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Bitter Sweet

What do you see when you first step foot in a meadow?
You see the flowers, the birds, the bees, and the butterflies
You feel the wet, damp grass underneath your feet
Everywhere you look you see beauty
And you can’t possibly imagine anything ruining that moment
But once you look beyond all of this peace and harmony
You’d hear intruding noises everywhere you turn
Bantering adults, crying children, car horns, and sirens in the distance
Witnessing this makes you actually sit and think, “What has our world become?”
Taking this brief little moment is important because it helps us realize what we have barely noticed
Life isn’t ever just happy or sad, it’s bitter sweet
A mixture of the joy, wonder, sorrow, loss and stress in our everyday lives
This my friend is why we should enjoy life while we can

 

Suaad is in the sixth grade at String Theory Performing Arts Charter School in Philadelphia. Her favorite color is purple, and she wants to be a writer when she grows up. More of her poetry can be found in the Spring 2014 Mighty Writers issue of Philadelphia Stories.

Spring Senses

Spring is the best season ever!
In spring I see the ivy growing on the big muscular tree trunk.
In spring I smell the pollen crawling on the tip of my nose.
In spring I feel the raindrops tickling my body.
In spring I taste the sweet chocolate marshmallow chicks.
In spring I hear the birds sing a beautiful song that spreads through valleys and
forests.
That’s why spring is the best season ever!

 

Aaden Brooks lives in Lindenwold, NJ and is in third grade at Laurel Springs School. His favorite subjects are Science, History and Social Studies, and he loves dinosaurs, especially the amphsealelus.

Crazy

Crazy
Lazy
Active
Baby
Cry /crying
Lying
Smiling
Flying
Milk
Mom
Silk
Bottle
Seat
Beat
Treat
Waddle
Crawl
Wall
Tall
Fall
Ball
Sleep
Peep

 

 

Juwaireyah Dorsey is in the fifth grade at Universal Institute Charter School in Philadelphia. She writes poetry, short stories, essays and plays. Her favorite subject in school is science, she loves shoes, and her favorite color is baby blue. She likes to hang out with her family and play with her baby sister, Jennah.

I Know When It’s Winter

I know when it’s winter because I can
See snow falling from the sky
Smell crispy gingerbread cooking in the oven
Taste the yummy chocolatey cookies
Feel the packed snow blocks in a snow fort
Hear children singing
I know when it’s winter

Rex is a student at Milton H. Allen Elementary School in Medford, NJ. He is currently in third grade, but his poem was written when he was in second grade.

Three Short Poems: A Home, A Bird, A Beat

A Home

A home you love

A home that will keep your memories safe

A home that will keep you forever and ever

A Bird

A bird, a bird I see a bird

Her eyes are blue and green

Her wings are red A bird, a bird

A Beat

A beat you sing to

A beat you move to

A beat a beat

 

 

Mairead Rishko is six years old and is in kindergarten at Rehoboth Elementary School. She has two older sisters and a brother. She loves her lab, gymnastics and swimming in the ocean.

Charm

A symbol of love

Imprinted into a silver heart

The touch of a smooth fingerprint

The feeling of remembrance

The radiant sun glistens down

On its freshly polished face

And makes it sparkle and shine

It drapes down from your neck

And sways as you walk

It’s the most beautiful sight

It brings tears of joy

It holds the place of special,

Valued things

It’s your heart’s centerpiece

— In Loving Memory of Pop Pop Jerome

 

 

Juwaireyah Dorsey is in the fifth grade at Universal Institute Charter School in Philadelphia. She writes poetry, short stories, essays and plays. Her favorite subjects in school are science and math, she loves shoes, and her favorite color is baby blue. She likes to hang out with her family and play with her baby sister, Jennah.

Where I am From

My roots are deep, the Cherokee blood flows through my veins
They walked through the trail of tears
African blood flows strong
Now I am here
I was born with Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday,
Moved to the place where my mother grew up: Dexter St., Detroit
There I grew and survived, family and friend by my side
My mother wanted to move to a better place
So we went to Philly
We moved for the good schools and good educational opportunities
I was born in New Orleans
Raised in Detroit
Now I am here

 

 

NyAshia loves to read and spend time with her cat, Yo-Yo. She goes to Jenks Academy of the Arts and Sciences. She is in fifth grade.

I Love High Heels

High heels are nice, sweet, lovely and beautiful. I love everything about them. I love low high heels, medium high heels and high high heels. I’m too young to wear them now, but when I do I want to buy a pair in every color.

But before I do, I want to learn everything about them — how they’re made, how to fix them when they are broken and why there are so many colors.

My teacher has 10 pairs. I don’t have any yet.

I think girls should be able to wear heels when they are 14 and up, so I have to wait five years. So until then, I’ll just wear flats and sneakers and other shoes.

 

Elise Kornegay is a fourth grader at Lea Elementary School in West Philadelphia. She also studies writing in the after-school Academy at Mighty Writers West. She enjoys acting, singing and animals.

Seasons (a diamante poem)

Winter cold, slushy
snowing, freezing, sledding fun seasons, either way
swimming, freeing, splashing
hot, steamy
Summer

 

Julia Lester is a fifth grade student at Jenkintown Elementary. In her spare time, she enjoys Irish step dancing, softball, and playing clarinet. She lives in Jenkintown with her parents, her brother Benny, and her dog Tonka.

The Girl in the Stars

She’s always had her own style
But never has she understood her strength
Never has she understood her power
She’s always been the wild one, the girl with a pep in her step
The girl with the unforgettable charisma
But never has she understood her potential
Her entire life has been an experiment
The adrenaline that comes with trying new things keeps her inspired
But never has she truly known the definition of inspiration
Her downfalls may sound like they’ve kept her in the dark
But someone that shines so brightly cannot be contained
That is her greatest strength, although she hasn’t realized it yet
No one’s words can reach the girl in the stars

 

 

Suaad Dorsey is a 13-year-old from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She’s always had a passion for words, hence her reason for joining the writing program at her school, String Theory Performing Arts Charter School. Suaad spends most of her time developing stories with her several talented friends from school and her after-school program Mighty Writers. When she isn’t writing, she’s indulging in the fabulous work of John Green, her favorite author. Suaad’s mission is to not only be known for her work, but to also benefit other lives because of it.