Poetry Inspirations in Middle School

“Poetry is language at its most distilled and most powerful.” —Rita Dove.

Throughout the ages, poetry has been used as a medium for self-expression. Grades 6 and 8 began the new year reading and analyzing the poetry of others to help guide and support them to write their own poems. During the units, students were encouraged to be risk-takers and experiment with language, structure and form. 

Grade 6 grouped their own poems by themes such as dance, nature, sports and animals. While Grade 8 students were encouraged to express aspects of their own identity through verse. Here are some examples of student work, I hope you enjoy them!

An example of one poem from a group based on mythical creatures:

 

King of the Storm, Amatsumagatsuchi

By Kendrick G6

A beautiful day, the birds chirped

The children played in the sun

Farmers harvested and fished

Villagers lived in peace and harmony

 

Until an aggressive gust blew

Things were thrown in the air

Rivers became a herd of bulls

Peace quickly became destruction

 

A raging hurricane appeared

All hid inside of their shelter

What sounded like calm

But the storm revealed it’s master

 

Pale and white as a sheet

Heavenly and holy it looked

It released a destroying beam

Everything gone in one blast

 

Hear me oh heavenly one

The lord of storm

Amatsumagatsuchi  

 

An example of a modern poem based on the traditional Shakespearean love sonnet, written in iambic pentameter with an ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG rhyme scheme.

 

The Bond between a Mother & Daughter

By Alexandra G8

 

Our love, this love is unexplainable, 

Inseperable, that's what they tell us, 

Our bond is like no other, unbreakable, 

We fight, we argue, we make such a fuss, 

 

But, no matter how bad, how mad we are, 

We make up, never daring to break up 

Because we know, this bond, our bond, is rare, 

We care too much, for the love to burnup 

 

Many don't ever find this type of love 

and those who do, grab it, grasp at it 

and hold on for eternity above 

although it might be hard, I do admit 

 

A love like this cannot be explained. 

this love burns so bright it cannot be tamed 

 

An example of a poem to express identity:

 

As wind blows time flys 

By Anthony G8

 

Our heads are down. We sulk. We sigh.

Stuck! In an infinite loop of devastation 

We run. We breathe. We try.

But we concede, fighting. Losing all corporation. 

 

The rain. Thunder ! Gray sky and sorrow,  

rain hailing as strong as lighting charging the floor.

We want to shelter you

But with the storm outside there's nowhere we can hide.

 

Consuming too much air inside my lungs 

Snatching all the skin from my bones.

Shaking as nervous as your first day of school

 Watching on, panicking and terrified !

 

Criticism flies in, slapping us on the face. 

You're not good enough, you're awful !

Like Jack, we were tumbling down 

Stumbling, stuttering, slipping and sliding.

 

But as wind blows time flys, 

Pain goes and you raise. 

 Keep fighting, keep believing 

our time is here, we will strive.

 

This team is our spirit, we fight for each other.  

Pain and sorrow are in the past, we look to the future.

Happiness is to come I swear I promise. 

With this fight in our heart we triumph for greatness!

 

Whenever, wherever I know we're meant together.




 

A visual representation of poetry to express identity:

Roxanne Veck
rveck@isps.edu.tt
Class: English Language and Literature
Unit: Short Story - Literary Analysis
Grade: Grade 8