Homegrown Verse
I sit by the dock all alone
No one else is up, not a creature in sight
So I'm alone here staring at the sea
Far away from technology
No TV, no Sega, no phone
Just a wood cabin, a refrigerator, and stove
I see the dawn slowly approach
As warm and big as a hug
It embraces me in its warmth
I watch, slow ripples skip across the water,
like music upon an ear
One note and you're entranced forever
As each ripple plays itself out and gently crashes against the dock
Each brings a wonderous thought
Thoughts of love, thoughts of hate
Each thought reminds me of something far at home
I embrace these thoughts with welcome arms
And now I'm no longer sitting on the dock all alone
- Michelle Kobler, age 11, 1996
Buzzing Bees
Buzzing Bees make the happiest sound.
All around, when boys and girls hear the sound,
They jump and laugh and run around,
Until they find that buzzing bee sound.
- Anthony Kumpf, age 8, 1993
The moon shone bright
silhouetting the locust tree
it sparkled on the dew covered grass
and its light fell onto me.
- Kara Franke, age 14
A room full of smells
from baby's diapers, and all baby things too,
but no, not yet...
and soon the presents will open
and joy, love and laughter will fill the room
but no, not yet...
a hot turkey and luscious cranberry relishwill be served,
but no, not yet...and all 8 candles, and 9 in all
will be lit,
but no, not yet...
and after all this festivity
the mother will put her children to bed,
but no, not yet...
- Ethan Winn, age 8, 1986
Spooky
All the girls and boys
Come out in the night
But All the ghost and goblins
Come out in the night
Going around the neighborhood
Getting all kinds of treats
Don't know what is happening
But something is at my feet
Now it's up to me waist
And now it's to my head
And before you know it
I am already DEAD!!!
- Becky Knasel, age 14, 1996
Rain is falling,
Caterpillar's crawling,
Trees in bud,
Playing in the mud,
Crocus' blooming,
Bugs are zooming,
Robins tweeting,
Baby robins eating,
Green grass growing,
Rivers flowing,
and these are the things of spring.
- Angela Ward, Age 9
Broccoli is
green and
cheesy.
It makes
some people
queasy.
I like
broccoli
a lot.
Lots of
people do
not!
- Katy Lawrence, age 9, 1996
"Boy From LA"
There once was a boy
from LA
who thought he was so
cool
but unfortunately he was a
fool
to think he was so
cool!
- Margarita Suknovalnik, age 12, 1995
"As Soft"
As soft as a pillow
As rosy as an apple's flower
As sweet as a strawberry
Is my sister after she took
...........a shower.
- Inessa Suknovalnik, 1992
Talking Goldfish
My goldfish is trying to talk to me,
At least I think he is.
He keeps on staring out the side
Of that little bowl of his!
He moves his mouth to make an O,
But what's he trying to say?
I wish that I could hear him.
Does he want to come out and play?
He looks like he is saying, "WOW!"
Or maybe he's saying, "WHO?"
I peer into that bowl of his.
I think he's saying, "BOO!"
I put my ear against the glass
And try real hard to hear.
The water steals the sound from me!
His message isn't clear.
I'll have to just imagine
What my fish is trying to say.
Oh look! I think he's telling me
He's going swimming today!
- Genevieve Petrillo, adult
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Critter ABCs
Ogden Nash