Student Poetry

I AM POEMS – Language Arts
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_by ZEPEDA
I am from an Elmo blanket
from Nesquick
and Oreos
I am from crowded apartment
marker stained walls
and small tv from the 80,s
as you walked in tired from walking up 3 flights of stairs
you see a 26 twenty six year old mom raising 2 boys
with the help of a very caring grandma
and a teenage like aunt
with no father
it felt safe
Liz and Alma and Samantha and Tristan
I am from the gamers
and the movie nerds
from the annual plot lucks
and christmas celebrations
from “i que ninio!”
and “seby”
I’m from Texas and Spain
green salsa and tortillas
from my grandma selling fruits in mexico to buy a plane ticket to texas to see her
daughters first born son
from the finger great grandpa lost
from the family that loves me very much
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-by KAI MATTHIASSON
I am from the old claw foot cast iron bathtub
From Zevia coke and Ling Ling poststickers
I am from the old 1800mfarm house with a warm,faded yellow light
I am from the grape vines and the fruit trees
From lighting candles on Hannukah and tree hugging
I am from the history loving and the peace loving
From “the roads are getting bad” and “being a mench”
I’m from Iceland and hungary
pickled herring and Matzo ball soup
From the Holocaust refugees and viking longships
I am from the hopes of the immigrants on Ellis Island
From the Hildafolk in Gimli
And the long,cold winter my ancestors spent in a hole in Manitoba
With their nine kids that they would give anything for
And i am from the love both sides of my family share for each other
Throughout the best and the worst times of their lives.
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– by NOVIHLEA GAGE
I’m from monkey goo gel
Chi flat irons
And bags full of nail polish
I’m from the 1 story house in the middle of the woods that smells like old people and
feels like home and that sounds like kids screaming and playing
I am the creek down the hillside
The dog running loose
Looking like big white blankets
I’m from the smell of collard greens on holidays
And 5 thanks on thanksgiving
From chelsie and christian
And nieces and nephews
I’m from the sarcastic sound in voices and yelling for the 49ers
From “you’ll be home soon”
And ” I-o-u-s”
From “don’t give up”
And “keep your head held high”
I’m from praying every Sunday
Saying “as I lay down in my bed to sleep I pray for you my soul to keep”
I’m from ghetto Carmichael
And collard greens and vegetables
From the old ancestral stories by the fire
And the remembrance of Grandma Mona on my birthday
From the mini tornadoes at school
And never being able to say the word “dad”
From packing up and moving again
From stranger to stranger
From city to city
And I ask myself….
When will it stop when will I find my real home
Do I even have a home out there or is foster care my forever lasting home
These poems were very moving! I felt like I understood where each of you “were from.” Keep writing! There is so much talent represented here.
Mrs. Riddell