Philadelphia Stories: Publishing Local Writers & Artists
He has dots on his face
and on his body
and he is cute as a heart
We play tug of war
and we go for walks
and I give him treats
I feed him dinner
and he follows me to bed
right beside me
Emile Johnson is a first-grade student at Belmont Hills Elementary in Bala Cynwyd, PA. She lives in Narberth, PA with her parents and big brother. She likes to read and write poems and stories and also likes to draw. She dreams of having a dogsomeday soon.
I see golf courses
The ferris wheel at the top of the night sky
I can see bubbles rising into space
I can see people hloding bags that are filled uo
I can see crowded stores
I touch the tickets
I can touch golf clubs
I can feel the cold metal of the rides
I can taste the cotton candy melting in my mouth
The water ice makes me shiver
When I bite into a fry, I watch the steam go up
At night on the boardwalk, I hear the waves
I hear music inside the stores
I can hear the screams of people on roller coasters
I can smell the salt in the water
Cold water splashes are loud
What an awesome trip!
Michael is in third grade. He has two cats and loves video games. He collects pencils and toy cars. He is nine years old.
This is how I don’t cry.
When I’m going to cry dark clouds roll in and thunder
rumbles.
To stop crying I cross my heart and I settle down.
The clouds roll back, sun comes in and I start to think
about summer.
James is in kindergarten and likes to draw and write poetry. He also likes to play soccer and enjoys hip hop dance. He lives in Havertown, PA with his parents and older brother. His favorite book series is the Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems.
Cute and cuddly
Oh, he is so fluffy
So soft and loves to play
Meow! Is what he says
Oh, how could I ever forget he is the best cat ever!
Grace Donia lives in Medford Lakes, NJ. She loves to draw, and she loves cats. They rock. She is 9 and likes to cheer, dance, and do gymnastics.
Davis O’Leary is 13 and a seventh grader at TE Middle School. He lives with his parents and big brother. His varied interests include spending time with friends and family, reading, writing, studying the Bible, football, wrestling and lacrosse. Davis is one of the winners of the first “Teens Take the Park” writing contest.
“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
– Oscar Wilde
Snowflakes danced in the air
lightly drifting towards the frozen ground.
I trudged through the snow
in my cozy pink boots.
This was before I can even remember
when the days came slow and happily
and my little head
had nothing to think about
other than catching
one of the falling white dots on my tongue.
My father stood behind me,
waiting with his arms outstretched
in case I stumbled.
My mother was by the window
sipping on a mug of hot chocolate
and watching me laugh as white flakes
landed on my rosy cheeks.
I stomped and picked up
chunks of cold snow with my mittens,
they crumpled and fell
in lumps onto the ground.
Sometimes I try to remember
what it was like back then
when our family unit
was wound tight and secure.
I try to grasp those days
when my mother was content
and my father satisfied.
Most times my memories
and the stories told to me
are meshed together
into a quilt of recollections
of different times.
But the present
and the past
seem disconnected
in ways
I cannot understand.
People have difficulty
in moving on.
One moment
can live in our
hearts until
the day we die.
One day
can damage our
lives forever.
So this is my story,
it needs to be heard.
Because a moment
is why
I am who I am.
Laura Haskin is in the eighth grade at the Masterman School. She enjoys painting, drawing, writing, and reading (of course).
DAMON & BLUE
DAMON & BLUE
JUST US TWO
CRUISING UP THE AVENUE
BUT MARK OUR STRIDE
CAN’T BEAT US WHEN WE’RE
SIDE BY SIDE
Brandon is an 8 year old, third grader, at Strawbridge School, in the Haddon Township School District.Brandon enjoys baseball, hockey, and car racing.
Benjamin Walker is a third grade student at Strawbridge Elementary School in Haddon Township,
NJ. His keen sense of humor is portrayed in his writing and art. Ben loves family, friends, reading and writing. Several authors have influenced him, but Shel Silverstein is a favorite poet. Ben’s funny stories keep his family and friends entertained and bring joy to their lives.
Music is a river,
Ever flowing to my heart.
Music is a river,
Smooth and peaceful,
Lulling me to sleep.
Music is a river,
Burbling and giddy,
Making me smile.
Music is a river,
Running rapid,
Making me giggle.
Music is a river,
Dark and murky,
Making me sad.
Music is a river,
Thick and winding,
Making me wonder.
Immanuel Mykyta-Chomsky is 11 years old and attends The Philadelphia School. He also enjoys playing the piano and listening to operas. Immanuel wrote this poem because, “I love music and music makes me feel a lot of different things.
You sound like the waves crashing at the shore
You feel pointy as a sea urchin in the sea
You smell like a waffle cone
But…
I’m not going to taste you
My pal, Shell
Gavin Looram is a 3rd grader at Strawbridge Elementary in Haddon Township, NJ. He is 9 years old and has a brother, Graham, who is 7 and a sister, Sage, who is 5. He enjoys sports of all kinds and is currently playing outfield in the HTAA Little League Minors. He is an avid reader, an avowed carnivore, and is a huge fan of professional wrestling.