This poem is an example of how kids can connect Science and Poetry

S-c-i-e-n-c-e

Being a living organism on Earth,
burning up inside like the core in Earth.
Painful atoms blasting inside of me,
Having the most terrestrial emotions
inside, wanting to be like a traveling delta,
wanting to be cleansed to the fullest,
from the burning through me.
The terrestrial rocks inside of me
weathering and withering away with
the burning chemical disease.
Melting me away until the jovial,
depressed puddle of lava remains.

This poem is an example of how kids learned to use onomatopoeia:

I slam dunked my animal crackers into my mouth. I swoosh them with milk, when I put my milk and animal crackers together it feels smooshy! I went “crack” when I bit into it’s chocolaty body. I felt the chocolaty taste running through my throat. I gulped the delicious little pieces down my throat.

Onomatopoeia: An onomatopoeia is a word that imitates or suggests the source of the sound that it describes. Common occurrences of onomatopoeias include animal noises, such as "oink" or "meow" or "roar". from Wikipedia

This free verse poem has several examples of metaphor:

"Prison Cell"

I’m stuck in my own mind forever alone
I can't let them in, I can't let them home
I'm stuck in eternal prison
inescapable dungeon of will
I can't let them in and I can't get home
I will never be free of this hell
there's no way out of my head
I can't get out of this prison cell
take me away, get me out of hell
let me out of my mind
please let them in, please take me home
please, somebody, come in,
I'm all alone
I can't be free, I want to get out
I need to find somebody to help
please make me free, please take me home
let them in, so I'm not alone
just let Him in, so I'm never alone
I beg and plead for I am in need
I need to be rescued from my own home
a place unwilling to let me go
my mind is my worse enemy
my soul disappearing beside me
I reach out to help it as it fades away
But it's too late, I'm all alone
My heart is gone, outside of my throat
No heartbeat is here,
No, I am alone
No warmth that comforts
No cold to awaken
Please let me out, Please take me Home,
I pray to You, God,
I am so alone
I rattle these cage bars and bash myself against them
the bruises hurt my body but I do not care
For my soul is trapped somewhere outside there
Come down with the keys, come out of my will
O God, I pray, Let me out of this hell
It's what I believe that gives me my will
When there is no hope that I can see
I know, still, in this prison cell..
You are right beside me.
And someday I will be free.

This poem is a student’s response to the question “Who am I?” A question we must all face and answer and decide for ourselves, understanding that we’re not limited to the opinions of others.

I come from a woman
Who was on crack
Always selling her body on the street

I come from a life with no dad
Leaving when I was a baby
Moving back to Mexico

I come from a world with drive by shootings
People dying getting killed every day
I come from a life of living in a cardboard box
I come from a life of wondering if I was a crack baby
Filled with crack from my mom

I come from a life of getting constantly beaten with no reason

I come from a life with a great, big brother

I come from a life with a great adopted mama
Who fought to get me, my baby sister, and my big brother

I come from a life with a great 78 year old mama
Who gives me and my sister
Almost everything we’ve wanted