Good poetry, however figured, tells the core truths of its community. The ones that had not been spoken in this way, that had not quite been put like that before. Among my seventh and eighth graders, the best blues poems are less weary than those of Langston Hughes. The texture of the sadness of our youth is more fearful and gloomy than mournful or happy-go-lucky. Their lyrics in a more contemporary form, by contrast, are optimistic and admonitory, rather than angry. Some of them rap about recycling; one, the pleasures of a school book fair.
Muzzammill R.
7th Grade, Room 109
Recycling
There are many ways we can use
Reduce and Reuse
Another way is recycling
No cars but bicycling
Stop polluting the air
We should have a day called earth care
Factories, busses, tracks, and motorcycles
Start using solar powered transportations--recycle
Start reusing, start recycling
And if you can’t do it, stop blabbing
A ton of paper can save 17 trees
You can be a hero if you wanna be
Plant some trees if you can
Trash bags go in the trash can
Make the earth green
By keeping it clean
Lois G.
7th Grade, Room 109
My Sad Talking Blues
Nothing to talk about
But I talk too much
Nothing to talk ‘bout
Yep, I said I talk too much
I get in trouble with my teachers
Can't walk but I talk lame, way too much.
Shouldn’t talk at all
Tape & zip my mouth
Shouldn’t talk at all
Tape and zip my mouth
With my split personalities
I should move down south.
Nothing to talk ‘bout
Shouldn’t talk at all
Nothing’ to talk ‘bout
I shouldn’t talk at all
But I talk too much, so tape and zip my mouth
And just like me fall!
Ahmad A.
7th Grade, Room 112
What You Fight For
My mama always said be careful what you fight for
Battles open windows but peace opens doors
Every day on the news
Teens go out for a cruise
Soon one gets shot & it gives you the bues
And always during night some kids get in a fight
They won’t stop won’t drop
Such a pitiful sight
When one of them get into critical height
It soon becomes serious and you can tell I’m right
Racism & evil only come from jealousy
And soon the anger becomes a felony
What I’m trying to say is just have it your w ay
But be careful what you fight for
& have a good day
Peace out war in y’all!
Ciahara S.
8th Grade, Room 124
No Good News Blues
Monday I got suspended
For no reason at all
I’m tired of this stupid school
And I can’t wait to next fall
Cause I got the blues
I got the blues
Silly girls trying to fight me
For some stupid stuff
These girls have no reason
They’re just trying to be tough
Cause I got the blues
O yeah I got them blues
The spring is coming
The winter is gone
Can’t wait till school’s over
So I can party all night long
I got the blues
Oh yeah I got the blues
I got the blues
And lately I ain’t there cause
There ain’t been no good news
Jia H.
7th Grade, Room 112
Violence
Our government sponsors all war and hate
Don’t think no lawyer can argue this debate
Born where Al Capone lived, I know I can relate
Our world will die out soon at this brutal rate
Those ghetto gangs waiting for the kill
They lost all faith, all goodness, all power of will
They got no real gun fighting skills
These bloody streets are making me ill
All this violence got no reason, no rhyme
One day we’ll all run out of time
The trees won’t grow and the sun won’t shine
And into this dark world we’ll be confined
Javeria N.
7th Grade, Room 109
Loneliness
My name is loneliness
I am a sorrow
That has many attitudes
I am at home
All alone, left in your dome
I am a very sad feeling
That is always left alone
Like a very lonely smelling cologne
That is never used
And left alone
Yet I follow almost everyone
One by one
At a time almost everyone needs me
I don’t stay for long
I just come & go
It’s like a heavy emotion
It makes your heart rip
It’s the worst thing ever
And its called being lonely.
Juritzy H.
7th Grade, Room 109
Fighting with My Friends
Having fights with my Friends
It’s a horrible thing
Having fights with my friends
It’s a horrible thing
It gets me upset--I say
The bad thing is it’s raining.
When we try to talk to each other
We ignore each other’s voices
When we try to talk to each other
We ignore each other’s voices
And feel like crying with sadness
Yet make the difficult choices.
Dorothy M.
7th Grade, Room 112
No More
This world is depressing
This world’s not safe anymore.
It’s true this world’s depressing
It’s just not safe anymore
And every single person here
Is like a rotten apple core.
Judgements don’t care about ya
And war don’t care about me
Judgements don’t care about ya
And war never cared about me.
The leaders are letting this slip by
And wave us off like fleas.
This world is dying
Near its end its true.
I said this world is dying!
It’s near its end--it’s true.
There’s no salvation ready there
And there’s nothing left to do.
So tell those close that you love them
And forgive the people you can
Tell those close you love them
Forgive the people that you can.
For this world is heading nowhere
TO THE PROMISED LAND!!?
Amelia S.
8th Grade, Room 124
Book Fair
Runnin’ low on stuff to read
Gotta get me some sustenance
My mind starts to bleed
& other dire consequence
Been savin’ my dough
Since the day I turned fo’
Gotta buy me some book to entertain my mind
If I wait too much longer, I’m finna unwind
I’m finally there--a feast to behold
Got books & books seem through visions of gold
All this info’s played out to my likeness
Entertainment so valuable, fit for your highness
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