Poems from Poetry in the School (1975-1976)

7/29/2019 Poems from Poetry in the School (1975-1976)

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POEMS

Poetry in th e Schools, Arkansas

edited by:Nelljean McConegheyJohn BiguenetJack ButlerWes ZeiglerJerry Webster

Poetry in the Schools i s a jo in t project of theNational Endowment for the Arts and the Officeof Arkansas State Arts and Humanities in coopera-t ion with the University of Arkansas, Fayettevil le;the University of Arkansas, Lit t le Rock; the RossFoundation; Ouachita Baptis t University; and Hender-son State University.

cover design: Roger Dale and Teresa Dale

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

On behalf of the staff I would l ike to express our specialthanks to Dr. Sandra Perry and Ms. Carol Gaddy of the Office ofArkansas State Arts and Humanities for their guidance, encouragement,and moral support, without which the Poetry-In-The-Schools Programwould not be the success that i t is .

We would also l ike to thank Roger Dale, Artist-In-Residence

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a t Bentonville High School , who is sponsored by the Arkansas ArtistsIn-The-Schools Program, and his students for their wonderful print/poemswhich add another dimension to the anthology this year.


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THE STAFF

State-wide ProjectMiller WilliamsJames WhiteheadJames McAuleyNelljean McConegheyReed DurbinJim ReedDan GarverScott SimmerJohn StossCarolyn WrightLeon StokesburyPaul Rice

Clark County ProjectJack Butler

Pulaski County ProjectJohn Biguenet

Crittenden County ProjectWes Zeigler

Sebastian County ProjectJerry Webster

Rosetta RadtkeBuddy NordanTim GarvinMarvin SchwartzJessica SloteJeff Hagedor nRalph BurnsKim ConnellJess HendersonMargaret SalassiLee AbbottEd Daggett

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ivPOETRY IN THE SCHOOLS

Although th is anthology contains the work of a number of very talentedyoung poets, it would be a mistake to consider these poems as the most impor-tant resul t of t he Arkansas Poetry in the Schools Program.

Poetry in the Schools is a cooperative program of the National Endowmentfor the Arts, t he Office of Arkansas State Arts and Humanities, and the localschool systems and universi t ies . I t employs professional writers who vis i tclassrooms throughout the sta te . The program i s designed to create an aware-ness in each student who part icipates of the impact of language on his l i fe .Once the student becomes conscious of what words can do, the motivation existsto begin a study of poetry . The visi t ing writer presents very basic informa-t ion about how a poem is made. Everyone is encouraged to write poems. Thein tent of this phase of the program is to give each student a positive experi-ence with poetry . He i s able to ta lk with a practicing poet, to share his ownpoems with the res t of the class, and perhaps to discover a ta lent for writing.But whether a special ta lent exists or not, each student is brought to thereal izat ion that poetry is part of his l i f e and that he needn't be in t i midatedby i t . The impulse to translate experience into language i s dist inc t ivelyhuman, and poetry i s the ful les t expression of the human experience. Poetrybelongs to a l l of us , not merely to the gifted. Poetry in the Schools istrying to give poetry back to everyone.

Because the program does not try to cult ivate only the most talentedyoung poets but turns i t s attention to a l l students, the poems in this antho-logy are not polished or even revised. They are the exercises which werewritten in class during the three visi ts of a staff writer . The anthologyis not so much a showcase as a sample of the thousands and thousands of poems


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written by young Arkansans in the process of discovering that they were capa-ble of poetry. A vis i t ing writer can not turn a student into a great poetin three class sessions. But he can spark that student to an interest inpoetry that may very well develop into a ta lent .

Of course, the development of that ta lent most often depends upon thestudent 's teachers. In great measure, the success of Poetry in the Schoolsalso depends upon the teachers who invi te s ta f f writers to thei r classes andwho expand the ideas presented by them . We would l ike to thank these teachersfor their substantial contribution to the program.

The school administrators who helped to coordinate both funding andscheduling were an essential part of the program, and also deserve our thanks.Dr. Sandra Perry, Executive Director of the Office of Arkansas State Artsand Humanities, and Carol Gaddy, Artists- in-Schools Coordinator, were extremelyhelpful and encouraging in administering Poetry in the Schools. We offerspecial thanks to them.

The most important part of the program is the students. This anthologyi s evidence of thei r contribution, and i s our way of thanking them. Weregret that we could publish so few of the many good poems that were written.

There were also a number of students who were not in classes that wevis i t ed , but who sent poems and songs for our comments . I 'd l ike to closeby quoting a song writ ten by one of these students. The author, Jean Osborn,is a talented seventh grader a t Southwest l-1iddle School in Litt le Rock. Hersong i s called " I t Would Be Nice."

I t would be nice to go far away,I t would be nice to go far away,I t would be nice to go far away,And watch the r iver f loat down the stream.I t would be nice to watch two birdsfly upon the sky.I t would be nice to watch the beesgo from flower to flower.I t would be nice to say jus t one sweet word

to each other.


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The sky shining with blue,the flowers springing up,The birds singing to each other ,Me and my man s i t t ing and talkingabout what's been happening.You see there are a whole lo t of thingsyou can do,Like watching the beesgo from flower to flower.I t would be nice to go far away,I t would be nice to go fa r away .

-John Biguenet

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Poet in Residence, Pulaski County********************

This year ' s anthology i s the resul t of teachers and professional writersworking with Arkansas elementary, middle, junior high, and high school studentswho participated in f ive related programs: the State-wide Project , the ClarkCounty Project , the Pulaski County Project, the Crittenden County Project , andthe Sebastian County Project.

I would l ike to take th is opportunity to thank a l l the teachers and studentwith whom we worked this year, and I would l ike to apologize to the students a tthe schools which were visi ted too late in the Spring Semester to be included inthe anthology. These schools wil l be represented in next year 's anthology.

All of the part icipat ing poets have enjoyed working with the students throuout Arkansas. We feel that the students showed a great deal of imagination,sp i r i t , and ta lent in thei r poems, most of which were written in twenty minutesor less . For the students to be able to create a good poem under the circum-stances of two one-hour vis i ts i s remarkable. This anthology is fu l l of goodpoems . I ' ve often heard my poet friends sa y when they come back from a Poetry-In- The-Schools v i s i t , "I wish I had written some of those l ines . . . "

-Nelljean McConegheyCo-Director, with James WhiteheadArkansas Poetry-In-The-Schools********************


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v i iWhat i s the idea of the Poetry-In-The-Schools Program? The idea i s cer-

tainly not to make professional poets of everyone . There are already too manyof those. Maybe the idea is partly to show students what poetry i s . Poetry i sa way to educate yoursel f - - i t i s not a proof of anything, but rather an expla-nation, a step backward to the curios i ty of childhood . . . . poetry about blue skiesand flowers is good, but i t i s also nice to open new terr i tory for beauty. Whenpoetry finds mystery and pleasure where none were before, it performs a serviceto the world . . With play you have poetry. All you can get from a mind thathas no play i s data. Poetry i s more l ike lightning than it i s a heap ofstones. In these motions, you may read the sp i r i t .

I hope the progam wil l endure, and that the r ight sor t of poet wil l cometo work in i t --nei ther busy bureaucrats posing as writers, nor overly se l f -aggrandizing types--but good writers deeply interested in children, in learn-ing, in freedom, in poetry.

-Jack ButlerPoet in Residence, Clark County


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STATE-WIDE PROJECT


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ALPENA SCHOOLS

THE REPROBATE

My youngest s i s ter , age of three ,curly hair, brown eyes, turned-upsnotty nose. She yel ls and screamsand hollars and shouts and crysand fusses and raises a rucussand continually pouts . Shefights with her mother and twos is ters and bi tes the dog i f thedog has bi t ten her . She makeslarge messes on Sunday Schooldresses and her dol ls are a l l bal d .She wears us a l l out by the end of the daybut she goes to sleep whenever we say .

-Sonya Swor

SKUNK

A skunk is a pret ty creature.He has a beautiful smell.Although he smel l s l ike Just in .The skunk l ives in a palace.Where a l l the waitresses haveto pin their noses up .He sleeps in a waterbed.and watches color TV.

-Lloyd Ballard

ARKAJ.'{SAS

I wasn't born in Arkansaswhere often you hear a crow cawwhere always the a ir is fresh and newwhere in the morning there i s a dewI wasn't born in Arkansaswhere often you hear a crow caw.

-Royce H.

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NEW YORK

New York i s my kind of placewith snakes a l l around my facewith glass a l l around the grassand dogs a l l around the hogslas t time I was therethey fr ied my underwarele t me out of this placebefore I go out of space.

-James Hatfield

BASEBALL

A player i s tuff and ruff .The bal l i s as rugged and jaggedas a hound dog.The catcher i s a big fat cat .And a pitcher i s t a l l and strong .The shortstop i s a small peewee .And the player i s a big, strong bully.-David Allen Coder

FATHER

thumping his brown wornplow boots against the f loor,star ing into the skybehind the newly sewn scratchy burlap curtain.Silently rooting as the radio blares"Razorbacks second and seven."Slow moving as a mechanical dol l ,popping joints as he rises.Slow slippery greasecoating burnt popcorn .The Radio blares "Touchdown"as the sal t t r icklesout of the sa l t shaker onthe burnt popcorn.

-Lisa Widner

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ASBELL ELEMENTARY, FAYETTEVILLE

TWO FRIENDSOh did you hear the water creek?No, But I heard the leaves talk to me .What did they say man?What's hanging.Why did they say that?Because there was talk of noose in the a i r .So as a rock here I'll se t unti l I die.Well, i t ' s bet ter than hanging.

-Kevin Bogan & Renna BrownPOEM

While I s t i l l wore size 16you went kaput !I never saw you againbut saw where you l ivedbut you were at eraser mountain.I saw you take a drinkfrom the glass spring,then you were gone .

-Stephen Cosl y

2 NIGHTMARESNightmare 1Clearing off the table ,with s ta le beans and such.Clogging in the drain sothe f l ies can have a bath.Nightmare 2Get your nose out ofmy hand.

THE HARVESTERSWork, Work, Work, Workfor harvesting i s hardPilgrims working t i l l they hurt ,and children eating lard .

-Ellen Lane

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HOPE HIGH. SCHOOL----A HOT NIGHT ON BRANNON STREET

On that hot night the clouds were caked in the sky,The s tars were shrouded in boredom.This night was not on theSpecial side of my l i fe .Only seven hours agoMy s teel heart surrounded bySweet honesty was brokenBy my baby's air-hammer.This night just seemed toFi l l the mood which I wasIn for it made the event complete.I t seems as though the dul l skyHad appeared before in my l i fe , butThen the moon was there toPut a l i t t l e unexpected pleasure in i t .Now there was no mood changingmoon only the sad leaves fal l ingoff the saddened t rees.

-Dwayne Burns

5 WAYS OF LOOKING AT MEATLOAFMeatloafContaining the secret of immortality!Man, himselfWhat on earthencompasses every foodand every taste?Meat loaf, th e staple of l i fe .The refr igerater emptied her contentsinto on e large bowlMeatloaf is born.What i s in i t?Animal, vegetable. mineral?each and a l lI t is meat loaf .Ambrosia is the food of the Gods.Fo r those less fortunatethere is meat loaf .

-Bi l l Browning

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MALAGA IN OCTOBERMalaga in Octobera city of 500,000,But I am a l l alone .I s i t a t the sidewalk cafe,Sip my Sangria,And imagine that you are a t my side .On the beach,Only a few frigid Germans s i t on our spot ,The weather i s quite cold you know.0 white clouds above the Meditteranean,Send my soul to the one I love, far away.Let your showers soak her with my adoration .No, the t ide has gone out,And also her love .God curse Malaga in October.

-Mark Shields

A HOT NIGHT ON REALITY BOULEVARDand the guards werechanging in Buckingham Square . . .The night was hot; the sun shone bright .I saw in the heavens a thousand faces untold;the world was growing cold.Looking forth, an eagle flew abovechanging into a nightmarish ghoul of the hel l below.All l ight was sound and a l l sound was l ightGod save me from the forces I have unleashed tonight !Dreams were Reality and Reality a Dreamas I walked along the Boulevard .I fe l t my death draw near, and dear ,and the guards where changing in Buckingham Square .The newspaper reported three days hencea man died of an overdose.and time continued on, andthe guards were changing in Buckingham Square .I t was a hot night on Reality Boulevard . . .

-Anonymous

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FIVE WAYS TO LOOK AT A KNIFEIA s heath buried to theh i l t in someones watermelon.

IIAn old lady running throughthe park screaming with apocket knife in her back.

IllA gambler with h is handpinned to the table by a butcherknife.IVA cut t hroat with a bloodstained knife lying nearby.vThe f i f th way to look a t a knifeis at a distance .-Anonymous

GEORGE BRADLEYAt f i f ty he was seventy,At seventy be was gone .His name was George Bradley,In his younger days he was strong.When you talk about things unknown,or things tha t were brand new.He'd say oh ! I ' ve been there before,yes I ' ve done that too.He ' d t e l l you of t r ips to New Orleans,or to Africa to captureth i r ty foot snakes for a zoo.You could mention anythingand he ' d say oh! I ' ve done that too.

-Rhett Lane

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CONWAY JUNIOR HIGH

THE REASON I'M DUMB

One day when I was cominghome from school I thoughtabout what the teacher said.That i f I would mix up a l lthe smart words l ike knowledgeand smart that I would besmart . Then dr i l l a hole inmy head and put them in .When I got home I got a l lthe words together, dri l ledme a hole and put them in .After about 10 minutes I startedfeeling dumb then I rememberedthat I le f t the word dumbmixed with the words. That ' sthe reason why I ' m dumb .

-Ken Norman

HAIRPIN TURNS

Coffin - a box where you and the termites lay .Tongue - a gross sponge you st ick out at people.Gui tar- Mexican thing used to break bandit ' s heads.

-Timbo BassHunchback - mountain on a man

-Jul ie SprickTongue - moving road in a tunnel

-Wendy IrbyCoffin - overnight camper for the deadChurchbell - atheis t ' s alarm clock

-Ralph Creeslin I I

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HAIRPIN TURNS (continued)

Cyclone - breeze with a grudgeTailpipe- car ' s cigar

Ears - amphitheater with drum soloPigeon - jani tor for t rains

-Todd FowlerTongue - meat you should not swallow

-Dean TurnerCoffin - bigger than a bread-box

-Karla Woods

THE REASON WHY MY SHIRT WAS RIPPED

I had jus t been in Spain for two hours.I went to the ring where I saw i t .I t was the biggest bul l I ' d ever seen.When I entered the ring i t charged.I t stuck me with i t s horns .When i t pul led them outMy heart was on the end of one.I grabbed i t back and put i t back in .I ' m a fast healer, so you can ' t see the scar.That's why my shir t was ripped .

-Anonymous

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I DREAMED

I dreamed I found a famous but terf ly thathad every color imaginable in th e world.I dreamed I made my room into a jungle.I dreamed I discovered how to fly .I dreamed my dog star ted talking to me.I dreamed I bui l t a house on the moonand decorated it with stars .

- AnonymousCREATION OF SPEECH

Man star ted out with nothing to saywith no time to do it in .Man star ted out by l istening to birds ,by l i s tening to the flowers in the wind,Man had no way to make time pass byNo way to t e l l one another what hesaw in the skyBut God had plans for man, for heknew his speech would rule the land .

-AnonymousWhy are there shoelaces?Surely i t ' s not becausethere was to o much

cotton .Maybe people neededsomething to do withthe hai r that they cut offthei r head.Or maybe i t happened whenpeople f i r s t mowed thei rlawns and saw theworms .Whatever it was, i t broughtabout a lo t of hel lfor a lo t of people .

Imagine how much easier l i fewould be i f we didn ' thave to learn to t ie ourshoes when we were4 years old.

-Anonymous

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OAK GROVE ELEMENTARY

THE LADY AND THE JUKEBOX

A lady came to a Jukebox by a record shopThe lady said , "How come you ' re fu l lof rol ls and rocks,"The Jukebox thought for a momentand said , "The same reason a clockis fu l l of t icks and tocks."

-Anonymous

ROOMS

A l i t t l e g i r l is s i t t ing in a corner for lying.Another man is cryingFor his wife is dying ,An old lady is in the l iving room madAnd a baby is in the nursery sad .The l i t t l e g i r l is in her mothers room crying .

-Ronda

THE LADY AND THE TAPE RECORDER

A lady met a Tape Recorder by a streamand saidyou ' d better not drink too much or you ' l l get rusty .The lady saidI wil l notThe Recorder saidI will not .The lady saidquit repeating everything I say.The Recorder saidquit repeating everything I say.And the lady saidyou turn me on.

-David Moose

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THE FABLE OF THE FINAL HOURIn the 56th minute of the f inal hour

my teacher got kicked by a mule-Eddie Midgett

In the 57th minute of the f inal hourthe police caught Raymond in the Beats-Susan

the book of r iddles told dir ty jokes-Frankie Hamson

In the 58th minute of the f inal hourmy hurt began to swell

-Sheila AndersonIn the 59th minute of the f inal hourI gained weight

-Ann HydeIn the f ina l minute of the f ina l hourJ . J. forgot to say "Kid Dynamite"

-Melinda McPherson

ROOMS

My bedroom door i s shut,My hair i s in a mess.There ' s a lady in the churchWith a bowl of corn a t her side.There's a guy in the schoolroomSaying "Come back soon ."

-Colette Johnson

JOKE

Customer: Sir I would l ike to buy thisbird. Could you send me the bil l?Manager: Sorry lady you ' ll have to takethe whole bird.- Wayne Holland

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ELMDALE ELEMENTARY - SPRINGDALE

THE STORY OF A COUGAR

I saw a cougar a t a zoo .He whispered to me how are you.I said hello to him and ranBye - Bye friend hope we meet again .-Barbara Davis

HAIRPIN TURNS

Schoolbus - a bee without wings-John Deweese

broom - waves of sand through the desert .-Linda Tudor

Clouds - millions of snowy owls in a snow covered t ree .-Anonymous

pig - ring in front, spring behind-Kevin Clark

THE SNAKE

The snake crawls l ike a baby crawlingThe snake bi tes l ike a f i r s t born babyA snake clamps i t s teeth l ike a babycloses his hand when you put your finger inand l a te r the snake wil l diejus t l ike the baby wil l .

-Odis Sanders

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LIVING

I had my quiet time when I crawled into the carand got a l l my thoughts out into the open spaces .

I had my quiet time when I got a popsicleand hid in the closet unt i l it was a l l over me .-Frankie Carlton

I had my quiet time lying under a blanket

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I was playing batt leship and I h it a ship and sank i t .-Ramey Price

I had my quiet time r iding in a carOh, you should have seen my hai rI was not frightened, only scared.Our car was black and kind of rustyAnd me and my s i s ter got kind of fussy.-Kathy Cook

MOON

The moon i s l ike a big round ba l lor yo-yo without a st r ingI t ' s l ike a ja r of peanut but terthat has just been openedI t ' s a daisywith no petals -Judy Hogan

I DREAMI dreamed I was a gang leader .We rumbled and rumbled everyone over ,We won every rumble .We had a secret placewhere we hugged and kissed gir lsaf te r every rumble.

-Ray Proctor


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HEBER SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL

THE OVERHEAD SMASHThe yellow orb goes straight up-pr opelled by Waldo ' s rocket.I t spins in the sun for an eterni ty .' t i l gr avity catches up with i tand sends i t fal l ing to the court .I shi f t my body to the proper posit ion,quickly gauging i t s path in my mind.NOW--bouncing , arcing , coming down.I se t my feet and draw my rocketback-and point- l ike Connors on TV .

f e c t - - m y muscles tense and Ifollow t hrough with grace.The bal l makes contact with the str ingsabsolutely savage force-positively perfect form!But the bal l caroomsout of play .CRAP ! Missed again !

-Mike West

Death - the closing of th e door for the las t time.Hate - Cauliflower on the table

-Anonymous

BIOLOGYHere I s i t in Biology .The teacher saying words I don't even know.He won ' t say the words I understandYou know, the l i t t l e four le t te r ones.Then comes the time of dissection,

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where you have to take the shel l from a crayfish .How gory i t i s to find your crayfishHasn' t digested i t s l as t supper.

-Kip Casey

CARSSome l ike cars that are fas t ,Othe r s l ike cars that are flashy.Some l ike small cars,Some l ike big cars.But for me anythingthat moves wil l do. -Chris Casey


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EASTSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL , BENTON

JERRY ' S LOCKED DOOR

There's a locked room up thereunderneath my mop of hair .At times I can see into that roomand find that it ' s fu l l of gloomFor that door is the entrance to my brai n ,with a l l of my worries and st ra ins .I t holds the answersto a l l of my problems ,but without the keywhat good is my brain to me?

I used toBut now II used toBut now II used toBut now II used to

-Jerry White

POEM

be the god Zeusam a mortal manthrow l ightning bol t sthrow tooth picks

be great and l ive on Mt. Olympusam poor and l ive with the hickscould do tricksBut now I can ' t even think .

-Steve Deere

HAMPSTER

I ' m fuzzyI look l ike a ra t ,so cute am II smell l ike a dead pigso my master te l ls me .I feel l ike freshwoven cotton or s i lkI have small kil ler eyesMy nose i s l ike a rabbitfl ickery and smallI try to be myself .

-Sonya Hobbs

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PREACHER RECIPE

This should be a man with many words.These words , they should never have been heard.This should be a man that carries The Book,Most people wouldn't take a second look.This should be a man who can t e l l you a verse,a man who would never curse .This is a man that 's pure,or a man that 's sure .This is a man who you can t e l l your problems to ,and through this man God can help you!This shouldn ' t be a man who would go out drinkingor even fa l l in love without thinking.This shouldn ' t be a man who is bad,or a man who is sad .This shouldn ' t be a man who is too high-society,This should be a man of variety.

-Lori Reeves

MARCH

The sign of kitest e l l March is upon us .The wind blows strong.Rain fal ls l ike th e starl ingwith a broken wing.

-Mark Harrison

Love is l ike a Beehive,honey is always around .-Tomilene Smith

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CEDARVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

SATURDAY NIGHT

I picked her up a t seven .I took her in my arms,thinking of her many charms .I stroked her hair .She made me the happiest man .We walked down the hal lthinking of nothing a t a l l .

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I love these lonely nights and dreams al ikeReally , I haven ' t done anything but watch T.V.and ride my bike .-Jay Bryant

I LOVE TO WRECK

I love to wreck my carnot only when I drive too farI love to wreck my bike--my dad says it ' s a l l r ight .I love to wreck the school-The other boys say it ' s cool .I love to wreck my homeBecause I ' m always alone.

-Anonymous

THE WIND

When the wind is blowing from the northa band of devils are coming forth .When th e wind is blowing from the southlook for a band of angelswith good t idings in thei r mouths.

- Kyle LaRue


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THAT CB OF MINE

My name is Trapper John as some of you know.I talk on the thing called a CB radio.Now this CB of mine,Is one of a kind.I t consists of an old transistorA few tubes, crystals, a mike, and a few holes.This homemade CB is th e most powerful of a l l .When I turn i t on , I blow the fuse box on the wall.Break one nine.Have no fear, that 's me on that CB of mine.This is the Natural Dam Trapper John,The only one .Ten-TenListening in .

-Andy CrabtreeBORED STUDENT

Dressed in a si lver robecarrying my shiningblack, harmonized harmonica,a l l sorts of beautiful operaflowing from my mouthl ike an angel singing,I begin to makea glorious soundwith the elect r icpiano in my hand.

-Joyce Crabtree

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19NASHVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

THE TOMATO COP

A ripe, red, Fatso si t t ing a t Joda'seating his heart out.When he gets in his car, he opensfour doors instead of one.His fingernails are so longhe jus t hates to k i l lbecause the trigger on the gunmakes them break and chip.At the end of the daythe ripe red tomatogoes home and s i t sin his mother's lap.

-Linda Oxley

MOTORCYCLE

A motorcycle i s l ike a mountain of powerwaiting for you to unleash i t .I t flows through the wind l ike a perfect prayer.-Rufus T.

A BOOT

A boot ought to be snug to the stinking foot .I t ought to be able to take a stinking cow ' s footand not give.Whenever it walks it should be big and mean.Upon coming to cow manure i t should scare i t awayjus t by meanness.Whenever i t starts drowning in water i t should swim awayinstead of daydreaming and getting waterlogged.I t ought to feel l ike s tee lbut on the foot be as sof t as th e fur off a cat .I t ought to taste l ike wild meat, harshyet i t won't ki l l you.I t should be loud as a John Deere t ractorwhen i t clops down on the floor .A boot st inks, but i t ' s a l l r ight too .

-Noah E. Moses


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20VOWELS

A is brown l ike a wheatfield hiding on the horizon .-Ricky Williams

E is gray l ike the fu l l moon not knowing what to do .-Noah Moses

I is red l ike the eyes of a small child standing in smoke.-Ricky Williams

0 is yellow l ike harsh syrup or vinegar i t s e l f .-Noah Moses

U is every color l ike the rainbow knowing where to go , and going .-Noah Moses

FEBRUARY

This is the time to beware of buzzardsfor they will swoop in th is month.Beware of the pooch who has the croupWatch for the elephant that you are aboutto rogue.This is the month for the hogs to shavebefore they are recognized .I f you follow these precautions thiswil l be a fine month.

-R. Cochran

SHOTGUN

A shotgun should be l ike a woman.I t should be able to withstand torture and heat.I t should be l ight to your shoulderand have the fragrance of the woods.I t should be quick as a snakewhen i t jumps on i t s prey.I t should see l ike an eagleand be as deadly as one.

-Johnny Rosenbaum


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THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY

Ernest Smith was born,In February.My hero to this day .He shot himself twelve times ,And l ived.He died of a kiss.She loved gar l ic , not Ernest .February is a downer.I taste gar l ic in my mouth.

-Terry Wisniewski

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5tr ing-a long lineof antsmarching

from adead frogShoe-mycupfrom the bottom

T ~ M l i ~ U F F


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A HOT NIGHT ON MY STREETThe sun was bubbling in the afternoon skyI ts burning rays scorched my face and madei t sweat.The elm tree above me did no shading a t a l lI ts l i f e had ended a year or two ago.I sat there and pondered and mumbled and groaned .Visions and images cluttered my brain,As I sat under my elm tree, my old dead elm .Mami and Papi come back to me againTimes were so wonderful, so gay.I fe l t a leaf , a dead one of course, dancethrough my hair .

-Alina Fernandez

DREAM

I dreamed I was a boy in the future talking with anOld man, and he told me about t rees , flowers andgreen and I didn' t believe such things could exist .I dreamed I could see where the time of every day goesand see that it cannot come back.I dreamed my ci ty was an alive thing that taughtme what I didn' t know, l ike a big old mother.I dreamed of a senseless day, l ike a sea withoutwind l ike pearls of a necklace of SodomI dreamed that my youth was a stray dog .I dreamed I was sleeping and couldn ' t wake upin the embrace of the unconsciousnous ,i t was beautiful .I dreamed she loved me, i t wasn't trueI dreamed the world was an egg and from i tone day wil l come out love.

-Giovanni Crippa

COUNTRY BLUESThings have changed so muchThere's no th r i l l l e f tIn a pint of whiskey or a barn dance.So I think I'll buy me a pick-up truckDrive wayout and take my chance .Maybe s ta r t a farm and hope for luckOr build me a cabin and kick back, work neverDeep in the forest a l l alone.Or maybe jus t drive on forever .

-Naoto Sekiguchi

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FAYETTEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL GROUP POEM

A i s yellow l ike a smashed lightning bug t a i lE i s aqua l ike the rows and rows of eyeshadows on a shelf.I is blue l ike the smokey color of a siamese0 is pink l ike the hands of a mouseU is purple, l ike a beautiful se a urchin;or green; much greener than the large Group Rug; muchgreener than the grass around Steffens - Wiegers Funeral Home;greener than a l l th e green crayolas in th e world melted downin a bubbling blob .

-Marc McGuireM. D. OsingLinda Langham

Plume - an ocean wave on a hat- Vicki Hileman

Diamond- bird 's eggs in a nest-Kris t i Corn

Flute - flow of moonbeams-Hee-Young Kim

Piano- Bach' s security blanket-Lone Tunnell

Cards - dealing with royalty-Betsy Stewart

Flute - a screech owl a t nightDice - a square way of dying

-Phyll is KellyKnife - mindless si lver snake

-Richard PowelDice - the square root of money

-Harold Hutton

Barry GilbowLeslie Lane

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CROSSETT HIGH SCHOOLNORMAN HIGH SCHOOL

I DREAM

I dreamed of bars of breadso I could eat my way out.Guards of water to drinkaf ter I f inish the bars.Spotlights of smells of freedomWalls of cabbage to th e touch .I dreamed of running on and onthrough pastures of policemena l l s i t t ing there commenting aboutthe plate that jus t ran by.All that I really dream abouti s jus t one good meal .

- Rory

POEM

I am s i t t ing here,Drinking a screwdriver,And thinking.I 've lived my l i feLike an insect in a ditch-A big zero.I would se l l my soulI f my heart could f lyLike a pigeon !But th e thought makes me shiver,As it begins to rainAnd I have no umbrella.I am defenseless and weak.The stoplight of deathHas me in a bear hug.

-Rusty McElroy

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DROPPED TRANSMISSION BLUES

Dropped a transmission in my newbad Nash.Got a trunk fu l l of booze I just gottastash .Here comes a pig and he's gonna look.I hope th e judge don ' t throw the book,a t a minor with an obsessionwho's in possession.Oh , lord, I got the dropped transmission blues.

-Anonymous

DOG GONE

I know this dogHis name is JoeI 'd t e l l you about himBut I gotta go-Anonymous

I'M A FOX!

As a fox I se e a l l the cute dudeswhile I walk around smelling for food.I hear a l l the guys whistling at meI eat Purina Fox chow with my teaI have a feeling I ' m gonna dieI f I ever quit being sly.-Kay Brown

POEM

I sip my screwdriverShe gives me a hugHer touch makes me shiverAs we l ie on the rugHer umbrella is sexHer love is so l ightI t f l ies l ike a pigeonAnd she has no stoplight

-Rusty McElroy

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THE EXTRA DRY GIN BLUES

When I am feeling down and ina slump .I drink some gin to get meover the hump .When I ask my g i r l to dance andshe turns me down .I get my gin and go to town.I f you are a big man, t a l l or thinDo what I do , Drink Extra Dry Gin.

-Gerald Cobbs

TWO TIMING BLUESWhen you said you had to work lateour date would be another timeI decided I would go aloneand see what I could findWhen I pulled into the drive-inand I parked my carI saw you jus t aheadwith that darling blonde-haired star .Now as I l ie in bed each nightI think of what you've doneThe two-timing blues haunt mebecause of you, you sorry son-of-a-gun.

-Pat Stringer

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EL DORADO HIGH SCHOOL

SATURDAY

Saturday I smell bacon frying as always,Hit the cold wooden floor as always,Visit the stained white to i le t as always,Eat apple pancakes with Log Cabin as always,Ride my green bicycle as always,Stop in the jasmine-scented park as always,But you ' r e not there.

-Gary C.

POEM

The dog sleeps in your chair;StartsAt every strange noiseoutside the doorand I rise with himand look to see i f you've come.I t is so coldand I look out the windowa t empty, snow-covered s t reetsand imagine youcoming toward me--I t seems so muchBrighter then.But you do not come.

-Anonymous

POEM

The s tars are out .I can ' t see them too well for th e smoke.must be a million bugsaround the s t reet l ight outside.The flowers have quit blooming now;I picked a few, they look likeold crepe paper.The clock's ticking.The fan makes a huml ike a bee.The sofa sags--All musty upholstery.The wine you gave meturned to vinegar.Not much has changedsince you ' ve been away .

-Bi l l Nesbitt

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BRYANT HIGH SCHOOL

THE JACKRABBIT GIRL

I looked down and my toes had grownl ike wheat in Kansas.My teeth sproutedl ike potato eyes in water .My rather small earsgrew as long as an elephant ' s trunk.My brown eyes became pink,and my face has long furry whiskers .All of a suddenI wanted a carrot .

-Anonymous

THE LOVELY LIZARD

Scales l ike peanut butterwrapped in summer sausageclaws with the shape of carsmadly racing in circles of cotton candyFlying into a whirlpool of bloodth e smell of rocks encases i t s bodywhile the thought of pizza danced in i t s headalone yet togetherstanding bravelyafraid of the hawk above .

-Jim Dreher

NERVOUSNESS

This presence insideis l ike a bulldozercrashing into a mass of grapefruitgrowing from a persimmon branch.A cat clawing with a l l his inward feelingand muscles upon a finely finished car.Like hot l iquif ied lead going downthrough every blood vesselthrough each br i t t le boneand every layer of skin.Ah! Ah! Ah!

-R .H.

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BUTTERFIELD TRAIL ELEMENTARY, FAYETTEVILLE

I WISH

I wish I had a million dollar b i l lI 'd buy whatever I wanted toI wish I had a million dollar b i l lBut the only way to get it i s to sue .

-Jimmy Barnes

CREATION

When I was bornI weighed 112 pounds .I was feet .I got upand s tar ted to boogie.This is true!

-Steve Lilly

GREAT DANE

I wish I had a great dane,As big as a car ,He would chase sports cars,And bury them in the back yard.-James Barton

HOMING PIGEON

I am a homing pigeon,Why did you take me away from my house?Why must I find my way back?Why?

-James Barton

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FEAR

Fear is a narrow bridge without any ra i l s , over an oceanthat has waves 60 feet high .Fear tastes l ike detergent from a washing machine .Fear smells l ike the breath of a bull charging a t you .Fear feels l ike a tarantula crawling up your arm.Fear sounds l ike a window raising when you are alone .

-Lachae Lewis

I WISH

I wish I were afamous actor so I could wear a l lthe fancy clothes and a l lthe panty hose. WhenI walk down the s treet a l lthose people look and s tarea t me. Once in awhile theywhisper .

-Jamie HillMY DOOR

My door i s a doormatmade out of iron .The doormat has spikesa l l over i t ,And i t says: Welcome.

-Laura W.

FEAR

Fear tastes l ike blackeyed peas .Devilangryheavy

Happiness is pink.Buggedolder people bug me .so I turn theminto a moth .

-Brenda

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ST. PAUL SCHOOLS, ST . PAUL

A CELLAR

The smell of a cel lari s very cool.I t makes you seemfar away.The taste of a cel laris l ike di r t smellsr ight after a summer rain.The touch of the a iragainst your facecan make it seem l ikesomeone i s watching youwithout you knowing i t .

-Carol Parsley

ONE OCEAN

There is one ocean,with coves having many names,a single sea of atmosphere,with no coves a t al l ,a thin miracle of so i l ,alive and giving l i fe ,a las t planet,and there is no spare .

-Jim Collins

CELLAR

A cel lar i s l ike the inside of agutted elephant . Watch out - youmight get lost .

-Jim Martin

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DEATH

Death is l ike a dreamyou are sleeping so soft lynot a noise wil l wake you.Now things are getting darkeryou don't know what to do.Someone is call ing your name,but you jus t can' t answer.You try your best to open your eyes,nothing wil l work. Someoneput a p i l l in your mouth andsome water. But it was toolate you couldn't feel athing i t was too dark tooquiet and too soon to leave .

-L .L.R.

A BABY SNAIL

There was once was a baby snai lwho couldn't crawl a t a l lWho wanted very badly to be able to crawlBut every time he tried he would only fa l lPoor l i t t l e thing, oh how he would crycause he knewThat was where he would be the veryday that he would die.

-Shanna Mounce andSue Baker

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PITSTOP , FAYETTEVILLE

THE THING

The thing snoopsaround a t nightHe looks for his prey.He has a very dist inc tsmell to him .He loves the taste of his victims.He is always feelingaround for trapsso he won't get caught.Sometimes he jus t s i t sand l istens for you .-Art Jones

THE NEW POEM

I t wil l notbe as beautiful as someI t will notbe written by two but oneI t will nothelp you in grief and sorrowI t will notbe as long as time can borrowI t wil l notbe l ike l i fe i t will end sometime.-Teresa Mitchell

I DREAMED

I dreamed I fe l l in the well, soI climbed out, got a hold of my horse,and ra n after the ra t that washaving sex with my sleepingpi l l s . I got the cow that had mydog and took him back to nursehis horse.So I went to the barn and fe l l insome hay when I heard my momsay, bite my toe i t feels sickSo when I climbed out of the bath tu bI fe l t my ring f a l l off my noseWhen Big Bird came over I fe l lin love with my wall andthe window opened so I fe l l outof i t and woke up .

-Janet Fritch

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BAKER ELEMENTARY, BENTONVILLE

DEATH

As you are walkingYou hear someone talking .Then you hear a shot.I t was you the bul le t caught.You fe l l to the groundWith a thud of a sound .You fe l l l ike a stone .You gave out a moan.You rolled l ike a wheelYou hoped i t was a dreamBut it was very real .One last thump on your headNow you are dead .

-Kent Moore

FISH

Red, gold, pink and purple,Wiggling everywhereCan' t you ever keep yourself s t i l l ?Always swimming thru your mill .I feed you every afternoon .Don ' t have babies I beg you please.We don ' t have any more room.

-Brenda Crabtree

WHY DO BOYS LIKE GIRLS?Just for style ,or for the pleasure of i t .

-Edward Allen Brown

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THE \-X>RLD

The World i s l ike a marble or bal l or peabut i t ' s notit ' s an oval shape and as big as a star .We live on the earthand so does the rat , catand Paul Newman.

-Marsha Kelly McNelly

CHEETAH

So graceful when you jump th e rocksAs graceful as a BallerinaAs pret ty as a butterfly leaping in the a irWatch out cheetah and really f ightextinction.I envy you with a l l my might .As fierce as a l ionBut s t i l l as gentle as a kitten.

-Brenda Crabtree

PLATYPUS

Dear Platypus you walk with suchfunny grace .I often wonder why you havesuch a weird face .You splash along in thesoft sweet waterSometimes a son andsometimes a daughter .

-Janet Pearce

LIE

Violets are green roses are blacksugar i s sour and so is blood,las t night I sucked this hog'sbody unti l it was dry as a pruneI sucked the blood out of a cowi t was so juicy i t took me an hour

-Bobby Mattingly

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DREAM

I was laying there in thesky and an angel came upto me and he threwme down to earth again.I fe l l into the ci ty dumpand a bum asked me where Icame from .I said from the sky. Hesaid how do you get there?I said you get ona diving board and jumpas high as you can and thenyou grab a cloud and f loataway.-Todd Stubbs

WHY DO DOGS BARK?

There are millions of dogs in the world .They bark a lo t .I think there i s a ghost dog that bites dog's ta i lsthen the ghost jumps on a carand the dog runs af ter i t .Some chase bal ls because they see the ghostgo inside the ball .

-Stan

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DEATHHILL

YOCUM ELEMENTARY, EL DORADO

DEATHHILL

DEATHHILL

DEATHHILL

(} '

TOP~ I l l 'V

.ylll DEATHHILL

DEATHHILL

DEATHHILL

DEATHHILL

DEATHHILL

DEATHHILL

Johnny Rudder

DEATHHILL

DEATHHILL

DEATHHILL DEATHHILL

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I WISH I WAS

I wish I was a rabbita rabbit with a habi tBut I would be awareof a gun coming near.I would eat a lo t of caand le t tuce.But not my t a i l .

-Robin Willi

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A l ight is a rose with a bright shiningA road is l ike a mapthat you drive on with your thumb .A book is l ike a line of foxes.-Robert

SOUND

The thunder told a l ie ,Saying he could scareA wolf off a hi l l .He wished he could makeAs loud a sound as a wolf ,Dreaming he could shakeA house right in two .

-Anonymous

I WISH

I wish I was a Bobcat .I dream for some meat to eat for supper.I l ied to a farmer.I told him that I haven't seen his daughter .But I l ied to him. Soo-w-a-a-w-a-w I saidAnd that means: I wil l get her yet .

-Bruce Stringfellow

I WOULD LIKE TO BE

I would l ike to be an antelope soI could run l ike the wind and watchout for that man to hunt me down. So Icould hide myself in the t a l l grass.

-Jonathan Redlin

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TYSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL , SPRINGDALE

GRANDPA

Grandpa used to be in th earmy. He was in theWorld War .I can remember Grammawith bruises on her armsShe used to say, "I fe l l . "or " I h it it on thewall." But we knew.You see he wasn't a bad manunt i l , he went to war.One night in the bat t le fieldhe got bombed . He thengot War Crazy. Imean the war madehim crazy. PoorGrandpa he's gone.

-Tammy Wilkinson

MRS. BLOCK

wore red sockshad a dogI t got los t in the fog.

-Keith Findley

INSIDE A WALL SOCKET

I am inside a wall socket,I am very scared,for i f I move the wrong way,Zip, Zow, Bam.When I look outside,I see a big tool shop ,But i f I look the other way,Zip, Zow , Bam.

-Roger Newton

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EASTER RONDEAU

Easter is a time for eggs.Lit t le rabbits hop.Lit t le rabbits ru n and beg.Their ta i l s look l ike th e mop .I once saw a rabbit that did a j igHe did a j ig on the copse.Easter is a time for eggsLit t le rabbits hop .I had a rabbit that drank a kegof beer and wouldn' t stop.He fe l l in and floated to th e to phe jumped out and asked for figs .Easter is a time for eggs.

-By Mrs. Edens'5th Grade Reading Class

SUMMER TRIOLET

I 've been working as a plumberI work a t Beaver LakeEveryday there is a bummerI ' ve been working as a plumberI think I 'd rather work with lumberI think I ' d rather rake a snakeBut I 've been working as a plumberI work a t Beaver Lake.

-By Mrs. Edens '5th Grade Reading Class

ANI-BALL

The rabbit pitched the baseballand th e catcher was a catbut he couldn' t catch a t al l ,because he was to o fat .The dog batter was too smalland he couldn' t l i f t the bat .He couldn't h it the baseballbecause i t knocked him f la t .The kangaroo ump called i t a bal l .The rabbit pitcher didn ' t l ike thatso he called th e ump a baseball rat .The ump was so mad he ejected them a l land ended that crazy game of baseball .

-Mrs . King ' s5th Grade Reading Class

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INSIDE A CAT ' S INTESTINESWhat i s i t l ike?Like the partsof a mini-bike.Oo groty!Guess who madeup the word groty?Santa Claus madeup the word groty.He was coveredwith soot andhe said , "Oooo groty!"Groty i s l ike theinside of a eat ' sintest ines .

-Stan

SCHOOL

Studentshot, stuffy , bloodshot eyescan hardly walkpiled with homeworka protest!then,three loud claps of thunder echoinga burning pine conewheezing , sighing, screamingthe ai r i s stickyand f i l led with kids ' breathwindows closeddoors closedmore workbad gradestwo-hundred sentencesa buzz in your earshotter , harderf ina l ly ,a resounding ringl e t out intoclean, cool, fresh moista ir .

-Robert Ziegler

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WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW

As I move my pencil, kids are moving theirsCars move on roads, birds fly in th e skyPeople work a t their jobsMy mother is messing with hairMy teacher is messing with kidsRonald Reagan i s blowing off a lo t of hot a irtrying to be presidentWar is on in other landsMen die and some come close to dyingSome people are having fun on vacationsKids swim, surf , dance, and even skiEverybody is doing something , even sleeping

-Mike Ramey

REVENGE

May hair grow on your teethand your l ips as sharp as razorsand you eat your friend al ive.May you run into David Dicksonwith his hip teeth chatteringand butcher knife in his hand .May hairs grow out of your fingernailsand teeth grow in your ear .- Jeff Dowers

THE GORILLA

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I feel l ike a goril la somedays . I climb t rees, eat bananas , attack things, beatmy chest in anger, and find rusty machetes from many safaris. I ' ve been on WildKingdom and Last of the Wild. I hate women gori l las , they ' re such a pest.Following me to secret places , sleeping on the wrong side of the t ree, alwaysbiting me. I would l ike to be in a zoo and beat my chest for the public and showmy strength twirling t ires in the a ir and be fed tons of bananas .

-Stephen Rachels

CURSE POEM

May your desk be ful l of frogsMay th e legs of your chairwrap around you l ike a bunch of snakesMay your toes f a l l offwhen you break a piece of chalkMay your nose be as sharp as a pencil-Anonymous


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POEM

As he dived in the water after his hatthe water was turning and calling his name."Tony, Tony". His head went down andi t never came up . All I heard was a whisper,it whispered, " I got him, now it ' s your turn . "I ran and ran .

-Anonymous

} ~ y you fa l l in a lake without shoes onin the middle of the night and your feeth it the rocks with tips like sharks teeth,sharp and pointed and may you be a slavethe next day to me. I guess that 's enough.

-Toni Hall

REVENGE

May your cannibals die, Alden, because theygot hold of me las t summer on that dreadful island.With your barbed wire fence which caught you las tnight with your butcher knife and your machetegetting me every night. I screamed, but no oneheard me. Oh, what a night. I t was late Decemberback in 1963 . Oh, what a night.

-Anonymous

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MONTICELLO HIGH SCHOOL

A DRAGON

With big green eyes I s tare unblinking .The a ir tastes of sulphurand smells of burned plants and earth.My eyes raced over the shaking land.Spotted the mountain erupting .Puffing both f i re and smokefrom bruised nostr i ls I could feelthe burning flying rocks.Burning through my blue-green scalesThe rocks weighed me down.With one f inal lunge I fe l l .With one sol id wave the molten rock covered me .

-Kevin Watkins

RABID BAT

Echoes dance in a rot t ing brainTrees and cliffs and flying thingsSound a l l the same .I glide onA moth brushes my wingI cannot snatch without seeingseeing with my ears in the summer nightI glide on with echoesdancing in a rot t ing brain.Until I hear a flying thingso large I can ' t believe my ears.I snatch a t i t .I t snatches back .And rot t ing brain danceson a propeller echoing through the night .

-Ramsay Ball

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BERRYVILLE .!!!:!. SCHOOL

ROOMS

A dog l ie s by the f ireplace,A skinny old man s i t s whitt l ing,The wind i s blowing and i t i s start ing to rain,The horses s ta r t to neighA young man with a dis tan t look s i t s alone,The dog pricks i t s ears,Then a l l is quiet and the youngMan in the corner has f inal ly found friends.-Alan Phil l ips

UNOFFICIAL REPORT ON THE PERSON OF ----When I die the snow wil l sa y good-byeThe preacher wil l say I wishI had his twelve-gaugeThe gym floor wil l squeak no moreThe juke box wil l saythat ' s the wayhu-huh, hu-huh, I l ike i t , hu-huh

-Biggerstaff

POEM

I walk into Walmarts,dodging customers as I go my way,Down the ais les , by the cards and by the candiesfarther deep into the maze of shelves.There he i s , where I knew he would be,standing there to pass the time,He browses a l l day andwhen he gets t i redhe wil l move to the next aisleand play the radiospretending to be interes tedin buying one .Someday I wil l get up enoughcourage to ask Beethoven

what he thinks of a l l thisnew music,but today I wil l pretend to browse too,and watch himfrom the cornerof my eye.

-Steve High

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UNOFFICIAL REPORT ON THE PERSON OF M. RONAN

When the day of my deatharrives my horse wil l say"She rode too much"the window wil l say"She saw too much"the stage wil l say"She showed not enough. "

LAURIE

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Living alone with one child in a three room run-down housereal ly isn ' t her idea of funBut she can ' t blame anyonebut herself .She gave up a so-called rot ten marriage for i t .She s i t s home and drinks beer,getting fa tsets her alarm to go to work

a t a chicken plant.-Jenni Smith

GEORGE

George is dark l ike the night .But not by looks; by his acts .When people see him walk down the s t ree t ,They whisper "There ' s George" and then crossto the other side .He puts cats in washing machinesand t ies bot t le rockets on puppies ta i ls .He slashes car t i resand breaks bubble- gum machinesHe is mean.But he must l ive in this worldBecause he is a common man.As common as a two-headed cal f .

-Tom Harrison


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THE COMM.ON WOMAN

She s i t s behind the counterand strokes her doberman pincher-both as deadly as a stray bul let .In her store stout liquidis sold for g a ~ n to men with th e need.Inside the apron around her wrinkled necka small revolver ready and waiting.On the wall, beside the bottles,pretty pictures she has painted,long ago .

-Marty Strough

THE FARMER FROM HUNTSVILLE

The hour is la te ,no, early,for i t ' s morningFarrowing housesmells of straw and urineTwelve new pigsgood for a gif t .

-Joyce Lichti

HIPPY FROM NEW YORK CITY

I'm dirty and skaggy and uglyand I been wearing my jeans for two yearsliving in and out of trashcans, bus stationsfor the sake of being freefor the sake of being meI 'm the Hippy from New York City

-David Wilson

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WEST JUNIOR HIGH-WEST MEMPHIS

THE SUN

One day a boy who was playingwith matches l i t a field with f ire .The f ire got to be so high thatpeople from a l l the world couldsee i t , so the people on Earthdecided to dig up the f ield andcast it into space. All the peopleagreed except for the boy'sfather, but he was outnumbered.So the people dug up the f ieldand heaved it into space. The

Iboys father kept yelling Son, ORSon, Come back. So then everybody started yell ing son. Andeverybody called the big fire inthe sky a sun.

-Robert

A is yellow l ike the chicken hollowing in the night .

49

E is l ike the elephant I once had that l iked to eat bones .I is l ike red--the tongue my pet ate for breakfast.0 is blue l ike the pants I had on a year ago l as t night .U is pink l ike the pig I once had in j a i l for eating mypork chop.

-Michael McCauley

COTTON PICKERS

The sun blazing on their backs,they pick cotton with their 100 lb .bag of burlap strapped across their shoulders .They sweat with blisters hangingfrom their bodies.As one worker fa l l s outfrom a sunstrokehe thinks to himself in joyful hope.He says:I dream of a nice, warm, comfortable house.I dream of a big t a l l glass of water.I dream of a nice wife.I dream of l iving a good l i fe .I dream of being free from torture .I dream of being alive again.


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I DREAMED

I dreamed a l ion was in the house.I dreamed the l ion ate our clock.I dreamed I ate with my pet.I dreamed I read with my ear .I dreamed an African drum on Mars.I dreamed a fire-breathing cat.I dreamed my insides on the outside.I dreamed a tree on an ant 's head.I dreamed a pear in a dog's nose.I dreamed my foot in my eye.I dreamed a cow swimming in a greenPlutonian sea.

-Hentz Gordon

HAIRPIN TURNS

blade - the bird cut i t s foot in the snow.fan - the bat st i r red the wind and flew along the banks

of a smouldering creek . -Anonymous

piano - a bunch of keys that never opens anything.-Chris Dickens

cape - the wings of a hen over her chicks.feather - snow floating in the sky .

-Tommy Taylor

blade - two women with a man.rake - gathering rocks from the river.

-Jessie Fitzgerald

so


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SPRINGDALE HIGH SCHOOL

WAA

The helmeted warrior sped into the stream ,around the enemy--hard and coldHe wielded his weapon with vigcr and strength,his long, slim craf t was sl ic ing the wavesHis craf t was a kayak, his weapon an oa=,His enemies--rocks, who impeded his journeyCataract upon cataract , he had the victory .

LADY GODIVAI t was a cold day,dear lady ,

-H. Keeton Lawson , J r .

that I f i r s t saw you.Your horse was coal black.And your toes blue .The t raffic , Miss Godiva,stopped only for you,Your hair was flapping in the windand your chest held high .In and out you weavedamong the sightseers.Each person ' s eyes were f i l ledwith the intoxicationof your bold deed ;along with a few other things of yourswhich were showing,and growingand turn a b it blue.

- Donna Larrison

THE SNAILThe snai l s l i thers slowlyAcross the slippery ground,Trying to find another snai lSo they can mess around ,As the weeks and months go slowly bybefore the time he had to diebaby snai ls go crawling by.Brought up on the ocean, they smell of sa l t ,They may smell bad, but i t ' s not their faul t .The baby snai ls really smellThough they look l ike soft egg shel lsTheir s t i l l real ugly and s t i l l do smellThere's nothing as ugly as a baby snai l .

-Anonymous

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STUTTGART HIGH SCHOOL

FREDDIES

Cooks slapping veal on the stovetalk of children and husbands,waitresses in t ight pants f l i r twith old men while bugs crawlon the floorYoung gir ls and boys make outIn the back seat of cars

-Kathy

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Religion - A cloud not seen the same way from any two angles.-Terry StatonPOEM

Trodding home from work I finallyreach the familiar surroundings ofmy home block. The dul l houseswith square, squat foundations andt rees lined in s t raight rows. Ismell apple pie mingled with thearoma of hotdogs burning over abonfire. Blase.I reach my door, that ra t t les incontempt, and am greeted by my nanny,my wife that i s , who growls andcurls her l ips in t ired disgust withdi r t rouge and mud pie knees. "Beenworking in the garden?" "Hell, yes,"she replies. I kiss her cheek. Nothing.I s i t down in my armchair and turn on thefootball game, pop open a beer and a tdinner I fix her a TV dinner. At nightI shower, avoid her and dig a fox holeto secure my side of the bed.

-Anonymous

Death - A ra t eats the side of a pumpkin on the vine.-Lori Lorince

Death - worms crawling on the shadows of a stone.-Anonymous

Sex - A van at the races-Anonymous


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JONESBORO HIGH SCHOOL

THE CREATION OF: ICE

Once there was a puddle of Water, n a m e d ~ which no one would give himany respect, they jus t walkeda l l over him. He came verycold hearted toward them.He was so cold hearted towardthem for so long that he froze up.From then on when everyonecame by him they teasedhim. They a l l would yel l" I see E"c

-Sandie Freeman

DREAM

something to put on ice cream-Bruce Beck

curlers t iptoeing in space-Becky Stone

sleeping with my eyes open-Vicki Cook

an alcohol soaked cottonball-Debbie Kinward

you t e l l l ies about me while I sleep-Charlotte Blankenship

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THE CREATION OF THE MOUNTAIN

Once there was a l i t t l e anthi l l . Theants that lived inside thought they werehuman. One problem was that a l l the antsl ied about things . Every day a t leas t oneant l ied. Finally, a fairy told them shewould give them one more chance and af terthat , the anthi l l would grow every time al ie was told. But the ants jus t ignoredthe fairy . She came again and said theyhad one more chance. Again th e antsignored her . The fairy did what sh e saidsh e would do . She put a spel l on th e anth i l l and i t kept getting bigger every timei t heard a l ie . The ants kept on lying.About two years la ter the anthi l l was 40,000feet t a l l . This is how mountains werecreated.

-Tana Hill

THE CREATION OF THE THORN BUSH

There once was a man named Bib,a hunter and fisherman by trade,he loved to stalk and trample throughthe woods af ter the fur animals thathe sold. One day he came across atrout stream and he fished for manydays, he gutted and cleaned the fishand threw th e bones in a clover f ield .Then came along a smart squirrel thathated the hunter, he saw the bones inthe clover patch and he got an idea.He wove the bones and the clover togetherand made himself a house . Then he wentand teased the hunter into chasing him.The squirrel ran into his house and thehunter tr ipped and fe l l on the house.His blood oozed and dripped from hisbody onto the house and the house grewand multiplied . And now when th eanimals are frightened they jus t headto a thorn bush.

-Jeff Lane

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RISON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

A MOSQUITO

I wish I was a mosquito .So I could sneak around.I would dart to and fro.And I would be on the ce i lingwhile they look on the ground.

-Regina Jones

LONG AGO THE DAYS WERE BLACK

Long ago the days were black,And people burned candles a l l the timeAnd a t one place there was a huge candlea t a man's houseAnd he got sick and diedWhen he went to heavenhe took the candle with himand he l i t i t in heavenAnd that 's how the sunand moon came to be.

-Scott Miller

Corn- unbrushed teeth for a year.-Melissa Rawes

HOW NIGHT AND DAY BEGAN

When night comes a man puts a bigblanket over the sky. When daycomes he takes i t off.-Anonymous

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THE YEAR

January is l ike a cold polar bear,February is l ike a dog without hair ,March i s l ike a bird in the sky,April is l ike a crazy fly.May is l ike a swan on a lake,June i s l ike a biting snake,July i s l ike a sweaty hog,August is l ike a friendly dog.September is a month I love to talk,October seems how an old man walks,November is the month I really fear,Because December is the end of an old year.

-Kenneth Johnson

THE PRAYING MANTIS

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Walking through the green woods with the smell of spring in the air . Icame upon two strange creatures of nature, propped upon a small gum t ree 'sweak limb . The creatures seemed to have been playing and very happy.But I guess they were mating. Because one of these strange creaturesstopped and looked a t the companion and devoured him and raised up andprayed.

-Robbie Wyatt

Sex - A Sears and Roebuck catalog that you look a t and wish about.-Teresa Langford

lAM

I am an anteater ,I eat ants and termites;Some people think I'm crazy,But actually bugs are quite tasty;My brother is an aardvark,He eats the same things I do;So i f we find an ant h i l l ,We have fights over i t .

-Alexander Dawson


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POCAHONTAS HIGH SCHOOL

CREATION OF LOVE

Once there was no love,How did love come about?Some say the su n grew love,But how did the sun come about?Some say God made the sun,But how did God come about?

-Anonymous

THE CREATION OF CREATION

Making or being madeYou're one or the other .Everything has i t s beginning.All has i t s end.By factory, hand, or mind,either way i t s found the way to us.Usable or useless i t ~ s t i l l created .What's the meaning?

-Anonymous

I DREAMED

I dreamed I was eaten by atoothless lionI dreamed I was stabbed with a2 by 4.I dreamed I was run over by asteam rol ler and then got up andwalked awayI dreamed I was shot by a ta l lman in red.I dreamed I was drug across anocean of glass .I dreamed I was pulled througha 2 inch hole.I dreamed I was cast into asky of blood red f i re .

-Cecil Tackett

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CABOT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

I am an owl.The way I get my kicks maybe different in many ways from theway you get yours . I get mykicks from scaring l i t t l e boyson camping t r ips . After al l , withth e reputation of being wise i t ' shard to have fun .

-Debbie Russell

THE BIRD THAT ATE

There was a Blackbird who ate and ateHe knew he would get fa tAnd he always ate when he fe l t badFor dinner he ate a hatSo Monday he had a headacheAnd vomited on th e floorSo he had to stay in the bedThen somebody knocked on the doorI t was his mother from TexasShe brought some vaccineTo set t le his rumbling stomachThen came Bluebird MaxineShe gave him a kiss on the cheekAnd he fe l t so very goodThat was when he stopped eatingAnd started choppin' wood.

-David Edmondson

HAIRPIN TURNS

Zebra - a mule that ' s been to j a i l-Debbie Williams

Bank - a place to s teal your own money-Debbie Williams

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Death isA bowl of oatmeal that ' s l e f t in the iceboxfor three weeks .Death isDropping your mother ' s mother's mother ' s clock.Death isgett ing a brass plated, velvet cushioned, s tee lencased bed with a hand cut, machinepolished, granite slab to make sure youget a good sendoff.

-Anonymous

HAIRPIN TURNSSlow - giraffe eating peanut butter

-Tod RoperDeath - A puddle smashed into shining drops by my foot- hurdles stand forlornly on the empty track

-AnonymousSex - my 85 year old grandmother swallowed her tongue

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- a big squawkingbird with pink electr i f ied feathers-Anonymous

Cheerios - hula-hoops for ants-Billy Nabors

Stepdad - a bowl of je l ly with eyes-Anonymous

Okra - eels out of water-Diana Adams

Dancer - A worm trying to remove a girdle-Anonymous

Parents- a jukebox that ' s always stuck-Anonymous


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MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL- - - - - - - -THE CREATION OF PIANOS

The Creation of pianos came about whena man whose name I have longforgotten, a hunter by the way, tr iedto beat a porcupine down off hisdog. While beating i t down he killedthe poor thing and so he took i t sflattened needles and laid themon a log so as to dry out. Hethen went home but that nighttwenty or so nymphs came fromthe r iver and so accordinglyarranged the needles in a rowand t ied ribbons onto them andthe next morning the man cameout to the spot where he l e f tthe needles . He saw how theywere arranged and slapped themwith his hand and heard thesound they made and toldothers who began making moreof these.

-Roger Knapp

I DREAMEDI dreamed the moon came waltzing down.

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I dreamed she held me in he r hands before I was born.-John Hardaway

I dreamed the United States was the sizeof an english pea.

-Glenda RichardsonI dreamed the wasp swimming throughthe thick a ir ate oatmeal cookies.

-Lenora Branscum


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THE CREATION OF SNOW

The Lit t le Raindrop was sadwhy was he sad?Because he was only a raindropand raindrops were nothingThey were dul l and wet.This poor Li t t le Raindropwanted to be somethingOne day he ran awayheaded toward the eartht o k i l l himself,but on the wayhe was capturedby a band of clouds.They took him to a prisonDuring his stay a t prison,he knitted himself a fine, lacy coatto surround his cold, wet body.After the cloudsreleased th e raindropfrom prison, Lit t le Raindropfe l l to the Earthto die .Although he didn ' t real ize i t ,he was a snowflake.Everybody loved him.

-Sheila Freeze

THE DREAM

I dreamed that I was swimmingin an ocean of coke and chocolateand that when I got outmy whole body was apimple and,I dreamed that I was goingthru outer space on a slabof cheese and that I waskil l ing the s tars one byone with an automaticmouth.-Jeannie T.

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62HARMONY GROVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CAMDEN

HOW I WOULD MAKE A RAINBOW

I f I were going to make a rainbow,I would use five big giant bananas.About one ton of yellow paint , orange, blue, green and red .First I 'd se t the bananas one right under each other .Then I 'd climb the bananas and paint them.Then I ' d get ten pots of gold and put a t each end .Then I ' d have my own rainbow .-Brenda Cummings

DRACULA IN K-MART

I was in K-Mart one day.I heard Dracula come in that day.I heard him coming towards me that day.I was a t the transistor radios that day.He picked up a transistor radio that day.I smelled of him that day.He smelled l ike pig slop 20 years old that day.He sounded l ike a pig that day.I b it him that day.He tasted l ike pig slop that day.I fe l t of him that day.He fe l t l ike a fish that day .I looked a t him that day .He looked l ike a skunk that day.He b it me that day.I died that day.

-Michael El l io t t

I REMEMBER

I remember lying in the road on a cold dayunder a cardboard box with cars coming by .I remember stepping on my large animals.I remember when I was riding a bike I h it my brakesand flew through the handle bars into the gravel .I remember when I was youngfall ing out of a chairand a teacher slapping me.-Anonymous


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BEING A SHOTGUN BARRELI f I were a shotgun barrel, I wouldalways get a l i t t l e piece of somethingcrammed down my throat and a l i t t l ewhile la ter some wire thing would comein the other end and scratch me . Mymean old brother the hammer wouldjump forward and shoot that mess downthru me and it would s ta r t a l l over again .

-Anonymous

I REMEMBER

I remember when mycat fel l off ou r porch that wastwo s tories high and died.I remember my mother pouringhot soup a l l over me .I remember fal l ing off the backof the back of a baseball standand gett ing knocked out .I remember a spring footballpractice when I said I couldn'tparticipate because I had hay- fever .

-Anonymous

A PIECE OF CHEWING GUM

When in the morning everyone opensthis thing l ike a cave or hole,They take me in the cave and bite andthat hurts,Theybite and bite and bite . They're tryingto ki l l me,And then they throw me away, becausethey think I 've had enough,And I have holes a l l over me .And then I feel l ike nothing .

-Donna Bryant

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I AM BROWN

I am brown. I go whooolI eat rodents . I l ive in old buildingsand when I s i t I can ' t help but hooting.I have big brown eyes or yellow . Ican ' t see in the daylight . My name i sVictoria. I have to go now for I'm myself.

-Yvette Millsaps

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CORNING HIGH SCHOOL

THE MERRY-GO-ROUND IN MY MIND

i s gaining speedas the calliope in my earsWarps.My sinuses are f i l led withCircus.The man on the flying trapezeHas lost his wingsThis Carnival i s losing i t s momentum.

-Amy Berry

I AM NOTI am not the sun that burns in the sky,nor am I s ix feet ta l l .I am me, do you hear , I am Ino more, no less, that ' s a l l .I do dream however, but i t seems so uncool.For dreams, they never come trueTo s t r ive for your goal , knocked downl ike a fool,I t ' s a l l so very uncool .

-Krist i Taylor

GENERALLY

I can 't get no satisfactionBad VibrationsAre really splintering my heartI ask for no creditBaby, I 'll get none hereFrom the l ines in your eyesAnd the slant of your noseI can t e l lYou ain ' t on top of things.

- Amy Berry

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SO, I PLAY LOLA

I come home and say, I got an A.She mutters fine, so I play Lola.I come home and say, he l ikes me!She mutters fine, so I play Lola .I come home and say, I won a contest.She mutters f ine, so I play Lola.I come home and say, the dog did a trick.She mutters f ine, so I play Lola.I come home and say nothing.She mutters f ine, and Lola jus t died.

-Anonymous

UNOFFICIAL REPORT MADE ON THEPERSON OF MR. TYLER

The Leather Jacket:He was cool.The Ford Pickup:He took good care of me.The Girlfriend:He was a loving person.The Guitar:

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He played me a l l the time and kept me in good shape.The Senior ring:He kept me on through everything he did.-Kenny Tyler


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RAMAY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, FAYETTEVILLE

ROOSTER WITH GUTS

Plucked his feathers out and he s t i l l crowed.Locked him up where there was no morning,he crowed.Used him for a chopping block he s t i l l ,yea, crowed.Gave him a l l the feed, he got fat and s t i l lcrowed.I ate him for dinner one night, inthe morning, I crowed.

-Jim Keen

Why the sun shines. He can ' t hide no longer.Why the wind blows. There ' s nothing stronger .Why the r ivers run. They can' t walk.Why the brooks babb le . They can' t talk.Why the trees die. They're t i red of living .Why th e wells go dry. They ' re t i red of giving .-Robert

POEM

The picture of my wife on my wallsmelled l ike wet cardboardThe sack in the corner tasted l ike sootThe sounds outside my l i t t l e buildingwere nice sounds, sounds of laughterSounds of hotdogs and apple pie .The sink smelled drab and greythe hi l ls l ooked l ike flowers under the sun.

-Eileen Messner

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WHO IS TRUMAN CAPOTE - I AM NEW HERE, HELP ME

My name is Alexyiu Roquefort ,I am partly AfricanI throw spears at dinosaurs,My mother is a U. S. chipmunk,I play Rugby for Antarctica,And they don ' t even have a team.The eskimos of Brazil worship mebecause they think I make coffee,My brother ' s name is Johnson Reginald,He climbed Mount Skaskatch with abunch of yard apes as guides.One of them was Richard Nixon, heis married to an overgrown toenail withathlete ' s fungii .The toe is real ly cheating on his otherwife who i s a Chinco Uraguan,Also runs the dry cleaners on the cornerof Mao-Tse-Tung and Chaing-kai-Sheik.His l e f t eye is really a bionic foot, althoughI ts wires are connected . 46 pounds of dead weight,which is called his brain.His Aboriginal slave happens to bemy brother whose wife complicatesmy entire nervous system.I hate these hilarious, ridiculous creaturescalled Senators .Who is Truman Capote?I am new here, help me .Although I do have relatives in the Himalayas,I think you cal l them "Abominable."Why do people cal l me strange?

-David Patton

THE THIRD EYE

The third eye can seeTheology, physics, and philosophy.The third eye can seeThe rusted gears turning inreverse in Sullivan ' s head.I t can see ideas, mathematics .After the other eyes are blind and dead,The third eye sees God.

-Chris Simpson

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A TEXTBOOK WITH GUTS

I hated that book. I hated the homework.I 'd bring that book home everyday, do myhomework and lay it on my desk.Oh how I hated that book.I decided to get rid of that book.I burnt i t , but when I went to bed i twas on my desk.I buried i t , but when I went to bed itwas on my desk.I fried i t , but when I went to bed itwas on my desk.I cut i t up in a gi l l ian pieces, but whenI went to bed i t was on my desk.I threw it in a bottomless pi t , butwhen I went to bed it was on my desk .I flushed it down the to i le t , but when Iwent to bed it was on my desk.I ate i t , but when I went to bed I died.

-Linda Larr

GROUP POEM

A - bone white which means the smell of delayed milkbut not ruined a t the sp l i t second of dawn .-Anonymous

E - chinese and crafty, rare and mean, green and yellow,braggert and skinny .-Clark M.

I - ice blue, cold l ike a pond frozen overin the winter, or the eyes of a blind dog.-Susan llatson

0 - green; a martian who has eaten swamp apples.-John Widder

U - yellow, a feverish bank presidentabout to cas h in .-AnonymousMcNeal

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A LIE

A l i e i s l ike a dreamof a ruler which you breakand find i t ' s your finger.When your eyes are shutand you can ' t hear,when you step on the groundand misswhen you ea t a mousethat i sn ' t real .

-D.W.G.

CHANGES

I used to be a cougarBut now I am a cat .I used to be an elephant,Now I 'm not even fat .I used to be a pro,Now I am a nerd.

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I'll bet this i s the dumbest poemThat you ever heard.

-Karen Thomas

THE MULTI-FACETED IGNORANT

Look a t his eyesThe way he stoops and sighsOld Eddie's boy did that wayBefore the police got him and put him awayCan't talk r ight to no one no moreHis parents don ' t knowWhat he does when he closes the doorAin' t they a l l that way nowWell, got to go any howKids ' l l be home soonI'm afraid for them anymore in the afternoonsThey don' t come in early anymore.

-Robert Morris


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WATSON CHAPEL HIGH SCHOOL

THE SATURDAY NIGHT BLUES

The moon is riding high and thestars are shining bright.The guys are looking around fora chick tonight.I 'm sweet sixteen and the time

is r ight;So why am I si t t ing home on aSaturday night?I curled my lashes and I didmy hairAll the time I was thinking, you guysbetter beware.I dressed real cool, I a in ' t no

squareBut I 'm home on Saturday night,jus t si t t ing there.

-Kathy Rogers

GOLD FISHMy flesh becomes his golden scales.My mouth once talked of knowledgeNow a l l it does i s suck in dirtyWater and expel i t through my gil ls .Day in and day out I taste onlyStale food from a cardboard box.I see only my friends and myselfswimming constantly around andAround in the glass aquariumGetting nowhere and doing nothing .

-Anonymous

ORANGUTAN

I got a whiff of a precious banana,I got i t and peeled it .I ts taste was that of animal heaven.I laid down to res t for awhile.Along came my wife.I had chosen her,because she had fursofter than any of the others.She was pregnant now.And I wonderedHow my kid would look.-Anonymous

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BELAIR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, PINE BLUFF

BIRDDOG

I see the small quail cuddled in thei r nest ,Then I smell their feathers as they f lut ter .Then I hear their hearts beating l ike war drums,As I draw closer to the feathered creaturesAnd as I jump and catch one of them,I feel thei r wings flapping as they try to get away,And I taste their dusty feathers .

-David Shaw

BLUES IN MY BONES

Blues in my bones and Ican ' t s i t down. I'm tryingso hard to make it to myseat . But blues in my boneshinder my feet .-Rose Withers

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ROGERS !!!Ql! SCHOOL

4 WAYS OF LOOKING AT DEATH

When I look a t death I see apale woman dancing in a darkdeep well.I see when I look a t death sad,sorry faces a l l of woman.When I look a t death I se el i t t l e girls laughing.When I look a t death I seewoman.

-Suzanne Boston

Sex - The sun jumps on top of a cloud.-Anthony Dailey

Death - a tear drop mixing with the Maybelline .-David Frank

A COMMON MANA do-nothing brotherwho has the mind of a fiendHustles a l l othersNo- one's friend

-Mike Henderson

Sex - the sun and th e moon during an eclipse.Death - the sound of a roach as the shoe comes down.

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Religion- the f i rs t time you're down on your knees iswhen you fa l l in front of th e truck.-Jerry Cooper

Night - When a bear stands in front of the sun.-Cindy Hil l


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75LONOKE HIGH SCHOOL

Sex - After the telephone cal l , the tomboy turned into a lady .- Anonymous

Sex - Planting a radish seed and getting a watermelon-Anonymous

DEATHI t tastes l ike a piece of stale bread.Smells l ike my old friend Fred .

-Anonymous

Word Count - Sitt ing Drowsy Stomach Glit ter Eyes Puzzled andSoft Feeling Dancy Noise crying out Loud Someone Help me I can ' tTranslate this weird Life of mine. All sane All time-Earnest Bryant

RELIGION

A monkey praying for a banana- Carol O'Cain

A deaf old woman goes to Church- Karen Nie


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HARRISON HIGH SCHOOL

THE MAN

In churchwearing black .Glasses-thick,ambered- t inted,strange-framed.Lips protrude.Mouth moves,t r ies to grabwords backto keep foranother day .The manstands and walks;slu-footed .Right leghardly movesWalk; noisyand fastapproachesa Rambler.climbs in ,drives away.

-Arleen Gipson

PLASTIC COLORS

A question asked.I replied posit ively .7:15 Friday evening,Pike Lanes.Unaware of hours ahead.A walkA restA nightmare .Christmas was near .My eyes covered with plast ic windows.In terror I stood .On a hi l l I met th e sun.

-P.R.

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RUSSELLVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL

THE REASON WHY PEACOCKS HAVE EYES ON THEIR TAILS

The Peacock was once a bird with a beautifulbody but a white t a i l . Everybody used to starea t th e Peacock. Somebody fe l t sorry forhim and painted his t a i l brown and green,then they put mirrors on the ends of i t . Whenyou look a t the Peacock the mirrorsref lect your eyes. That's why he ha seyes on his t a i l .

-Mike Troglin

HEAR THE DISASTER

With golden bats hangingAnd eating wild roses.The land in the seaWill hold the swineAnd trunks wil l suckTurkeys, bats , and HipposIn th e dreaded water.With might, woe to the animalsThe winter wil l die bloomingand wil l th e sunshines t i l l shine down here?The moving stonesl ides and kil lsthe wind,st i rr ing the forest .

-Bi l l Pinson

HALT YOU STUPID SOLDIERSMight Private Birnen be hungand be buried with wild roses?Yes, in the land I see.He was a swine,Last night he was drunken and kissingand dunking Miss Haupt in the water.Wait! The food is ich, yuc.In winter, I'll die eating that blame food .He'l l be murdered tonight,and shot and drowned.Die he must!Bury that stinking food with himand away from the wind,So I can ' t smell i t .

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HALF THE BEANS

Mit Gelben Birnen was going to behangedHe was accused of playing volley-ball in a wild rose gardenSo he ran away to a land calledDen SeeThen he met a g i r l named IreneHolden SchwaneAnd her br other Trunkden vonKussenThey were from TurkeyAnd they lived in a towncalled WasserNext Winter we will die fromBlumen and WoThen they sneezedAnd scratched their earThe next day they found outthat Maurene Stehn had died

-Emily Hooper

FOOD SURPRISE

When German babies hunger .And children with wild cats .Daddy' s plowing land in the fieldMom is washing out the mats

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All around th e neighborhoodPeople are a l l singing.I wish , I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish I had more food.More yes more of that rich food .I t ' s winter time , we have no foodsoon we shal l a l l die .Up from the ground,Popped old green beanWith food for everyone .Even l i t t l e doggies got hamburgersby the pound .

-Claudiette White


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DARDANELLE MIDDLE SCHOOL

AEIOU

A. is yellow l ike the rainbow i t se l f , the love and passionof King Henry the twelfth .A. is black l ike an empty sector of space.A. is a color of a sick dog eating a cat .E. is white l ike a blizzard that ' s the cause of1000 deaths a t once .E. is orange l ike the glimmer of Cher ' s dresses .I . is plain l ike running water.0 . is black l ike the blackness which comes from fal l ingoff a hay wagon.0 . is green l ike the blood of a vulcan.0 . is blue l ike Dardanelle's old school dishes .U. is red for a woman and a dog and silence .U. is purple th e color of many things that are fancy .U. is puce l ike dyed tennis shoes .

A theE; th eI ; the0; th eU; th e

Lisa ChandlerJohn HarrisonJim PassmoreLesli WoodToni Taylor

redness of an appleblack and white of a penguinface of a very smart personcolor of an orangecolor of a s i lver bracelet

Kim WodeRickie RobinsonSheila GusepohlL. B.

-Mi tcheal Garrison

THE MAN AND THE SODAPOP MACHINEThe Man said : Give me a cokeThe Machine said: Plop Crunch SlurpThe Man said: Thank you , now give it to me

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The Machine grabbed th e coke and poured i t on his headThe Man got furious and kickedThe MachineThe Machine got mad and said: Here'syour coke squi r t- Kenneth Qualls


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CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, SPRINGDALE

FISH

One day a l i t t l e boywas badly in want of a toy.So he plugged in a cord,and s tar ted cutting on cardboard.Firs t he cut out a f in .He cut for hours on end.Then one day he wanted it to come alive.He took i t to a witchand she said t i sh , t ish, t ish.And that was thebeginning of the fish.

-Naomi Arnold

DREAM

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I dreamed I was hunting and got shot by a squirrel with .22caliber revolver.I dreamed I was fishing and hooked a big one only to be hookedby him.I dreamed I was quail hunting and fe l l in a quai l ' s nest onlyto be pecked to death by a woodpecker.I dreamed I was mountain climbing and the mountain fel l .I dreamed I was catching but terf l ies and they tookmy net and beat me up with i t .

-Donny Smith

CARS WITH GtrrS

Boy do cars have guts, gettingout there dodging one anotherblowing their spouts a t each other.Hey dum bunny you passed a stopsign, going through the park seetwo love bugs 1907, Hey sweety piehow about a l i t t l e kiss

Documents

Poems from Poetry in the School (1975-1976)