Rainbow Memory & Mrs. Harter's Poets!

Book Cover Painting

by Georgia LV

Students - One of the stories my mom likes to tell is about how as a little girl, I would stop in parking lots to look at rainbows in puddles.  Yes, they were made from the oil in rainwater...but I could not help but stop and marvel.  I still think they are so pretty, all of those colors just swirling around in water...kind of like soap bubbles.  I've written about these rainbow puddles before in this space, and I probably will again...some family stories are like that. 

Today's poem grew from this story that my mom tells, and I am going to spend some time this summer thinking about other family stories and finding the poems tucked inside them.  This might be something you'd like to try this summer too...keep a list of family stories (those you remember and those you have been told) and then see what poems you find in your list!

Today I am very lucky to welcome Mrs. Karen Harter and her poets of Room 115 at Holmes Elementary School in the KenTon School District in Tonawanda, NY.  They have been writing and sharing and displaying their poetry with gusto and much love.  Tomorrow is their last day of the school year, and I tip my summer hat as I wish all of them many good writing adventures this summer and in their lives.  Welcome to Mrs. Karen Harter and students!

Mrs. Harter's Poets!

Photo by Teacher Karen Harter

My muilti-age second/third grade class at Holmes Elementary School enjoyed reading the poems posted on The Poem Farm website throughout the school year. We loved Mrs.VanDerwater's regular poems and helpful hints. The inspirations for those poems and some great tips, really "revved up our engines" before writing! We also enjoyed reading and listening to poems written by other adult authors, and the chance to read poems written by children our own age.

So, we were very excited to meet Mrs. VanDerwater in person when she visited our school in May ---and "over the moon" when she suggested that we post OUR poems here on The Poem Farm website. The only thing that will be better than our normal reading is when we log on one day...and WE are there! That will be the "icing on the cake." The children picked one poem out of many that they wrote, and each student chose the one he or she liked best to publish. We hope you like them.

Thank you, Mrs. VanDerwater, and everyone who visits The Poem Farm. We love it, and are so proud to be a part of it now, too!

"Poets are not born in a country; Poets are born in childhood." - Vladimir Khodasevich

Poems in my Pocket

Photo by Teacher Karen Harter

Never the Same

I saw a dead bird.

It made me sad.

I think he got hit by a car.

I was mad.

I gave him a funeral.

His bird friends came.

But the trees in the park

will never be the same.

Cahlab

age 10

Hummingbirds

They have feathers.

They perch on trees.

They are beautiful.

They live in North America.

The bee hummingbird

Is the world's

smallest bird.

Not a

BEE

or a

BUG

Just the smallest bird.

This bird only lives in Cuba

and it looks like a bee

so humans won't

mess

with

it.

BUT....we know a hummingbird from a bee--

or a bug.

Nicole

age 9

A Bad Day

I hit the ball

and I did fall

I passed out

I had to pout

I made a face

I got my emergency case

In case I got bruised in the face.

Sal

age 7

The House

I wonder

when

I leave my house

if it says,

"Where is Maxine going?"

Maxine

age 9

There's a War in my Bedroom

My army man still thinks he's in

World War II

I hear him say,

"OK man, get ready for battle.

Let's move out.

This battle is getting rough

and my rifle is almost out of bullets.

But, we will pull through."

(Maybe I should tell him it's 2012)

Josh

age 9

DINNER!

There once was a spider

who lived in a web.

He met a fly.

They had some fun.....

until he was done spinning his web!

And then, he said,

"Now you'll be my dinner!"

Emily

age 9

The Bills

Watching the Bills is

eating frankfurters,

drinking pepsi,

shouting,

laughing,

waiting,

anticipating,

screaming,

HOORAY!

They won!

Jermiah

age 9

Grass

I see grass in

Spring

Summer

Fall

and even

Winter.

But in

SPRING

it is the

BEST

Come out and play.

Come out and play in the

Grass.

Cheyenne

age 8

The Race

I am in first place.

I am as fast as a cheetah.

I win!

My prize is a

black

red

shiny

brand new

PORSCHE

with

sparkling rims.

My next race will

be

in

my

NEW CAR!

Dominic

age 9

About my Toys....

My toys talk in my room

And they move.

I wonder if they might be

talking about me,

or my room,

or do they talk about themselves?

I know they talk!

Anthony

age 9

Getting an Apple from the Apple Tree

I'm

                               g

                         n

                     i

                 p

            m

      u

j

so I can

get an

apple from

t

h

e

t

r

e

e

The tree said, "Go away boy!"

Vernon

age 8

Savannah

My sister Savannah

My mom calls her banana

She is three

She fell and hurt her knee

I love Savannah.

Caryn

age 8

Our Dogs

I had our dogs named

Moose

Oreo

Britney

Riley

They each had 2 puppies.

How many puppies

Do I have now?

Rebecca

age 7

Bare

The trees

with no leaves

look like

people

with

no

hair.

D'Anna

age 9

Winter Tree

I saw a tree

with no leaves

on it.

It looks like a

naked

tree.

The sun

has come up.

The tree has leaves on it now.

The tree

doesn't

look

naked

anymore.

William

age 9

Haiku!

Photo by Teacher Karen Harter

Thank you so much to teacher Karen Harter and her young poets for joining us today. Now, other students will read your poems for inspiration, and I feel very grateful to have your words and poems here forever.

I welcome all young writers to visit throughout the summer and to share your own poems in the comments. I will be here on Fridays with poems and writing thoughts.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

To find a poem by topic, click here. To find a poem by technique, click here.

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