Wishes and Dreams: Poems about another life

I wish I wasI wish I was a garden

I wish I was a beautiful garden

I wish I was a beautiful garden

with flowersA beautiful garden with

flowers and a man watering itI wish I had a beautiful

garden with flowers and a kind and trustful man

watering it - Muskaan Vazir

I wish I was a carI wish I was a big race car so people can driveme crazy - Pierre Cobb

I wish I was a bookI wish I was a small bookI wish I was a fat bookA fat book being boughtI wish I was a fat book being bought by the same child being bought by the same child every single day - Ema Reis da Cunha

I wish I was an airplaneI could fly from place to place

I wish it was ChristmasI could get as many gifts as possible

I wish I was on my own without a groupI could get all the good slips for myself

I wish I was a dragon riderI would have magic and my dragon would save me from danger

I wish I could read mindsI could hear what everyone thinks

I wish I had normal legsLike everybody else. -Ivan Tchamou

I wish I was a dragonI wish I was a green- blue dragonI wish I was a beautiful green- blue dragonA beautiful green –blue dragon protecting my riderI wish I was a beautiful green-blue dragon protecting my rider from evilMy rider and I would fight off all evilTogether -Christiana Gorenflo

I wish I was an eraserI wish I was a blue eraserI wish I was a thick blue eraserI wish I was a thick blue eraser erasing mistakes of peopleI wish I was an eraser that erases pictures of catsCats meowing all night long

I wish I was a pencilI wish I was a yellow pencilI wish I was a skinny yellow pencilI wish I was a skinny yellow pencil drawing fishFish that don’t disturb anybodyFish that are colorfulFish that are quietQuiet all night long -Zeenia Ajani

I wish I was a shelf I wish I was a straight shelfI wish I was a straight clean shelfA straight clean shelf with books on itI wish I was a straight clean shelf with sad books on it -Muskaan Vazir

Definition Poems- Who we used to be, who we are now

and who we’ll never be

I used to be a babyNow I am a super heroThat saved the worldFrom bad guys -Dipoko Degrando, Jr.

I used to have a pumpkinBut now I have a coachI used to have ragged clothesBut now I have a beautiful dressI used to have two glass slippersBut now I have oneI used to live in a cottageBut now I live in a palace -Autumn Trapp

I used to be in my mom’s tummy But now I am in my cribI used to be in preschool But now I am in elementaryI used to be in Belgium But now I am in the DRCI used to be a child But now I am a teenagerI used to watch family movies But now I watch PG-13I used to be in college But now I am writing poemsI used to have children But now I have grandchildrenI used to be alive But now I am dead -Jules Deboutte

About MeI’m meanSometimes niceSay bothI am cuteSay normalI love fruitI hate vegetablesI’m short, you can seeBut not the way you think I’m short -Nour Ali Ahmad

I am not a dogI am not a catI am not a donkeyI am not a bookI am not a boxI am not a basketballI am human -Dipoko Degrando, Jr.

I am not BrijI am not JulesI am not KyleI am not PaoloI am not LiamI am not who you thinkI am -Billy Boyle

I am not a famous artistI’m not a celebrityI’m not someone famous, popular orA starI am JulesJust Jules! -Jules Deboutte

I am not a bird who soars in the skyYou are not a cat who waits for me to come byI am not a rabbit who bounces in the airYou are not a snake who plans to strike lovely hareI am not a buffalo wading in the waterYou are not a croc waiting to sneakAnd slaughter -Autumn Trapp

Make-up is the mostAmazing, beautiful, colorful,

Dazzling, exciting, fabulous, gorgeous,Heavenly, instinctive, juggling, kindly,

lily-scented,Meaningful, nicest, ocean blue, pretty,

quoteful,Restful, sweetest, tastiest, unquestionable, vicious,

Wavy, x-rayed, Yasminizer,Zoomy

Thing in The Whole WideWorld!

-Yasmin Sadrudin Family Annoying, MerryBright, NoseyCreative, OptimisticDopey, PerfectEntertaining, QuickFun, RadicalGoofy, SweetHelpful, TroublesomeIn charge, UncannyJokers, VersatileKeen, WaryLovely, Xylophone Young Zany! -Alicia Shamji

Haiku, Senryu, Lune: Poems about nature, people and other

silly stuff

Storm, windy, cold wetFlood, dirty, stinky, muddyDark trees broken down -Pierre Cobb The water rises

Far above the earth below Then crashes back down -Jules DeboutteSnow is falling

Smooth like silk and slipperyAnimals are gone -Alicia Shamji The peaceful grassland

Horses grazing by treesFast flowing river -Liam Venter

The calm big wavesSeagulls flying in thin airSun hotter than ever -Brij Mcclure Loud noisy monkey

Eating in its dirty abode Mean ugly monkey -Muskaan Vazir

On the ice cold iceI had a sled and I crashedThen I got cut -Paolo Buccianti Sprite is falling

Like hail, snow and rainEveryone drinks a lot -Alicia Shamji

I bake foodI’m an expert inbaking stuff -Zeenia Ajani

Nour’s candies are cool even the Rainbow Pop -Zeenia Ajani I love food

I really love foodMcDonald’s -Jules Deboutte

He’s very goodThe best man on earthHe is Michael - Michael SunguzaEat all eggs

Then eat all chickensThen eat bread -Daniel Churchill

The Diamante: Poems exploring opposites or shades within a

theme

Day Shiny, Sunny

Foggy, Dark, Many Moons Brushing, Sleepy,

DrowsyStretching, Eating,

DrinkingWarm milk

At night -Kaayam Savani

Life Excited, Tranquil Laughing, Running, WhisperingFriends, Jovial, Culprit, Sorrow Shot, Stealing, Kidnapping Villainous, Wounded Death -Hamba Mwangu

ParkNice green

Fast winds, dazing grass

Grass, Fountain, T.V, Couch

Slow, lazy, unhealthyGrey, awfulApartment

-Michael Sunguza

PierreVery fast, very funny

Hard worker, striver, hard thinker

He is my best friend foreverHe is very nice

Sharing, friendlyPierre

-Ivan TchamouSports

Fun, hardTiring, running jumpingActive joyful, lazy, loud

Tapping, gazing, entertaining

Fun, addictiveVideo games

-Billy BoyleMake-upSquishy, gummy

Sticking, smearing, smudgingMaking a girl feel pretty

Patting, Swaying, RubbingColorful, Attractive

Lipstick -Autumn Trapp

QuietCalm, soundless

Whisper, slip, slideSilent, restful, noisy,

clamorousBellow, shout, scream

Deafening, very audibleNoise

-Alicia Shamji

HorsesColorful, Active

Running, jumping, racingHave fun when riding

Playing, chasing, friskyLarge, Strong

Mustang -Christiana Gorenflo

LebanonGreen, Peaceful

Playing, gathering, moving

Playing cards, talking together

Eating, buying, swimming,

Peaceful, UniqueTranquil

-Nour Ali Ahmad

Whale Songs: Poems created in response to their mournful cries

A moan? A whine? A baby’s cry? No? Then what is it? A siren? A cow? No! It’s an aquatic giant, graceful and gentleIt swims from ocean to oceanAnd it’s endangeredGuess what it is

PS: Help it -Jules Deboutte

We are afraidHe is all the time happy to see usA superb and beautiful voiceLearning is your best domainEvery day you make me happy -Samuel Leprohon

WhiningHigh shrill calls

A car trying to startLong, short, long,

short callsErie calls, high and

shrill - Christiana Gorenflo

SadScaredMadHelpComeEatingYellingTalkingLooking for his mommaHungryCryingPlaying SingingAlonePink BlueHappyStuck on a beachPurpleNoisy -Brij McClure

There is dangerIts trying to call the others for help SadSomeone is trying to kill them AwfulMother tries to make the baby happy WonderfulBecause of danger, people killing fish BadLeaving them to be hungry -Euphemia Ngoya

CroakDoor openingDolphinSirenCryDinosaurGunfire -Billy Boyle

Animal Acrostics: Poems for our endangered friends

Tough ShellUnder the waterRough shellThey walk slowlyLays as many as 1800 eggsEggs of a turtle provide food for a raccoon -Euphemia Ngoya

Major relative of humansOn trees a lotNoisyKind to their familyExcellent at climbing treesYelling but intelligent creatures -Hamba Mwangu

Lives in the jungleIdol to its baby cubsOn the run to catch its preyNever leaves its kill alone until there’s nothing but bone -Kyle Flamigni

Chomps on its preys neckHates coyotesEats with pleasureEvery time it races it winsTouch its tail and your hand is goneAttacks its prey with forceHandles its cubs with care -Kyle Flamigni

Turtles have hard shells to protect themUnderstand why hiding is importantReally good at hidingThey swim very fast to get away from predatorsLive underwater and also aboveEnter their hard shells to protect themselves -Michael Sunguza

Leaps onto its preyEars to hearOnly likes to eat alonePulls its prey up into a tree so other cats can’t get itAttacks with a razor sharp biteRoar that can be heard up to five miles awayDots to be camouflaged in the grass -Liam Venter

L is for leapingE is for ears that hear wellO is for opponents he faces like lions and cheetahsP is for protective of her babiesA is for alertR is for running so fastD is for dangerous -Brij McClure

Occasional Poetry: Poems to celebrate special occasions

and ordinary eventsThe first day I heardI cried. I rushed outof my house and ranout to the funeral.People sang songsThen we went homePeople were sad becauseHe was importantThe blue skyIt turned into black. -Brij McClure

Ahhh, I am goingOn an areoplane

What should I bring?My toothbrush or my

Big, blue peine?I threw up

All nightPlus I never closed an eye

I had to take16 different medicines

I wish I never did-Nour Ali Ahmad

Wedding We met on the street

We fell in love on sightDo you take me as your

husband? -Michael Sunguza

My audition

I have auditions this week But I know and I can I’m scared make it.I went to the candy shop and I chewed I bought some gum and chewed till it was my turn. When the teacher called Me I went in andWhen I was going did my best out of the cafeteria She said I sang After that I knew Real good. It could be true I wonI love The part My audition It was the Best day of my life. - Ema Reis da Cunha

First Time on T.V. with a Ugandan Soccer Player

My heart is racingLike shooting lightningI held a handThat was dark brownI stood on the fieldPeople watched me on T.V.I could not moveMy feet were stuck to the GroundI gave a big smileWith my hand wavingHigh, it was theBest day I ever had. -Aïcha Kounikorgo

The Cup

It’s been 35 years since we’ve won the cupBut now God has blessed the Congolese playersAnd given them courageIf you try to mess with usWe’ll whip your butt! -Hamba Mwangu

My HairMy hair is such a disgraceIt doesn’t please me one bitI put it up in a bun And it comes back down in a raceI have fits when I brush it Because if I brush it too light It says Not too lightNor roughSo you don’t make me huff and puffIf I brush it too roughIt says Hey watch it back there!I will fall out and You will have no hair!I’ve learned to put up with itEven though its toughMaybe one dayIt won’t be so rough. -Autumn Trapp

Write, writeFinish, finishYes, I am doneWith my poem -Billy Boyle

Math poemMath , math , math !

What ’ s so g rea t abou t math?

I t ’ s bo r ing , ha rd and do we l i ke i t ?

Nah ! I t ’ s annoy ing , te r r ib le

I t ’ s the wors t , mos t cu r sed sub jec t eve r

I ’d ra the r d ie than do i t aga in !

-Alicia Shamji

Skeltonic & Lie Poems: Things so strange they can’t possibly be

true

I can fly, I can danceI know I can shoot heat vision Through my eyes -Paolo Buccianti

Green like an orangeRed like a kiwiOrange like a pearPink like a bananaYellow like a carrot -Daniel Churchill

Eyes Their eyes were brightBecause of the flightThey began to glowWhen I had to blow

My noseThey were scary

Like fairyEyes.

-Nour Ali Ahmad

Portrait Poetry: Poems about who we are today

Brij Robert Mclure

I’m a boy, small and fastI have dark hair and eyes and people love meI’m light and very athleticI love to do gymnastics, swim, play soccer, rugby, tennis and karateAt school I’m smart, a good friend, and nice to other people

I am Indian, Brij means a special placeI am also American, the name Robert is for my papaAt home I like to climb trees, play games with my friends, and jump on the trampolineI’m handsome sometimes like when I comb my hair after I take a showerI’m happy A Girl Is Born

On a winter day a girl is bornAs white as snowand she has a bit Of red hair tooHappiness spreads all over her familyIt’s a big giftThey name her NourIt means light

Kayaam I was born sort ofwhite,screaming and crying.My mom was happy about having aboy.I got my namefrom my mom’s friend.I was a quiet babyand ate all my food.I lovemylife. I hope you loveyours.

EuphemiaTo birth meMy mom and my dad had towalk to the hospitalI was born in the morningat 9:00.I was supposed to be called Anyago, mysecond name, but mymother called meAkinyi, which meansmorning. I waslight brown thenbut now I amdifferent.December 1998

I am a short, thin girlI like swimming, but I don’t know how toMy favorite chips are Nick Nack KetchupAnd my name is Muskaan Vazir

On June 12, 1998 at 11:45a baby came into the world.He was calm, quiet, cute and adorable.His name was William David Boyle,call him Billy for shortHe grew up lazy and chubby, butHe always pleased his parentsHe was quiet but efficient.My story ends, but his lifestill goes on.Watch out, he might beRight there!

On October 27, 1997a beautiful girl was born.I was a giftfrom God anda baby with hair.

My dad called me Hambabecause it meansThank you God.

But now I’min 5th gradewith harder stuffto think about,with tougher, moreannoying people. Oh,you don’t knowhow much I want to be a babyagain.

When I came outof my mom’s stomachmy dad called me Yasmin.I wasa really tiny girl with no hair.My mom tells meYou were pretty white.That was me10 years and 8 months ago.

TodayI have long hair.I ampretty tan.My attitudeis O.K.I am smartYoucan ask anyonethey will tell you that Ilove to sing and dance.My best friends will tell you that Iam into fashion.Thatis metoday.

Published Poems: Some of our favorite poetry