The Richmond Heights Teen Poetry Club met once or twice a month between April 1997 - Dec. 1999, to read poetry, write poetry, and eat snacks. These samples of their poetry (& other poems submitted more recently) are meant to inspire teens to submit their own poems on any topic to the WebSmart Teen Page.   Submit a poem here, including your first name and your age if you like.

Dreams   |   Power   |   Questioning  |  Growing-up   |  Anger, Grief, Loneliness   |  The Earth   |   Other
 
 
 

Dreams

THE DREAM OF A PERFECT WORLD

As a new day comes
I want to see every hand
being held by another
across the countries, oceans, and continents.
I want to see every man,
woman and child coming
together in friendship, love
and brotherhood.
Hearing everyone singing one
song across the nations
and the world.
Smelling the sweet smells
from the flowers in the field nearby.
Also the smell of cakes, cookies
or brownies in the oven.

When the sun goes down and the moon is rising
every girl and boy will sit
close to their families and hear stories
Or sit around the dinner
table having a loving dinner.
Maybe they are gathered
around the fireplace just talking
or singing, or having fun.

One day my hopes and my dreams
of this perfect world will come true.
Seeing all the people coming together.
Hearing all the people sing one song.
Smelling all the sweet smells
that are across the whole world.
Hopefully your dreams of a perfect world
will someday come true.
 

--Stacy, 11th Grade
 
 
 
 
 
 

A MEADOW OF PEACE

TO DREAM

The dream, scary
The memory, weary
The feeling, teary
It was only a dream
 

--Stephanie, 6th Grade
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A WORLD BEHIND MY TROUBLES

When will I see the light?
get to feel the great delight,
fly away into the sky,
and watch the stars as they pass me by,
feel so happy, filled with glee,
know exactly, where I want to be,
right there, frozen in that moment in time,
not facing the world, filled with crime,
just feel that feeling, in my heart,
to fall in love, and get a new start.
 

--Sabrina, 10th grade

UNTITLED

I dream that I am a princess
Beautiful,
Kind,
Loving.
With a beautiful dress.

I dream that I am the wind
Howling,
Screaming,
Whistling,
Through the dark, calm night.

I dream that I am a mother
Working,
Loving,
Fun.
But now I dream that I am myself.
I think that is the one.
 

--Anna, 5th grade

Power

Before I wake,
After I sleep,
I have a secret life
In my head.
While I lie there asleep
I have a different identity
That only I know
And I never let
Anyone know
About my secret life.
 

--Anna, 8th Grade

THOUGHTS

Thoughts scramble throughout my head
Flow out into my pen.
My pen dances along the page
Writing the thoughts that were stuck in my head.
 

--Gretchen, 7th Grade

SUNFLOWER

A sunflower with yellow petals to spread.
It reminds me of the opposite of dead.
It is black in the middle, dark and lonely.
The flower is so tall and colorful through it all.
You can't forget this kind of flower,
For all it is, is a kind of power.
 

--Stephanie, 6th Grade

WHAT WRITING AND IT'S WRITER'S ARE ABOUT

We write these poems,
To show our feelings,
We uncover our heart,
To share our deepest thought.
Some people put us down,
For our love of writing,
But this is our way
To say what we need to say.
Sometimes we just can't write anymore,
Because everything feels all at the same time,
We are expressionists,
Us that write.
Our poems are of beauty,
some of the greatest masterpieces.
But belonging,
That's why we do it.
Talking,
I can't do,
But ask me to write a poem
I can say anything, by sitting and thinking about life.
Poems brighten my day,
Sometimes help me get through life,
They are always there to write.
Unlike friends, and people.
I go every day,
And see people that don't let out their emotions,
I'm one of those people so it would seem,
Except my escape is found in my poem-writing.
Who knows,
I might be all wrong,
But this is how I feel.
 

--Lela, 8th Grade

Look at the shapes, the lines, the flowers
See the color, the emotion, the shading
Hear it sing, hear it whisper, hear it preach
Notice the way it has no hatred
The way it reaches for your soul
Grabs the awe, the wonder, the joy
It has the power to speak to one in
Words only they can translate
1,000 words, 1,000 memories
And the hope of seeing 1,000 more.
 

--Sarah, 9th Grade

OCEAN

Waves crashing at my fingertips
the sea's endless rage
but calm and friendly
smooth and cool
it has a mind of its own

The ocean has its own
attitude
and
Life!
 

--Mary, 7th Grade

ACCEPTANCE

Everyone, everyday, everywhere,
We should all feel like a friend, a person.
Being yourself, also still self aware,
And still trying to be a son.

We should all feel like a friend, a person
While going our own way.
And still trying to be a son,
From the love that will stay.

While going your own way
The way you long desire
From the love that will stay
Your soul'll be set on fire.

That way you long desire,
Being yourself, also self aware
Your soul'll be set on fire.
Everyone, everyday, everywhere.
 

--Brendan, 10th Grade

Questioning

As I sit here, stitching designs
in a piece of cloth,
I wonder about every stitch becoming
a memory of long ago.
Or do the stitches represent something
that went wrong that I have done?
Or do the stitches mean
perfection that will be the
things that I do right?
Looking down at that cloth
that is becoming what I have pictured
in my mind just got me thinking.

Memories of the past come back
to me this night.
They get me wondering once more
about what the stitches mean.
I think they all mean that whatever is going
to happen in the future can be changed
before you have to knot the end of the thread.
 

--Stacey, 10th Grade

WHAT IF

What if you hammered a nail with a noodle?
Or took a shower in paint?
If you built a house on top of a fence?
Wouldn't it be weird if you had a poodle that meowed?
If this could happen
what would you do?
Would you ever think of doing these things?
Or would you try to get everything back
to a regular world?
I would do something even better.
I would make everything weirder!
 

--Sarah, 7th Grade

Can you
or I
Or Anyone
Know
What you
Or I
Or Anyone
Knows?
 

--Rachel, 10th grade

Growing-up

It used to be I could play all day
but now I have to sit quiet and controlled.
If I screamed aloud I wouldn't get in trouble
but now I get a dumb demerit.
Whoever eats at breaktime gets in trouble
back then we got oreos and milk.
I wish I still was in kindergarten
when you wouldn't get in trouble at all.
I don't know better, I swear!
Next time I'll be good.
 

--Mary, 7th Grade

BIRTHDAYS

All kids love birthdays
All grown-ups despise them.
I wonder why this is?
Kids get presents but grown-ups get older.
They say they don't have birthdays anymore.
Kids count the days until their day has come.
Grown-ups count their imaginary gray hairs.
But one thing is true.
Everyone, in one point in their life, loves birthdays.
 

--Sarah, 7th Grade

REMEMBER WHEN

Remember when we would stay out all night?
We would play hide and seek till we had absolutely
no light.
Remember when the earth and outdoors was our best
friend?
Now we grow old and all that has come to an end.
Our lives revolve around computers, phones and beepers.
We used to share, but now we play finders keepers.
We used to look in windows at people who worked all day.
Now we are looking out.  When is it our chance to play?
Now our boundaries are whatever fit on our credit cards.
Before our boundaries were outside, in any
of the backyards.
The world isn't changing but it is we who are.
The game has been put on hold so we can afford
a new car.
Maybe soon we can go out and play hide and seek again.
But now we sit and try "Remember when?"
 

--Meg, 9th Grade

I know so much about you,
And yet so little when compared to all I wish to know,
One day.

Small facts, like treasure, I store away in memory.
To be brought out later, when I am alone and held up in the light
To catch the truth hidden within.

We dance, awkward at first, each stepping on each others toes at times.
But then, we find a rhythm in each other, a flow.

With growing confidence we dance,
And meld together, and yet
Each time start anew, each meeting in another dance.

We test the water, cautiously, dipping a toe in gingerly before we dive,
Before we give ourselves to this dance,

Give everything,
And find ourselves.
 

--Jessa, 11th Grade

TRUST

So simple, so easy.
And yet so hard.

A baby trusts so easily, so readily
But we spend our adult lives looking, longing for someone to trust.

We are scarred.
    by peers
    by parents
    by the ones we trust

We are burnt and shy from the flame,
but are drawn back.

We desperately need to warm ourselves,
to plunge our hands into the fire.

And we are burned.
Again.
And again.

Until we find a shield.
Someone to protect us, to tenderly soothe our burned hands.

And we heal.
And once again, like children, can play in the flame.

And trust.
 

--Jessa, 11th Grade

It's only been a month.
It seems like a full year.
I can never quite grasp
what the point of metric is
if we never use it in America,
or the point of mouths
if we can't talk.
 

--Mary, 8th grade

Being a young child so
many years ago gave me
the strength that I could do anything.
Things didn't bother me as
they do now.
Where we lived was home to me
and my family.
Then all of a sudden all our stuff
was all in boxes and being loaded
on a big truck.
Every room was bare
like a cave in the middle of the forest.
Nothing remained.
Every member of the family
got whatever was left and
everyone was gathering into the car.
A long, long drive ahead of us.
The road was endless.
 

--Stacey, 11th grade

A 4-leaf clover
Move 3 steps forward

A shiny penny
1 step forward

A black cat crossed your path
Move 2 back

Oh what a tricky game luck is.
You never know what you'll get.

Just face it.
It will change,

No matter how you look at it.
 

--Sarah, 8th grade

No one listens
No one talks
No one to hear one's thoughts
 

--Gretchen, 8th grade

O my how good it will feel
to have no homework
no 7:15 mom yelling to get up
I will miss school
not saying I love it or anything
What I'm trying to say is
I'll miss my teachers and friends
But I say yes to

Summer Vacation!
 

 --Megan, 7th grade

A DAY AWAY

 tick, tick, tick, tock
time never ends on that stupid clock

School and classes are almost over
I sigh and let out a small little whimper
Sleeping in very late
Not having to make deadlines and dates
Sitting in the warm sun
Swimming and just having fun
Summer please come
I want to play
Oh, my freedom is just a day away

tick, tick, tick tock
time never ends on that stupid clock.
 

--Meg, 10th grade

WHEN I GROW UP

When I grow up I'm going to be a caveman
but for now I have to go to school.
When Jill grows up she's going to be a lawyer
but she says she has to go to gymnastics.
When Greg grows up he's going to play baseball
but he says he has to practice.
I don't think I want to be a caveman anymore.
I think I'll just be a kid,
Not grow up at all.
After all, I want to prove my parents wrong.
I won't just be a kid once but
I'll be a kid twice.
 

--Sarah, 8th grade

NOTHING

I wonder if I'll never hear anything,
if I won't hear people
or I won't hear cars
or even the wind.
It would be nice
but I know it won't happen
so I will just hear.
 

--Sarah, 8th grade
 

I remembered nonstop chatting
and making trouble with you,
I thought of playing silly games
with a friend that was so new.

To be friends like you and I
takes effort from the heart,
but somehow i can't denie
this year has torn us far apart.

To never speak or talk to you now
is killling me inside,
to walk past you without a smile
brings sad feelings that I hide.

To know how it feels to lose a friend
is the worst feeling of all,
I don't know how i could have ever
let our friendship fall.

Your new friends are much better
I'm yet the "old friend" now i see,
when i look at u with them i think
"She used to smile with me"

I'm sorry for ever losing you
but I'll admitt I'm glad,
because you have given me
the best memories I've had.

So find your way my dear friend
but still i'll always plee,
if you should be gone for good
Please... remember and love me

-Anonymous

The Best of Every Friend

I've never been the one who didn't have a friend. I've always had a few,
But never one who would lift me up
like the way you do.

I know when we first met I was
harsh and cold to you,
It's a shame about the time I wasted.
I guess I just never knew.

It wasn't until I saw your soul
that made me realize,
How special you'de make me
feel when I'de look into your eyes.

As we grew closer someone else
had come into our lives,
he was YOUR boyfriend who I liked
and the pain stabbed me like knives.

He cared for me as well as you
but never in the same way,
then our perfect little friendship
slipped farther day by day.

We would try to make one another jealous,
By using this well known guy,
I wanted to steal him from you
that's something I can't denie.

But then I see your heart and soul
and then I start to see,
What on earth I've been missin
and how perfect you can be.

You've helped me through everything
and tought me to be strong,
you've seen my fears and guided me through
and erased all of my wrongs.

You've heard my prayers and battled my struggles when I was so afraid,
I don't wanna lose you again
that's the worse price I've paid.

You help me breathe when I am suffocating
in stress and in despair,
You help me reach the top
when nobody else would care.

Now keep me with you my friend
and I'll keep you close...IT'S True!,
and I'll help everyone understand
what they don't see in you.

I'll always protect your heart and soul
when times for you aren't good,
please remember that I'de pick you up
when nobody else would.

So stay with me my angel
and hope our friendship never ends,
and I'll thank god for YOU...
the best of every friend.

-ANONYMOUS

Anger, Grief, Loneliness

PART ONE:
I have no choice
i need to speak through
because love aint only a depression
but a suicide to

like a crack in the sky
that i cant fall through
behind the door on the wall
were i will die soon

a death trap inside my head
as shattered as my heart
were inside im dead

because love is slodering me inside
like a massacure
i feel as if im deaf and blind
as my revenge slowly occurs

holding a gun to my head
because that specific person
as my arm slowly bled
because my chemical depression

PART TWO:
This chemical depression
flowing thorugh my veins
love is like life
its filled with pain

with black tears
of sorrow
with bloddy eyes
that forfill this pyro

a bleeding poisin inside my brain
flowing throughout my body
that drives me insane

i lay there
to rot away
i lay there knowing
i die today

- Brittney

TEARS OF THE HEART

Some say that my time will come
But I am here to prove them wrong!
16 years of life,
And love is not in sight!

Is it so hard to return this gift?
This painful gift of love?
Is the pain not worth your time?
Am I not worth your love?

Now I think, is it worth it?
To be stabbed in the heart a million times
And be told that you are hurt!?
What about me?

Have you ever thought about that?
How I feel shitty too!
Pain is the bases of love
But I guess pain can only happen to you!

The crappy part about it is I can't get over you!
Why do you always make me happy?
Reminding me that I can't have you?
Why do you cloud my mind!?

The worst part about it is your taken
And is sucks that I put this shit on you!
And for that I'm sorry!
But, it doesn't change how I feel.

I hate how you led me on!
How you made me belive something could happen!
Just to let me down.
Who is hurting now!?

I guess it's true,
Love leads to pain
And pain leads to hate.
So like you said "why love?"

Why love you?

-Anonymous

UNTITLED

Sometimes I look at you,
And wonder why you look so blue.
Did I do something?
Or is it just what you do.
Sorry for the past,
The things I might have said.
Sucks to be left,
Only to feel dead.
Wishing you could turn back time,
With all thats left of your pride.
But all thats left of pride,
Is what is left inside.

-Alyssa

WAITING FOR YOU

You were the light that shone in my life
You were the sun and the stars at night,
You loved me purely, simply, true,
I was alone until I found you,
I thought we would stay in that world forever,
You and I, always together,
Until that day when the rain fell hard,
And the cops came to get you,
I wish you had never gone and done those things those day,
The rain always falls now you've gone away,
I can't forget when you told me you were away,
And how you left and me hoping you were listening to our favorite song.
How I wish I'd held onto that one final kiss,
Now all my world is drab and gray,
I miss you more with every passing day,
Still I wait for the day when I'm with you again,
A day when I can no longer feel the pain,
Until then I know you'll stay in my heart,
And that will never drive us apart,
For as long as I'm living, I'll be missing you,
But when it's all over, I'll still be true,
All of my life I was waiting for you,
Now you're gone, but not for me,
This love is forever, as it was always meant to be!

-Steffi

TO KILL FOR PEACE

I saw an Indian
hanging from 2 trees
over an open fire,
with a Pilgrim holding a gun.
I saw children cheering,
men shooting,
women dragging the young ones away.
Then the Indian
jumped off the rope
and said,
"If we eat together,
a big meal together,
maybe our  children can play.
Why should we fight
when we can hunt together
and plant crops together."
The pilgrim holding the gun
shot
that old Indian away
and said he was a turkey,
so the Indians and Pilgrims
had a big meal together
eating the person who deserves the credit.
 

--Sarah, 7th Grade
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

AN EMPTY WORLD

In the distance I hear words of criticism.
Laughing follows whatever was said.
Tears begin to fall while the
laughing gets stronger.
Behind your back the laughing
and the words continue.
Laughing at that point gets to the
highest level there is.
You feel like you are in the shadows.
But wherever you hide or run
they will continue to laugh at you
or gossip about you.
If you turn the corner,
the words are being spoken
and the laughing is endless.

It feels like no one has the heart of purity.
No one has the feeling you do.
No one cares that a tear falls.
No one knows that your heart is in shatters
upon the ground.
They will keep saying the words
and laughing about what they said.

Until the day that death approaches,
then maybe the words and
the laughing will stop.
Hopefully the tears may start.
Then they will know how it
feels to have their heart in shatters.
But later they will find another person
and start the words and the laughing
all over again.
Will the endless words and the laughing
end?
 
 

--Stacey, 10th Grade
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

TWO DOGS

Every morning the
dogs would come
barking and yelping
I would say they say
I'm hungry and lonely.
 
 

--Megan, 6th Grade
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

                  It's my life
                  I can do what I please
                  I need no help
                  For your love- it's diseased.
                  It's my life
                  And you don't understand
                  That I
                  Have never made a single demand.
                  I've not needed your help so far
                  So what makes you think
                  That I would need it now
                  When the only thing you've done is DRINK?
                  I've made it on my own, this far
                  So don't start acting like a parent
                  When your love, in the past
                  Has been so transparent.
                  I've learned
                  Everything I need to know
                  About living life
                  And letting no pain show.
                  I can retreat to my mind
                  And let joy and happiness take leave
                  While hate and misery
                  Begin their weave.
                  Childhood memories
                  Hold their place in my heart
                  But what I would give
                  For them to depart.
                  My question is
                  What reason is there to live?
                  When PAIN is what I face every morning
                  And I have no LOVE to give.
                  So, my dear family
                  This happy little secret we've kept
                  Has left me here
                  In my small room where I have wept.
                  When no more tears are left
                  And all feelings are gone
                  I can make myself say over again
                  "No, you've never done anything wrong."
                  Now I will tell you
                  How things will be
                  And I can only hope
                  You will begin to see.
                  Never again
                  Will I pull for you
                  You can make your own lies
                  And there's nothing I will do.
                  I'm leaving now
                  Hopefully never will I see you again
                  This is the final time I will take your crap
                  And the last time that I can.
 

--Chelsea, 9th Grade
 

MY LETTER

Dear Somebody,
Sometimes the stars are so bright
I wonder if there really are
Perfect nights.
I write to show
How I feel
To keep my glow.
Perhaps this is the beginning to an end
Because I know
God will send
I believe in the theory
But now God to me
Is weary.
Followers aren't leading me
And I feel segregated
From my being.
Making a difference in life
Hasn't worked
So I end my strife.
I know we all have a place
Here on earth
But right now I feel unneeded space.
My feelings make decisions
With every moment
With any reason.
 

--Lela, 8th Grade
 
 
 
 

UNTITLED

When you left
I didn't know why
I stood over you
And started to cry
You were so young
You had so much time left
Why did you go?
I loved you so much.
 

--Gretchen, 9th Grade
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Challenges

Sadness hurt pain and emotions

seems to never want to go away

everything seemed so perfect

how could I be so wrong? Now the

pain is here and I can't handle it at all

I thought I was strong I thought I had strength

but now I know I'm weak weaker than I've ever been

like a candle in the wind I am slowly blowing away

where is everyone can anyone hear me now?

I'm screaming I'm begging for someone to listen but

they don't even hear me But everything gets better

it always does gods sends us challenges from up above to

make us stronger he gives us hope he pulls us through

every hard time of our life. Everything doesn't always go the way we wish. A
lot of times it goes way off track.

But holding on and having faith will pull us through. The sun eventually
shines after every storm. Without challenges we would die. Challenges come at us
everyday not to make us weak only to make us stronger. Remember that GOD
DOESN'T GIVE YOU MORE CHALLENGES THAN YOU CAN HANDLE!!!!!

-Samedi, Age 15
 

The Earth

Power

A glowing blue stream flashes in the sky
A twisting tunnel of wind
It has the appearance of electricity
Electricity hurtling itself through the tunnel.
Something is coming out.
It is not a man.
It is not a god.
It is both.
It drifts down to earth, tunnel following behind
Lightening shoots out of the tunnel and strikes him!
Yet he is unscathed!
he absorbs the blow and with a clap of his hands
sends it hurtling into the sky.
a storm is coming.
The rain falls down but not on him.
He lays his hands out and the rain flies into them
Flies into them like he called the rain.
he throws it down to earth
as it hits it creates a puddle
The puddle becomes a river.
The river becomes a sea.
The sea becomes an ocean.
A shark jumps out of the water.
He jumps on it and stands on it.
Then another bolt of lightening hits him and he manipulates it
Manipulates it to strike the shark and the water around him
the water turns to land and the shark turns to bones
He strings the bones together using a wisp of fog.
he forms them into armor.
he gives them powers like the storm
The sword gives claps of thunder
The shield defends with wind
The helmet clouds the enemy’s mind
The armor shields with lightening
He attached the armor to his body and his hands
and rode the shield through the air
because it power like the wind
He belly flopped into the water
and the water became land
And he struck the ground with his sword
and it called the dust to life
The dust became human and the humans came alive
the living became his army and the dead provided bones
The bones provided armor
And armor provided power
With power comes a battle
And battle has a beauty
And beauty has a love
And love is what we need
Yes. Love in certainly what we need.

-Garrett Finazzo
Age 13

 

Stars
I love the stars in the dark night,
and how they're always shining bright,
it brings me happiness, it makes me smile,
it makes me stay to look for a while,
at the beautiful stars soaring high,
i wish i could be with them, up there in the sky,
they bring some calmness right to you,
can be your comfort, when feeling blue,
I love to look at the stars so much,
because it's like they bring the comforting touch,
.... you must look at the stars too,
because all these things, I see in you,
the stars must have put themselves in your eyes,
because you bring that comfort, not hurt or lies,
so don't stop doing whatever you do,
because you're the greatest, and you're you!

 RAIN SONNET

Shall I tell thee of the soft, quiet rain?
That comes in the mist covering the land.
Clear drops wash away our sorrow and pain.
From heaven they fall like grains of sand.
Rain comes when it wants, rain leaves when it wants.
Who ought to stop it but thy mighty God?
Can come twice in a day, or only once,
Clears away the paths of where I had trod.
Oh rain, come kiss us with cool gentle lips,
And free my soul like a bird from a cage.
Falls in showers or only in drips.
Those who observe rain find wisdom like sage.
Rain's tunes more lovely than that of a fife.
Rain's the symbol of freedom and new life.
 

--Mandy, 6th Grade
 

HALE-BOP

I open the back door
and step out into the cool chilly night.
Soon I feel damp grass under my feet
and a cold chill runs down my spine.
I glance up into the starry sky and
I see a big beautiful light.
It has a long tail that is silver and bright.
As I walk back inside I feel comforted,
like there is an angel above,
watching me,
watching.
 

--Camille, 8th Grade
 
 
 
 
 

TREE OF MIRACLES

I am surrounded by the big brown branches
on the tree of miracles.
The leaves sparkle in the midday sun
and the bark is warm and comforting.
But the branches sem to be reaching out,
grabbing, wanting,
What does the tree of miracles want?

I sit in the wanting branches,
thinking and thinking.
What could this tree ever need?
Someday I will find out.
Someday I will whisper into its ear:
"What, Tree of Miracles, what do you want?"
 

--Camille, 8th Grade
 
 
 
 
 

THE VERY FIRST DAY

Bright green grass
Water as still as glass
Bright blue sky
No one wondering why.

No girls or boys
Silence not a single noise
A light cool breeze and warm air
Everything clean and perfect yet no one to share.

Animals running free
Empty land between the sea
I stand there all alone, looking at this brand new place
Wondering how it appeared from outer space.
 

--Meg, 9th Grade
 
 
 

THE WINTER DAY

The surroundings were
beautiful.
It was winter time
and it had finished snowing
about an hour before.
The white was the most white
white could ever get.
After a while of sledding
Josh got the idea of using
an inner tube to go down
the hill we were sledding on.
So I stood at the bottom of the hill
and timed Josh.
And after we had enough of that
we decided to go in
and have hot cocoa.

--Megan, 6th Grade

LOVELY DROP

The rain is light,
Comes either day or night,
each drop with its own attitude,
hard, light, soft, crushing.
Wet to the ground below,
mist to the sky above,
till finally rain is no more.
 

--Stephanie, 6th Grade
 
 
 
 

  SUMMER NIGHT

Footsteps pound on the ground,
A booming voice
Dies down,
Feet scramble to their beds.
Mosquitoes buzz by our heads.
A tree with no leaves
Sways up ahead.
Warm summer winds
Howl all around.
The night becomes
Cool and fresh.
The grass turns wet
With every step.
People whisper,
Talk,
Chat.
But I?
I look above
Where the stars shine,
Twinkle, flash.
Bright tiny
Lights
Become a blur.
Darkness closes
As I drift
Off in a deep sleep.

--Gretchen, 9th Grade

THE SEASONS

Spring is full of flowers and warm weather
Fall is full of leaves, all bunched together
Winter is made of snow, white and soft
Summer is not a good time to be in the loft
As you can see, none of these seasons are the same
Because if they were, it would be a shame!
 

--Anna, 5th Grade
 
 
 
STARS

HEAT FROM THE HEAVENS

Down from the heavens,
heat is coming.
Heat is burning the ground
beneath your feet.
Hot breezes are blowing hard
on your face.
Your body is trying to
cool itself off
but it can't, the heat is too
hot for it to handle.

Soon the sun will be down
and heat will disappear
with the sun.
Coolness covers the earth.
 

--Stacey, 11th grade
 
 
 
 
 
 

THE WINDY DAY

Clear, unpolluted air
swiftly running its
transparent fingers
through my hair
whistling in my ear
cooling the fiery pavement
dancing with the trees
blowing the butterflies
off their course
forcing the birds
to stay in their homes
carrying leaves
around the block
playing with the cars on the road
making them swerve
side to side
then a storm blew in
and washed the
mess away!
 

--Mary, 8th grade
 
 
 
 

SILVERY MOON

The silvery moon
so silent and bright
fell slowly in the night
Owls hushed and spiders leaped
to see dusk turn into night
 

--Gretchen, 8th grade
 
 
 
 

THE TREE'S LIMB

The tree's limb
long and alive
curled slowly around
the soft red flower

silky and smooth
sweet smelling rose
with the slowly
curled limb around
its body
 

--Gretchen, 8th grade
 
 
 
 

OUT THE WINDOW

I gaze out the window
high above the ground,
and mountains that used
to tower over me
look up as I look down.
 

--Meg, 10th grade
 
 
 
 

JOY

Silent joy whispers
through the morning
air. As the day grows warmer
the joy sparkles louder.
Night unfolds and joy
drips like honey into
the hearts of all.
 

--Meg, 10th grade
 
 
 
 

NOBLE CAT

As the noble cat
leaped at the floating white butterfly
her soft chestnut fur
danced in the radiant sun
 

--Meg, 10th grade
 
 
 
 

A HOME FOR EVERYONE

In the summer,
On a sunny day,
The leaves are blowing
Gently in the trees.
The limbs curl around each other.
They're curled in a specific way,
Like they're hugging one another.
A nest rests in a tree
That's a home for a bird
A squirrel
Or bug or bee,
The tree full of life
And excitement.
The tree is like a rented home
Or shelter or homeless home.
It gives love and kindness
To everyone!
 

--Gretchen, 8th grade
 
 
 
 

TRAIN WINDS

Green clouds roll by
Lightning bolts flash in the sky
Breezes pick up speed
Worried faces take the lead
Pattering feet across the field
Beating hearts of people kneeled
Screaming lungs & herds of kids
Quick! It's coming!
Train engine, drops of rain
It's picking up speed!
Fierce winds whipping faces
Trees swaying,
Crack!
Let's go!
Tornado!
 

--Rachel, 10th grade
 
 
 
 

SCARLET MOON

They were scattering
Dark, cold roses
In the indigo twilight
From the scarlet moon
 

--Rachel, 10th grade
 
 
 
 

MORE POEMS

War in Iraq

I sit under an awning
looking up at the flag
watch it wave in the wind
see the birds playing tag.

It makes me remember
the country at hand
the war in Iraq
united we stand.

The troops that are fighting
for us and their lives
are leaving their family
and their kids and their wives.

Those that are lost
are mourned by beloved.
Those who return
give thanks to above.

Though war may be gruesome
and battles be long
put faith in Him
and you will be strong.

-Garrett, Age 13

A NEW SHOE

A new shoe is clean
and neat
It smells of rubber
and suede and leather
Like getting a new haircut
you want to show it off
and break it in
but when that shoe
gets old, you
want nothing to do
with the worn
out thing.
You throw it
away and
never see it again.
 

--Mary, 7th Grade
 
 

Lift your head up, don't get down,
don't let the devil get your frown,
smile because you're beautiful, smile because you're you,
smile because I care, and I will help you through,
they said you couldn't do it, but you'll do it,
I believe in you, in this world you fit,
so keep your head up, don't fall down,
don't fall under the water, don't let yourself drown,
just remember i luv you, and we'll get through,
because I wouldn't be living without you!

--Sabrina, grade 10
 
 
 

FEELING

DEATH

What is death?

Death is something we can't control.
It sends pain to both our heart and soul.
It is hard to hide the burning pain.
After a loved one dies, nothing is ever the same.
Death can come anywhere, anytime.
Some people are not ready to take the big climb.
Everybody knows that you can't hide you can't run.
Soon someday your own day will come.
 

--Mia, 6th Grade
 
 
 

UNTITLED

MY SISTERS ARE WEIRD

Gretchen is obsessed with mechanical gadgets
Rachel is disgusted by little slime maggots
Gretchen said she's going to have a profession in mechanics
Rachel said she'd rather spend her life on the Titanic
I don't think either of them
Will have a very big market with their devices
I want to have a career in automatics
Should I tell you about that?
 

--Anna, 5th Grade
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

WHATEVER

MYSTERY HUMMING

I heard humming from
my room,
wondering who or what
could be making that
sound.
Slowly I approached the door.
When the door was opened,
I saw angels singing and
humming all in my room.
 

--Stacy, 11th grade
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

PLACE OF SILENCE

TIME

Why are we obsessed
with time? Why wear a watch?
I am a hypocrite.
I'm wearing a watch.
It's no fun to keep
watching the clock
because the time won't go any faster.
 

--Mary, 8th grade
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

APRIL 14, 1912

 
 
 
 

SWING

She moved to the swing
Of the sharp swing song
Swinging to the sound
Of the Swing
 

---Rachel, 10th grade
 
 

Consumed

I can still hear them,
I can still feel their ice cold touch.
They call out to me.
They call out from within the darkness.
The darkness that slowly consumes them.
And soon it will consume me.
My soul is numb, my spirit sleeping.
I've lost sight of the light.
The light that once filled me.
The light I was consumed in.
Its just a dream now.
A distant dream, that's all it is.
It seems as though it never existed.
But though I dwell in that darkness,
I still remember the warmth,
The warmth the light gave to me.
The light that is so distant now.
And as I drown in the darkness,
Ill whisper to it, Ill whisper to the light.
So that it may return,
So that it may once again fill me with joy,
fill me with joy and extinguish the darkness,
Extinguish so that I may once again feel the warmth,
The warmth I thought was gone forever.
But the darkness is strong.
And they call for me.
The shadows call for me.
They're beckoning to me.
Offering a bitter death.
They're tormenting me.
Which is why I need the warmth.
The warmth of the light.
The warmth of the light at the end of the tunnel!

-Pablo 

---

 

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