We Are Poems

Introduction

Yay! It’s been a pleasure to once again work with the Gifted and Talented 3rd and 4th grade classes at PS188Q. This year we focused primarily on personal memoir, or exploring the ways in which we can express ourselves – our memories, our feelings, our dreams, our hopes and fears – through creative writing. Our exploration led us to read poems from a diverse range of writers such as M. Scott Momaday and to experiment with different modes of poetry making such as collage. This deep excavation into ourselves has been both challenging and rewarding, with resulting poems that are, at times, startling in their lovely truth. It is an act of bravery to reveal one’s self in writing and it’s been wonderful to see how courageous these students can be.

I want to thank Principal Janet Caraisco and participating teachers, Mr. Carneiro, Ms. Garcia, Ms. Toth and Ms. Wingenfeld for welcoming me into your school once again and providing such wonderful support throughout the program. I want to thank the Teachers & Writers Collaborative for providing consistent support for the success of this program. Finally, I want to thank Sherese Francis for all of your help this year.

And lastly, thank you and congratulations to all of the participating students. I’m so proud of the work you did this year during my time with you and I hope that you are, too. Bravo.

Featured Student Writing

Where I’m From
by Jana

I’m from my sister’s smile that flows in my mind

I’m from a sweet taste of soymilk to the spicy taste of golden curry

I’m from the pit pat of water to the loud chirping of a crowd of birds

I’m from the soft feeling of my bed as I stare up at the ceiling

I’m from the catching smell of white vinegar, aloe vera and lavender soap

I’m from the cotton cuddly sheep that seems to come to life when you look at it

I’m from the time when I stood still and stared out the window,

I’m from the feeling of when I looked up at the night sky

And wished I could fly

I’m from my memories that whirl around my head trying to get me to think of them

I’m from me

The Delight Song of Me
by Elenor

I am the blue moon

I am the colorful wolf

I am the rainbow of the sun

I am the black cat of the moon

I am the gift of the glam water

The Ocean Is My Brother
by Archana

I say play with me

He splashes me with a tiny wave

I say comfort me

He twirls his water around me and gives me a hug

I say protect me from a shark

He protects me with a wall of water

Amina Henry

Amina Henry is a Brooklyn-based playwright and educator. Recent local productions include PS (Ars Nova), Little Rapes (The New Group/Long Island University), and The Johnsons (JACK). Her work has been produced, developed by, and/or presented by: Atlantic Theatre, The New Group, Clubbed Thumb, New Georges, The Flea, Page 73, Project Y Theatre, National Black Theater, Little Theater at Dixon Place, The Brooklyn Generator, The Brick, HERE Arts Center, The Cell: a 21st Century Salon, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in the 2013 Black Swan Lab Series (Ashland, OR), Kitchen Dog Theater (Dallas, TX), and HERO Theatre (Los Angeles, CA), among other organizations. She was a 2017-18 recipient of the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Space Residency and is a 2018 recipient of a space residency at Dixon Place. She is a member of the Women's Project 2022-24 Lab and an affiliate artist at New Georges. She is currently an adjunct lecturer at Brooklyn College and SUNY Albany. She is also a teaching artist for Teachers & Writers Collaborative and the Hunts Point Alliance for Children.