arkansas poetry in the schools (1982- 1983)

7/29/2019 arkansas poetry in the schools (1982- 1983)

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ARKANSAS POETRY IN THE SCHOOLS 1983

Poetry in the Schoolsis a jo int project of

The National Endowment for the Artsand

The University of Arkansas, Fayet tevi l leand is s taffed by members of the University's Programsin Creative Writing and Translation

Edited byMike JenkinsJeff JentzGarnette Mullis

Karen OsbornCover design by Janet Osborn

Karen Borgenheimer Co-directorKaren Osborn Co-director James Whitehead Project Coordinator


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Forward

Dreams, balloons, panthers, magic, fear , watermelons, fishing, cobras,poems describing the end of the world, poems describing the creation of thef i r s t chi ld 's voice-- th is anthology is characterized by a richness ofvariety. These poems offer both ins ight and surprise, whether describingan imaginary place, as Julie Mackey does in "The Place Beyond My ClosetDoor": "Flowers dressed in pink gowns/ And lace cobwebs/ That blue spidershad sewn" or revealing an observation about th is world, as Amy Willmon doesin "Horses in the Rain":

The main thingis that horses do a lo t of things in the rain.They run for the barn.They dash for their oats .They t ro t with the i r glossy wet coats.

The Arkansas Poetry in the Schools Program enthusiastically presents thisanthology.

We are indebted to the teachers and administrators of the seventy-nineschools we visi ted for introducing us to thei r students and making us welcomein the i r schools. We are grateful to the Arkansas Arts Council; Dr. DonOusterhout, Director of Research and Sponsored Programs, and his assis tant ,Dr. John S ~ o k e s ; Mr. David Paul of Research Accounting; and Dr. Kinnamon andthe secre tar ia l s taff of the English Department.


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ARKANSAS POETRY IN THE SCHOOLS 1983


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Karen BorgenheimerPam CarmellCynthia ChinellyDavid CoyDonna CurdBruce EastmanLee Ell iotJack FineDee FonvilleBuffa HanseCurt HarrellKeith HubbardMike JenkinsJeff JentzRodney JonesLisa McElhinnyEarl McMurray

VISITING POETS

Roger MartensDoyle MartinPeter MladinicKatherine MossGarnette MullisKaren OsbornGailmarie PahmeierDavid RevealSandra ReyesLucinda RoyMoira SaucerPaulette SchmidtCam SemelsbergerJerie SmithSteve StewartSteve StreetRobert Timberman


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PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

Acorn HighArkansas Rehabi l i tat ion CenterArkansas School for the BlindAshdown HighAtkins HighBarton HighBenton County Alternative SchoolBismarck Junior HighBlessed Sacrament Primary, JonesboroBlytheville HighBono ElementaryBrookland HighC.D. Franks Intermediate, AshdownCabot HighCabot MiddleCentral Middle, Lake VillageCity Heights Elementary, Van BurenCoal Hil l HighCorning Central ElementaryCotton Plant ElementaryCrawfordsville ElementaryDanville HighDeer HighDell ElementaryDes Arc HighDesoto HighElmdale Elementary, SpringdaleForeman HighFordyce MiddleGarland HighGenoa Central HighGentry MiddleGillet Junior and Senior HighGosnell HighGrace Hil l ElementaryGreene County TechGreen Forest HighHartman HighHolman Elementary

Jefferson Elementary, Fayettevil leKibler Elementary, AlmaKingsland HighLamar ElementaryLeverett Elementary, Fayettevil leLucilia Woods Elementary, ElaineMagazine ElementaryMammoth Springs ElementaryManila HighMarked Tree HighMountainburg ElementaryMurfreesboro ElementaryNorman High, GrossetOak Grove Elementary, Van BurenOle Main High, Lit t le RockOsceola HighOzark HighParker's Chapel HighPea Ridge HighPiggott MiddlePocahontas MiddlePottsvil le HighPrice Elementary, CrossettRamay Junior High, Fayettevil leRison ElementaryRoot Elementary, Fayettevil leSloan-Hendrix Elementary, ImbodenStut tgar t Junior HighT.G. Smith Elementary, SpringdaleTrumann HighTuckerman HighValley Springs HighVan Buren MiddleWaldron HighWalnut Ridge HighWashington Elementary, Fayettevil leWest Elementary, OsceolaWestern Grove High


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Acorn High School

PoemCracker in a wooden barre lAnd cheese in another, the barrelsVary in size and shape, especiallyIn the factory where they areNailed together with finishing nai lsRunning in the snow against the wind,Yonder fa l l s another Christmas t ree.Every year hundreds are cut.

PoemBalloons are l ikeEggs they are

-Cavin Rye

Very dis t inct in thei r characterOn every occasion theyNod to the f loorAnd they end up withLine fracturesIn thei r headsLove them as they areEven though they wil l never be able to haveSex

-Bevona Liles

PoemHay bales fal l ing from the doorOf the lo f tRopes hanging from the wallSweat smell of saddle soapEasing through the s ta l l s

-Wes Fal ls

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8/86

Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind

JourneyThe baby's ra t t l e i s soft and cool.In the pouring rainyour face i s smooth as corn s i lk ,but the peeled bark of the tree i s dying away.To the peak of this mountaini s a hard climb.The baby's ra t t l el ike broken pottery,i s hard, rough, and very very old.I have gone through yearsof rain, and the corn s i lk i s fall ing away.I know that somewherethere are strange, undiscovered flowersand a glob of slime floating on the ocean.I t ' s awful.Chains ra t t l eas the sand moves through the s ieve.

-Barbara Cooper

StormThe edges of the sky are wide, and very sharp.What I feeli s round and thin and dark.The clouds break open l ike bread, or a b ig pillow.Stars shoot l ightning.They sound l ike coral.And this - -which is l ike beads or beansfall ing out of a bot t lei s the sharp s t ing of a storm.Against the groundthe twisted ropes of the sk y snap and crack.

-Benjamin Isa

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9/86

Arkansas School for the BlindMonkeysI am a monkey and I l ike to climb t rees . I l ike to eatbananas. I do not l ike being in a cage where I'llgo crazy. When I 'm in the jungle I'm free. I see a l l my friends andhear when danger is around. I feel the breezes when thewind blows. But remember that I can be dangerous when I want to be.

EagleI am a l i t t l e eagle.I smell the fresh a irin the pret ty sky.I f ly so high.I see a l l my friendsfrom way in the sky.They look so smallI need a good eye.

-Dawn Smith

Going to the DarkI came to the darkI tasted an onion leaf ,but I got back in my boat .I t began to stormso I was afraid.My boat almost tipped over.I blew overboard.I crashed into the water,so did my boat.I made i t . but my boat did not.

-Chad Hendrick

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-Anehea Ganett


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Ashdown High SchoolHow to get People to Like YouSee a l i t t l e boy eating candy,Chase him down, s tea l i t and eat i t .Catch a nice, sweet gi r l walking,Pick her up and throw her in the nearest mud puddle.Watch a lady a t a res taurant ,Wait t i l l she goes to the salad bar .Take her hand and st ick i tin the salad dressing.Call your neighbor and t e l l himthat you baked him a pie , and meetme half-way.Meet him half-way, throw i t in h isface and run.Then send a lovely, young lady roses .

-Glen Ray BowmanHow To Bake A Cake

Increase the Fun in LifeEveryone you see-think of them baldWhen someone looks-make a face-Anon

Firs t you ro b the nearest bank in order tobuy the r ich ingredientsThen you hop to the hardware s tore tobuy the hard tack

Selecting the sour ingredientsis a troublesome lo tyou have to pick among a l l the di r trocks, and concrete .Rushing to the checkout ditch you t r ipand fa l l ,Your prizes melt and turn blue,you slowly l ick them up andthen slide home.

When you return home, eager for your taskquickly grab a rake and mix the ingredients .

How to Make EnemiesAct stuck updon' t speak to anyonewear something that no one else has.don' t le t anything get you down.only think of yourself .walk around with your headin the sky.Hang around with yourself.Use sign language .

-Tammie Hogan

-Rolin Flanrey

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11/86

Atkins High School

PoemI am the teardrop of a l i t t l e childthat cr ies so hard.I am the wing of a bugthat ca n not f ly.I am the drop of rainthat fa l l s from the sky.I am the drop of inkthat forms no l ine.

-Brenda Stokes

My School Day FearAs I trudge down the gravel road,

PoemI remember the f ish that I caughta t my pond. I t was as bigas my leg; i t had whiskersl ike an old cat . I t f e l t l ikehe was as heavy as boat weight.And i t fe l t l ike i t took meabout a l l dayto get him because the sk y was blueand red with colors.And when I got him inhis t a i l jumped around l ike a bird 's wing.His skin looked l ike muddy waterand i t fe l t l ike o i l .

-Jason Miller

to my bus stop for my f i r s t day of school,I real ize the fear I feeli s the curved l ines on my teacher 's face:I am scared to go , afraid to leave my home,when I reach the school i t looks l ike a yellow dragonready to devour my thin, fragi le body;the other children, some are crying l ike the rainbeads on the window panes.Later in the day as I go home,I think back on this meaningful eventand how much s tar l ight i t had brought me.

-Angela Freeman

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12/86

Barton High School

PoemA mountain on the horizon with snow in the shadesPrinted brown boulders leap from the sidesA r ippling, clear-blue stream twists down and goes byA bald eagle leaps from the t a l l brown grassRising quickly, then slowly against a red, burning sky.As my mind wanders to think, from a l l sadness I amunhooked.

-Petie Mallard

Barton Elementary

MagicMysterious, though outstandingActually your imaginationGoing through thin a irIn and out of wallsComing and going a l l the time

-Tanuny Diehl

StarsSmall as round bal lTwinkling in the darkAppreciating every twinkle they haveRising a t nightStaying up t i l morning

-Stephanie Davis

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PoemEggs and basketsAlways looking through the grassStooping down to pick up an eggTelling how many you foundEating the pretty colored eggsRunning looking for the eggs

HatHeads in themAlways on topTipping a t a woman

-Kenneth Lucas

-Cindy Johnston


13/86

Benton County Alternative SchoolSkyThe sky reminds meof a giant lake.One moment the sky iscalm and the other i tis a raging ocean thathas turned black and ugly.Then i t ' s a lake againthat le ts the sun bathean d the birds swim.

-Sheila Melton

Mouse

VacationI t ' s a ghost that haunts your memoryit crowds your thoughts when you getbored. People you promised to writewhen you got home but didn ' t real lyeven expect to . The crowded car onthe way there i s even more crowdedon the way home.

-Glenda B.

The l i t t l e gray mouse, dumbfounded, runs intothe wall. He squeaks and squeaks, runsand walks. His l i t t l e mind's doingnothing. His beady, black eyes seeingnothing but the ea t ' s paw, coming infor the ki l l . He squeaks and squeaksand runs into the wall.

-Jeff R.OceanThe ocean in c storm is l ike a babyin a bathtub. The waves high, the soundof water splashing. The ocean waves hi t t ingme i s l ike a sudden sand stormcoming up on you a l l a t once.

-Michael Frazier

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14/86

Bismarck Junior High School

ZooommmZooommm went the yellow s tr iped cardown the road, with a t r a i l of blacksmoke behind i t , leaving everybody breathless .

-Darrel l Hardage

Best TimeIs when I was playing football l as tFriday and th e whole side-line washol ler ing my name and k i l l thatquarterback so I got a l l f iredup and I ran over number 79and 44 and then I come upon number 11the quarterback I h it him so hardhim moma fe l t i t .

-Anon.

Watermelons and MatchesWhat would happen i f we swapped watermelonsFor matches, and matches for watermelons?To s t a r t a f i re , we would have to use watermelons.Can you imagine carrying watermelons in your pocketSo you can l ight f i recrackers on the 4th of July.We would grow matches in the garden so we couldEat them on hot afternoons.We would s l ice the matches and put sa l tOn them to make them tas te be t ter .What about a box of 250 kitchen watermelons.Or a 50 pound match.

-Shan Hardage

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15/86

Bismarck Junior High School, cont.

The Creation of a Child's VoiceLong time ago a beautiful woman hada child .The child was quite lovely with blondhair and big brown eyes.A lovely child , but she couldn'tspeak.So the woman asked the Lord inheaven to help her by le t t ing thechild have a voice.The Lord then took the soundsof beautiful but terf l ies flying in thewind,The sound flowers made, runningwater, trees and birds too. Andthe laugh of a man and wifeand he combined them.Making the chi ld ' s voice fu l l oflaughter.

-Jul ia Watkins

KerpowThe crack of a 22 caliber r i f l eEchoing through the woodsAfter finding i t s mark on a squir re l or rabbitOr maybe a bol t of lightningKnocking off a branch of the old oak t reeOutside my windowOr possibly the screen doorOn my grandfathers house.

-Karl Harvey

My ShoesMy shoes are white with black stainsand also a navy blue s t r ipe .The tongue of my shoe is as brownas the sand of the desertand they fee l of sharp rocksThe bottom of my shoe i sthe tracks of a bulldozer

-Scott Hughes

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16/86

Blessed Sacrament Primary School Jonesboro

PoemG enerally climbing wallsE ating every bug it seesC reeping on i t s preyK eeping very calm0 rdinarily receiving victory.

-Heath Garner

The Old Smelly Statue

PoemFragrant, f i r s t of MayLilacsOrange roses sound l ike wind chimesWatering them helps them growEaster l i l i es are purple and whiteRagweed i s miniature dais iesSunflowers are yellow and pret ty

-4th grade group poem

One day, while lo ts of people were walking in the park,an old smelly s ta tue looked as though it was going toslap them on the face, creeping behind kids, throwing things a tthem slowly, chopping every green t ree down, tearing everything immediately,breaking every s t ick or pencil it could f ind, deliberately trying toscare them away, pulling every t a l l grass out of the ground, and fearless lytrying to slap them in the face. Running a t them and snorting,doing it calmly and cruelly. And then, looked up a t the blue sky.

-Nga Thi Hoang

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17/86

Blythevil le High School

PoemLast year He came to my houseHe wanted some candyHe was dressed as a Clown with a big noseHe had the nerve to say, "TRICK OR TREAT""GET OUT of here Kid," I screamed.I'll get him next yearThis year He came backHe wanted more candyHe was dressed as a skeletonYou Know what He said?!? "TRICK OR TREAT""LISTEN KID YOU BETTER SCRAM NOWOR I'LL TREAT YOU! ! " I saidI got himNext year I ' ll get out of prisonI sure could use some candyI hate this uniformI got a vis i tor todaythat kid said, "TRICK OR TREAT"

-Ri ta Sanders

DesireDesire tas tes l ike cool white grapes.I t feels l ike a child , with nothingon Christmas morning, turned loosein a toy store.

Cold

I t smells l ike lasagna.Desire looks l ike a glassy green-gray eye.I t sounds l ike a low, rumbling growl.

-Carol Ise ldl

Cold is when you jump in yourtruck on a cold, zero degrees morning, forgetyou are wearing a sk i r t , and, tha tyour truck has vinyl seats.

-Dawn Wagner

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18/86

Bono Elementary

The HuntThe white Broncoraced off into the nightwith a long green boat followinga si lver t ruck l ike race cars .When they stopped a t the rimof the quiet water , theyput the long boat in the wateri t looked l ike a logfloating in the water . Theygot in and drove offto half hidden blinds i t t ing on the s t i l l quiet water .

-Chad Davison

PoemAirplanes fly l ike birdsin the sky they r ideth e wind as i f theyhad been locked ina cage a l l the i r l i feand had f ina l ly been se t free .

-Leigh Ann Wallace

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Fishing

The CoinOnce I saw a coinlying on a beach l ikethe sun soaring inthe sky.

-Susan Henry

The water gushed l ikegold out of the r iver ,the si lver coins I catch,claws snatch a t my golden rodas the r iver flows. I nowsee the golden su n go downinto the deep green val leyas I walk slowly homeward.-Bryan Almond

A DreamI once had a dream thatI was inside a vol leybal lI could see a l i t t l e l i gh twhere you a ir it upa t the top I fe l t the hotrubber burning I fe l tthe sweat comeout of me l ike it was rainingcats and dogs.

-Tony Willis


19/86

Brookland High SchoolFlamingoFishing along the coastLike a fishermanAnd enjoying his work,Missing out on the other joys,Interfering withNo one else ,Going slowlyOn and on

-Scott Jackson

The Penguin That Came To DinnerMaybe i t doesn't sound normal,For a penguin to come to dinnerBut at least he was dressed formal.He waddled in ,All short and fa t ,And a t the head of the tableThe penguin sa t .His manners were excellentTo say the leas tAs he sa t downTo have a feast .He ate and ate ,And to our surpriseThe penguin burstBefore our eyes.

-Karen Carter

Poem

The SwitchWithout any warningI t came to beI woke up one morningAnd I was not meI was not in my bedI was undergroundNo humans I heard

I t was dark a l l aroundI a te a wormFor my hunger grewWhy this change took placeI never knewI began diggingAnd came out of a holeAnd suddenly I knewI was a mole.

-Stephanie Soroka

Daylight approaches, the sun appearsOn the horizon. ANew day has begunAs I leave for schoolLi t t le raindrops col lec t asDew on my windshield

-Rodney Vaughn

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20/86

Burke St. Elementary, AshdownThe Most Amazing Things I Have Never SeenA man riding a f ishthe sun talking downA car weaving clothesa bird going shoppingan elephant going waterskiing

-John BowmanC.D. Franks Intermediate, Ashdown

PoemOnce when I dropped my glasses in a pot of skyblueink. When I found themat f i r s t I star ted seeing pinkbut as time changed by and byI looked up and theclouds changed blue l ike the skyMy glasses were a lovely blueto the minute Itr ied them on I real lyknewfrom now onI wear them everywhereI gount i l I die oras they say unt i l theend of my rainbow.

-La-Chandra GuilloryPoemI jus t thought I would dropa few l ines to say I am sorryfor what happened the other daywhen you s tartedto jump into the ocean andI l e t the water out and youh it on the bottom of the c l i f f

-Charles Crow

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How to Eat an American FlagYou s t a r t with the starsone af te r the otherafter you ea t forty-nine you won'twant to eat anotherwhen you get to the str ipess t a r t with the red and i fyou don' t eat them r ightthey ' l l make you fa l l deadI f you are lucky to getto eat the white everyonetomorrow wil l think that you'reout of sight.Last but not l eas t you cometo the blueI t ' s the most del icious par tyou lucky dog you

-Jeff Hinton


21/86

C.D. Franks Intermediate, cont.

I want my report card to read l ike this -1. For making the sun shine when

i t rains . A2. For making homeruns everytime you h it thebal l in sof tba l l . B3. For going to the moon. A4. For doing magic. A

-Angela Sisemore

PoemThis i s jus t to sayI have broken

your front windowwhich you weresaving to usefor a car windowForgive me

i t was sotempting.the shiningof the glassin the brightbright sun!-Michelle Lewis

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I am a PenI feel my head beingpulled off and stuckonto the end of myfeet . Then I'm beingpushed onto somethingwhite with blue l ines .I feel a terr ib le painand the person usingme dots an I andcrosses a t .I jus t thought youought to know how Ifeel because af ter a l lyou might use one ofmy re la t ives .

-Mary Wade


22/86

UntitledThe smell of bread comesfrom grandmother'soven

Cabot High School

MorningA balloon bursts froman unseen force

I t ' s morning, i t ' s real ly morning

Glands secreteThe cows are mooing the chickens are crowingThe pigs are playing wild, for they knowtheir death i s coming.

A child speaks i t s f i r s twords.

The birds are whistl ing the sweet soundsof morning.

A mouse i s ki l led in at rap.Peanut butter i s spread ona piece of breadThe rain freezes and turnsinto slee tAn a r t i s t paints his l as tstroke on his paintingA man fal ls in love.

-Tracy Johnson & Greg Morrison

Soldier 's CemetaryA cold, dark place where old ladies crymemories are running wild.Wars are s t i l l being fought by th e widowsof people whose tombstone says you aredead.

-Anon.

Untit ledI see myself s i t t ing on the to pof Pike's Peak in the middleof the night.I see the stars shiningdown upon a r igid mountain.I see my boyfriend 15,000miles away driving downa sl ick highway.I see the rain driving on hisfront windshield.I see the rainbow that laysacross the clear water, asI see myself skiing behindthe many colors.I see a deep emotion thatl ies inside me.

-Lisa Patterson

Rockets and bul le ts s t i l l flying by in the mindof a person who was l e f t behind.-Rob Andrews

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23/86

The Long MileI t i s dusk now.The sun has gonedown behind thef ields of wheat.The trees are darkand forboding.The crows f ly over;dark shapes in thenight. The grass issmall and brown.The sun i s gone.It i s nightand the mile i sover.

-Jimmy Russell

Moonlight

Cabot Middle School

Questioning FigureI was walking along on the beachand I looked down. There I sawa whirlpool l ike the loll ipopin my hand l ike a snake curled upin the bottom of the sea l ike the je ttha t flew over me making a questioning figure .l ike the tornado in Santa Monicaday before yesterday. The figure that ' squestioning me .

- Jay Wiggins

The moonlight gl i t ters on the water andas you run the moonlight runs withyou escaping into the night.

-Brad Johnson

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24/86

Central Middle School, Lake Village

Dear - - - - - - - - - -Written in ink a kiss i f you loveme. Answer th is . Please t e l lthe way the thing I do. All thedudes I ever met aren ' t you.You I can ' t forget.

-Wanda Sykes

The Oak Tree

Who Are YouYou're l ike a school bel l always on timeNow very much I wish you were mineYour teeth are l ike di r t covering a dimeNo matter what happens they wil l always shineYour love for me is l ike a t reeI t grows so t a l l and never fa l l sYour eyes are l ike di r t nice and brownHow many times you smile but never frown

-Marvin Young

I 'm a strong oak tree standing t a l l and proudAll the other t rees around me are jus t part of the crowdMy branches wil l not witherMy trunk wil l not swayI 'm the mighty oak treeI am stronger than theyWhen the lumber jacks come I'll begin to frownBecause I know that I'll be the f i r s t to be chopped down

-Jason Martar

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25/86

City Heights Elementary, Van Buren

Silence

Silence was made whenthe wind blew throughthe trees and mantryed to do it sh sh shand he did that wasthe way it i s made

-Bobby Wise

I am a WindI blow through the treesand through the wheat f ieldI make people cool offI am sometimes gentlebut other times hardI sound l ike a waterfal lYou cannot see me.

Anon.

I am a TVI get pushed a l l about,People stare a t me,People l i s ten very careful to me,Sometimes I ta lk a l l day .People really pay attention to me .I'm jus t a square.

I am a TreeI am a t ree .My arms s t ick a l l dayBirds make nest on me .I can see everywhere.In summer my leaves are green

- Todd Williams

In fa l l my leaves are yellow , orange, and red .Kids make tree houses on me .I get t i red easyBecause I stand up a l l day .I am thirsty when the sun is out .I l ike it when it rains.I t tas tes so good when I drink it .-Keith Medlock

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26/86

Coal Hil l High School

PoemA man said:my l i fe was fall ing backwardsout of a swingAnother man said:The most perilous moment inmy l i fe was scaring my motherfrom behind a door,Another man said:The most perilous moment inmy l i f e was walking in thedark,And the l a s t man saidThe most perilous moment inmy l i fe was tr ipping overa rope and not knowing i f I was evergoing to stop fal l ing .

-Sharon North

Poem

In a Dark AlleyIn the dark alley with me werea few t rash cans, ten drunks and ablack cat . All of a sudden a cat cr ies

sharply. Then a gun shot pierced thea ir and then the wind blew. Youcan smell the raw sewage of the c i ty .I was alone with ten drunks an da black cat . Looking for a man that hasbeen ki l led . I wi l l not go homeunt i l I find him.

-Mich Hustt

A man, s i t t ing behind h is desk, thinkingabout the economy, when suddenlya person pops in with a camera and takeshis picture , which he wasn't expecting.-Pa t t i Sosebee

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27/86

The Ostrich

Corning Central Elementary

The CobraThe Cobra sounds l ikea ir coming out ofa t i re . Sliding throughthe green grassesI see him in anger as heses a t me. he looksl ike a four footrope with twoblack eyes.

-Eric Reynolds

the ostrich has long legs andruns too fas t .i t smells l ike an old featheredpillow. and i t looks l ike anover grown chicken.

- J . R. Russom

Heavy HorsesHeavy horsesOn a farmRunning around in c i rcles andStop toEat someStraw

-Tanya White

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28/86

Cotton Plant Elementary

SWIMMINGWhen I go swimming my oldest cousinjumps in and then he swims a l l theway across the Cash River.He scares me to death.The Cash River is as wide as a two lanehighway.

-Shelly Dixon

MY HOMETOWN COTTON PLANTQuiet s t reetDark s t reetOr maybe someBeat up pumpsOr trash cansOr motor partsMaybe some trucksOr blue r a c e ~ orInsect a t schoolI love to be inA s tore I loveI go in great partsI love to v i s i tAll of this makesUp my hometownCotton Plant

-Rodger

THE LIBRARYI t looks l ike any roomWhen you pass i t in the hallwayMade of br icksMade of iron and concreteYou can not t e l l i t ' s magicBy the way i t looksBut there ' s wonderment within i tThe wonderment of books whenI opened a book I sawThe Black Stall ion I fe l twonderful then I heard horsesand men riding trying to catch theBlack Stall ion I smelled thedust that the horse had them eat

-Marsha Scales

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29/86

Crawfordsville Elementary

LET THE GIRL BE FREEI heard an airplane a t my window.I heard the airplane say"Want to take a r ide?"I hear the wind say "No."I ran to the bathroom, and the airplanewas behind me.

Let the gi r l be free.I heard my toes tumble with fr ight .I heard the barn door shut.I hear the airplane say "Let me in."I heard the door open.I heard the airplane come in .

Let the gi r l be free.Let the gi r l be free.-Sharon Ford

!HEARI hear a door tha t ' s squeaking .I hear a man speaking.I hear a car leaking, antifreeze.As I walked by, I heard someone say, hi ,When you expecting to _& to Peking.As I walk downThis al ley down town,I heard me say, when am l going to Peking?

-Anonymous

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30/86

Danville High School

FrankieI see a l ine of t rees winding alongthe pastureI see the banks of mud running alongi t s edgeI see a small stream flowing alongi t s chosen pathI see the snowflakes fall ing from thecloudy sky.I see a small boy shivering in the coldI see him move his l ips as i f whiningI see him curl up as i f to keep warmI see him clearly he is Frankie.

-Carroll Kemp

RachelI remember Rachel laughingas we rode our bikes downthe road.I remember the big green leavesblowing in the wind andRachel 's long blond hair alsoblowing.I remember her new red bike.I wil l always rememberRachel even though she i sdead.

-J . D. W.

Untitled

Fear--looking in the mirrorearly in the morning-Missy Corbin

A room crowded with a thousand beautifulebony pianos with a thousand childrenlearning how to play middle Cand a thousand metronomes t icking outthe constant beat.

-Beth Hunnicutt

Anger i s a bear growling because you'veinvaded i t s cave and made i t mad orfrightened i t .

-Tommy Cooper

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31/86

Deer High School

DeerThe way you can t e l l you're in Deeris the smell of the windthe wind has a fain t smellof wintergreen.I t i sn ' t fromthe grassThe smell, i t comes fromthe store, where the old folksand young people gather tochew and smokewhere they t e l l old storiesof hunting and f ishing, andblow about days goneby

-Scott Liggett

SpearI feel the leather as they t i eme to a wooden s t ick .I smell the scent of manwho is to own me,I feel his strong grip on my handle .I go speeding through the a irI hear the scream of painas I k i l l the deer.

-Linda Curtis

PearlsI t ' s as hard as the rock underyour feet though deeper and in water.The sof t whiteness of i t sbeauty excites the diver whochallenges the monster thatholds i t and as he f inal lyreleases the majestic piece hesighs and says th is i s the las ttime you wil l s teal my own heart

-Claudina Taylor

WindowsEveryone knows I am there.But they do not see me.All my fr iends around and aboveshake and ra t t le when the wind blows .My l i fe ends with a smack .Then I reveal a hundred cracks.

-Anonymous

25


32/86

Dell Elementary

Haunted HouseA haunted house looks l ike the ins ide of the Earth.A haunted house smell l ike a pot of snakes and cats .A haunted house feels l ike a dead bathanging on the wall .A haunted house sounds l ike the gravesilence of the night .A haunted house tastes l ike a cakewith spiders and webs in i t .A haunted house is a place where ghosts and goblinsflap about.

-Rex Stabbs

In the Fif th SeasonIn the f i f th season you seeTwelve moons in the ai r .In the f i f th season leavesFal l to the ground andTurn black and smell l ikeStrawberry je l ly . In theFif th season ghosts danceOut on the s t ree t and yel lBoo. In the f i f th seasonBread tastes l ike di r t . Inthe f i f th season lemonsSmell l ike sa l t water. Inthe f i f th season books grow inYour yard.

-Mylissa Rogers

A PorchI t ' s l ike a hard pond. I t soundsl ike big heavy footsteps. I t looks l ikea seesaw that i s stuck. I t smellsl ike a skunk le t t ing off a l i t t l e of hisperfume. I t tas tes l ike a big clumpof di r t . A porch is l ike a big blockbut i t ' s wood.

-Jennifer Jackson

26


33/86

Des Arc High School

Runaway TruckOne spring morning a big truck dashedthrough the solid lavender buildingful l of al l igators . The truck blazed throughso fas t i t dried the morning fros t off of thegrass and horrif ied everybody. The spontaneousman driving was big and fr isky. He saidhe loved to run through hard lavenderbuildings and he ski l l ful ly went out backwards.

-Keith Calhoun

The AlligatorA all igator loves lavender buildingsThey wil l horrify you and you wil l dash backwardsto your truck. They are ski l l fu l and bite hard and chewin big amounts. They are spontaneous and frisky to female al l igators .They swim in frosty water, and they wil l blaze you solid.

-Donald Marlan

PoemThe martian kissed the young lady mysteriously.To her i t was a very strangely and electrifyingly kiss .The martian plays a guitar and has a house near the swamp.He wears odd shoes.He has a cone-head shaped head and l ikes to sleep a lo t .He i s a very wicked person, some kisses are enlightening.His shoes are pea green.

-Hope Stovall

27


34/86

Desoto High School

Poem

Silence i s the color of clearafternoon sky.I t smells l ike freshmowed grass.Silence tas tes l ike a juicy watermelonwith sa l t .Silence sounds l ike a vacuum cleanerwhen it's stopped up.I t feels scratchyl ike my worn teddy bear.

-Karen Cooke

The Old ManOld and grayhe s i t on the porchnot able to walk too good,he had only one leg.Not wanting to ta lk , notwanting to l i s ten ,but only wanting to res t .They wanted his other leg, but hewanted not to give it up.After re t i r ing to re s t he stayed a t res t .

-Prenton I les

Poem

I 'm sof t and furry almostl ike velvet . When myengine s ta r t s it won't stopunt i l something scares meor makes me mad. When I 'mmad I scream l ikea mad woman in thenight .

-Fran Nolmes

28


35/86

UntitledCorn isRipeAt 3:00In the Garden.

-Anonymous

Wolf's Dark Nights'

Elmdale Elementary, Springdale

The Place Beyond My Closet DoorThe dancing mushroomsThe singing beesGold, s i lver , yellow, greenIn the t a l l , glowing treesI never onceHave seen such a place.A place to have suchBeauty.The place I saw hadFlowers dressed in pink gownsAnd lace cobwebsThat blue spiders had sewn.The further I wentThe more beauty I saw.The golden sand beneath my feetWas not roughAnd smelled kind of sweet.I never went back.I never again fe l t the f loor .I jus t stayed in the placeBeyond my closet door.

-Jul ie Mackey

UntitledWill you s ta r tOn that l ine soMy foot won' t beErased from theNew piece of paper .

-Anonymous

Howling on a dark cold nightwith the smell of the damp wind inthe a i r . And the sound of the nightwoods and the prey comes quietlyacross so not to be heard. but wascaught anyway.

-Teresa Butler

29


36/86

Dream Cleaner

Foreman High School

The Gravel PitsLights over a hi l l top.A door shuts quickly.More l ights and gravelbeing thrown fromsomeone's t i res .Many more people arrive.There i s low talking a tf i r s t then there are shouted"hel lo 's" and other greetings.Soon there is a big f i re andlots of cars. Loud musicand drinking.Someone yel ls "Need more Firewood!"Nobody moves.There's fun and laughter,But only for a l i t t l e while.Everybody had somewhere else to go.The t rees , gravel and a smoulderingf i re are l e f t and bored alone.

-Sheila Elhammon

In my mind a blackish cyclone churns,pushing the dark rubble of dead dreamsaway. Then, my mind i s clearand begins to build againas i f the great, churning wind were dead.

-Jay Smith

The GymAlways on the go ;Never time to res t ;Full speed or none a t al l ,Hustle, HustleBut how much more,The court gets longerYour legs begin to get shorterYou craveWater, Water . . .But how much more.

-Mollie M. Brown

30


37/86

My FaceI t ' s l ike a t reethat ' s in a forest .I t ' s l ike a rose ona rose bushI t ' s l ike anythingthat ' s been everywhere.For I could recognize i ta year in the future .

Fordyce Middle School

The Rose a t the Edge of SnowThe Rose I saw was sored that i t glowed,I t had stems tha twere sticky asthorns.I could recognize it in a far away placeI t means everything The petals werebigger than usual.I t snowed on awinter day.to me.I t ' s my face.

-James Caldwell

Do You?Do you see the dead snakelying in themiddle of the road?Do you smell the sweetroses on the thornyvine?Do you hear the windblowing as a stormsoon arrives?Do you tas te the bi t ter -ness of a rot ten day coming?Do you touch l i t t l eanimals to le t themknow you're a friend?Do you?

-Michelle Crook

Spring was the next day.I'll never knowhow weird i t wasseeing a rose a tthe edge of snow.

-Angela Dansley

Running for My LifeI go up town in my new4-wheel drive.I t ' s l a te a t night .I turn l e f t , giant spiderschase me.I turn r ight , overgrown miceeat my ta i lgate .I have 3 blocks l e f t to myhouse.I sh i f t to 4 gear and findout termites are eating mygear shi f t .I have 2 blocks to go.My chances of making i t are20 to 1.Oh! No! There's a roadblock ofants .They're eating my wheels.1 more block!I 'm going 83 miles per hour.I can see my house.I pul l over in my garage.I run into the house andholler Raid help me!

-Maura Christie

31


38/86

Garland High School

I RememberI remember the time Icouldn' t remember anything,l ike how wonderful the sk y looked,and the smell of white shoe pol ish.And how my cat would read aloudwhen my bird would fly aroundand t e l l her to clean the house.The tastes of black burnt breadwith icing on i tThese are a l l the thingsI couldn' t remember.

-Lateta Williams

UntitledI remember my grandmother,as I stumble in from school,

UntitledI t was a sunny afternoon in mother 'st iny kitchen.Mother was as t a l l as the refr igeratorShe had chestnut brown hai r , and eyesl ike a blue ocean.I remember the smell of stew boi l ingI t sounded l ike a muffled boy's bark.The chunks of potatoes l ike squares ofcardboard.And I fe l t l ike f luffy white cloudsas I ate i t .

-Mary Hawkins

ready to eat , smelling the sweet, sweet aroma,of my grandmother and cornbread. The Basketball PlayerShe would be sett ing on the porchin her rocking chair , chewing and sp i t t ingtobacco that smelled l ike sour di r t .Grandma was wide as a refr igeratorand fe l t l ike velvet cotton.Her cheeks were sl ick s i lkHer eyes shined l ike the gl i t te r ing f i reon a stove.

-Beverly Richardson

32

He leapsl ike birds from t reesduring springas though he were swoopingtoward his preya t a graceful speedHis feetl ike bi rds ' wingskeeping him a lo f tHis eyesfocused on the basketl ike a birdtargeted on his prey.

-David McRae


39/86

Genoa Central High School

Show TimeFresh hay, sweetfeed and dustdrif t ing on a breeze,Cows bellow--metal clanks inthe dis tance, music played too loud.Washed and brushed, fresh cotton hal ter ,People watch the ring--Penny pulls herhead. I t ' s our turn.

-Kim Roberts

How You Can Tell Fo r Sure You're in GenoaThe f i r s t thing you see i sJohnny Rayburn hi t t ing dogs.I t smells l ike honeysuckle and ground glass.A green refreshment stand at Pebble Beach.Members only.

-lOth grade

Washing DishesMy mom standing a t the sink.She's wearing a white shi r t with a gold pin a t the top,black pants, and black shiny-shoes.I t smells l ike chicken broth, and, over bythe window, i t smells l ike pink soap and outside a i r .The rag she i s using is checked. I t is thecolor of a peach, i t has a l i t t l e hole in i t .The dog i s growling and I hear a bird.She is almost finished now, an d I 'm s t i l ls i t t ing here watching her.I see an aloe vera plant in the windowand a brown cow outside eating hay.I'm s t i l l si t t ing herebut she 's not there now.

-Kelly Yeatman

33


40/86

Gentry Middle School

F lowers so blackL ean over the vase0 pening there petalsW earing a heavy coat of redE vening and night the colors are brightR ound a t the to pS traight a t the bottom

-Theresa Mcatee

F laming blazes of re d and orange.I ntroducing i t s sel f to marshmallows.R aging up to a perfect claw.E mptying i t s ashes into holes.-Angila E.

34

Poems For HorsesH ay fe l l on h is feet .0 n the grass andR ound the yard.S ee how graceful hisE yes are . He is soS i lky and elegant.

-Anonymous

my dream with i t s white headwalking out into the nightmy dream wil l not ea tit sleepsmy dream wakes up to morning

-Chris Hardin


41/86

Gil le t Junior & Senior HighI t i s a pyramid that my ancestors made long ago.I t i s a mountain that no man wil l ever attempt to climb.The sides are to o steep,The heat i s too hot,And the mountain jus t s i t s there l ike the end of a knife.

-Tony Jones

My Own PlanetMy planet that I have tas tesl ike fog that has been overmany oceans. I t smells l ikean open f ie ld of f resh wet

jasmine flowers. I t soundsl ike wind blowing throught rees with animals talkingback to each other. My planetlooks l ike an open f ie ld without an end to i t and blackclouds in a dark gray sky.I feel l ike I'm a l l alone, buts t i l l , I 'm not. I have the otherperson within myself.-Betty Rutledge

BlueMy house i s turning blue.My yard i s blue.And my 3-wheeler and I were talking.I t said, "why, am I blue?" and I said,"I don't know."

The Contort ionistShe is in a shape with her toestouching her head, feeling the softgentle breeze ro l l under her belly.She is l ike a pretzel , a l l twistedand confused, wondering whereshe wil l end up in l i fe .She is many different shapes, feelingthe soft gentle breeze, maybe eventhe hard cold wind freezing her in aposition that i s there forever.

-Laura Gordon

My bed i s blue and won't le t me sleep on i t .I haven't had sleep for days.My whole house i s blue.

-Stephanie

35


42/86

Gosnell High School

Self-Portrait as a BrickSmothered by concreteon three s ides .Having people sp i t andWrite on me.Being rubbed awayBy the winds of time.Echo of doors slammingRattl ing my foundations.Watching people and thingsGo by knowing you have toStay there.

-J . Griffin

PoemThere i s a s t i l l pondIn the middle of the countrythat i s n ' t traveled to .

-M. Eisworth

Defiance"Stars are hot and you mustn't l e t themburn you," she said."Yes, Mom. I won't touch them," I said,Knowing I intended not only to shakehands with the big dipper, but dance withOrion and sing a thousand choruses of"Twinkle Twinkle" with the seven s i s te r s ,While Aurora Borealis kept time.

-Jennifer Miller

36

TeardropAt night the soundof teardrop on my pillowcan for miles be heard.

-Henry McAllister


43/86

Grace Hil l Elementary

PoemHours sometimes days I spendbuilding them.Each piece has to f i t perfectly .Every decal on the r ight spotThen i t looks so l i f e l ike youwant to be on i t .Then your dreams are shatteredby the noise of the world.

-Charles Miller

Poetry

My ShoesMy shoes remind me of twopuddles of water that weremade by rain clouds.Or my shoes remind me oftwo blue birds in the sky.Or maybe even the bottoms lookl ike sand on a beach.

-Tony Undernehr

QuietQuiet smells l ike penguins on the runQuiet fee ls l ike a ru g in my handsQuiet looks l ike patr io ts marching to warQuiet tastes l ike a cube of sugarMelting in the sun

-Bi l ly Oxford

smells l ike a roseon a h i l l by i t se l fl ike a caterpi l lar in the grasslooks l ike a blue r iverin a desert .

-Tannny O'Bryan

37


44/86

Greene County Tech

Old ThingsIn a dark corner of a musty closet,a pair of black wornout slosh boots lay.A cedar chest holds a Christmas cardfaded to pink, crinkled edges.My grandmother's old brass bed creaksupon hard glance.A black and white photograph s t i l l holdstrue an image,but age has taken away the beauty.

-Nylea Harris

Old MemoriesTrucks, love 'em a l l .Friends, even more .Along with a few other accesories,They belong together.I t ' s hard to get into them,Trucks and friends both.Each can run you over.

-Tarmny Murray 38

UntitledI t ' s eleven a.m.a warm June third morninglying on the grassby Cooper's Pond,images of the sunf i l ter ing through the leavessplashing postson the ground.A squirrel chattersoverheadthen leaps from springboardto shaky

springboardBluejays are screaming,laughing, and diving.Beppo Spincast, fishing polebobbing in the breeze,daydreams of monstrouswhiskered channel cats ,while catching no f i sh .

-David Prince


45/86

Green Forest High School

Yellow JacketYoung l i t t l e beesEating a l l the carsLeaving jus t the t i resLiking a l l the res t .Oh, how the people hate usWild and untamed.Jabbering a chant ofAn alien predator,Capturing a l l th e TransAms,Knocking over semis.Eternity is their destiny andTomorrow is their next meal.

-Earlene Rose

PoemI feel two cold tracksI see these tracks go on forever

EscapeFirs t brown, then gray,And then bright green,He fled into the trees.From on his perchAtop the t ree ,The chameleon turnedAnd winked a t me.

The TurtleThe tur t leUnder theRock, wearing aTophat and capeLikes to danceElegantly.

-Becky Pritchard

-Lisa Siebert

I can hear water tr ickling and birds singingI hear my friend ca l l for help with a f ishI see, far off, a t rain coming toward us .-Pete Voshell

39


46/86

Hartman High School

The Knight in HartmanI took a monster outfor a dance. Everyone staredand pretended to glance, at thedance.

-Jason Acord

CliffLike a bottomless p itso dark and cold.But yet beaut i ful in the springwhen the green leaves wake froma long winter sleep. And thet rees seem to crawl up themountain side.

-Deanna Westover

Rock ConcertThe l ights go down and the stadiumis plunged into a world of darkness. Thencolored l ights and smoke pierce the darknessand the crowd roars l ike thunder, thenthe band runs on stage and s ~ t s the crowd into a frenzy and themusic blas ts through the walls of yourmind. Then f inal ly the end comes, buta l l to o soon. As you leave withthe music s t i l l ringing in your earyou wil l remember i t for a long time.

-Lyna Hackney

40


47/86

TurtleI f a tur t le couldmake a sound. I t would

sound slow. Slow l ikea record that ' s on thelowest speed. Low l ikean old man that i ssnoring on a wetday

-Mark Bueker

Holman Elementary

A PictureIn my houseOn the kitchen wallthere i s a picturelong and t a l lSometimes i t stares a t meAS i f I were something new to seeAnd touches me with sof t s i lk handsI look a t it and say Good-byeI'll see you tomorrow when I pass by.

The Old ManThe old man walkeddown the s t reets and you wil l hear someman said Click, Click, Click, and everybody wondered what was that and thesound said Click, Click again and heara sh, sh, and Click, and loud the peoplewondered the doctors came runningdown the streets!! The doctor said thatis his heart not his throat i t i s goingClick, click, sh, sh, bump, bump, and nobody knows no body knows.

-Sonya Hil l

41

-Lori Cox


48/86

Jefferson Elementary, Fayettevil le

Blue JayI see the sky a l l the time .I go jeep, jeep, jeep .

The Hail BoxMy legs are cemented in theground and a small rock i s hurtingmy foot with a sharp edge,and my face i s being openedevery day by the mail manin goes mail for my owner .

-Lloyd Waddell

What i s a Owl Like?I smell the fresh a i r andI hear the breeze flowing andI see the moon shining a l l night long.I fee l the cold breeze splashing thetree.

UnderseaBeneath the watersGreen and coolThe mermaids keepa swimming school.

-Cindy

42

-Cynthia Dawn Brooks


49/86

Kibler Elementary, Alma

Call your friends over eat themHi you yel lEnjoy everyoneRight and l e f t grading one then anotherReaching for moreYet there are no more jus tSeeds

-Rod

horned l i t t l e thingopen a t the seamsrousting a l l aboutnever making any fusseveryou ' l l see the horneytoad when heopens hisa ll around big mouthdousing everything in sight

-Anonymous

Swans are swimming in a pondWell enough to go to sleepAway in the forest where there i sNo one around

-Sheila W.

Mrs. Knesek's 4th grade group poemCrowned withA crestRed as aDragon's breathIn a sweet gum t ree hisNestAlso highLeans on the wind's breath.

43


50/86

Kingsland High School

Boring l ike molassesthe smellof t rees , the sound of sawscars burningrubber not going anywhere

The main Highwayour school on the sidecars zooming-Kevin Andrews

The passengers boardedthe t ra in . The conductoryelled "Board . "The sof t , palel i t t l e gi r l was lost . Shehad no feeling, but Icould feel somethingcoming on strong. Shelooked as i f she weredead. The steam rosefrom the train . The l i t t l egi r l chased with abutcher knife . As shegot closer I couldsee the tears of blood .

-Michelle P.

The gravel p i t ' s a l l coldExcept for the f i re .Darkness.Warriors stand in the i r leather jacketsl ike Shadows around the f i re .The a i r tastesDamp, l ights f lashAround as cars and trucksDrive in and out the bumpyOld log road.

-Cathy Crosby

44


51/86

Lamar Elementary

LamarListen toAll the quietness in theMountainsAnd theRivers.

-Chris Dougan

LemonI f I were a lemon I would be in therefrigerator a l l the time, I would s tarea t a l l the other f ru i t s and me andthe apple would have a l i t t l e chat.The orange is always stuck upwhen I talk to him. I t ' s verycold in the refr igerator . People hardlyever eat me. They always eat apples,oranges, pears, grapes and so on.I jus t s i t around watching the otherf ru i t s get eaten.

-Jami Heruska

BananaI s i t up on my branch,I smell the sweet African wind,swinging me back and for th .I see men with long dangerouslooking poles.I feel the pain of being pulledoff my branch.I fa l l down off the t reeinto a rough dry net .I feel water running over mydark yellow skin.I feel the humility of beingof a l l my clothes.I hear and feel heavy deadly breathingI see huge treacherous jawscoming towards me.I try to scream but nothingcomes out.

-Bryan Warren

45


52/86

Leverett Elementary, Fayettevil le

I t Was Jus t a ManI used to be f ineAnd you used to be mineUntil you went to tha t partyand you were tardy get t ing home.You told me that it was the vanbut I know it was a manI thought we were get t ing alongBut I decided tha t was wrongI used to be fineAnd you used to be mine

-Kyle Harrison

Black i s sad, a gloomyday. Black can be anythingin any way.Black i s the night onthe Fourth of July. Then a l lthe fireworks l i gh t up the sky.Black i s a pira te f lag.Black i s a witch 's hat on an oldwitch hag.Black i s a spaceship whereit goes to and from.Black is a song, a kind ofhum.

-Ryan

Singing Too Much Fo r a Grasshopper i s aNightmare

"Mom, I can ' t singtonight, I sang a l l day--my wings are worn out andwon't grow back in 6 months."-Ryan Brooks

46


53/86

Lucelia Woods Elementary, Elaine

A yellow car i s l ike a store withbig windows.

I dreamedI dreamedI dreamedI dreamedI dreamedI dreamedI dreamedI dreamedI dreamedI dreamed

-Sharron Talley & Loretta Jackson

ofofofofofofofofofof

a pig shooting a gun .a tur t le t rying to run.a dog making a bowl.a man fu l l of moles .

MermaidThere was a mermaid.Whenever she would s i t in the sun,she would shine l ike gold.When she swam in the water,she would turn s i lver .The f i sh hated it when she sa tin the sun because the goldhurt the i r eyes.

-Cynthia Wade

a whale t e l l ing a t a l e .a cow having a bake sa le .a hog stuck on a door.a man kissing the f loor .a mouse kiss ing h is wife.a bug throwing a knife.

-John Smith

47


54/86

Magazine Elementary

In the next pasturewhere the dead deer laysthe boy watches patientlyand watches the other deers grazedown the road where my good friend l ivesUp the h i l l where the lonely dogs l ivedown in the woods where the prettyrabbits hopup a t the road where the lonelydogs drinkchase the frogsand swimthey see a deer off inthe far corner of the woodsthen they sniff the a irand they smell a grizzly bearthey go off to their t r ick and playthen the night comes and youcan hear the coyote 'showlingAnd then is si lence exceptfor the frog singing

-Albert Litt le ton

The Pine TreeOutside the house the pine trees look l ikegiants , l ike huge people.There was one t ree it looked l ike a king,as i f he had a s ta f f ,ordering his knights to attack,with his knights on a h i l l ,i t looked l ike a cast le ,but a l l he wants i s to sleep in peace.

-Terry Ensey

48

StormsA tornado is a timelineThat f l ies throughoutthe yearsthey hold the past and futureand bring the l i t t l e tearsThe l i t t l e tears bring waterthat make the r ivers flowBut when the storm is overi t makes the fresha i r glowi t makes the glowingwater slowly dr i f taway as i t goesin to the oceani t wil lreturn anotherday

-James Plemmons


55/86

Mammoth Springs Elementary

PoemAn elderly man s i t t ing in his

shack with a young neighbor boy.A huge boulder i s shadowing over manysmall stones.

PoemSwimming gracefullyWaves gently following behindAnxiously moving everNearer to i t s young.

-Donnell Detrick

49

PoemSilently i tQuakesUnder the seaIntimidating everything in theDeep.

-Remona Wrenfrow

Acrostic PoemBlind bird! t t acks people!hroughout the night


56/86

Manila High School

The TractorTractor sounds l ike rumbling thunderLike the roaring before i t rainsI t pulls and tugs a l l two-hundred horses windingFrom the exhaust the smoke ro l ls out up into the a irLike the smoke from a volcano jus t before it explodes.When the day comes to an end the big massive machines i t s quietlyI t reminds me of a lonely t ree on a hi l l .

-Scot t TowlesIn the SpringIn the spring on a cool, bright morningDew sparkles in the grass l ike diamondsApple blossoms decorate the t rees l ike confe t t iTulip blooms wave proudly l ike flagsAnd I 've got a cold

Distorted ImagesDistorted images l ikea playground where theschools have giganticblack t rac tor t i res .You could s i t inthe middle and s l idedown an d down into another world.

We control th isother world, buthow do we know thatpeople, bigger peoplethan we, don' t lookdown on us andwish they couldsl ide down into oursafe l i t t l e world.Maybe they are lookinga t us through the syntheticplastic of our sky. I wonderi f the shadows of the i r facesaren ' t the clouds we see every nowand then.

-Fel ic ia Ashabranner

-Faye Atkinson

50


57/86

Marked Tree High School

Frisbee in the ParkFrisbee in the park,our love. The warmand happy churningthat burnswhen you smile.When I 'm with you theworld i s our dol l house,a universe to us as ase t of toys to athree year old.The children playing in the parkneed not be ours. I sensetheir wonderment about theworld as you sense minewheneverwe're together.

-Dixon Chandler

Time"Women," he says. His eyes are lidded,

Elevator RideGlowing green numbersteadily changed. My stomachfe l t l ike somebody hadtaken a vacuum cleaner andsucked out my ins ides .I could see a ghost l ikeref lec t ion star ing back a tme through the metalpaneling. With a l a s tmighty lurch the contraptioncame to a hal t . My mothertook my small hand in hersand stepped onto f loor nineteen.

Laurielle Maryano

PoemThere once was an old manwho would walk aroundstaring a t the open spacewondering where he was.He would ask peoplebut they teased himand turned him away.He asked for money for somewine but s t i l l people wouldturn him away. One daysomebody found him lyingagainst a stop sign cold as snow.The color had dripped outof his face.

half circ les , closing slowly, l ike the eyesof the Grandfather Clock on Captain Kangaroo.His head sways,-Anonymous

attached to a watch chain."Closing time!" ca l l s a voice, and hereaches the threshold of maturity.His head droops.Becoming an adult , hestands away from me, the other s ideof the threshold, forgetting his giggle.I remembermy pet frog, s l ingshot , an d pocketful ofmarbles. His are exhanged for sui t an d briefcase.His eyes shut.Open, a tear fa l ls from mine.

-Dixon Chandler51


58/86

Mountainburg ElementaryPoemWorld of the Future 6083World of flying thingsMoon colonies and Saturn ringsLight speed motorcycles.Copies of the human.This i s the world 6083Everything is metal,even the t ree

-Bradlee Birchfield

SwingI wait for a child to come along.Here comes one.I s ta r t to go.Up and back .I stand outside.I catch the ra in , the wind,The dark shadows.I seep in the blacknessa t night.There goes my child .I'm here a l l alone.I shall sleepwhile I seep in the blackness.

-Misty Smith

Something

PoemThe t iny tur t let iptoed tothe tub top

-Gina Palmer

Power LineI always seem to be electrocuted.I always send electr ic i ty a l l over the

world.I eat the dust that lands on me and thebugs off the birds. I drink the milkfrom the milky way. I look a tthe s tars and cars a l l day and night.

-Jef f Stapleton

I can feel cool in the evening, l ike a t a l l glass of waterand sound frightningthrough the pines. What am I?

-Brad Payton

52


59/86

Murfreesboro Elementary and High School

The Creation of Stars ShoesA long time ago whenthe great flood came. All thepeople drown some went to heavenand some did not. God decidedthat the sky was too dark

High brown heels layered withmany layers l ike a cake.Gray scaly toes l ike the skin ofa snake.Black l ines l ike many roadsleading nowhere.o he said that the people that

went to heaven were so nicethat they could be s tars , andthat way everybody on ear thSti tching that looks l ikethe tongues of a flame.

could have something to look forward to. -Angela Wall-Renee Cox

CrunchI heard a crunch outside my door,I t sounded l ike a deer crunch a leaf oran owl f ly off of a limb or a pack of wolvesbut a l l it was, was my l i t t l e s i s te rb it into a potato chip.

-Bil ly Kuykendall

They Came and Took Me AwayThey came and took me away

l a s t Saturday. They were brownand were somewhat relatedto snakes but they had legs andarms. They ta lk with stronghisses. They took me underground, there was afurtress guardedby snakes. They wanted to knoweverything about humans so theychecked me and analyzed my speech.Then I was a t home by twoordinary snakes that went ina hole by the pond. I know I went there becausewhen I see snakes they hiss exactly the same.

-Nick Neisen

53


60/86

Norman High School, Crosset

Sucrose, fructose, glucose, sugarWelcome to the world of obesity!Erotic Snickers grope from their box.Exciting Bubblicious greets with pleasureTo the oversized land where everything goes.Switch off Richard Simmons an d indulge.

-Michael Oholende

The GraveyardOn a night of a hunter 's horned moonwith blue fog hovering over tombstonesprotruding from freshly turned di r tl ike jagged teeth. A l ightning-struckoak swayed through the wind. Arusty old cast iron fence creaked asthe wind passed through. Thewind howled l ike a wolf on theprowl.

-Chris Phil l ips

PoemReminiscing about bet ter timesOr two-stepping in a hanky tonkDays are spent driving to the next showEverywhere cat t le and horses are loadedOther rodeos wil l come and go.

-Cindy Brooks

PoemPaleAnd blankPleading for the alphabet or numbersEager to be usefulRetreats from crumpling when errors are made.

-Dianne Franklin

54

Untitled Ac r os t ic~ i t e LightningHits homesIs destructiveStar ts f i resKil lsElec t r i f iesYou.

-Anonymous

PoemCrawling in blackness areAnimals that wantNothing but death.Craving to swallow you,

leavingEvil to thrive onRotten organs.-Kris ta Bennett


61/86

Oak Grove Elementary, Van Buren

Horses In The RainThe main thingis that horses do a lo t of things in the rain .They run for the barn.They dash for the i r oats .They t ro t with the i r glossy wet coats.

-Amy Willmon

A Crazy BeeAll I see is a crazy bee.He loves me,so a l l I see is a crazy bee.He l ives in a t ree .I feel him chasing me.Then I hear him saying he loves me,crazy bee.And I tas te the l e t te r Z.

I f and WhenIf I was a t ra in,I could go down the t rackand I could sound l ike thischoo-choooo-ding-dong-with a beep-beep down the track.I f I was a steamboat,I could go down the Mississippi Riverand I could . . .whoo-whooo-toot-toot-sail-sail down the r iver .

I grow up, I want to be a skydiver,and I can soar and swirl downthrough the sky.

-Robert Brand

55

-Penny


62/86

Ole Main High School, Li t t l e Rock

Rainbows: Slides of the ce les t ia l types. - Lynne LandisHomework: Something designed to crowd out your social l i fe . - Karen Upson

Diary: A good way to have a l l your private thoughts published. - Leigh RiffeeToilet : Something invented so your bathroom accessories can fa l l in .

PoemLit t le Bo los t her sheep

UntitledRace my bed to schoolPut on my Pop TartBrush my faceWake up my teethComb my clothesEat my hair

-Alisha Matchett

-Nikki Fitz-Randolph

and thought they might be roaming.But they hadn't f ledThey had a l l dropped deadFrom nerve gas in Wyoming.

-Terry Tedford

56

Death of a GrandparentThe world had ended.The sky had fallen into peices.My daddy cried and thenput the sky back again.

-Angie Evans


63/86

Osceola High School

PoemThe day is hotand the grass becomes heated blades of warm dripping bloodThe horse in the corral le t his sp i r i t run about free.The shadow of the t ree dances motionless with the windMy feelings, f lu t ter ing, f ly away to the southMy heart stops beating when the sk y f l ips the switch off .Lights come on and break the wall of darknessThe night leaves i t s black overcoat behind.

The TracksBig Al jumps aboard his t ra in ,Headed down the t rack of l i fe .

-Walter Taylor I I I

He hears the whist le blow as he roundsThe bend of teenage enjoyment.As he grows old he makes the turn for home,His f ina l t r ip i s made and no longer wil l he r ide,The precious t rain of l i f e .-Steve Brothers

Going FishingSam J . sa t on the edge of the brackish water holepulling on green rubber bootsThe su n burned without mercy on his bare skinhe smiledHe had escaped the wardenbet ter known as the Algebra teacherSuddenly there was a s i lver f lashin the stagnant waterA f ish!He tumbled forwardgropinggrabbingsputteringhe hauled himself from the water,f e l l heavily on the bank5 minutes he trudged miserablyhome sloshingin wet sloshing boots.

-Danny Williams

57


64/86

Ozark High School

PoemI go to my bedroom. I turn on the radioand le t the sound of music flow through my head.In my bedroom there are posters on the wall ,a hole in my window--it 's not too big and not small ,about the s ize of a dime. I t l e t s the sunlight fa l lon the floor.

-Bil ly Conley

How to Paint an AbstractionFi rs t take down the sun, rub gentlywith the ocean upon the sand toget the base colors . Then to formthe roughness and texture and bleakoutl ines , you should take the smog,the di r t and the starving stomachsof l i t t l e children and paste them inthe area marked in blue. To forman abstract ion of the ci ty; takethree drunks, two pushers and fourbags of garbage. Sif t them through thegutter . Grind and burn them in a s t ree tcorner trash can for three hours.Then add o il from the ocean and greenslimy bloated f ish from the sea. Smearcontents onto surface modestly, regardingno one tha t may be watching . Painthonestly and the world wil l soonemerge.

-Becky Brewer

SilenceSilence is l ike a picture onthe wall .

I t ' s always there but sometimesno on e seems to notice.-Paul Z.

58


65/86

Parker 's Chapel High School

Distraction FridaysA t iny black f lyA monster of a f lyDodging, winding, buzzing byDestroying my thoughts as IWrite this poem

Fridays are l ike a bicycle rol l ingdown a big h i l l , fas t and funFridays are l ike Hunts Ketchupanticipation, through the whole week.Fridays are l ike a but ter f ly

He has l e f t but he wil lBe back flying in an open f ie ld , free andeasy.He is a consistent cough inA book f i l led room-Jake Deeds

Eating Lunch in Parker 's ChapelIn Parker 's Chapel the vegetables erupt with colorthe man-made cows moon a t the teeth of the eater

-Geri Lynn

the cold a i r blows rapidly as the thought of death passesthe workers stand erect as an undertaker waiting for the dead-Lloyd Raney

The Car of LoveSpeeding down the lonely, wet in ters tateout of control. Here it comes.The driver is asleep a t the wheel.unaware of the danger s l ipp in upon him.He is awakened by the heartbreak ofthe policeman chasing him.His mouth drops open in fr ight ashe real izes what 's happening to him.He appl ies the brakes, trying toregain control.He t r ies his best to stop beforei t ' s too la te .Brakes lock but the car of loveslides forward on the wet pavement.Heartbeats quicken. . . quicken, quicken.Stopped a t l a s tcontrol againloneliness

-Randy Holder

59


66/86

Pea Ridge High School

My BootsSoft suede leather very dull lookingl ike fog on a window. The soles are th ick l ike

a sandwich with a t a l l riding heel. A horseman'skind of shoes. They have seen the world looking upwarda l l the time.

-Noble Tyler

12 Fotographs1. this is us driving to California2. this is us being followed by the Hells Angels3. this is us with a blown up radiator4. this is mom chewing out dad because of the radiator5. th is i s us driving off to a gas stat ionand leaving mom and dad behind6. this is us in California7. this is us roaring to the bathroom a tthe res t area8. this i s us feeding squirrels9. this is us roaring to the hospital af te r

being b it by a squirrel10 . th is is us on the way back11 . th is is us following Hells Angels12. this is us relaxing a t home

-S tuar t Goff

Before You LoveBefore you loveTry and sing without words.Learn to l ive without a heart .Try to f ly l ike the birds.Before you ,love,Learn to paint without a brush.Try to read with blank pages.Learn to run without rush.

-Audrey Krueger

60


67/86

Piggot t Middle School

My CowI had a cow that gives such milkso I dressed it in the f inest s i lkand fed it the f inest hayand milked i t twenty times a day

-Charles Toornes

PoemI have a watch that i s a piece of junk.I found in the dump.I stuck i t in the trunk.When I got home I threw i taway.

My PlantI watch you growday by day.Although you knowof my every way.You're always therebasking in the sun.

-Rex J .

You feel the warmth of my careand watch me through the glass as I run.I water youand give you the sunlight .I fee l so blueso make i t r ight .

-Kelly W.

61


68/86

Pocahontas Middle School

The \ ~ o r l d ' s Biggest Dog The Doll1 I t ' s 7 feet t a l l2 Always stands on i t s back legs.3 I t wants to be shorter .

The doll in my head is not a verypret ty dol l . I t has no l i f e , but s t i l lit is l iving. I t has no hai r , no eyes.

4 I t wants to be loved.

Plant EntranceOne day I saw apeculiar s ight

-Kelly Brakebi l l

I t was almost a fr ightmy rosebush walkedinto the housewent to the sinkgot a cup which was pinkand got a glass of waterwent back out in a to t te rand rejoined i t s roots .

-Kris t ie Dismong

The SpiderSlowly it climbed up the slope.

-Shannon Carter

He was so black against the background of pink.Quietly ever so quietly it continues across the four inch expansionNext up it went into the tosseled black thicket .He made his way f inal ly to the to pFrom the top of the boy's head he could see farther than ever before.

-Stephanie PembertonThe ThirstThe black man in the s i lk black pantswith his white s i lk Members Only jacket i s looking for musicHe has searched a l l overHe i s very th i rs ty for musicYou can t e l l he is drained to borednessSomeday he wil l get his drink of music.

62

-Dusty Hunt


69/86

Poem

Pottsvi l le High School

SpaceIn spaceno a ircould not breathehad an a ir ventno gravitycould not standdark as nightcould not seeno beginning and no enda l l gases's tars are reds tars are glasses

-Allen Ridgley

The car goes down the darkroad as the hum of the motorsings to the night l ike a ship in theharbor blowing. The horn, the head l ightslook l ike f i re . The cats flew away from the beast asi t runs down the s t reet .-Tormny

PenPeople think of meas nothing. I 'm jus tsomething that spreadsink on paper.People have no respectfor me. I 'm droppedand stomped on by vandels.I 'm stuck in packagesand then I 'm thrown away.

-Roger Kendrik

63


70/86

My Landfishingmoney mushinehotwarm waterpineapple treeelephants protect youswimming allday

Price Elementary, Crossett

-Clifford

PoemI never want to be in my pap's old barna t night because there are bats and theyswoop down and scare you and sometimesthey hide and make noise and sometimessnakes get in there and sometimes hischickens get in there andsometimes screech owls get in there andscreech a l l night long and another placeI never want to be i s in the to i l e t .

-Jef f King

I f Teeth Were CarrotsYou couldn' t ta lk or eat verywell. Your carrots would cur land grow long roots to whereyou would have a beard. Andgreen chutes sticking out ofyour mouth. And feed teethto horses.

-Kevin Cosby

I f Worms Were DogsI f worms were dogs you would havea hard time buying a collar so small . Andyou could hardly name it Rover. Andsince they have no ears you could yel l"Here Rover!" and it would never ever cometo you. I would also never ever want tosee another dog in my l i fe ! ! ! And then youhave a hunting worm. You would also bai tyour fishing hooks with dog. You would say"Let 's go dig up some dogs."-Stephenie Doss 64


71/86

Ramay J r . High School, Fayettevil le

Ice: Penguin tears. - Bryan Osburn I devour cactus when I havean i tch in my throat .-Gwynne Hirsch

Black

I t has wings that don' t f lap,A large shel l on i t s back.Has different colors - blue in fact .Makes a loud noise to one place and back.(war plane) -Ricky HowellThis object i s yellow insidewith a white blanket around i t .I t i s opened by a direc t h itto the side.(egg) -Paul MathiasThis object i s a wide s t ree tWith a group of people marching along i tIn seven rows.In f ront of them, thei r leaders who area lo t ta l le r are marching, too.(calendar) -Dina Schein

PoemPittsburgh Pirates , PenguinsStee lers , tux, Z28 I devour pizzaI devour paperOil , ta r on a roofMy grandad's dogsBlack angus cows.-Brent Schulte

PoemI close over the mouth of my cave

I devour milk cartonsI devour cows legsI devour elephant nosesI am a tornado .-Charlie Glenn

I bring a new m o i s t u r ~ to the surfaceWithout me you can become very uncomfortable .I exis t only a t the wink of an eye.(eyelid) -Stacie CassatSchool: A le f tover from the Inquisi t ion. - Steve JenkinsBathroom: A place for the family to congregate a t 7:15 in the morning.-Steve Jenkins

65


72/86

I am a BirdI'm a bird flying high.I smell an apple grove downbelow.

Rison Elementary

PoemStay s t i l lsee an old lady pickinga dandylion .I ' m floating in the clouds .Each cloud i s sof t andTi l l you see anArrow f ly through theClouds and thendelicate l ike the lovely breezethat I feel up here .I feel the warm sun on my

back.Like a f ireplace in the winter .I am a bird!A golden parakeet .-Carla Lockhart

I am a TreeI feel a squirrel climbing up me

You may go.

and I see the blue skies . The big raccooni s climbing me and i t t ickles . I amcold when the r iver comes up and thef ish swim inside me . I love the sweetgrass.

-Brian Bell

PoemI'm a swing that children l ike to play on.I l ike to see the i r happy faces as theygo higher and higher on me.I l ike to hear the i r gay laughter.I l ike i t as they go fas ter and fas terand higher and higher and then squealas they come to a stop .

-Anthony Wright

66

-Stacy


73/86

Root Elementary, Fayettevil le

The PantherThe panther goes thru the night towatch the moon f i l l up with l ight .A man sees some black skin andhugs the panther below the chin.The panther hugs the man backand goes into the dark black.

-Niel l Du Val

PoemThe swings in the parkThey are so lonely lookingUntil you play there.

-Amy B.

Earmuff FictionI 'm in China and I am in the jungle and I amriding a Panda and he goes so fas t I f a l l on his furand I meet some men who are looking a t a bear.

PoemI am something blueI l ive on a door.I eat dried meat loaf.I love the month DecemberI am a normal thingBananas get put on me.I have signed a lo t ofautographs. I am great a t golf .I am airborne.I play the banjo.I 've been to the beach.I 'm as big as the EmpireState building. I have lotsof hair . I have no teeth.I look l ike a whale.I drink gallons of gas.I hate cold mush.

-Ann R.

67


74/86

Sloan-Hendrix Elementary,Imboden

Coats

A CloudI'm jus t l ike a big pillowin the a ir

People put us on whenthey get through withus they drop us on theground get us a l l dir tysometimes they wad usup and sometimes they

always get t ing wet when it ra inshang us up but very l i t t l ethey do tha t they don ' t knowwhat it feels l ike and theydon 't care either!airplanes go through me, never stop

and think how it might fee lThe wind i s always blowing mearoundHave you ever stopped and thoughti f I was scared of thunder; well , I amJus t think about a cloudwould you l ike to be me?

-Shannon Duncan

American FlagThe beaut i fu l flag . All itdoes i s l ie folded neat lyor hung on a cold s t ee l pole.With the wind tearing itto the ground .Or i t might behung in a war with bul le tholes and dir ty spots .All it can do i s hang, hang.But th ink how respectedand looked up to it maybe it gets to wear awonderful gold eagle as acrown . And a l l it has todo i s hang l ike a coaton a hanger.

-Scot t Smith68

-Lisa Morris


75/86

Stut tgart Junior High School

Creek Four-Leaf CloverI t i s s t i l l in the darkness.I t has a touch of glamourIn the midnight l ight . I tawakes with a flow whichsometimes i s very rapid.

I have four leaves and a stemI look l ike a green windmillPeople look for me in grassMost of the time they don' t get lucky

I t calms a t sunset -Scott Lawrenceto end the day.-Kim Inman

The MoonWhen a l l l ight i s gone ,I t glows l ike a white marble in the sunOutshining i t s smaller friends,the s tars . By dawn, l ike a white pitted orange .

ChairsCreaking with burdenI t s back strained,i t cries out of re l ief ,i t s legs unable to carry i t from i t s troubles

-Chris Polbabbi

Clock's HandsWe move slowly, surely, never stopping.Seen by a l l , but rarely touched.We are imprisoned, never to leave .Held t ight and handcuffed by one lone screw .And a l l those eyes, jus t looking, looking.We are no sight to see so why do they look.Adn then our friend i s wound up t ight .The only other thing we know now--Pop! He fa l ls to the ground.We are alone - me and my la rger twin.

-Pat r ic ia Holeman

69

-Eddie Butler


76/86

T.G. Smith Elementary, Springdale

LonelinessWhen I taste i t , it tastes l ike a lemon. Very very sour.You should chew it slow andeasy. So it won't h it you in theeye with a squir t of lemon.

-Stacey Vinson

PoemMy dream was squareI t was gray and drabbetween alleysMy dream with i t s solidbrown gound and whitebird with a sudden rainbow tocheer things up .

-Stephanie Mcintosh

LonelinessWhen I tas te i t , it tastes verybi t t e r . I t makes you pucker up.You sor ta want a kiss to takeaway the loneliness . You wantto jus t chew it so fas t so you wouldtake the sorrows away.

- Tamara Vancleave

PoemToday i s a l l yellow with but terf l iesThe houses stare from a l l aroundBirds are ta lking to the windThe leaves whisper their ta lesA parade shouts as it goes byBlossoms cling to the vines

-Frances

70


77/86

Trumann High School

The Man and His WhaleWe rode a boat and jumped a whale.And one old cold man ran quicklythrough his dream of smoke.Dogs appeared in his dream and twistedhis short wonderful purple s l ickshoes into a stream of glass.

-William Stevens

A boat r ideAs the boat jumped quickly over the furrysunset. You would think of a s l ick wonderfullydoberman sprinting direct ly , but carefully intoa cold glass of tremendous dreams, which twistconstantly l ike a reasonably short swingingold whale jus t about to die

-Barbara RieathbaumThe Race HorseBeating the ground as he runsLeaving tracks behindAfter his days work i s doneZig-Zagging through the pinesEager to win the raceRunning with a graceful pace

-Ronnie DyeA Weird DreamOnce I had a dream that I reasonably think was short.I t began with an old doberman quickly, smoking acigaret te while sprinting direct ly at the purple sunset.Originally, i t started with a furry whale carefully jumpingover a s t ick and cold boat while constantly twisting over.His dream was tha t tomorrow, he could swing wonderfully

fas taround the cold glass before he was to die.-Sherr i Richey

71


78/86

Tuckerman High School

PoemOut in the monster looking treeWe l i s ten for i t s screeching voice in darknessLike a mouse i t s i t s and waits

-Rhonda Bowen

PoemThe brown muddy water of the watering holethe fawn colored cal fs call ing to on e anotherthe sweat as i t ro l l s off the lazy animalsthe bi t tersweet juices of t a l l weedsthe innocence of thei r t rus t ing brown eyes

-Ronda Tryon

Group PoemSuppose tha t cow were a car.He' l l drink from a gas pump,munch the highway to getgood grass mileage.He honks across the green pasture.Instead of 100 he goes 10.Mechanics milk him for breakfast .You have to crank h is t a i lto get him going.

-9th Grade Class

72


79/86

Valley Springs High School

Traff ic JamI t tasted l ike hard s tee l preservessandwiched between the Hot July sun andthe sultry asphal t

-Tom W.

I CoolI de baddest.I ta lk and de a ir bends to hear.De shadows move when I cum through.I de baddest.I swif t .

Traff ic JamA t ra f f ic jam i s l ike the s tarscome butting together. Justone l ine of s tars i s formedwhile the others dr i f t alongon the i r lonely way.

-Paul Smith

I hurt dem peoples ' fore they hurt me.Don't nobody mess wit me.I swift .I am de coolest.I dance wit de Death Man.De Death Man don' t know no cool.Cause I de coolest.

-Tammy MarshallRules for the Modern FoolMr. Snake said to me"You need help, I can see.""Let me say f ive things to you""Rules for the Modern Fool"One: never move your feet whileslipping off a logTwo: always take your shoesoff while standing by a hogThree: never take a bathFour: always try to laughHalf of Ten: never say no73 -Dan Westcott


80/86

Van Buren Middle School

The Cobra of SilverThe long s i lver cobraamidst the dreary junglesneaking creeping aroundbig black t rees. He waits ,He waits, for someonefar or near an d thencreeps up on them ands tares a s i lver white sneer.The cobra of s i lver isj us t a myth unlessyou're afraid that he ' l l s t ea l your l i f e .

-Jon MayvilleThe Camel Who Lay on the PresidentThe camel was made of poles for legs,Leaves fo r his body, andA watermelon for his hump.He had the color of the f lag,And he l ived in the middle of Lake Ontario.He said he was going to run for pres ident .He didn ' t get elected, so he joined the ArmyTo f ly a tank, but a l l those jobs were closed to him.So, he ran for president.He didn ' t get elected, so he joined the NavyTo f ly a ship. But the job wasn't open to him.So he got mad, and he sa t on the President .

-Chris ElkinBruce, The Silver and Gold MooseBruce, the s i lve r and gold moose went to the North PoleTo see his fr iend, the Loose Ice Goose.On the way there , he saw a coal hare whose name was Clare.They became fr iends . They played in a f ield of SunFlowersAnd found Sand-dollars .Then Bruce said to Clare, I am t ruly sorry , but I must leave here.So, Bruce went on h is way again, but out of nowhereCame the coal hare, Clare.Clare said , "Oh Bruce you poor moose, you shouldn't go alone,Can I come?"Bruce said , "Come along. I am sure my friend the Loose Ice GooseWon't care.

-Alisa Gordon

74


81/86


82/86

Walnut Ridge High School

Rules for Sleeping on the Point of Your Pencil LeadFi rs t ro l l up into a bal l thenro l l through the nearest mudpuddle so that you shrinknext t ie a s tr ing around the penciland t ie i t to a chair so itwil l not fa l l over during thenight then t ie another s tr ing aroundyou so tha t you won't unrol l then veryslowly climb the pencil with yourf ingernai ls , but be careful so thatyou don ' t s l ip , then ease yourselfon to the lead. Good night .

-Monica Cook

Ex-FarmerFrom the Holder place toRunning Water 3From Smithfield to thecounty , l ineCharles ' s land ran from milesaroundfarmer of the year for ten yearsin a rowno one called him charles theyjust called him old proand his r ipe old age there i snothing to doHe now s i t s a t the John Deer Placeand drinks Mountain Dew .-Jennifer Taylor

SongFeelin lonelyFeelin downgot no wayto get aroundPush to ta lkwith her a l l daybut she always says"Hey, back away"She goes arounddoin "the s tray cat st rut"turnin us intoa mangy muttWe say "who cares""I sure don' t"but the words we speakhang as a sour noteFeelin lonelyFeelin downRing of Depressionyou're se l f crowned.

-David Corbett

76


83/86

Washington Elementary (Upper grades), Fayettevil le

UntitledI am a piece of paper.I see pretty pictures.I hear scribbling a l l over me.I smell lead over my nose.I tas te penci l and eraser .I feel a pencil t ickling me and running through my hair .Why do I feel , hear , see, smell, and tas te these things?Because a poet i s writing a poem.

HorsesFriendly horsesRun in the windInside the barnNear the troughGetting a drinkEach horse stood up s t raight .

-Jenny Morgan

-Ericka CruseUntitled

Eat inAfrica andRun fas tTonight and yourHair grows longWith waterOr with orange juice andRemember i tMaybe for the res t of l i fe .

-Megan Chapman

UntitledSo .....Umbrellas areSupposedTo helpEveryone keepNagging rain fromA body but I 'm aNo one so nagging rainCreeps upEvery no one l ike me drip drop.

-Melanie Fonville77


84/86

Washington Elementary (lower grades), Fayettevil leThe Cloud PeopleCloud people eat chocolate and vanil la pudding,And for dessert , they have strawberry ice cream.They wear shoes made of storm clouds.When they stomp, that ' s the thunder.When they kick, that ' s the l ightning.They have blue cloud hair .They say, "I wonder what it ' s going to be l ike today."They go to a i r school .They play cloud footbal l .They throw sunbeams af ter school.They swim in the rain .They play f loa t games.Their cars have sunbeams for headlightsAnd stars for t a i l l igh ts .At night , they put on moon-leather pajamas,And brush the i r teeth with moonbeams and comet paste.They sleep in moon cra te rs .

-Mrs. Simpson's Second Grade ClassUntitledPoetry tastes l ike Tropical Punch.Poetry smells l ike a Beautiful Flower.Poetry feels l ike a Piece of Ice.POetry looks l ike a Mirror.Poetry sounds l ike Leaves rust l ing in the grass.

-Anna Brotherton UntitledI am the fas t red bicycle.I sleep in the garage.

With My Third EyeWith my third eye,I see germs.I see my home a t dark.I see Jesus.I see the su n in space .I see red and black.I see a blackbird looking for food.I see a piece of the earth.

I l ive and play on thesidewalk. I l ike kids tor ide o

arkansas poetry in the schools (1982- 1983)

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