Day Three: The Letter of Introduction

At the beginning of each year, I write my students a letter welcoming to my class and setting a positive, learning-focused tone. Then I have them write back to me, discussing who they are as readers and writers.

Here is my letter:

Letter of Introduction

From their letters, I begin to build rapport and gather data for the grammar and mechanics lessons that will need to be taught throughout the year. I build rapport by commenting on each of their papers, relating and responding to what they have to say. I do not "correct" any of their mechanics mistakes, but instead create a matrix of all the errors I mine. That way, I can later confer with the students about their growth areas and plan my lessons to meet my students' needs.

Here is the mechanics matrix I created:

Class Mechanics Matrices

Day Two: The Syllabus

On the second day, I discuss the syllabus in depth with my students. Here's what I have planned for the year:

Syllabus 10 11

Day One Plans: Routines and Procedures

Ah, housekeeping the first week. It's so critical that I set up my systems, help the kids get all their supplies organized, and really lay the foundation for how I want them to behave in my classroom early on, because as the year goes on I get more and more tired, and I really rely on these systems to keep my classroom running smoothly.

If I don't lay the foundation, we'll never be able to build the house, so to speak. We won't be able to do cooperative learning and writer's workshop, if my expectations, routines and organization isn't clear. Thus, first week housekeeping.

Here is the PowerPoint I use to introduce my classroom expectations:

First Week Classroom Expectations

The "Resilency" link took the kids to the following motivational video.

An Example of Positive School Culture

Last Wednesday was our boys' first football game of the year. Dr. Eddleman and the assistant principals offered food, soft drinks and a bean-bag toss set for tailgating. Nearly the entire faculty showed up, and the food ran low, but no one minded.

Before the game the coach brought the boys over to see their teachers, principal, assistant principals, office staff, and other employees of the school. They could not believe we all came, and even throughout the game, the boys were consistently looking over their shoulders at the crowded bleachers, from where we cheered and led chants for their victory.

The boys ended up winning 26-24 against an all-boys school. We were thrilled, as were they, of course. The two boys to make the three touch downs all happened to be my students, and I jumped at the chance for rapport building the next day. They beamed when I congratulated them.

Here's an email from the district director of athletics to our principal:

Dr. Eddleman,

Congrats to Westport on the win last night…it was a hard fought battle!! Your team looks well coached and discipline on and off the field. In talk with some of your faculty and staff, they all seen excited about the sport and what it’s done for some of the young men in your building…I hope the trend continues!!

A big shout out to your faculty and staff…the tailgating and fan support was awesome!! And a special thanks to you for my dinner…perfect timing and it hit the spot!!

Good luck on the rest of your football season and school year!! Go Westport!!


Robert E. Vinegar, CMAA
Coordinator of Activities
Jefferson County Public Schools
Character First!

Flying High After Week One

I'm happy to say that despite nerves that drove me to shake like a leaf and even get sick, my first week at my new school was a marked success. I think I had a bit of an existential identity crisis: I'd gotten comfortable being a "good" teacher at my old school; where would I fit in now in a school of all professional, competent and bright teachers.

Happily, I feel right at home. I have identified mentors among the faculty and administration to watch and emulate, and I have become the mentor for several new, first year teachers - all of whom are remarkable and show impressive promise.

One week in and I'm waiting for someone to pinch me: who knew that such a utopia could exist? Where the faculty, staff and administration collaborate professional and with joy, as both friends and colleagues, for the best interest of the students in whom we all believe can succeed. I am blown away.

Aside from my satisfaction with the employees at Westport Middle School, I am also thrilled with the students. Economically less privileged than much of the nation (60 percent receive free or reduced lunch services), but highly skilled and positive about learning. Their optimism surprised me because I had heard horror stories about the students at Westport - all of which I now know were exaggerated and more than likely the cause of combative, less-than-supportive teachers, and a leadership vacuum of about three months last year. (The students had no principal, and the seventh grade had no assistant principal before Dr. Eddleman - the current principal - came in March.)

And Dr. Staci Eddleman is the mastermind behind Westport's transformation from a negative, under-performing school, to a professional, positive place where I have no doubt the students will exceed expectations. In keeping with the Obama administration's stance that teacher quality is the number one factor for school improvement, Dr. Eddleman asked many of the less than positive and progressive teachers to transfer out. Unfortunately, some great teachers also were lost in the shuffle, according to many of the current factory. Overall, however, those returning say the change in the culture is palpable.

Dr. Eddleman hired through an application and interview process, rather than strictly seniority, and I believe that is the key reason for Westport's success. All of the teachers are professional, competent and caring. Together, we make a positive place to work, collaborate and learn, and the students see this and emulate it. Although they came in a bit defensive the first day, I received gushingly optimistic and positive letters by day three.

It's going to be a fabulous year.

Meeting My Boys...

Although I won't meet my new students until Tuesday, it was exciting to see their enthusiastic faces on the news after their first football scrimmage. Can't wait to meet them all!

Designing my (New!) Classroom

Have I mentioned how thrilled I am to be at my new school, working for Dr. Staci Eddleman, my new principal? Aside from her professionalism, intelligence, tact, respectful demeanor and passion for rigorous, best practice education, she's also won my heart through more material channels. She emailed me just last night that a new SMART Board will be installed in my room as close to the beginning of school as possible. And my room--- it takes my breath away. So clean! So big! A closet! A sink! So much storage space, I don't even have to get creative.

Here it is, in all its yet-to-be-organized glory:

IMG_1198
Originally uploaded by Yost4Yost1981

New Year, New School

As a busy, completely re-energizing summer draws to an end, I'm excitedly planning my renaissance at Westport Middle School. The school has a reputation for being a "rough" school - one that does not seem entirely fair or deserved, especially when I consider the lack of a reputation my last school had at all, despite its challenges. Several people have looked at me wide-eyed when I've told them about the change, slowly shaken their heads and said something along the lines of "Good luck; you're gonna need it!"

Maybe it's just the teacher in me, but I find this not only rude, but also unnecessarily demoralizing and discouraging. When I hear about people going into tough situations - whatever the field or circumstance - my initial response is: "Oh, you can definitely handle that," - without a touch of sarcasm. On the phone yesterday, my brother said "competence is ninety percent of the battle in life." I totally agree, and it all starts with believing you can do it, believing you can become competent. A rhyming teacher refrain comes to mind: "If you believe it, you can achieve it."

There is research to support this notion as well. Children who are repeatedly told they will go to college, who are told they can achieve at high levels, who are told they can be resilient in the face of adversity, do just these things: they go to college, achieve at high levels and overcome obstacles in life. Those who are told the opposite, believe the opposite and are far less successful.

So when I hear adults pontificate negativity and discouragement, it really strikes a nerve. I believe I was lucky to get hired at a school that's undergoing reformation and complete restructuring. The faculty and administration is something like 75 percent new to the school, hired based on merit and not seniority, a mix of seasoned veterans and fresh, energetic first year teachers. Beyond the good fortune of joining a school that's undergoing positive change and appears to have a fighting chance at successfully moving forward, I don't need luck this year. My kids and I will do just fine on our own merits.

First Digital Poem

Here is my student, Anastasia's, digital poem - the first finished.

Publishing Poems as Movies with Windows Movie Maker

For the last unit of the year, my students will be creating movies from their poems and publishing them on YouTube. Here is the initial planning guide I created for them to get started.



Publish Your Poem as a Movie
I'll be creating my own movie this week to show as a model for my students.

Book Reports and Review

Here is another blog by one of my students: Book Reports and Review. This new use of technology in my classroom is growing completely organically, and I couldn't be more excited about it. It's also giving me good ideas for next year's plans.

Get The Pencil

Get The Pencil is my student Dale's blog about writing. I am so proud of him! He started it all on his own after he saw my blog. This really speaks to the power of digital media to inspire student writing.

Final Student Poetry Post

And here are the last of the poems I will share for this year. The reason why I wanted to share so many is one, because I'm incredibly proud of them, and two, I wanted to show the diverse breadth of their writing. In allowing choice, and letting my students write for various audiences, purposes, and about various topics, at their own pace, I have gotten real variety in their writing. I think this variety is a testament to the diversity in my classroom and the authenticity of their work.

Enjoy!

Unseen Wonder

The ocean

waves that

Make me sleep.

They hit the beach

With a fierce slam.

The wind that makes

The bright green and

Brown palm trees sway.

My thoughts drift like

Clouds in the sky.

As I lay on my Scooby-

Doo beach towel

I am acutely aware

Of the earths unseen

Wonders.

Pink sand lilies and

Green and brown palm

Trees. Silently making

Life-giving oxygen.

Insects engaged in a

Pollination dance.

Creatures unseen beneath

The wavy blue waters.

Stirring colorful corals

Dancing on soft currents.

A world hidden in plain

Sight.

-Christina

I'll Be There

I'll be there

When you wake up

And you need someone to feed you.

I'll be there

When you have a problem

And you need some one to talk to.

I'll be there

To pick you up

When you fall on that red carpet,

With your favorite Sponge Bob on it.

I'll be there

On your first birthday

When you put your face in your Sponge Bob cake

I'll be there

On that white, snowy Christmas

When you wake up and go down stairs

And ask, "Can I open it now?"

I'll be there

When you try to say your first words

Like, "Mommy, Daddy."

I'll be there

Even though my dad wasn't there for me.

I'll Be There.

-Deandre

The Beauty Pageant

My beautiful turquoise and lime green dress

That looks like the ocean and

barely touches the cold tile.

Scattered girls and reassuring mothers

Telling their little girls "You are the most beautiful girl in the room."

I'm thinking to myself, That's a lot of most beautiful girls.

As I slip on my sparkling diamond heels,

I listen to the loud hisses of hairspray going haywire

And the whimpers and groans of the younger girls

getting their hair extensions.

I examine the dressing room and look at my competition

and inhale the combined sweet smells of hairspray

and heavy perfume,

the strong smells choking me as I inhale and exhale too quickly.

High pitched giggles of my friends

and their mothers shushing them.

I observe every girl's hair color,

Honey blondes and scarlet red heads

Brunettes with very unnatural-looking blonde highlights

and jet-black hair.

Nothing the same about us

Except we all want to win.

My heart was pounding like thunder.

My stomach felt like the ocean's waves

As I stepped on the large, empty stage

Solo

Staring at the judges

I turn around gracefully

And as I step off the stage,

I trip

But I give the judges a cute wink anyway

I walk out, satisfied with my performance

This is your last beauty pageant for a while,

My nana's words echo in my mind

Giving me a harsh headache

Thinking about my favorite part of life

Being ripped away from me

If I don't win

That's it, I can't start over.

This better be good...

-Michahalia

More Interesting Poems

Brotherhood

Pitch black night green

Glows flashing through the air.

Ping, ping the sound of bb's hitting

the side of the house and pool.

Lorin calling out Medic! As Thomas crawls to her.

All the screaming all the crying it sounds like

D-Day all over again.

Hiss the sound of co2 draining.

Bang, ouch, screaming out in agony.

Josh hit another one. 7 more remain.

I feel like he has a heart beat sensor,

because he just keeps hitting them.

Shot after shot.

Cry after cry.

Person after person.

A maching gun sawing into people.

Down goes another one. Josh screamed "cover me!"

But I was too late Josh was hit.

Last man standing, only two en left.

I move to the corner and go prone.

Ping, miss Desmond gave away his position.

Bang, bang, bang, 1 man left as he crept

around the pool only to get shot.

Bang!

It all got quiet.

That night a brotherhood was born.

Finally my brother and me worked together.

This time we won.

-Jacob

Chicago...

A bright light from the sun

hitting you in summertime.

The hot sand on the beach

burns your feet.

Smack

the sound of bat hitting ball

to left field.

People cheering as loud as they can.

Chicago

is a big bowl of chocolate.

Boom

the sound of the moving truck.

My mom would say,

"Don't cry; it will be ok."

I slept on a wet pillow.

"We are moving to Louisville, Kentucky."

My mom would say.

My face was green with sickness.

As we moved away from my home.

-Jasmine

Pain

A woman crying in the dark

In the bedroom next to mine,

He told her that he hated her,

When all she needs is time;

It always seemed that everyday,

In the dark gray hall,

She is always plastering over,

The hole he punched in the wall.

When she was always working,

The rips that's in her shirt,

I cannot even tell you,

Just how much she hurt,

That's when I really lost it,

The blade placed to my wrist,

I think I took it to far,

Beyond the bloody mist.

The scars that still remind us,

That our past is real,

And there is no reason

To provoke the pain we feel.

-Stephanie

Off the Shelf

Knowledge flowing from the pages,

Images flooding my mind,

As if a play is being staged.

The rough hardback and smooth paperback

The crinkle of the pages.

The musty smell of a new book,

Pleading to be read.

So many to choose from.

Novels, biographies, large and small.

Mystery, fiction, and horror: I like them all.

Finally a book to escpae into.

Feeling the cold air as if I'm really there.

Feeling pain, sorrow, joy and anger,

As if I'm the main character.

Asking the same question over and over,

What will happen next?

Reading more and more, day by day.

Turning pages 'til I'm done.

Finishing one, starting another.

The intriguing pull to keep reading.

So much to remember,

My mind is about to burst.

-Lauren

NCLB Overhall

Controversial changes proposed for a controversial law. See this article in today's paper. Personally, I love the idea of analyzing school achievement based on individual student development throughout the year - makes good sense to me. And the grant-writing competition for Title I money sounds interesting: it would give a whole new meaning to my blog title.

Other Interesting Pieces

What Keeps Me Alive

From day to night

I've always had my hand gripped tightly to my Sharpie,

With my sketchbook in front of me,

The sound of faded music,

Whispering softly to my ears,

I have my Sharpie in my palm now I feel warm,

I have my sketchbook now the warmth's complete

It makes the hole in my heart softly fill in

At times when I don't I have them

I start to feel the coldness crawl over me,

I'll never lose my pen and book,

Cause they're the ones who keep me alive.

-Jamie

When You Were Born

When you were born,

My heart was filled with love.

I knew I had to be a better person.

From the bright lights

To the fast beating hearts.

My daddy pacing back and forth

With sweat sliding down his head.

I sit and wait for you to come out.

Finally. "I see the head" the doctor says.

Mom holds you and

Rubs your gentle soft head

She gives you to our daddy

And you scream

With a squeaky whine.

He gives you to me.

And I touched your silky soft blanket

As I cupped you in my arms.

I knew I had to care for you

And show you the way of life.

I had to be a better person.

I love you and I always will love you

Now and forever my little brother.

-Dale

When The Last Leaf Falls

When the last leaf falls

From the old oak tree

No longer will I hear your deep voice

That gets higher when you're worried.

No longer wil you come in

From long, hard days

Spant at "Work-R's-Us"

Asking, "Where's my little girl?"

There will be no more nights

When we pretend

To go to sleep for Mama

And rush downstairs

When she's out of sight

To search for the Twinkie stash.

I will no longer breathe in

The scent of new car;

The car freshener,

From being in

Your old Cadillac

With the chameleon paint

That changes colors.

The sun will

No longer smile,

The birds will

No longer sing.

Sweet Sugar would become

Bitter Salt.

While you are still here,

I will cherish every moment,

Learn from every mistake,

And follow every dream.

I'll capture our smiles,

And our "laughing-just-to-be-laughing" moments.

All will be good as gold

Until the last leaf falls.

-Shaylyn

Poems for Fathers III

The Worst

I am a part of a man

That I can call dad

But I never get to see again

And the old pictures

That I can hardly remember.

It started at home

You can hear the crying

And screaming.

The door slamming

And the car starting.

Mom grabbing

And running,

Knocking and asking

If we can stay.

The long night with no sleep.

Waking up,

And walking to the bus stop.

Up the long gravel road,

Seeing dad's truck not there.

At school thinking,

Where is he.

After a long day at school.

Getting off the bus,

And walking down,

The creepy road,

Seeing the house

At the bottom of the hill.

Coming home and seeing

My family is all in black.

People crying and looking,

Mom is nowhere to be found.

Wanting to know

Where my father is,

Mom walking up

And saying, "Matt,

Your dad is dead."

-Matthew

Dad

Your tan face, your dark brown eyes

That dusty old Kentucky hat

That you always wore.

The gray hair on your prickly black beard

The strength you got from a couple bottles of beer.

The time you would get so drunk

You claimed we didn't love you.

The day you walked out the door-

The day I hardly remember.

Gone

Not knowing where you went.

The last roar of the dirty green truck's engine.

Built up dirt falling off the back.

That last petty kiss

That didn't seem to mean anything to you.

The times I cried when I heard your voice-

The sorrow I felt in my heart.

The times I won't remember you

The times you'll forget, too.

-Patricia

Poems About Leaving Home

Now We're Gone

Memories of the chatter of the dogs barking,

As the groaning engine was trying to start,

This was it, the last straw,

The last glimpse, grip,

The last inhale of atmosphere,

The very last echo.

The last thing I remember,

The [taste] of the Cool Water cologne,

The glimpse of Daddy before we left

As his embrace strangled me,

The murmur of "I love you Daddy"

Tingled my heart as always,

Before his hard day at work.

As we drove out of the driveway,

My heart was choking,

I knew that it was the end,

And I didn't do anything about it.

We will never go back,

This was it.

-Jessica

Leaving

That day is engraved in my head.

I remember my Tonka truck. My jeep.

I remember packing. Everything.

Then we loaded up

We passed the store on the corner

Where we always bought fruit and candy.

We passed the mango tree

I ate off every day.

The airport got bigger and bigger.

Deeper and deeper

Until a metal bird ate me.

In a second I saw nothing

I awoke with light in my eyes

After all that darkness

I saw two lights at the end of the road.

Two years passed

I'm in kindergarten

The dark abyss of nothingness

I couldn't speak

And still I was in

A dark abyss of nothingness

Later after I learned to speak

My abyss got light and lighter

Till my dark abyss

Became the sunshine world I know today.

-Leo

We Moved

We move again

Mom yelled

"Get up and help pack-up!

We are moving"

As I get out of

My bed I take

A look around

The old house

I thought about

All the memor[ies]

I had in this house

As we were packing

I look at the kitchen

My room, my backyard

[Laundry] room, upstairs

It hurt me inside to see

All the things that I'm looking at

For the last time.

As [we] were driving away

All my friend's were

Waving to me as I'm

Leaving the place

Us moving made

Me mad because

We're moving

Again.

-Jacobi

Hope

I'll admit I got a little choked up reading this article about the farm-to-school movement. It is my dream to participate in a program like this, to help my students access health and nature directly. Still, I feel like there is already such a shortage of time and resources - what sacrifice it would take to get something like this off the ground, I can only imagine. For two years now I've wanted to start an environmental-literacy club. (I'm imagining my kids reading Walden and trudging through Kentucky kudzu...and it makes me smile.) Maybe next year...

Getting with the Times

The importance of using technology to push for gains in student acheivement cannot be overstated, and this article cites some compelling statistics.

NCLB Reform: Duncan Seeks Flexibility to Balance Accountability

In the following article, Arne Duncan outlines guiding principles for NCLB reform.

Sports Poems II

The Big Game

The sweat crawling down my forehead

Yelling through the thick, moist air,

For that perfect pass that would change everything.

The intense moment:

I see the ball fly through the air,

The dull, orange grip touches my fingertips.

Taking nervous dribbles down the glistening court

Be ready for the lay up I think to myself,

Yet did I know,

A foul was running toward me,

Enraged like a bull.

The flashes of the crowd's cameras,

Blinding my wide, scared eyes,

Hands fly across my sweat-filled face,

Grabbing greedily for the ball

Whistles blow-

A silent pause in time

Foul! the referee shouts.

My time has come,

My two shots decide the game,

This is it.

The first shot is gold,

The game, tied?

Overtime isn't an option.

My last breath,

Before the last shot,

Silence fills the gym.

Here it goes...

Swish!

The crowd cheers wildly.

I did it!

No...

We did it.

-Daphne

Basketball

The bold light

Sweaty bodies

Grip of the ball

The sound of the net swoosh

The coach screaming out plays

The intensity of the player

Fire in my bones

The sweat on my forehead

Feeling like [we're] going to win

Nikes on my feet

Impatient to get in the game

this is more than a game

The feelings of win or lose still the same

This is my court

-Deron

http://www.beckermanphoto.com/basketball-silhouette-1-id-1969.html

Field of Memories

The new brown brick dust

That opens up to the fence,

The bright orange sun

That shines memories on the field

I will never forget.

And the cold wind

That whistles through the flat air.

The freshly popped popcorn with extra butter,

And the American Flag that watches

The players [wander] onto the field.

The sound of the horn to start the fans attention

To watch the game begin.

The two teams gather on the dirt,

Waiting for the clang of the bat

Making its way through the air,

As it sends the white leathered,

Red laced ball,

In the bright blue sky

To sing its song.

The earth roars as the game ends.

-Dylan

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3516/3697444161_69926b444d.jpg

Poems for Grandfathers

My Papaw

The look of your tan face,

The smile that lit up the room,

And those baby blue eyes all made you my Papaw.

The times you would come over and visit all those

Sweet times of going camping,

Swimming and those summer nights

We always enjoyed your company

You got sick the cancer had gotten bigger

And the time left to spend with you was limited.

The night you left was traumatic.

Knowing that I would no longer see you tore me apart.

We all sat there trying to be strong it was very hard,

All our strong faces wore down to sobbing heaps.

the night my heart was crushed,

The funeral was long and sad

The sadness was like a virus,

No matter what it would find you.

I asked mom and dad what had happened

My question was answered with

He's in heaven looking down on you

It scared me at first then I realized you never left,

You're in my heart forever and always

-Alexa

Bye Bye Papaw

I remember spending time with him

In the garage crushing cans.

I remember the crinkle of the cans

As they got crushed.

I remember helping him

Wash Mamaw's bright red car.

Soapsuds flying off

As we sprayed it.

I remember the times he was in the hospital.

Him looking sad and helpless

Hooked up to all those cords

As I watched him in pain

Making me feel worthless.

I also remember the kitchen

In my mamaw's house

The day my mom said,

"He isn't coming home."

-Cody

Fishing With You

The long windy dirt road.

The sweet sound of the Beach Boys'

Sound of Summer.

You're tall

And you always [wear]

Your tan pants

And your "I'm a Grandpa" shirt

You got when I was born.

You say you caught

The biggest fish that day.

Your snow-white hair.

Your skin

Is dark tan;

All yearlong.

I inhale a big whiff

Of stinky slimy

Fish bate.

My ear numb

From the ticking

Of the fishing poles:

Mine tweety bird

Yours jet-black

And Kentucky-blue.

The buzzing of the

Purple and turquoise Dragon-flies.

The over-joyed

Future fishermen

Showing their proud fathers.

The mothers have the babies;

At the playground.

You ask me how

Is school going?

I say well.

Then we wrap it up.

And head home.

Where you hang your

#1 Grandpa

Hat on the rack.

-Shelby

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3118/3109675976_a4a12229bf.jpg?v=0

Never Forgotten

1948-2009

You are the father

Of my aunts, uncles and to my mother

And the grandfather

To my cousins, brother, sister and I

And you could've turned 62,

8 days ago

But if you're dead or not

We still celebrate your birthday,

And each and every night I see you

In my dreams

I run [toward] you and yell

Granddaddy

And when I give you a hug

I can smell that hard cologne that you put on

That smells wonderful.

Wish I could see you again

And you will never be forgotten.

I love the way

You turned your life around

And gave it to God

And kept the family together

And let God tell you to say

And everything you said was right

You [taught] me how to pray and be strong

And I love you for that.

When you died I thought it was a lie

But when some one dies in my family

I look in the sky and I can see their face up in the sky.

All of the good times we had

I [think] about them every night.

[Since] you helped the family so much I love you for that

And I love you because you're my family

So until this day you [have never been] forgotten

Rest. In. Peace.

And rest easy and we still celebrate your birthday.

-Teryon

Poems for Fathers II

The Shed

The ka-thunk of the nail gun

Forcing nails into the boards

Which will soon hold up the floor.

The thrill of standing over two stories off the ground

Driving in the last nail

Before it is finished.

Two years later, still standing

With everything, everywher on both floors in that shed.

I remember my 4-wheeler atop a cart

All in pieces

Which my Dad used to teach me how to work on engines.

Also a more recent memory

Of him showing me how to sharpen a chainsaw.

It's too bad that when we move

We will have to leae the shed and its memories behind.

I will miss that shed.

-Chris

Old Car

The rusty old Chevy

Coming

Down the street going

Knock, knock, knock

Waking me when I'm asleep.

The rusty old bumper all

Brown and crusty

When he walks in I run up and hug him

The strong

Smell of cologne gets on my coat.

The warm seats in the car heats me up.

The sweet smell of apples

When I get up in the morning

At 6:00 He always warms up

The car when he takes me

to schoool.

I hear the sound pop! Pop! Pop!

As we go down the street

When I get out

Of the car he says "Have a good day".

Then off to work he goes

Until I see him again

That night.

I can't wait until you get

Out of the shop.

I miss you OLD CAR.

-DeMorris

http://www.hybridcarblog.com/uploaded_images/clunker_details_scary_foreign_oil_dependency-772967.jpg

Unspoken Words

The first time I saw you I asked "is that really you?

I never thought that I would be able to see you.

You smelt like Axe.

You looked like I do

I knew that you were my father

I saw you in Kohl's we were in the checkout line

You had really blonde straight hair, green eyes, and you were slim

You were wearing a gray Louisville shirt, jeans and you had a girl with you

I have never met you

I've only seen you once and you kept looking back and down at me

I wonder what you were thinking?

Still you never said "Hi."

I was getting mad because I kept looking at you

You would look back at me but would not say anything

I thought you had forgotten about me.

I was so happy to see you but at that moment

I think my heart skipped a beat

You walked by me like I didn't exist.

My heart poured out in tears

You made me feel like I was invisible

All these years, in the big moment it was as it's always been

Nothing but silence.

I called you the next night and no answer

Again I'm faced with silence from you.

How many times are you going to break my heart?

How many times will I allow you to tear me apart?

Tomorrow will come and again I will be faced with silence.

-Lea

Poems for Grandmothers

Missing You

Remembering all the fun times

That we shared together

Cooking dinner,

And watching movies.

The loud snorting and giggling

From us chasing each other

That people can hear from

Miles and miles away.

Missing all the bear hugs,

And the big plum kisses

I use[d] to receive

When I was sad,

Or did something

That made you proud.

Wishing I could hear

The stories you use[d] to tell again,

About being in the army

For those eight years.

Do you remember a little girl screaming,

"I love you, grandma!"?

I guess I'll see you during the springtime

When all of the snow clouds

Fade slowly away.

Love you, grandma.

-Kamesha

http://www.flatlanderimages.com/photos/Black%20and%20White%20Images/Grandma%27s-handsBW.jpg

Grandma's House

Grandma's house:

The rough red brick walls,

The fresh smell of flowers,

The crackling in the ceilings

And the slow, soft music

As I walk in. I remember

Running up to you

Screaming Grandma! and

Giving you a big hug.

I remember running around

The park and swinging on the

Squeaky yellow swing,

And sliding down

The rusty red slide as

You waited down at the bottom.

Swimming in the aquamarine pool,

That burned my eyes from

All the chlorine,

While watching you in your

Garden that was filled

With bright red, yellow and blue

Flowers as you picked

Out all the weeds.

-Sarah

http://www.monsterpix.com/photos/blacknw/bw06_main-grandma.jpg

My Abuela

I will be there when you're down,

I will be there when you're caring,

I will be there when you're sad.

But I can't be there

When you're in the ground.

Now why can't you be there when

I am caring for you and sad.

I miss when you hug me

And you smelled so, so good,

When I look[ed] in your eyes.

I saw sadness.

-Brittany