Book Cover Painting
by Georgia LV
Students - One of the stories my mom likes to tell is about how as a little girl, I would stop in parking lots to look at rainbows in puddles. Yes, they were made from the oil in rainwater...but I could not help but stop and marvel. I still think they are so pretty, all of those colors just swirling around in water...kind of like soap bubbles. I've written about these rainbow puddles before in this space, and I probably will again...some family stories are like that.
Today's poem grew from this story that my mom tells, and I am going to spend some time this summer thinking about other family stories and finding the poems tucked inside them. This might be something you'd like to try this summer too...keep a list of family stories (those you remember and those you have been told) and then see what poems you find in your list!
Today I am very lucky to welcome Mrs. Karen Harter and her poets of Room 115 at
Holmes Elementary School in the
KenTon School District in Tonawanda, NY. They have been writing and sharing and displaying their poetry with gusto and much love. Tomorrow is their last day of the school year, and I tip my summer hat as I wish all of them many good writing adventures this summer and in their lives. Welcome to Mrs. Karen Harter and students!
Mrs. Harter's Poets!
Photo by Teacher Karen Harter
My muilti-age second/third grade class at Holmes Elementary School enjoyed reading the poems posted on The Poem Farm website throughout the school year. We loved Mrs.VanDerwater's regular poems and helpful hints. The inspirations for those poems and some great tips, really "revved up our engines" before writing! We also enjoyed reading and listening to poems written by other adult authors, and the chance to read poems written by children our own age.
So, we were very excited to meet Mrs. VanDerwater in person when she visited our school in May ---and "over the moon" when she suggested that we post OUR poems here on The Poem Farm website. The only thing that will be better than our normal reading is when we log on one day...and WE are there! That will be the "icing on the cake." The children picked one poem out of many that they wrote, and each student chose the one he or she liked best to publish. We hope you like them.
Thank you, Mrs. VanDerwater, and everyone who visits The Poem Farm. We love it, and are so proud to be a part of it now, too!
"Poets are not born in a country; Poets are born in childhood." - Vladimir Khodasevich
Poems in my Pocket
Photo by Teacher Karen Harter
Never the Same
I saw a dead bird.
It made me sad.
I think he got hit by a car.
I was mad.
I gave him a funeral.
His bird friends came.
But the trees in the park
will never be the same.
Cahlab
age 10
Hummingbirds
They have feathers.
They perch on trees.
They are beautiful.
They live in North America.
The bee hummingbird
Is the world's
smallest bird.
Not a
BEE
or a
BUG
Just the smallest bird.
This bird only lives in Cuba
and it looks like a bee
so humans won't
mess
with
it.
BUT....we know a hummingbird from a bee--
or a bug.
Nicole
age 9
A Bad Day
I hit the ball
and I did fall
I passed out
I had to pout
I made a face
I got my emergency case
In case I got bruised in the face.
Sal
age 7
The House
I wonder
when
I leave my house
if it says,
"Where is Maxine going?"
Maxine
age 9
There's a War in my Bedroom
My army man still thinks he's in
World War II
I hear him say,
"OK man, get ready for battle.
Let's move out.
This battle is getting rough
and my rifle is almost out of bullets.
But, we will pull through."
(Maybe I should tell him it's 2012)
Josh
age 9
DINNER!
There once was a spider
who lived in a web.
He met a fly.
They had some fun.....
until he was done spinning his web!
And then, he said,
"Now you'll be my dinner!"
Emily
age 9
The Bills
Watching the Bills is
eating frankfurters,
drinking pepsi,
shouting,
laughing,
waiting,
anticipating,
screaming,
HOORAY!
They won!
Jermiah
age 9
Grass
I see grass in
Spring
Summer
Fall
and even
Winter.
But in
SPRING
it is the
BEST
Come out and play.
Come out and play in the
Grass.
Cheyenne
age 8
The Race
I am in first place.
I am as fast as a cheetah.
I win!
My prize is a
black
red
shiny
brand new
PORSCHE
with
sparkling rims.
My next race will
be
in
my
NEW CAR!
Dominic
age 9
About my Toys....
My toys talk in my room
And they move.
I wonder if they might be
talking about me,
or my room,
or do they talk about themselves?
I know they talk!
Anthony
age 9
Getting an Apple from the Apple Tree
I'm
g
n
i
p
m
u
j
so I can
get an
apple from
t
h
e
t
r
e
e
The tree said, "Go away boy!"
Vernon
age 8
Savannah
My sister Savannah
My mom calls her banana
She is three
She fell and hurt her knee
I love Savannah.
Caryn
age 8
Our Dogs
I had our dogs named
Moose
Oreo
Britney
Riley
They each had 2 puppies.
How many puppies
Do I have now?
Rebecca
age 7
Bare
The trees
with no leaves
look like
people
with
no
hair.
D'Anna
age 9
Winter Tree
I saw a tree
with no leaves
on it.
It looks like a
naked
tree.
The sun
has come up.
The tree has leaves on it now.
The tree
doesn't
look
naked
anymore.
William
age 9
Haiku!
Photo by Teacher Karen Harter
Thank you so much to teacher Karen Harter and her young poets for joining us today. Now, other students will read your poems for inspiration, and I feel very grateful to have your words and poems here forever.
I welcome all young writers to visit throughout the summer and to share your own poems in the comments. I will be here on Fridays with poems and writing thoughts.
Please share a comment below if you wish.
To find a poem by topic, click
here. To find a poem by technique, click
here.
