About Hands on Stanzas

Hands on Stanzas, the educational outreach program of the Poetry Center of Chicago places professional, teaching Poets in residence at Chicago Public Schools across the city. Poets teach the reading, discussion, and writing of poetry to 3 classes over the course of 20 classroom visits, typically from October through April. Students improve their reading, writing, and public speaking skills, and participating teachers report improved motivation and academic confidence. You can contact Cassie Sparkman, Director of the Hands on Stanzas program, by phone: 312.629.1665 or by email: csparkman(at)poetrycenter.org for more information.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Galileo's Got the Blues

Students listened to Bessie Smith's "Back-Water Blues" and wrote their own blues poems. Read some below, as well as watch video of students reading!

My Hair
Angeliqic D.

My hair is brown and I look like a clown
My hair is brown and I look like a clown
My brother’s is blue but it smells like shampoo

My sister’s hair is wheat but it smells like feet
My sister’s hair is wheat but it smells like feet
My fish is made of wheat but she doesn’t smell like feet

My hair is fluffy but it s not lovely
My hair is fluffy but it s not lovely
And now my hair is blue and fluffy, too


I’ve Got the Swimming Meet Blues
Carlos R

I’ve got the swimming meet blues
I’ve got the swimming meet blues
I forgot to take off my shoes

Got my hands on the board and I’m ready to go
Got my hands on the board and I’m ready to go
I landed on my belly and I went too low

I had a dream I was a swimming villain
I had a dream I was a swimming villain
I woke up and won a ribbon


The Bushy Hair Blues
Madeline G.

When I wake up my hair is bushy
When I wake up my hair is bushy
But when I brush it is like glass so smooth

When I go to school it stays that way
When I go to school it stays that way
I go home and I go crazy and it gets tangled every day

When it’s nighttime I take a shower and brush it
When it’s nighttime I take a shower and brush it
But when I wake up it’s bushy again, all of it.


The Backache
Cleophus J.

When my mom had a backache that very special day.
When my mom had a backache that very special day.
She went to the hospital I was getting angry.

So I wrote a letter to give to my mom.
So I wrote a letter to give to my mom.
Her husband got it and called me to tell me about it all.

She wrote back to me and said she’ll be O.K.
She wrote back to me and said she’ll be O.K.
So I stopped being mad and went out to play.


No chips. No dip.
Jaques C.

There ain’t no chips.
There ain’t no chips.
All I have is dip.

I can’t go to the store.
I can’t go to the store.
All I do is sit on the floor.

I have to go.
I have to go.
But I have to watch the show.

So I just sit here thinking about chips.
So I just sit here thinking about chips.
But now I don’t got no dip.


The Blues
Gutsavo C.

There’s no pizza on my table
There’s no pizza on my table
It was almost like a fable

There’re no video games in my living room
There’re no video games in my living room
I felt like I was doomed

There’s no food on the plate
There’s no food on the plate
It felt like everybody was fake


Cartoon
Justin O.

I got the cartoon blues
I got the cartoon blues
And Scooby-Doo can’t find any clues

Bugs Bunny is white as a kite
Bugs Bunny is white as a kite
Oh, yes, that’s right

Spider-Man is sticky
Spider-Man is sticky
And his friend’s name is Nicky

Cartoon were on TV
Cartoon were on TV
Then I had to pee pee.


I’m Worried About the First Day of School!!!
Kierra R.

People stare at you
People stare at you
People like me think it’s true

You do a lot of work
You do a lot of work
Lots of boys burp

It’s not cool
It’s not cool
But we still have to go to school

School is boring
School is boring
But it sounds like Jordan is snoring

We get out late
We get out late
It sounds like Jordan’s on a date


The Skeleton Blues
Trenati B.

a skeleton came up to me
a skeleton came up to me
oh, yesiree

he unlocked the door
he unlocked the door
he murmured, “I’m very poor”

it seems he wanted money
it seems he wanted money
he grabbed more and more

he broke his skull
he broke his skull
his bones were dull

I kick him in the shin
I kick him in the shin
suddenly he fell in a bin

I ran
I ran
all the way to heaven


Millionaire’s Blues
Yaritza M.

What if a millionaire were to knock on my door,
What if a millionaire were to knock on my door,
Should I run away if he opens the door?

The last thing I want is to be called poor,
The last thing I want is to be called poor,
He might be mean as a wild boar.

Now I got the millionaire blues,
Now I got the millionaire blues,
What should I do if he comes?

Wait a min.!
Wait a min.!
It was a pizza man!


Men Jumping Off Cliffs
Rayes W.

A man said, “I will jump off this cliff.”
A man said, “I will jump off this cliff.”
So he did a little jig and he took a big shift.

So he jumped off and he did a flip.
So he jumped off and he did a flip.
Then he did a dip.

All of a sudden I heard the ambulance.
All of a sudden I heard the ambulance.
I took a rinse.

I heard a splat.
I heard a splat.
Then I saw a man that looked like a dead rat.


The Kitty-Cat Blues
Caitlin C-B.

My 9 year old cat Smokey.
My 9 year old cat Smokey.
Does lots and lots and lots of naughty things.

She’ll bring birds in the house.
She’ll bring birds in the house.
She’ll hurt them and hurt them until they’re dead.

She won’t take a bath.
She won’t take a bath.
She’ll never ever never ever take a bath.

I want a new pet.
I want a new pet.
I want a golden lab that loves me best.


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