Moving Words 2001 Student Poems

The student poems below have been chosen to be displayed on Arlington Metrobuses from January-March, 2001.

CAIRO

I see the triangular pyramids.
I hear people’s voices blend with the wind.
I smell the sand blowing in the hot desert weather.
I taste vegetable soup.
I feel the hot sun’s air going through my hair.
I know a storm of sun is coming on the way.

Sara Ahmed
Grade 1, Hoffman Boston Elementary School

I REMEMBER NEW YORK

tall buildings
taxi horns honking
hotdogs on Flatbush Avenue
buttons on elevators
mushroom, pepperoni, and extra cheese pizza
I remember New York.

Marvin Frenel
Grade 2, Hoffman-Boston Elementary School

AGE

As I get older,
my feet get bigger.
As my feet grow,
my shoes cost more.

Natalie Jones
Grade 4, Abingdon Elementary School

THE SALAD BALLAD

I was coming up the stairs
when I blinked at the sight,
of my vegetables dancing
in the middle of the night!
I don’t know how they opened
the refrigerator door,
But there they were
jiving on the floor,
dancing so wildly,
like they’d done it before.

Rhianna Abdeljawad
Grade 5, Barrett Elementary School

THE SMILE RECIPE

1 tablespoon of giggles
4 cups good memories
3 liters of good advice
17 pounds of first kisses
7 gallons of starlight wishes
26 tons of gramma’s hugs
And an ocean of love

Jessica Foster
Grade 8, Swanson Middle School

The student poems below have been chosen to be displayed on Arlington Metrobuses from October through December, 2001.

TONIGHT IT WILL SNOW

Tonight it will snow.
Oh, it will snow three inches.
I will go skiing.
I will go snowboarding.
Oh, it will be a blast.
Only if it will.
It will be a dream.

Christopher D. Schwarz
Grade 2, Arlington Traditional School

SENSES OF THE WOODS

As I travel through the woods,
I feel a cold shiver up my spine
As if my back has turned to ice.
I hear the sound of the wind
Whistling in my ears.
I see the shadows of the great oak trees.
I smell the sap on the trees’ skin
As I travel through the woods.
I feel my body is frozen
By the denseness of the woods.

Albert Salemme
Grade 3, Drew Model School

WINGS

Wings flying free.
How I wish those wings were on me.
Oh to fly high in the sky.
To look down on everyone.
It would be so fun.
I would be free.
I would go to the sea.
With the birds,
Away from unfriendly words.
Oh, for wings.

Emily Strasel
Grade 5, Ashlawn Elementary School

HOUSE GUESTS

Yellow tipped gray flash,
Search for berries, scarlet ripe,
Cedar Wax Wings swarm.

Chelsea Bajek
Grade 6, H-B Woodlawn Secondary School

BROWN CARAMEL

Color is important to me.
I’m brown, like a brown crayon.
I’m not ashamed to lift up my voice and sing,
Because I’m glad to be colored.
Brown is also the color of a satin dress.
Which is soft and beautiful like me.

Janay Harrington
Grade 7, Thomas Jefferson Middle School

LIFE IS LIKE A GAME OF MONOPOLY

Go! Park Place, Boardwalk
Isn’t life great?
Take a chance; but pay your Luxury Tax.
Or you’ll go to jail!
Take a ride on the B&O Railroad.
Visit New York Avenue, and go to Pennsylvania Avenue.
Maybe you’ll see the president.
Have lunch on Connecticut Avenue.
Take 66 from Virginia Avenue and head to Arlington.
Life is like a game of Monopoly.

Gina Destro
Grade 8, Swanson Middle School