Constrained Vocabulary Poem Videos

Dream Poems

Mrs. Garay's 4th grade class


Oranges
Virshauna B.

furry black and white heart-shaped
dog
beating Michael Jackson with a pipe

Reading a book backwards
eating bowls of sugar.

Elmo getting run over
by a truck
candy
red
truck


My Fantastic Dream
Jaques C.

I saw a dog
polka-dotted

He chased me
I ran to the lake

A shark jumps out
He bites me

A dream to a nightmare
A devil angel

I wake up before I die
I am late for school

I see an angel
Don’t go there again


Fruit Loops
Kayla A.

I see Fruit Loops
sitting on the table

No one is around
so I take them

I go to the room
of my own

I hear a knock
on my door

So I walk to the door
and open it

It is the FBI
wanting back the Fruit Loops

They said if I give
them back

I can get a billion dollars
and own a Fruit Loop company

Then the dream stops
and the alarm rings

I sink in the
bowl of milk



Ms. Otero's 4th grade class


My Bad Nightmare
Ronnie B.

I dreamed I saw three ghosts
growling in my face.

I had a dream that Freddy
Kruger slashed my eyeballs.

I had a dream that I was
swimming in the ocean with 100 sharks.

I had a dream that vampires
were about to get me.

I had a dream that I was
in the Michael Jackson video surrounded by zombies.

I had a dream I failed
the ISAT.


My Dreams
Destiny S.

In my dreams
I had a white puppy with a black
nose and a crown on her head.

I had a bed
made out of flowers.

I had a pretty
pink limo that takes
me anywhere.

I had a picture of
me on my ceiling.

I had a pretty
pink jungle.

I am a princess pear in
my pretty pink kingdom.


The Weird Dreams
Leo S.

In my dreams
I play like Tiger Woods.

I speak fluent Spanish
and am a soccer star.

I go and get a dog—
a husky dog.

I see robbers stealing
they steal kids like babies.

I see snow falling,
but it is money.

I see a hobo
carrying a million dollars.

I see a baby
and it throws up blood and dies.


Sleeping on the Cloud
Trenati B.

One dark scary night
owls were hooting

The wolves were in packs
howling at the moon

The trees bumped against
the girl’s window

Then, boom… Thunder
lit across the sky

Creeek went the door
of the girl’s house
The girl stumbled
getting up

Then feet sounded in the
next room

She jumped to her feet
and grabbed a gun

Then all of a sudden
the mysterious person jumped out

She shot the gun.
The person that was there…

the world will never
know.




Mrs. Van Zytveld's 4th grade class


My Best Dream Ever
Carlos D.

My best dream ever was when I imagined my self
on a clear road. I ran really fast, so fast that
I started to fly in the air. I was like a bird.
The neighborhood kids were all looking at me.
I was like the king of the streets. Once I was
so happy, but I was starting to slow down
and thirty seconds later I stopped. The weirdest
thing happened to me: I was just floating there
in the sky, it was like a bully hanging me up
from my shirt. Next thing you know, there was
an airplane coming my way. It was two feet away
from me, but then boom!!! my mom slammed the pot
on te stove to make breakfast.


Fashion Dream
JaVonna C.

Two big white lip glosses chasing my lips,
Changing long skirts all over my hips;
I’m getting so busy about to turn the page,
I can’t because I look like a blue wave;
I like the way they lined my nails,
I called the police and they all went to jail;
So happy about them leaving,
green, blue, pink and yellow mini skirts flying around me.


Greek Myths of Me in a Dream
Sam S.

In my dream I am sun god of the universe.
I control the planets, and I control
rotation of the planets. If I get mad
I set off a volcano; if I am happy,
I can make global warming stop.
It is fun controlling the universe.

Because

Poems in response to an exercise I borrowed a couple of years back from Rick Meier. The students read Yannis Ritsos' poem "Because" and wrote their own, hopefully image-based poems of illogical explanation. I encouraged them to think about the outside world. Some of the poems turned out to be strong personal and political statements...some are just darned interesting. Check out the videos of two students reading their poems at the bottom of the post.

Mrs. Van Zytveld's class

Because
Keven T.

Because the magia se fue
Because el señor tenia una bicileta
Because his wonders made a book
Because the homework was a lot
Because the dead body came alive
Because the fire burned a house
Because they ate oatmeal
Because all of that made me think “Yes”


The World
JaVonna C.

Because the people are having children
Because school days are Monday through Friday
Because the animals are having other animals
Because the number one pop stars are singing
Because wrestlers and boxers are winning championships
Because the people are having pets
Because Martin Luther King, Jr. preached
Because of this, I love the world


The Darkness Prevails
Cassie R.

Because 8 birds fly through the dark sky
because an abandoned puppy trembles
because a black dragon looks for its prey
because the gargoyle comes alive
because the snow bunny eats until it can’t
because a cat travels looking for shelter this rainy night
because the cat eats 1 bird
because the shadow hides the night
because of this, only because of this, I told you lies.


All the Great Things
Madeline N.

Because the noise outside is work
Because people tell secrets
Because the clock goes tick tock and takes time
Because the picture is so bright from the light
Because the music is so loud it makes motion
Because of these things
I learned about agriculture.


USA is Cheap
Max O.

Because hobos sit and stare
Because condos are being built
Because they built Trump Towers
Because they are made in the USA
Because they use stuff from China
Because the building will fall
Because we are cheap
Because of all this, I lied


Mrs. Garay's class

Because
Jaques C.

Because Eric got crushed by a pink donut
because a blue cop fell
because I met an octopus
because Godzilla destroyed the city
because I saw Bigfoot
because the raging tornado picked me up
because I was swept away from the broom
because I went to the black moon
because of these things I couldn’t clean my room


Broke
Justin O.

Because Godzilla was in Tokyo
Because he went brokyo
Because the horse fell down a mountain
Because he saw a fountain on another mountain
Because Homer fell down a mountain
Because of Dunkin Doughnuts
Because of grown-ups
I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I went bankrupt


Because of Weird Things
Kayla A.

Because of you I walked up the thousand foot tall building
Because I have a sticker on my desk
Because of a little boy eating Fruit Loops
Because learning is boring
Because the fairy made the dragon into a bigger dragon
Because I watch “Elmo’s World”
Because Ghost Busters is a cool movie
Because a little birdy told me
Because silver turned to green
because of the polka dot railroad
because of these, I told you weird things


Ms. Otero's class


Because the People of Chicago
Leo S.

Because the people are voting
because the buses are crowded with people
because the teachers are teaching in school
because downtown is cold
because the snow was falling
because people are going to work and school
because kids are learning in school
because stores are opening and people are buying
because of all this I see a hobo


My Because
Ebene A.

Because the cat had no eyes
because the man was riding his
bike rod into a steel pole
because Santa was in Hawaii
because the time goes slow
because the water bottle could walk
because they couldn’t cut his hair pit
because the man-woman had bear claws as teeth
because the parrot couldn’t shut his big mouth
because the tiger didn’t have a tail
because of these things I punched my pillow


Wrong Thing
Sabrina V.

Because a girl can’t see the world
because people are away from the line
because everything we see is gone
because a person was wrong to do that
because things are strange to know
because now we don’t have anything
because it was hard for people for that girl
because she couldn’t see a thing
because of all of these things, I did the wrong thing

Colors

The students read "Silver" by Walter de la Mare and had the choice of writing a poem suffused with a single color, or many colors. Here are some results:


Ms. Otero's Class

Animal Colors
Caitlin C-B.

As the animals wake under the golden sun
The rabbit’s fur is as white as snow.
Brown chipmunks scampering tree to tree
Collecting copper color acorns.
The chicks are waking up as well
And they look more yellowish than before.
The dog wakes up in his bright red doghouse
And he is as black as a dark shadow.
The cat wakes up in the big red barn
And she is as orange as sunset.


The Colorful Ocean
Ronnie B.

Going through the salty
ocean. Making a smooth
going motion. Gold and silver
make way. Thing that it does
you might not even say. The
fish is yellow and blue
looking like a blob of goo.
The whale is black as night,
as the ocean sways the light.


Green and Purple Make Blue
Matthew A.

When I see green it makes me
think of buying a big green fighting
machine.

When I see purple it makes
me think of a big jelly bean.

When I see green and purple
it makes me think of a garbage
can and it says “I love
honey”


What I See (Icy Blue)
Yaritza M.

In my house it’s nice and cold,
But my window is icy blue.

I look at my water and my shoe,
They are both icy blue.

Do my eyes deceive me,
Is icy blue all I see?

No, I can see red ‘n yellow
Also blue and green.

But under my bed,
There’s still a shade of icy blue.

When my eyes are closed—
Not again!

I see,
Icy Blue.

(note her pun: "Icy blue"="I see blue"!!!)

Mrs. Van Zytveld's Class
(many of her students LOVE to rhyme)

The Jungle
Madeline N.

The sky is as blue as the ocean
and the monkeys are as brown as a penny
and the Spider Monkey is as black as my binder
and the jaguar is as black as my car
The chameleon is as colorful as the whole world.


Baseball Game
Stephen T.

I am in the dugout chewing
red gum. It is my turn
now the bat is green, my
lucky bat.
The pitch comes. Swing miss.
Another pitch swing
and a miss the last pitch
swing a home run the blue
juice is all over coach’s
body now, we are going
to the playoffs.


Relaxing Beach
JaVonna C.

Splashing through the blue seas,
feeling the sun breeze,

laying back relaxing,
there’s no distracting;

moving my feet into the sand,
relax my eyes into the shade band;

looking at the beautiful world;
beaming and gleaming just like the beautiful twirls.

Forest Tree
Keven T.

I’m on a tree
with a blue green
sky the bug’s two feet
smell really sweet.
I climb lower to see
many big bees.
Yellow, black even blue
you could really get a good view.
The black monkeys the yellow vines,
there’re only nine.


Making Some Green
Kyle S.

You’re making green
while your boss is mean
and you’re filthy rich
even if you itch.
You go to work
and only get paid in silver.
You go to the bank
and change it into
gold and you go under
the ground to see more
gold and see some
brown.


Mrs. Garay's Class


My Bedroom
Guadalupe P.

The flag is a tag
with white stars.

Walls of pink—a color
just for me.

My bed is soft and purple,
purple shells with beautiful
Hannah Montanas.

Floor of golden brown wood.


Pink
Ashley H.

Pink is sweet.
Pink is pretty.
Pink is the color of my folder.
Pink is my favorite color.
Pink is pink.
Pink, I love.


The Jungle
Felicia K.

I see you
You see me

I see green on the tree
A monkey swings by with a blue eye

he says “hi”
I say “bye”

You see a green pond
I see blue

We are different colors
But we still think to

I’m seeing agree
But a blue

Is that you
Are you green

Or is it me
Could it be

I swing on a vine
While saying “hi”

I see an orange snake
Eating pink cake

I see green
You see blue

Alliteration and Consonance

Students were asked to write a poem on any subject in which they use, at least once, an example of alliteration and an example of consonance. Some kept it simple; some went Dada sound poetry on the situation; some wrote a new blues. Here are some examples:


Treats and Sweets Might Not Be Sweet
Alex O.

It was dark at night my height was not high.
It was dark at night my height was not high.
I saw a white light though my height is small
& I can not see out the window.

I cried “Mom”
I cried “Mom”
She said “It’s an alien invasion.”
I said, “Sweet.” She said
“This is not sweet.”

I wish I had a treat to make this sweet.
I wish I had a treat to make this sweet.
Mom said, “Treats may not make this sweet.”

I might see an alien invasion if I’m sweet.
I might see an alien invasion if I’m sweet.
The height is not high I can still not see.

Sweets and treats don’t go together.
Sweets and treats don’t go together.
If I have a treat I still may not be sweet.


Tools Town
Trenati B.

Trenati took Tommy’s mommy’s
tools to the train.

Tommy’s mommy took
the train to the tool house
to find the tools.

Trenati took the tools
on a tan train.



untitled
Sophia P.

The big blue sky turned
dark as night.

An eagle grabbed a beagle
and flew away.


Fancy Pancy Pants
JaVonna C.

Walking around touching the ground.
Candy in my pocket, I’m Polly Locket.

My fancy pants do it again! do it again!
Running like me, looking pretty like Ricky
My fancy pants, oh my pants.

Looking at you, you are a fool
Give me a tool, I know I’m cool!


The Birthday Blues
Xochitl Z.

I woke up this morning and I said “It’s my mom’s birthday.”
I woke up this morning and I said “It’s my mom’s birthday.”
I ran to my calendar and I saw it was Earth Day.

I went to school with the blues.
I went to school with the blues.
My teacher got me so confused.

When I went home
When I went home
I wrote a poem.


Jokey Jordan
Jordan A.

Jokey Jordan lives in the jungle.
She juggles her jokes to the jaguars.
She also juggles her jokes to the gymnasium.
She joked so much she was jalting,
jalting, jalting she can’t breathe!
One jaguar jumps on her and her
joking box came out.
She can never joke again.


Gustavo the Goose
Gustavo C.

Gustavo the Goose
goes to the Gamestop
and gets games
and goes to his greenhouse
and plays games until the gray moon
comes up.

Gustavo tattles about worms
in a bottle.


Leo the Lion
Leonardo M.

Leonardo the Lion
goes to the lake

He licks the people
he likes the people

The lion was hungry
so he looks for food

Then he licks the
dirty water

He goes to a lake
and looks for home

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.

Rhyming Poems from November

Hairy Dog
Ronnie B.

What a hairy dog so hairy you can see.
What kind of dog can it really be?

I can see that dog is really scary.
I’ll cut off his hair, do you dare me?

His name is Jay, Jay I shall say.
But when I tried to cut his hair
he chased me away.

I ran into the house and went to bed.
When I got up I felt dog hair on my head.

Now I don’t like the dog,
so I played on the log.


The Moon
Ebene A.

Soon the moon will rise above.
Soon you can see it.

Soon you will be amazed.
As the moon rises the time
goes by.

Your mom will say go to
bed and good night.

When you hop in bed say
goodnight to the soon moon.

Soon the moon will watch you
as you sleep.

My Dog
Kierra R.

He is a funny dog
He likes his hog

But he doesn’t like his frog
He likes to “gawg”

He doesn’t like his pet toy called “dog.”
When you take away his frog he “gawgs.”

When you take his hog he takes his dog.
He plays a lot with his frog.

He takes his frog while he “gawgs.”
He doesn’t play a lot with his hog.


Unknown
Virshauna B.

1. The globe is blue
just like you

2. Math is hard
just like cards

3. The flag is red
I wanna go to bed

4. Homework is boring
just like snoring

5. The sun is yellow
Hello my fellow

6. The grass is green
I like beans

7. Chalk is white
fly your kite

8. The door is brown
Don’t look down


The Flag
Kayla A.

The flag has stars
Just like Mars

It’s red, white, and blue
It felt just like you

Blows in the air
When parents had an affair


untitled
Araceli C.

From the sky
came a cry

from a fly
inside of the sky

was a fly
who wanted to try
to fly


untitled
Cleophus J.

One day I went out to play.
Me and my friends went to the park
but someone farted.

I went on the monkey bars
with a red car.

My friends went home,
I was alone.

I went in, but I saw
some fins.

I awoke, it was just a dream,
but I smelled beans.