, animals, mammals, and bugs waiting to be discovered and dug up.

Midnight hope is the dark night sky of constellations floating in space.

~ Quincy

How to Make Poems

Have lots of Confidence

Open up your mind

Paper, pencil, and persevere

Entangle yourself in the threads of the world

~Ollie

Listen To Me Play (Inspired by a line from Walt Whitman)

guitars n o w rule

Guitars I love I W i l l do anything for one I like guitars d o you

Guitars are cool N o t h i n g will stop me from saying that

Nothing B u t you

Now l i s t e n to me play

~ Lev

G o l d H o p e

is old fashioned donuts in the shop window, the city light, it's the clock on Big Ben when it turns midnight, it's the hope that defines all comfort, holding us together, like the wood frame holding on by that one, rusted nail.

~ Kenley

Maybe I will, one day

There are people Who are nice, and say, “Please” and just are. There are people who are mean. The Indoors I call them, Am I mean by saying that, Or is that the natcher. Am I making sense? Or am I just a Poet, not making sense, just being in and out of what I am writing, being that sneaky shadow, stealing thoughts. Not making sense, Is that what I am? A sneaky shadow?

~ Lulu

S o m e o n e S o m e w h e r e

( L i n e s i n s p i r e d b y W a l t W h i t m a n )

This is what I like to do but Maybe if I Stop it will work out

So that the someone that’s Somewhere Can finally be Waiting

War

I see ruined buildings.

I hear birds chirping miles away.

I taste the dirty air.

I smell all the rubble from the fight.

I feel the bricks on the floor.

I think it will end soon. ~ Ike

Somewhere people walking on a crisp fall Saturday

loud sirens and yelling sawdust and smoke burned pizza crust the ground below my feet something’s gonna happen ~ Leila

Pizza

Pretend to eat pizza! It is so distinguishing.

Imagine eating pizza! I would travel anywhere to eat it!

You are destroying the pizza! I hope you are.

The Crunch when you eat the crust, the oily sauce, and cheese. I will kill all pizza!

When will I eat more of the most amazing food, which is pizza? I hope I am going to kill or destroy pizza soon .

~ Corbyn

I Would Describe Myself

like a type of boy whose weather is most of the time sunny

like a type of person that can play a musical instrument

like a kid who loves animals

like a type of music and a special sound that sounds like a type of art

like a different season and a different landscape that when it changes my mood changes

like an object in nature that won't go away until I make it

like a boy who is interested in poems

~ Ace

Invisible

Pretend you are a ghost floating through the air

Imagine the world fading slowly

You are alone in a vast space

Invisibility was all that you wanted

With the wind, you are one

~ Ellie

like a gust of wind, I am ready

And like a feather, I am gentle

like a sweatshirt getting thrown on the floor I am vulnerable

like an animal not having real friends but maybe one

like a cheetah running as fast as possible on a track

like a book not knowing what it’s about

like a plant growing like a flower till it is done

Sand

Pretend that you are in the Nevada Desert

Imagine the sun hitting your face and the sweet sound of sand blowing in the wind

You feel the quiet heat all around you I lead you through the dunes

We are at peace, one with the sand

~ Augie

~Emma

OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM WINDOW

When the paper ripped, the class went silent everyone looked out the window they saw something moving

What was it they saw, though? was it something spectacular? we do not know, it could be anything

Like a ﬂying dinosaur or a giant Sephora bag they were scared the next thing they did was shut the window and lock it

~ Alexa

I Would Describe Myself

like a Banana waiting to be peeled

like a receiver waiting for the QB to say hike

like an egg waiting to be hatched

like a Shoe waiting to get destroyed

like a Baker waiting for my cookies to bake

like a chip waiting to be crunched

like a seed waiting to grow

~ Maddox

How I would describe myself

like a pink tulip on a cold rainy day

like a big ray of sunshine hiding behind the clouds

like a forest waiting to be explored

like a wave crashing on the shore

like a bird chirping in the foggy air

like a raindrop hitting the sidewalk quietly

like a leaf slowly falling from a tree and hitting the ground

~ Birdie

The stor y of imagination

Pretend that you are the Imaginative cat floating in space,

You’re the breeze on a summer day,

I love that all this is on the page of a book,

When you read it, you feel like you ’ re really there

Life Is My Pool.

When I get in the pool, I feel a cold rush and a sense of calmness.

I can hear the kicking of the lane next to me. The splashing and whosing of the rough water.

The world is my pool. Rough and calming.

Everything can be a pool, life is a pool, writing can be a pool, calming and rough.

Anything can be anything, we use our minds to express how we feel.

- Mackenzie

L ight

Pretend you are in an attic

Imagine the wood planks creaking

You are safe now

You can feel the sun hitting your face

You can feel the sunbeams hitting your face

W hatever you read is what you will feel

~ Bebe

It’s Flat

Colors Of Hope

Pretend the world is flat

After Mary Rueﬂe

Imagine if the world squishies, so will you

If that happens, you’re kind of stuc,k so be in a good place

Red Hope is the simple hope. It is the hope of lava and ﬁre. That is all. It protects all the other hopes by making a moat of lava around them. Fending off all sadness and negativity.

Well, let's be glad that the world didn't blow up instead, no matter where you are, you won’t be happy that's a promise

~ Ayla

Yellow Hope is the most common hope. It is the hope you feel every day when you wake up in the morning. It is also the hope of the sun and stars. It gives Happiness to every other hope. If one is not feeling good it will cheer them up.

Blue Hope is one of the more rare hopes. It only comes to you if you are swimming in the ocean. It also is the hope of recycling bins and the sky. Some people might consider it the sadness of hope, but it is really the hope that gives equality to every other hope.

~ Finn

I Would Describe Myself

Like nothing waiting to be something →

Like a planet waiting to be found

Like waves crashing down in the ocean

Like birds chirping in the rainforest

~ Marlow

I Would Describe Myself

like a cool breeze on a summer day

like a beach with crashing waves

like the first splash you take in the summer

like a domestic horse that just wants to be free

like a trees branches whistling in the wind

like a pop song with to much energy

like a perfectly smooth burger bun that has one little chunk missing

~ Hazel

HOPE IS

Green hope is the hope of wanting something badly, of hoping for more than ever had before Yellow hope is a single leaf falling from a tree in the fall, the hope of Waking up in the morning ready to have a day like no other

Gold hope is a coin worth a fortune, the hope of being so close to getting something, to achieve everything you wanted

Red hope is wanting something so bad you'd do anything for it at any time.

~ Mathis

Colors of Hope

BLUE hope is the hope of the sky, never-ending.

The Yellow from the lemonade is the hope of a bright day.

RED hope is the hope of everyone's anger turning into peace

~ Naveh

I Would Describe Myself

like the ocean, I guide my own path and move like warm saltwater

like a song that's been stuck in your head for days, and right when it starts playing, it flows through your creative mind in the most joyful way

like a popstar singing your favorite song

like a cool breeze on a hot day, I wake everyone up with my happy and electric energy

like a paintbrush, I move slowly across the page, creating a beautiful picture as I do it

like hot cocoa on a cold afternoon, I warm you up in a comforting way ~ Ruby

Green Hope

Green hope is a plant thriving after a storm yet st ill blowing in the wind, searching for sunshine. Green hope is when the grass is freshly cut but it st ill grows. Green hope is a dress when it twirls, all of its elements binding together.It 's complicated, but it brings people toward a fresh fut ure. It is the eye of the storm and the seed of the ﬂower.

~ Mimi

Color of life

In the dust, I saw you holding my life…

Blue is the hope of the Ocean and ﬁsh You zig zag into my heart.

Everything is sad and happy I am everything

Blue is the hope of the Ocean and ﬁsh

The Road to my cat is in the sky

You are electric.

What I really want to say is I'm your son.

~ Wyatt

Starlight

Not I, nor you must lay down arms

I do not object to natural disagreement

Not a bird in sight

Anyone will agree

Elsewhere, we will ﬁnd a home

Can I make it?

travel away from me that will help my soul road to destiny for my life

You are like a star in the sky

You make your own light until the end

Not caring what others think of you

You shine anyway

Travel away before I cannot go on

It is critical

For yourself and me

Yourself…… and me

~Bram

Bees Are The Best

Pretend that wasps were gone

Imagine how good the world would be without them

You know that bees are smart

I know that bees are superior to wasps

Why are bees so good

Never Stop

like a concrete blue path that never cuts off like a song that just keeps going like a warm breeze that never stops

like a math problem that never gets solved

like a faint rustling sound that never dies

like a metal gray timer that hits zero but never goes off

like a never-ending poem

~ Julian

What I really want to say Is something I don’t

When the laughter starts, it all fades away Like papers flying out the window Every little thing… Away. I fly up in the air

The wind swirls around me Electricity flows through my body And the power starts to bubble up inside

Breaking Through

like an avalanche making its way down the mountain

BUbbles

Laughterbubbledupinsideme

Theairwaswarmagainstmyface

Ismelldampgrass

Theworldisstill . ~Joey

~ Hunter

After Rainer Maria Rilke

I would describe myself

like a chihuahua running around

like the feeling of leather in a car

Like a pop star singing on stage

like whipped cream swirling out of the bottle

like a soft blanket on your body

like the smell of your favorite candle ﬁlling the room

like a fun party every day

6TH GRADE

– Noah H., 6th grade poet

6A

Hectic Diamonds

My warm bed with my soft pillows and the feeling of cozy sheets on my skin makes me feel at ease and healed after a long crazy hectic day and not only my bed so warm and cozy my playful room my vanity

myTiffany diamond earrings that sparkle like the stars in the sky and the lights on my vanity those sparkle too and shimmer with glow when I see everything

I see the way I feel and how I change. It could be me.

~ Anabelle S

Silence

I remember the silence

Something was wrong It was like an eclipse

Something silver shining in the light

Something happened

I forgot everything

You told me to lie

The wind told me I shouldn’t

~ Ali

Different at the Same Time

I can love because I can hate

I can feel because I can hurt

I can be ﬁxed yet I can break

I can see although i've felt blind

I can stand because I don't know how to fall

I can talk because I don't know to listen

I am hate, hurt, break, blind, falling, not listening

I am love, feel, ﬁxed, see, stand, talk,

Everything and nothing are still the same

Ava M

Change

The past is black and white like old ﬁlms

The past is blue like a volcanic lake

The past is tan like the constitution

The present is gray like the roads in a city

The present is green like the leaves of a palm tree

The present is white like the glow of a screen

I’m changing

Black and white into gray

Blue into green

Tan into a cold glow

Old ﬁlms into the roads in a city

A volcanic lake into the leaves of a palm tree

The constitution into the glow of a screen

~ Abe

Forgotten Memory

I try remember it but it's foggy something that doesn't matter to others something silver but not bright something heavy that you can only hold in your head the whirlwind of thoughts are stopping me you told me to remember but I can’t only yesterday it was there but I forgot it

~ Missy

The Nature of a Lizard

The green of nature

Reflects a story

Lizards in the sky

The worms are stars

Their eyes are planets

A trillion shades of green

Scattered across space

Giving us peace,

Harmony, and snow

The cold falls onto my skin

The lizards are the reason

We live.

~ Benjamin

The Life of My Galactic Sister

My sister’s smile is shiny

In a cluster of galaxies

Her laugh is funny

Her loving mood is adorable

The laughy-taffy gestures of her body

She is the whole of my life

~ Zyon

With What Eyes?

(Borrowing words from the poet Sappho)

They thought I saw nothing but no I see everything

Even when they beg the question “with what eyes”

The beautiful things have ﬁlters mingled with all kinds of colors

Only you and I can live the opposite

~ Elle

Promises

My promises are chains holding onto one another

Promises can be broken into glass shards smashed to pieces but not mine

My promises are glue stuck together but never pulled apart

Promises are hearts broken and never put back together but not mine

My promises are windows but they have never been shattered

Promises are dangerous poison but sometimes they never have been drunk others have but not mine

Sophia

So Many Stars

When the stars glisten

I look to the sky

It's a sign, I listen

I feel it

I know it

I see it

I hear it

Talking to me

All at once

I can barely breathe

So many words

For each star to say

My ancestors

Guide my way

All their wisdom

And their love

Like a prism

So many dimensions

All intertwined Into my own

Constellation

Of love

Olivia

You May

[Borrowing words from the poet Sappho]

Y o u m a y t h i n k t h e s a m e b u t y o u l i v e t h e o p p o s i t e

Y o u m a y t h i n k y o u ’ r e r i g h t b u t y o u m i g h t b e w r o n g

Y o u m a y t h i n k i t ' s r e a l b u t i t c o u l d b e f a k e

Y o u m a y t h i n k i t ' s o n e c o l o r b u t i t ' s r e a l l y a l l a b s t r a c t

Y o u m a y s a y y o u l i k e s o m e t h i n g b u t y o u r e a l l y d o n ' t

Y o u m a y h a v e a c h o i c e b u t t h e r e ' s o n l y o n e o p t i o n

Y o u m a y t h i n k i t s t r a s h b u t i t ' s a c t u a l l y t r e a s u r e

Y o u m a y s e e t h a t i t ' s o l d b u t t h i n k t h a t i t ’ s n e w

Y o u m a y t h i n k t h a t i t ' s b r o k e n b u t s e e t h a t i t ' s b e e n g l u e d t o g e t h e r

Y o u m a y t h i n k i t ' s d a r k b u t y o u s e e t h e l i g h t

Y o u m a y t h i n k i t ’ s t a l l b u t i t s t i l l l o o k s u p t o y o u

~ V i v i

Lock Up

My thoughts are bees buzzing in your ear

My thoughts are birds migrating in the sky from one side of my brain to the other

My thoughts are cars stuck in traffic it seems like they are not budging but they slowly drive off

Some thoughts I lock up like your house before a vacation

Some thoughts dry up like concrete stuck in place, not moving

Certain thoughts wash away like memories in a flood

~ Darla

Reach Up And To uch Them

(borrowing words from the poet Sappho)

I look up

At the the night sky

I see the stars

But what colo urs do they shine

I wo uld think to to uch the sky

But I’m gro unded

I live opposite from them

We do not meet

But how I wish

How I wish I co uld to uch the stars

Too far from their glittering glory

Too far from their light

I will never to uch the sky

ButI will always dream

~ Lucy

I Have an Upgrade Path I Swear

The past is

Soft gray like the GTX 1080 Ti

Beige like the old cases of the 80s

Green like the old motherboards when aesthetics didn't matter

The present is

Deep black like the brand new RTX 5090

White like the Meta white ﬁsh tank cases

Silvery gray like the new Gigabyte Aorus Pro ICE X870E

I’m changing

Soft gray to deep black

Beige to white

Green to silvery gray

The GTX 1080 Ti turns into the RTX 5090

The cases considered artifacts found in the 80s become one of the Meta white ﬁsh tank cases

The barren green motherboards from when aesthetics didn't matter transform into the new Gigabyte Aorus Pro ICE X870E

~ Preston

Lindsay's Face in the Stars

Lindsay’s eyes

They show bravery

Her nose

Represents her love

Her hair shows her life

And her ears

Are sadness

She fought hard but Couldn’t keep it away

She loved us

But sadly passed

We miss her truly

The stars show life

And a life

She lived well

But within that life

Were challenges

And some she

Could not overcome

She overcame all

Expect one

~ Dash

Duplicate T houghts

(borrowing words from the poet Sappho)

i want to touch the sky not m ove stones

i want to see m ore things but w ith what eyes

everyone is an opposite but at the same time we are all duplicates everyone is smart but not everybody knows it

~ Harlow

My Thoughts That Stick

My thoug hts are a day in New York wi th alarming sounds ever ywhere

My thoug hts are an overﬂowing g lass of water

My thoug hts block out the voice in my head telling me no

My thoug hts turn ballistic at the sig ht of anything I dislike

My thoug hts are a present I hold back to open

My thoug hts cause me to fret about things I don’t need to

My thoug hts are a rainstorm that progresses across the world in my head

My thoug hts are a mountain cliff that just breaks off one day

My thoug hts are a hazy nig ht sky where you can only see the bigger stars

My thoug hts are a circle, there is no end in sig ht

~ Ever

My Happiness

I look to the sky

And see my dog

Each star as a Different part

Of his body

Three stars form the tip

Of his nose

His brig ht small body

Shining in the dark

His cute li ttle head

Looking down on me

Wi th his ﬂuff y tail

Wagg ing happily

~ Gideon

T he Warmth of Imagination

The past is blue like the ocean water outside my hotel window.

The past is light green like the grass on the soccer pitch.

The past is yellow like the ﬂowers that used to dance in the garden.

The present is black like the charcoal that hits the canvas.

The present is dark green like the tree that is ﬁlled with memories every year.

The present is red like ﬁre illuminating the darkness.

I’m changing Blue to black Light green to dark green Yellow to red

Ocean water turns into charcoal on a canvas. Grass on the pitch turns into a tree of memories. Dancing ﬂowers turn into illuminating light.

~ Lincoln

Dancing in the Dark (inspired by Rihanna)

When I look up, I see the stars shine bright at night

Just like a diamond in the sky

Saying to myself “Hello Dubai”

Way up, in the clouds

I’m dancing in the dark because I told you I’d be here with you forever

Dancing in the dark.

~ Hadley

Limitless Wording.

Analysis is the glue holding my f ingertips down, The nails that can’t reach the itch .

Callings thought to never be heard, Perfect for our forever growing absurdity

Never understood, At least not by the dull-minded.

Embarrassment comes as a floating molecule, As it stays in its absence.

Poetry does not have limits, Rather brings discourse of knowledge

Again and again and again The gain of power constructs my humility

I’m spiraling. Throwing pencils into the air, until a small lightbulb goes off.

~ Ada S

We Only Meet in the Stars

Staring at the stars, Laying on my back,

I see a zoomed-out Picture glowing.

I see an Ocean of guilt.

I see a Cool-toned Whisper.

I see a Caramelized Smell of comfort.

I see a Neverending light.

I see a Warm hug. I see someone Whom I long to spend More time with.

I see a Soft face coming down

From the sky saying, I love you and I’m Sorry I never Said goodbye. ~ Iyla

Find

Me. In The Stars. From My Dot-to-Dot.

Other people see things. They mean nothing to me. I see things. They mean something only for me. Without guidelines, My mind shows my deeper self. My trail of footprints in the world. That only I can see. Ask me what I see and you will find me.

In the blackness, of the short night.

In the traveling light, of the stars I see. A traveling horse is waiting for me.

~ Penina

Take Your Happiness Away

A poem is not a feeling but a threat, sometimes you just can’t write it yet

T he words are failing, not you, but it could also feel like you ' re bailing on it too

T ime travels like a plane, but the plane might take your happiness away

L ike a takeoff soft and swift when you find yourself starting to drift

A pomegranate with all the seeds but sometimes they still start to bleed

S poiled milk left in the fridge with no one there to look after it

T ricky stairs trying not to sway, but they collapse in the middle anyway

~ Ava H

Different Skies

The Urge to Speak

A poem is like a cave With endless echoes.

A poem is like a cup ﬁlled with air Waiting to escape.

A poem is like a man Who is trapped inside his body and can't get out.

A poem is the burst of electricity making people want to create.

A poem is the urge to speak, The need to speak.

~ Everest

The Power in My Spirit

My spirit is a horse, running to freedom

a puddle of tears, waiting to be jumped in

a field of cacti, ready for someone to run into

a bright lamp, lighting up the room

a snowflake, melting as it hits the ground

a firework, exploding with colors

~ Emily

1s and 0s

Poetry is a bowl full of ideas

Ready to spill into the world

Like a cup of coffee falling off a table

Words and speech become one

Like the leaves and roots of a plant

Breaking through and making space

Like a switch of electricity

Either a 1 or a 0

Floating endlessly

Just to halt at its destination. Some place in time

~ Cyrus

Poetry Is

A poem is like a giraffe

Loose in the zoo

Running from all the people

A poem is like a balloon

F lying high up in the air

From a kid at a theme park

About to go on a roller coaster

A poem is like constr uction workers

Building a really tall store

W here you can buy everything

~ CJ

No One Knows What It Is

It could be letters cycling in the wind Or sentences blending in in the night

Could be paragraphs getting written by young kids

Maybe two lights flickering off and on

Could be a sack of potatoes or just a word spelled P O E M

~ James B.

they can be anything

poems Are Leftover quiche

delicious quiche

Poems can be any ﬂavor you want

Poems can be colors, red, blue a yellow orange

In an apple tree

Not caring what anyone thinks

Poems are clouds in a sky full of stars

Just sitting there standing out

Like bright pink sneakers

On someone's foot

Poems are the post-credit scenes to every life

Jonah

Blue Orange

My memories are searching Always lost in the sauce

My thoughts are an ocean Always moving and changing with time

My mind is a blue orange Always thinking about the stars

~ Vivi C.

To Places Unknown

When I look up

I see the map

That our ancestors used

In the night sky

To guide them

To places unknown

To species unknown

To a fate unknown

Across oceans, lakes, and rivers

To a life unknown

~ James M.

A Bucket of Feelings

Poetry is a bucket of feelings and words

The bucket of words I can't express

Something I bottle up I hold inside of me

Until I can't anymore.

~ Rae

stand up and look at me face to face

like the wind on the mountain…

Poetry Has to Be Superlative.

Poetry was a house of adjectives that didn’t sound weird,

A song I would hum under my breath.

Poetry is now to me, phrases being feared.

If shared too much, what will I say next?

Words about people You’ll never know who,

Poetry has to be superlative.

Before I spit my words out, I know I have to chew.

A song without music, what a poem is to me.

Please don’t take offense. I’m not that great at poetry.

Nevertheless, my poem isn’t that good, No wows, woahs, or woohoos.

But I don’t care, there are no rules, and I didn’t write this for you.

~ Juju

A Poem Unlike No Other

A Poem is a jumble of words brought together not by choice, but by command

A Poem is a comet shooting across the sky before it burns out

A Poem is a wave a thousand images clashing against reality

A Poem is an ancient tree holding more knowledge than meets the eye

A Poem is a baby turtle trying to get into the sea before it is engulfed by the wild

Owen

This is What I Think:

I think poetry is a world it’s a world that if you are lucky you get swept into

I think poetry is a walkway a walkway that if you start walking down it, there really isn’t a way for you to go back on

I think

poetry is a book. a book that if you start reading it you have to read the entire series

I think

poetry is a plane. a plane that takes you where it wants you to go whether you want to or not

I think poetry is a jacket a jacket that if you put it on it either ﬁts or doesn’t

Annabelle D

Hand It over to Me

(After Elizabeth Alexander)

Hand.

Have I yet to hold onto moving traffic lights?

Have I yet to let go of repetitive booming sights? Maybe looking to see what fingers can bring? It.

Have I yet to breathe the frosted air that goes in and out of seeds?

Have I yet to realize that the sentence “I need to itch my back” never made sense?

Have I yet to walk two steps ahead of my neck?

Over.

It's the fish that was with us during the pandemic. Can't bear the single times things will pass by.

Yellow reminds me of the sun but only in drawings (as I start to run). Ticking could be a clock, the only one that wakes me with a knock.

To.

What you didn't realize was what the single words meant. (My voice comes to a yell).

Your reading made it seem like a wrong mis-click or spell. But I knew and now you will too.

The title of this was simply the answer. That this scripture was made only by-

~ Amai

The Legend of a Perfect Dog

I look to the sky, I see my old dog.

In the night sky, she still plays with her toys.

She watches over my new dog, making sure she learns to be kind.

~ Kasi

Tell Me to Sing

Borrowing words from the poet Sappho

My mind is rich with words but

My mouth can’t seem to speak them

The words I can’t breathe

Become trapped in my broken memories

You would tell me to sing

To let the puzzles of my mind escape

My Great-Grandmother

When I look up

At the stars

They start forming

My great-grandmother’s face

She is looking down on me

Saying how proud she is

I call for her

I ask if she can come back

She says I wish

Then she's gone

I’m left with stars

Millions of them

Trying to figure out

Which one she came from ~ Noah W.

Many Eyes Looking

Many things bring joy to my eyes

Bunches of colors and seasons as they sing

W hen I see his face mine turns

My stomach twists as my face changes

To orange green or any color

But it doesn't matter

Some may say colors have meaning

But colors are just the illusion of your mind

Silver linings are fake and foggy

They bring you back to where you were before

As pain draws blood escapes

It releases your mind and your body

It's only human to want more

But the boundaries are inescapable

Sometimes when a voice screams

No ears care to listen

Like touch with no sound

Both are useless

As the apples fall

The oranges do too

The grape vines sprout and thorns begin to grow

Your mind can think of many things

But sometimes you need to think about why

~ Sidney

A Poem Is an Uncontrollable Wave

You may be done reading or writing it but it keeps running throughyour mind

You feelemotions like when you eat hot sauce

At one pointyou feelon fire andthe next the fire is gone

Then you ’ re just sitting there withno words to write andno feelings to feel

But the words in a poem are like footprints they never go away

~ Skyler

A Future Brighter Than the Sun

(borrowing words from the poet Sappho)

Right here I stand

Thinking about what is possible what is not

Anyone can follow their dreams How do I know?

I know because passion is the beginning of a bright future

Do what you love

And you will paint a VIBRANT picture of success

They will remember you in a faraway time

Just because you think it's impossible doesn't mean it is

Don't stop

stand there and know what you mean

~ Deia

The Brain of the World

My brain is a storm full of thoughts

With all the memories stored in the clouds

My brain is a classical piano

Playing the low notes and high notes

My brain is New York City

Full of different noises and colors

My brain is a blue shark in the Atlantic Ocean

Calm when no one annoys him but he bites if they get in his way

My brain is the sky filled with clouds

Sometimes I feel bright and sometimes I feel dark

~ Ezra

My Stir-Fried Mind

My Mind is a filet mignon being seared in a pan Almost ready to be set free

My Mind is a glass of orange juice Waiting to be drunk first thing in the morning

My Mind is a pot of boiling water Wanting to cook fettuccine

My Mind is yellow mustard and ketchup Being squeezed onto a hot dog

My Mind is salmon being cut Into sushi for handrolls

My Mind is the Crème Brûlée Being flambéed

My Mind is a steaming bowl of ramen With chicken broth and noodles

My Mind is a bowl of sticky rice A side that I eat more than the actual entree

My Mind is a delivery driver Putting food on my doorstep

My Mind is in this poem of food Finishing dinner after a long day

~ Noah H

Messi/phore

The food is so good it might just be Messi

The soft chewy medium rare steak

The way the ball goes into the goal it might just be Messi

The sound rings down the holes of the net

The music is so good it might just be Messi

The drums going boom bap boom boom bap

The way the rapper rhymes it might just be Messi

Singing the poem about someone else

When I score the worst goal it might just be Messi

Brunson Brunson fingers run through the wind glistening

Tell me the ways MESSI

IT MIGHT ALWAYS BE GOOD

~ Ethan

Cage

People say poetr y is an escape I don't

I want the world in my heart A life wi th no stop

But I can't I get blocked

Like a close friend’s goodbye

The second I need i t It

ies

~ Kate

Lead Me To Be

When I look up

The lights in the sky

Lead me to think

Who am I?

And those stars

Lead me to believe

That nothingʼs wrong

But that's just me.

~ Nico

Separated

[Borrowing words from the poet, Sappho]

You and me

Yet we’re still

Class to class

You’re just one

On the same island

Separated

Locker to locker

Wall away

We live the opposite

Together

In a thin voice

Over the bridge

My mind is divided in two

I hear you

My best friend

Coming back to me

~ Kennedy

In a Faraway Time

Borrowing lines from the poet Sappho

I wish you were here with me.

Right now.

In a faraway time.

Maybe I could meet you.

We live the opposite.

You on the red carpet.

I'm out on the court

My mind is divided.

Watching you on TV.

I’m pretending you're with me.

~ Liat

How to Understand a Poem

After a line by Elizabeth Alexander

Poetry is different for everybody

For me poetry is an escape

W hether it's the rhythmic 5, 7, 5, 5, 7, 5 that plays in my head when I write haikus

Or the storytelling of a narrative poem

Or maybe the funny careless structure of a limerick

“Poetry is what you find in the dirt in the corner ” Poetry is the act of being saved from drowning

~ Kit

I Start To Think

When I look up

The stars point the way to the legend

In the night sky

The clouds are forming

When the wind is blowing

My mind sets free

But I start to think Who am I

~ Jordan

A Poem Is a Feather

I have a poem That just might Light a bright night With darkness From a cloud

Reading its poem Aloud from a sound Of a heartbeat

Dancing on its feet

A poem is a feather With pleasure to have Freedom from a cursed Kingdom Now farewell Have fun as you Dwell in your cell With your fragile Popsicle melting In your hand

~ Cassidy

Where Is My Mind

My mind is made of jagged lines

Not quite aligned with everyone else's

My mind is a time capsule

Full of memories waiting to be opened

My mind is a pearl

Hiding inside a gleaming oyster shell

My mind is a computer

Constantly getting updated

My mind is a whisk

Constantly stirring up new ideas

My mind is an ocean

With many ideas swimming and sinking as I forget them

My mind is a drum set

Holding my life in a steady beat

~ Rose

Living Words

Poetry is a whirlpool

A symphony of words at war

The sound of thunder booms

The words seek shelter

Time flies by The words touch down

Mystery looks up, and blinks W hat has happened now

I see an idea offering a hand to help me up

Thought is rushing around in a nervous concert

Emotion is unfazed

The sky retreats

And the words are gone I look to see envy standing over me

~ Gavin

7TH

GRADE

Follow the beginning.

Chase the ending.

– Yuki, 7th grade poet

What Happens Next?

Tomorrow the sun might shine bright

Tomorrow there might be tears on the floor

Tomorrow I might laugh a rainbow

Tomorrow the walls might crack

Tomorrow my dreams might break

Tomorrow my dreams might come true

Tomorrow the world might end

But today I will see what happens next

Astronomy

~ Ava

Look at the sky, the glowing stars, all too sentimental

Follow me into yesterday’s absence, starry eyes gone

What time was it when brightness turned to black?

Particles of what once was fade away

Don’t even blink, everything is gone

The bridge between us crumbles

We’re two worlds apart

Close your eyes

Night expires Goodbye

~ Bryn

Where Are You?

Why did you leave your soul on the ground?

Why did you leave your body on the ground?

How could you do this to me?

Why did you leave me?

Where did you go?

What happened?

Where are you?

~ Joaquim

The Blue of the Ocean Never Fades

Caught up in the thoughts I don't dare speak

We forget everything at some point

If we didn't, who would we be today?

If we didn't, who would I be today?

These are the questions I ask myself

The blue of the ocean never fades from my wandering mind

Nineteen years, I choose to wait,

I wait for the words that will never come

~ Wren

Have You Looked at the Sky?

Have you looked at the sky? Have you looked at the sunset?

The calming wind blows in your face along with nostalgia.

Why did the bright par ticles lead you over the bridge?

The peonies and marigolds have a heavy fragrance.

What time is it? How long have I been here?

The glowing vines keep growing and growing

Yesterday, there were too many of them

The water glistens as the sky darkens

The sound of the waterfall stops.

I climb up the mountain

~ Dharma

Final Bridge

The mountains are snowy

Just like my head in Poetry class when I don't know What to Do

Should

I try to write

Or should I sit and Do nothing? That is the Big question. I can goof oﬀ With my friends or I can pay attention.

I Am Stuck. Do I write?

Too many thoughts In my head. I can't think. A glowing voice tells me to pass The bridge of confusion, across the river Of cheese. I don't l ike cheese very much. but I need to think. Why did I come this far for nothing in return?

I don’t know if I should pass that ﬁnal Bridge. I need to do it to Feel ok in my head, Even though It's a big Risk.

~ Eve

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Paint falls from the sky

Let it drench you

Add some spaghetti and meatballs

Take the paint off or it won’t taste good

This is an obvious fact

I hope you like spaghetti and meatballs

This is a type of pasta

Take some marinara sauce and

Add some yummy noodles

Let it twirl around your fork and

Paint your mouth with spaghetti and meatballs

Ferrán

Broken Unicycle

You are a smooth, clean, nonchalant procrastinator who rides on a riveting unicycle I fell off my unicycle And landed in a pile of cinnamon.

Now, my scent is like cinnamon And my unicycle is broken I am sad because I was sentimental about my unicycle and I am late to school which means I will fail the curriculum. But at least I have electives.

~ Noah

Other Me

I wake up at 6:00 in the morning and brush my teeth

He wakes up at 7:00 in the morning and brushes his teeth

I make cereal for breakfast and eat as fast as I can to make it to school on time

He makes bacon and eggs for breakfast and relaxes knowing that he will make it to school

I have to take a car ride since I live far from here

He lives a block away from school so he can walk

I make it early to school before class starts

He makes it in the middle of class since he is late

I think my life is hard

He thinks his life is easy

~ Jacob

The TikTok Rizz Party

Will I be invited to the TikTok Rizz party

When will I be invited to the TikTok Rizz party

Why can't I be invited to the TikTok Rizz party

If only I was invited to the TikTok Rizz party

Hopefully I will be invited to the TikTok Rizz party

There is no more TikTok

~ Thatcher

Begin Taking Chances I Am Not Weak Begin Taking Chances Climbing Mountains Beautiful Creative Freedom Peace This Can Be

~ Pepper

I Want This

I want this I want that I want all of it

Do I need this?

Do I need that?

Do I need any of it?

Though I want it

Do I need it?

I don't need this I don’t need that I don’t need any of it

I want it. I don't need it.

~ Milo

The Well-Spoken Unicycle Rider

Maybe cinnamon won 't make you cough

When you nonchalantly gulp down water

When you procrastinate and don 't get your schoolwork done

Maybe you have a dark aura

Maybe we can play Limbo

Maybe a crayon has a strong scent

Maybe it draws smoothly on the paper

And now you have far-fetched sentiments

About your past life

When you were psychologically unstable

But now you ’ re clean

So you start riding your unicycle

All around the cul-de-sac

Steele

7B

Black Coﬀee

I don't want water I want black coﬀee

I don’t want Coca Cola I want black coﬀee

I don't want food I want black coﬀee

I don’t want medicine I want black coﬀee

I don’t want what you want I want more than you

More black coﬀee

More joy in my life

~ Luca

The Quiet Life Finally

I woke up at 10:30 because I was at a massive party

I ate a bowl of cereal

Cinnamon Apple Cheerios, my favorite

I took a short nap then cleaned my room

I took my two dogs on a walk

I looked at my wife and kids and I smiled

The quiet life finally

Until I got an email telling me I have to go back

Back to my double life, my fake one

I'll miss them but I’m doing this for them

To pay my debts

One poker game turned into two then so on and so on

I said I was doing this to keep them safe

But then I learned about Blackjack

Just like poker, one game became twelve in just one night

Now I'm a professional gambler

Banned from half the world's casinos

I haven't lost a game of poker since I was three

~ Jaxon

I Want to Stay

can you look at the sky? almost glowing what time is it?

heavy fragrance fills the air dust particles float in the room who said it had to be immaculate?

the r isk of tr ipping over things is high too many clothes strewn about on the wood floor the sound of my alarm buzzing is suspended in cool ventilation the vines of br ight nostalgia coat me like a blanket and i want to stay vivid br ightness flashes in my mind and reminds me of headlights in the dark why didn't you cross the br idge last night? why didn t you follow me?” I’m still wonder ing

~ Joey

26 M inutes is Too Many.

beyond the rain, there is a sun.

rays shining light so bright that it’s blinding.

longing for the sunshine, you go outside and play.

maybe you get sunburnt and step inside.

26 minutes is too many.

maybe when you ’ re older you’ll miss the feeling of sun on your skin.

83-y ear-old you w ishes to have spent m ore time outside.

don’t waste your life wishing things were perfect.

g ive yourself the freedom to live in the m oment.

~ Annika

A New Beginning

Beyond now you can

Rediscover something that You are longing for Maybe in 26 minutes or Maybe in 83 hours

Don’t waste this oppor tunity

To give something more

~ Stella

beyond the moon there’s so much more to see

reaching for the stars longing for the universe

maybe she’s the one maybe she’ll see me

26 million miles to get there

83 more hours maybe I’ll reach her how is she so far don’t walk, just run give in, just go

~ Addison

I don't want to be a wave

I don't want to be the thing that holds you back

I don't want to be a force

I don't want to be a breakpoint

I don't want to be a barrier

I don't want to be run away from

I don't want to be your second choice

I don't want to be a wave

I want to be a water drop

innocent- meaningless - beautiful

~ Lu ka

Fragments of My Future

Beyond the ideas of what my present life is I like to imagine my future. I don’t know what will happen, but I can pretend like I do, like it’s already sorted out for me.

In these worlds I’m sometimes by myself, or with my sister, maybe I’ll be married, or be raising a kid.

Sometimes I find myself longing for the promise of forever, of a long happy life.

Maybe I'll make it to 26, out of law school, a run down apartment in Brooklyn, with a French doorman, and an elevator that rarely works.

Maybe I’ll make it to 83, just me, content with the familiarity of the world, never lonely, but often alone. I imagine these worlds.

I wish for these worlds with every penny and fountain, every dandelion I pick, or every eyelash that falls off.

I don’t wish for these futures because I think they’ll happen.

I give fate time to be what it will be, but I still hope somewhere in the back of my brain that these will come true, no longer fragments of my imagination, but aspects of my life.

~ Livvy

The Roses

The roses have such a sentimental scent, I love this perfume

I’m surrounded by the people that encourage me to thrive

I follow the footsteps of the person who makes me smile

I don't know who I was as a baby, I really wish I did

I am me, you are you, something is different now

The newspaper only causes stress these days

What time did you say again, I forgot

My identity, elegant and proper

When the storm comes again

The atmosphere changes

The citizens run

Who am I I am

~ Sasha

Witness Follow

The beginning

Chase the ending

Witness what will happen

When the storm reaches shore

Figure out what to do when your

Fears that you mask become forgotten

Know what will happen when the footsteps you

Have left behind you start to become your reality

Change will suffocate you, surround you until you can’t

Breathe

~ Yuki

The Mad Man They Chased The man In the mask

The atmosphere

Changed rapidly

There was anguish in the Air the roses had perished

Everyone surrounded him

Then the people looked at the culprit

The police said “ you ’ re in trouble, young man ”

The man was ice cold and drenched in ketchup

Someone said you ’ re a monster

He was put in jail for Mixing ketchup and mustard

~ Dash

I Tried Hard

I didn't try hard enough

I didn't admit I was trying my best

I tried harder

I pushed myself to the limit

I lied

I cried I tried

I now sit at these weird gates thinking of past mistakes

I oblige ~ H enry

stop me when the storm follows me to the deep end I wish to start from the beginning

~ Dakota

Creation

Witness

The beginning

When the storm

Began to grow larger

Until it covered the world

From bottom to the very top

The highest mountain to the deepest chasm

Growing, spreading, conquering, consuming, transforming Everything

~ Ryder

Underline

I underlined way too much.

You couldn’t study from what I highlighted, I obviously overdid it.

Consider the way I do things completely correct. The way I do things clicks for me.

The way you do things seem minimal and boring, but to you it just seems fine. Just normal, nothing extraordinary.

Begin with something more interesting, then I’ll consider it

~ Kate

One Tree

The texture of a tree is like a language

Years of events and moments inscribed in that tree

From corruption to freedom

Torment to salvation all happened while that tree was watching

That tree That tree Three things Two people one tree a living thing that can’t speak move that can’t do anything

But watch humanity

Their sounds their arguments their stories until that tree is all that's left

those leaves slowly eroding with age

those eyes still peering through the withered branches

Those eyes

all that's left of that tree are those

Eyes

Those eyes ~ zach

8TH GRADE

My hand is a doorway,

– Jackson G., 8th grade poet

8A

Attic

Over there hangs the row of jerseys

Under them is a basketball tattered from overuse

In the corner are my achievements

Pushed away past recent distinctive memory

There on the table

Fresh poke and rice in a saimin bowl

Here is an envelope

Filled with bets from Vegas and Grandpa

There sits my charging phone

Next to my wireless headphones

W hich play any kind of music

Here on the wall is a window

Open to any view I want

Under your feet is the soft carpet

Here is the video game controller

Attached to the wall next to the TV

Over there is the cracked mirror

Blinding you with its reflective light

And now you arrive at the door

To something new

To something greater

~ Mason

Park City Winter

snow is falling all around me park city winter fresh powder on the mountain ready to go skiing

I want to ski through that fresh powder nobody beside me but my family all the way to the bottom and then back up

~ Andrew .

Remembering Saturday Morning in Maui

I was in Hawaii watching a hula dance people were clapping for the performance in my hotel

The scent of honey was fulfilling my nostrils

Now I feel empowered and motivated I want to clap but I can’t

~ Liam

DEATH TO SATURN

Category 5 hurricane on Saturn: 6:46 PM, November 26, 2024

Water rushes through the street, gale force winds rattle buildings, and the screams and cries of Saturners please the ears of the all-knowing Chaz

The freshness of the water, the crispness of the air, and the durian-scented liquid oozes from the Saturners sacriﬁced to the all-wise Chaz

The storm reminds me of the beauty of nature, a raging river and the unmatched power of our savior Chaz

This hurricane makes me feel calm, relaxed, and inspired by the all-powerful Chaz.

I want to sacriﬁce the Saturners to our Lord Chaz.

~ Max

Enough Time

W hat I love about the ocean is that i t's therapeutic to your soul

W hat I hate about the ocean is that we haven't discovered i t all.

W hat I love about histor y is that i t tells an unknown stor y.

W hat I hate about histor y is that some of i t will never see the lig ht of day.

W hat I love about the jung le is that i t's a ci ty of nature.

W hat I hate about the jung le is that there’s barely any left of i t.

W hat I love about families is that they’ll almost never betray you

W hat I hate about families is that when they do, i t’s hard to love them again.

W hat I love about marriage is that you get to be loved forever.

W hat I hate about marriage is that you're tied down to another person for your life.

W hat I love about humans is that they’ll always share their memories wi th you.

W hat I hate about humans is that they don't have enoug h time to share all of them.

~ Elettra

Inifnite Endings

What I love about writing is that there doesn’t have to be an ending

What I hate about writing is that you can never write enough

What I love about the ocean is that it is bright and shimmery

What I hate about the ocean is that it reminds me of all the tears I have shed

What I love about rainbows is that they are so vivid

What I hate about rainbows is that the colors soon begin to fade away

What I love about dandelions is that I can blow them and make a wish What I hate about dandelions is that they never make my wish come true

What I love about memories is that they are always cherished

What I hate about memories is that they are often forgotten

What I love about the future is that you never know what's going to happen next

What I hate about the future is that it leaves you on a cliffhanger

What I love about poems is that they have so much meaning behind them

What I hate about poems is that their meanings often break my heart

~ Ava G.

British Boy

I remember your voice when we played together

When we shared tacos

The times we used our imaginations.

Our endless days of fun.

When will we meet again?

We still talk We still play.

But it's never a “ see you tomorrow”.

I hate to say bye It will never be the same

Michael A.

Special to Me

Here is my pink journal

It keeps hold of my lingering thoughts

This is the jewelry box that my mom gave me

It contains my favorite necklaces and rings

These are the decorative candles that I made at sleepaway camp

They have lots of expression and character

This is my pin board collage

It adds creativity to my wall and I add onto it whenever I feel

Here are the Polaroid pictures of my two cats

They serve as happy memories that will never fade

Here is my crystal collection

I like to think that each one has calming properties

Welcome to my bedroom

W here pieces of my personality dwell in the items that are special to me

- Calliope

Gone Too Fast

W hat I love about friends is that they are always there for you

W hat I hate about friends is that they can become enemies

W hat I love about time is that you get to live in the moment

W hat I hate about time is that i t is gone too fast

W hat I love about dandelions is that you can make a wish

W hat I hate about dandelions is that your wish doesn’t always come true

W hat I love about smiles is that they are comforting

W hat I hate about smiles is that they can turn into frowns so easily

W hat I love about happiness is that i t is shared by so many people

W hat I hate about happiness is that people can change so quickly

- Sydney

Lavender Flowers

Dear Aunnie,

So many lost memories

The smell of your oatmeal

The fake frui t on the counter

The way your dogs played wi th me

The keychain wi th me and you in i t

My birthday, graduation, competi tions

Don’t matter if you're not here

A part of my world is gone

That week

That horrible week

The food wasted

Staring at blank walls

The sadness

The clay handprint

I still have i t

You are not forgotten

Forever loved

Much love, Toots

~ Brooklyn

Days Like This

It’s October 12thon a rainy Saturday.

Rain taps on the windows next to my bed.

“Dream a Little Dream ofMe”plays softly in the background.

Wet cement andsteaming hot chai mix withcoolair.

They create a scent that can’t be described

I wrap my blanket tightly andsinkdeeper into my bed.

The rain reminds me ofdays like this when I was younger.

I want to dance in the New Yorkrain right now.

~ Noëlle

Here is my guitar

Here is my desk

Here is my closet

Here lies the bed

It Feels Like a Minute

What I love about pears is that they taste sweet when you bite them

What I hate about pears is that they mold easily

What I love about caffeine is all the adrenaline

What I hate about caffeine is the fact that I can’t sleep for hours after

What I love about the Chiefs is how they won the Super Bowl twice

What I hate about the Chiefs is how if you say you like them it’s “because” you like Taylor Swift

What I love about my phone is how I can call my friends in seconds

What I hate about my phone is how an hour will elapse but it feels like a minute

What I love about space is that it’s endless and undiscovered

What I hate about space is that I may never know what’s out there

What I love about poems is that they tell a story with few words

What I hate about poems is how long it takes to write them

~ Jordan

Bedroom

Here is my bookshelf

Here is my window

Here is my alarm clock

W hich makes up the room

Onto the next room, this one to be remembered forever

~ Isaac

My Ravishing Room

Here is the Chelsea poster that gives me inspiration.

There is my keyboard where I make my ravishing beats.

Here is my soccer ball that I completed my record 189, 390, 039, 025 kick-ups with.

There are my turf cleats that I score bangers in.

Here is my guitar that I rock out on.

There is my desk where I do all of my homework. (I am a scholar).

~ Miles

Breaking Stride

What I love about dancing is being loose in the legs

What I hate about dancing is when my legs get too loose that I uncontrollably hit

Double-walking pirouettes without breaking stride while also gliding

What I love about the Willows 2024 8th grade football team is that they always win

What I hate about the Willows 2024 8th grade football team is when they lose, oh wait! (15-0)

What I love about the beach is the big waves and good surf

What I hate about the beach is when the water is f lat

What I love about summer is the great weather

What I hate about summer is when it ends

What I love about camp is the sports

What I hate about camp is leaving

~ Harry

Impending Impact

Perplexed perpetrators praying for peace

Alarmed agitators awakened by the action

Perpetually punctured performers petulantly plagued by police

T irelessly trying to transform the tirade

Trials and tri bulations yield no traction

Intellectuals intersecting impending impact

Courageous countrymen cultivate countless creations around the clock

Innovating individuals inch into ideals

Inexplicably keeping their minds intact

T ireless treachery takes its toll

W hy can't we sit down and talk?

~ Alex

T he Twizzler T hing

I remember jumping onto the Twizzler thing

I remember falling and not giving up

One day I made the leap of faith and felt li ke a king

I remember jumping onto the Twizzler thing

I felt li ke I could hear the birds sing

If it was on camera I could use it for a T i kTok dump

I remember jumping onto the Twizzler thing

I remember falling and not giving up

~ Rafa

Unnoticed Joints

My joints are colorful camouﬂaged snakes

Always sliding by unnoticed, invisible to the naked eye

My joints are long sticks

Flexible when wanted but ﬁrm when needed

My joints are wax candles

Always warming up before getting to work

My joints are creaky wooden stairs

Being polished every now and then, ready for adventures

~ Ben

Raining, 4 PM, Friday

Nearby cars honking

The ic onic smell of petrichor

Reminds me of the East c oast

It makes me feel euphoric

I want to Go to sleep

Right Now

~ Asher

Raymond’s Eagles

I remember watching the Eagles play withyou andDad I imagine you cheering the Eagles on from up above

I hope you see me every time I wear that hoodie

One ofyour hats you passeddown to Dad I tear up when I realize thatyou're gone

I wishI could’ve spent more time withyou

When I textyou happy birthday Ipray you willrespond knowing that's notpossible

Miss you Grandpa

~ Bella

Love You, Pappa

I remember when you would ride on up

Always bringing me a smile no matter what

You would make me laugh day through the night

You were always there and we never would fight

You were my shining knight on wheelchair wheels

Time splits in two when I think about how I feel

That last text you sent I sat there and cried

It really set in the day that you died

I love you so much Pappa you were my closest friend

I know you are now gone now but this is not the end

You’re there in spirit, still in my heart

As long as I remember you we will never be apart

~ Sage

Jumping into My Soul

My soul is a breath of fresh air

In a empty field

My soul is a room

Filled with bright colors

My soul is a piano

Playing itself

My soul is a blooming flower

Opening and closing every night

My soul is a sunset

Kissing the earth goodbye

~ Chloe

Wandering Creativity

My creativity is a sunrise as it extraordinarily lights up the city

My creativity is a rainbow in the blue sky as it wanders over the grassy ﬁeld

My creativity is an ocean as it slowly crashes into the pebbly sand

My creativity is the dust in the corner of my house as it moves with the wind

Harlie

W hy Are Rhymes a Crime?

W hy are rhymes

So important in poetry?

Is it a crime?

W hy are rhymes

Such a sublime time?

Equations make meaning in geometry,

W hy are rhymes

So important in poetry?

~ Jackson G.

Thundering Feet

I love to compete

But I'm thrilled to leave

It gives me relief.

I love to compete

With thundering feet!

I'm ready to achieve.

I love to compete

And I'm thrilled to leave.

~ Drew

Warfare

Reaper from the air

Life under lock

Earth shaking with terror

Death steals a flock

Innocence released

Heart and mind impaired

T he end of all peace

T he beginning of warfare

Hostages through the door

Don’t stop for air

Stealing many more

T he beginning of warfare

Land of destruction

Truly unfair

We must take action

T his is warfare

~ Piper

Falling Down Stairs

sometimes life is falling down stairs climb them again it may seem like no one cares sometimes life is falling down stairs

I see them in my nightmares from way back then sometimes life is falling down stairs climb them again

~ Jake

How Much Time?

My heartbeat is just a line.

Slowly, my beat will start to stop

But surely I will live long enough, right?

Inside of me is a ticking clock

~ Nic o

We Forget Who We Are

Caught with selfishness.

We forget who we are

If only there was a world with peace

If only there was a world with kindness.

The blue colors of the sky sometimes turn grey.

Nineteen clouds, all gone

I wait for people to be happy again

~ James

Cherish the Meaning

Words come together to create meaning

To remember history in past times

T hey stir up a mixture of feelings

Words come together to create meaning

Or separate for quarantining

To remember how to rhyme

Words come together to create meaning

To remember history in past times

~ Li liana

6:00pm on a Rainy Fall Day

Rain hitting the car window out on the driveway

The clean aroma of raindrops hitting the orange fall leaves

Rainy New York City as everyone rushes to buy Christmas presents on 5th Avenue

Calm as I burn a candle while looking out the rainy window

Watching every drop of rain fall without fear

I want to be there right now dancing in the rain

~ Jordyn

GIGI

I imagine you

Your playful dogs

Your loud chickens

Your old turtles

The time you tried to order a peacock

I miss the campouts in your backyard

The scavenger hunts

The funny memories

If I could go back

I would

I would make the most

Of the time we had together

I’m sorry

~ Jackson S

8C

Grandma Mamie

I remember my grandmother ' s house Walkoutside andyou couldsmellthe south

I wouldwait for the train to pass by Then go over the tracks into the woods.

The trees, the wet air, andthe bright sun on my hair

Play allday, play allnight , but nothing goodlasts forever

I was there the day her heart stopped .

We stayedandwaited . It was an open casket .

I can remember feeling her coldskin Ryder

Aretha Franklin

She sang li ke an angel sent from heaven in the gospel

She rose to fame li ke a balloon rising, rising and rising to the sky after being let go by a kid

She watched as the whites treated her people li ke nothing less than a worthless object

She wanted to make a difference

She couldn’t let it be

She wrote songs that would inspire people

T hat would entertain people

T hat would help her earn money to donate to the Civil Rights Movement

Soon her songs would be sung throughout the neighborhoods

T hroughout the prisons

T hroughout the heads of ones who marched

She was inspirational and cheered for success, donating her time and money to make a difference

~ Vivien

Mixed Emotions

W hat I love about school is I get to see my friends W hat I hate about school is that I have to do homework

W hat I love about Mexican food is a bean and cheese burri to W hat I hate about Mexican food is that i t makes my stomach hurt

W hat I love about the sun is lying on the roof in the warmth

W hat I hate about the sun is the humidi ty and if I straig hten my hair that day i t looks weird

W hat I love about my parents is that they take care of me

W hat I hate about my parents is that I sometimes ﬁnd them really embarrassing

~ Arden

Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson stepped onto the field, not just to play, but to change the game. Every swing of his bat, every stolen base, was more than baseball, it was history. His courage was a fire that would not fade, burning through the doubt, the hate, the fear. The ball soared off his bat, racing like a promise, as if the game itself knew he belonged. Some tried to stop him, but he ran faster, stood taller, and played harder.

Jackie didn’t just wear the number 42. He carried a nation forward with it.

~ Philip

I Miss Covid

I miss Covid

Zoom school was goated

I ate so much I was bloated I miss Covid to 2k20 I was devoted 2k was coded I miss Covid

Zoom school was goated

~ Rylo

The Nature of the City

What I love about snow is that it’s silent when it falls

What I hate about snow is if you hold it too long it becomes sharp

What I love about rain is that it washes away the crumpled leaves of the past

What I hate about rain is that it’s hard to come by

What I love about sunshine is that it opens a new beginning

What I hate about sunshine is that sometimes it's too hot

What I love about clouds is the way they wrap you in a warm blanket

What I hate about clouds is that sometimes they can be too dense

What I love about nature is the freedom and peace

What I hate about nature is that I can’t access it

Only the exhaust

The concrete

The noise

~ Ryland Jesse Helms

In just 45 minutes, 100 meter dash,

In just 45 minutes, 200 meter dash,

In just 45 minutes, 4x100 meter relay,

In just 45 minutes, the long jump,

In just 45 minutes, sprinting past the walls of discrimination,

In just 45 minutes,

4 medals,

5 new world records,

Almost stopped by injury,

To break the walls of racial stereotypes,

In front of the people who said he couldn’t,

The expectations of millions weighing him down,

As fast as lightning,

In just 45 seconds on a day in 1935.

~ Michael B

Ode to Bea

Her name is Bea

She forgot about me

It was my birthday, you see

Her name is Bea

And she forgot to text me

W hy? Dear Bea

Her name is Bea

And she forgot about me

I miss you, Bea

~ Ceylon

Covid Triolet

peak life staying indoors

Covid bad but inside is fine

at home alone rummaging through drawers

peak life staying indoors

can't go outside no stores

"keep out" on my door's sign

peak life staying indoors

Covid bad but inside is fine

~ Dylan

Looking For Grandma Jenny

I cherish our many video calls together

I picture you smiling and asking how I am Your blue eyes, your light hair

I see myself in you

I remember my ﬁrst time visiting London

The place where you lived

Cold, windy, rainy, I saw you there

Only it was too late and you were already gone

“Talk soon!” you would say waving to the camera “Bye!” We’d say back as we hung up the phone

That was the last time I’d see you

Cotton

It All Fell

I watched it all fall

I watched it hit the ground

I pick up the phone and made a call

I watched it all fall

My thought s became so small

All I could hear was the sound

I watched it all fall

Then it it hit the ground

Edyn

W here Am I Looking?

Impossi ble is just something you can’t see ahead.

You said that impossible is something that is never going to happen.

T hat might be true, but let’s start with January, a new beginning

A big leap into the unknown. An opening of the mind.

You said, W hy can’t I see? W hy can’t I take that leap? W hy can’t I open my mind?

W here are you looking?

At the impossi ble, you said.

T hen see it from my lens Because impossible is not seeing yourself from the other side

~ Jackson

Pondering the World

W hy does life live?

W hy doesn’t everything die?

I need to know if things won’t arrive

W hy does life live?

It has a purpose but it connives.

I ponder how everything can lie.

W hy does life live?

W hy doesn't everything die?

~ Nick

Unreachable Connection

T he heart burns even though rain falls

~ Sonny