Capturing a memory

We read Srinkath Reddy's "Waiting for the Eclipse in the Black Garden" and students wrote their own poems capturing an important memory.

2nd Period

Amanda Harb
Missing My Christmas

I woke up.
We usually go to family's house.
My mom says "no".
We're staying home.
I want to go.
Have some fun.
Be with my family.
But no.
We stay home.
All in the quiet.
No noise.
No laughing.
All alone in the quiet.
On Christmas day.

Ruth Thompson
Waiting by the Waters

The waves crash against the rocks.
The glimmer in her eye.
I can smell the whispers.
The sand twirls below
and I'm still for one second.
I climb near
closer and closer.
I can feel the sun's greetings.
And I rise higher that the clouds in the sky.
And I say goodbye.



Daisy Ogede
My first important phone call

Before the sun rises
When I come back to life
One ring
shifts my attention
"Hello, may I know who is speaking?"
"Your father."
Five seconds blank.
First in eight years
Smooth, bold voice was familiar
I was five again
"Where was he for all these years?"
"Does he still remember me?"
"Why did he leave?"
Questions silenced forever.

Jonathan Herrera
The Metal Flying Horse

Hundreds of people waiting to get in.
Some go to mine, some to other ones.
The animal roars at us as we pass.
I sit down on the beast and wait…wait
I feel the butterflies shaking right out of my stomach
As this creature started to run I had no choice.
I had to hold on.
56 people on, only one that panics.
Wind across its face and starts to fly.
It turned dark for a while
Then I looked outside, it suddenly brightened
I can finally see.
Finally.

Jenny Shultz
- The Rush -

Clear crop field.
Gas fumes spinning all over
Woods surrounding me
Wheels running.
Jump on, and hold your breath
Push the gas and go
Fast. Faster
Feel the wind
Hear the wing
Hear the rush of wind,
Feel the rush.

More Found Poems

Students wrote a prompted free write about their school day, and then made new 16 word poems - either love poems, memory poems or epistolary (note) poems - using only language from their free writes

Fifth Period

Nitasha M.
High School

High school kids
Smoking in the parking lot
By my bus
With pink hair
Smells very bad.

James S.

I see
people but
I wait
for you
I see
but you
are always
too busy

Antonio S.

I go
off like
a bullet
I run
run run
The last
bell love
that bell.

7th Period

Jonathan H.
Memorable moment

Blue bus
kissing dull
smoking people
lockers smokers
brick cement
steel pointless
buses leaving.

Aura E.
House

Tiny spirits
Intelligence expanding
brain exploding
moon and
dew drop
words pushing
gateway opening
I'm home

Siria A.
I see

When I
take the
bus I
am at
the ocean
That is
all what
I see.

Clarice B
I like it chaos
to Clarice

I like
it metal
blue or
grey, tomorrow
Big Chaos
People everywhere


Jacob S.
Chicas and Fighting Chickens

Girls and
Fighting chickens
are the
coolest things
oh wait
some things
are not
right here


8th Period

Gregory U.
My Sixteen Words

Love is
hate. Hate
is pain.
Pain is
happy. Happy
is new.
New is
love and
love is
cycle.

Clementine F.
Epistolary: The note

Be happy, school's almost over.
Meet me at the lockers after school.
Then we can go home.

Elizabeth B.

Golden hair
Big Brown eyes
It drives me crazy
when you look at her that way.

Eva S.
Cold metal

Metal skateboard
Metal door
Metal detector
Metal hallways
Metal windows
Metal bell
Metal locker
Car

Adam W.
LOVE IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN UNLESS…

When I look at the girl I love
I feel sad I am feeling everlasting Oblivion.

Alex H.

I awake staring outside
with feelings
of things
long day
of long
day dreams
fidgety kid