About Hands on Stanzas

Hands on Stanzas, the educational outreach program of the Poetry Center of Chicago places professional, teaching Poets in residence at Chicago Public Schools across the city. Poets teach the reading, discussion, and writing of poetry to 3 classes over the course of 20 classroom visits, typically from October through April. Students improve their reading, writing, and public speaking skills, and participating teachers report improved motivation and academic confidence. You can contact Cassie Sparkman, Director of the Hands on Stanzas program, by phone: 312.629.1665 or by email: csparkman(at)poetrycenter.org for more information.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Conversation Poems

Denis Johnson's poem, "Traveling" features two characters talking in a barbershop about a third person who is not there; a fourth character sits quietly and listens to their conversation. Inspired by the poem, students were asked to write their own "talking" poems.


Ms. Goode, 5th grade


The Haircut

Vivian C.


Sitting alone, no one to

talk to. Eating my sandwich.

While eating hearing a suspicious

conversation about “the haircut.”

Elizabeth complaining about her

haircut to Anabell. “I hate my

haircut.”


It looks fine,” said Anabell.


Sigh. “My hair

is sooo short I can't

even tie it. I hate that

barber, she cut five inches

off my hair. It used

to be twelve inches, and

now. What should I

do?” said Elizabeth.


You should leave it

alone and ignore what

people say about it, OK?”


Well, OK, I should

ignore them. Well

thanks.”


Untitled (Conversation Poem)

Camila M.


Hi! I say to my friend

Jackie. Hi! How are you?

says Jackie. I'm good, you?

Fine. So what place

did you get? I ask

her. 2nd is what she

says. I'm in a dim

lighted room with a

bunch of gymnastics

equipment. OMG! Are

you serious? I am

so amazed, that is

no fair, I won 6th!

Eeerrgg! Didn't you

roll off the mat?

Yes, but Matt slipped

and still got 1st place.

Oh well! And we walk

away laughing.


The Conversation

Aimee P.


I plop down on the bench with my tray,

filled with smelly, hard, mushy, lumpy who-knows-whats.

Surrounded by slurping, chomping, chewing, crunching,

I lift my spork.

I move my who-knows-whats around and finally,

I chew and I listen.

Guess what?” says someone.

OMG!! Guess what I heard?” says another.

What?!” says a third.

Filled with curiosity,

I listen harder and harder.

Did you hear about *whisper* and *whisper*?”

Really? *giggle* Wow!!” says an excited voice.

RING!!!!!

I will never know who whisper and whisper

are.


Untitled (Conversation Poem)

Haris S.


I was sitting by the captain's chair that day, bored,

I saw same old outer space through the windows when I heard the captain scream.

He ran from the bridge and grabbed the radio. “Houston, we have a horrible problem!”

What is it, Johnny?” came a man's voice.

We ran out of Chinese food!” the captain cried.

Nooo! The horror! I know how you feel, buddy, we'll send up a Chinese food tank.”

What a bunch of weenies,” I muttered.


In four minutes the tank crashed into our ship and captain stopped sucking his thumb.

The Chinese food is here!” The captain ran to it like a long lost son.

Then I heard a grinding sound, oh boy.

Captain, come on,” I shouted. “No way, I'm not done with the eggrolls.”

What's more important, your life or your eggrolls?” “Why, eggrolls!”

Oh, for cryin' out loud!” I grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him to the

shuttle. “Nooo, they have no tacos in there!” he shouted.

Oh, shut up,” I said.

And I grabbed an eggroll.


Mr. Sandlass, 4th grade


Untitled (Conversation Poem)

Kayla H.


Frog: Hello Toad!

Toad: Hi Frog!

Frog: Want to go to the swamp?

Toad: I would love to.

walk...walk...walk...

Frog: Yay we're here!

Toad: Let's go swimming!

splash...splash...splash

Frog: Let's get out of the water.

Toad: OK.

drip...drop...drip...drip

Frog: That was the best!

Toad: I know.


A Drinking Talk

Khang N.


Let's have some refreshments,” said

a man on a sofa. “Yeah,” said the

other man. A big waiter came out

with tea and peas and with

two napkins shaped like T and P. “Wooo,” said

the man on the sofa, looking at the

napkins. “T and P.” “Yeah, delicious peas

and sweet peas,” said the other man.


Untitled (Conversation Poem)

Minh N.


Where did you get your snake? said Stephen.

I got it at Petsmart, said Minh. Why didn't

you get me one? said Stephen. I thought you

said you were allergic, said Minh. And why can't

you rent one yourself? said Minh. Because I don't

know how to get one, said Stephen. Fine I'll get

you one. Sigh, said Minh.


Untitled (Conversation Poem)

Diana P.


Nancy was standing at a restaurant

at Yum Yum. She was having an order.

Someone came behind her. It was

a woman. The woman said, “Excuse me?” Nancy

did not move. She told her, “I'm making

an order. Do you understand?”

The woman said, “I'm sorry, I have to eat.”

The sky was gray and starting to

rain. “Hey sit with me, let's talk,” said

the woman. Nancy sat with

her and became friends until

the rain stopped.


Ms. Jones, 3rd grade


Untitled (Conversation Poem)

Samir A.


Hey, where did you get that

engine?” said the car. “I got it from the

repair shop,” said the truck. “Hey, I need

to get one like yours because mine

is really junky,” said the car. “I'll

tell you where and you can drive

there,” said the truck. And the

car did.


Untitled (Conversation Poem)

Racquel K.


hey, pencil hey, pen where

you goin to candy land oh can

I come ahhh sure if you want I just

said I want to come! Oh you did.

Yeah I did OK come. On everything

there is candy pen said so I

can eat all of it said pen not

all of it said pencil ohhh that's

good you're fatter than before oh we

have to leave OK bye, bye wait

pen said. But pencil didn't listen

why do you leave meeee!


Pencil vs. Pen

David L.


One day a pencil and a pen were

walking down a block.

They never knew how to talk.

So one day they found themselves

on a bay. So first the pen

started to say

Pens do not need to be sharpened”

so the pencil said, “Well I can be

erased.” So the pen and pencil fought

for the whole century.


Jam and Peanut Butter

Andrew M.


“Hey, Jam is better than Peanut

Butter,” said Jam. “No it isn't.

Peanut Butter is better than Jam,”

said Peanut Butter.

“No it isn't.”

“Yes it is.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Hey, I want a Peanut Butter and

Jam sandwich,” said a boy.

“He likes both of us,” said Jam and

Peanut Butter.


Jungle

Divya P.


The rain was getting heavier.

The lion was getting hungrier and hungrier.

Lion said, “I'm hungrier than ever.” Then

on the other side of the jungle the

zebra was so fat. He said, “I'm going

to go for a jog.” At the middle of

the jungle there was a party.

The lion and the zebra met.

The lion said, “I am going to eat

you up.” The zebra said, “No way.”

And the zebra was never seen

again.


Conversation

Angela Y.


Can you come over to my house today?”

Allison asked me. “Sure,” I answered. “Let's go!”

What should we do first?” Allison asked.

Homework, so then we will have more

time to play!” I answered again.

Let's work now,” said Allison.

We are done!” we said.

LET'S PLAY!” we yelled.


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