Poems for Mothers

As the poetry unit comes to a close, I'm going to try to publish my students work regularly. Although the poems are by no means perfect, I'm unspeakably proud of my students.

Here are some poems written by my students for their mothers. The students are of varying "abilities," and I'm including them unedited.

Mom

Silky sun-orange hair,

Smelled like peaches:

Dances with the wind,

Changes color in the water.

The stress of it all

The cigarettes lit

Extreme stress took over

Drugs began to scent the air

Horrible shouts

Cursing and mistakes;

The smack of the palm cuffing my cheek,

Continuous stinging brick-red mark,

Giving pain for hours

The chaos of the whole incident gives my mind earthquakes

The gravel pummeling the desk,

Hearing the words Custody to Dwayne Smith paralyzed me.

My heart began to ache,

My mind began to crumple,

I was collapsing, falling apart.

My mind created a seal to lock the memories away.

-Isaac

I Remember

I remember when you would come over,

With your long brown hair,

Dark brown eyes and heavy makeup

I would run and yell "Lisa"

Instead of mom,

The times we would go outside I would run around

As we played hide and seek

Me as a child

You throwing me in the air

When ever I close mye eyes

I see us playing and laughing

I remember what you would smell like: peaches and cream

I remember the words you would always say

"Ill try to stop"

With a smile on your face

I remember the times we laugh about nothing.

Then the day came when you walked out the door

Without a good bye

No one knew where you went or why you went.

The next month I trudged in the church

With tears jetting down my face

I remember the casket black and silver

With white doves on it.

I remember the words I said

"Why did she do it?"

No one answered.

I remember my tenth birthday

When I cried because you wasn't there

My fifth grade graduation

All the other good things that happened

and you weren't there for.

The times I wish you were still here.

My prom

And me graduating from college

And your not here anymore.

-Shaylyn

Mom

Mom, from changing my diapers

Until taking me to get underwear.

Looking at you with your light brown eyes

With the sun glistening off of them,

And curly black hair

Mom, from helping me take my first step until

I could walk on my own.

Mom, from teaching me how to go to the

Restroom until I could go by myself.

Mom, from helping me ride my tricycle

Until I can ride my own bike.

Thank you Mom, for teaching me how

To stand on my own to feet.

-Isaiah