Fall on Fire – Gatewood School Poetry

Fifth graders at Gatewood Elementary expressed what was in their hearts, writing haiku, cinquain, and sensory poems. All photos by students. The poetry residency was funded by the Gatewood PTO.

I am

Photo by Mary O’Neil

I am the ladybug, gliding gracefully up the wall
I am the paper wasp nest hiding in the crack
I am the ant, about to get stepped on
I am the squirrel nest, swaying high in the trees
I am the wind biting at everyone’s necks
I am the cottonwood, shedding all of my leaves
I am the hornets nest, waiting for my hornets to leave me for the winter
I am the frog, hopping away from attention,
I am the fallen tree, with a carving so people will remember me
I am the giant waiting for someone to sit on me
I am the leaves, that are littering the ground
I am the bush, yearning to be a hiding spot
I am the tree, dying and drooping low
I am the tall grass, grabbing at everyone’s feet
I am the tree with what looks like a face,
Waving good-bye to all of the humans out here
I am nature.
Quinn Ingham

The Sun
Sun gleams through the flowing trees.
The shining ball bounces off the leaves.
The leaves shower into the meadow of sun.
The sun shines so bright as you are blinded.
Rays shine through the crunchy leaves.
Trees cuts out the shower.
Beware the sun lives for millions more years
as it has a super power
Lizzy Helling

Sea Urchins

I once lived under the sea,
People get scared looking at me,
I wiggle I wobble,
I jumble around,
But now I’m not here I’m buried in the ground,
My bones are still here I’ll never leave,
Sea urchin, love is all you need
Lola Jessen

Leaves
One leaf, two leaves, three Leaves
Red leaves, orange leaves, yellow leaves, green leaves
All the colors of fall
Leaves are any color
You can’t count all the leaves of fall
Many leaves on trees
Many colored leaves
Imagine you’re deep into the woods
See the colors of the leaves
See the critters on the leaves and in the trees
Hear the crunch of the leaves as you run
Smell the damp leaves
Feel the leaves fly down onto you
Stop!
Touch the leaves on the forest floor
The leaves crunch and fall to ground
Crunch, crunch, crunch
What’s that
It’s a squirrel!
Lizzy Helling

                     Wilderness
Trees and rocks!
Animals and plants!
They beg me to come
I wonder if I can help them grow?
I feel very touched
Nature is wonderful!
 Evelyn McNeil

Flying Squirrel
Dead and paralyzed
People are amazed at the sight
Sad and filled with pain
Quinn Ingham

I smell the rain
Falling on me
Hear the trees tumbling like lighting
Feel the autumn breeze
As it rushes  through my soul
I hear the trees calling my name
They wish to sing me a lullaby
The coldness of mother nature
Chills my bones
Aisha Yusef

I am Somebody
I can’t spell
I can’t remember that well
i can’t name the 50 states and capitals
I AM somebody
I am not perfect
I am not always right
I am beautiful
I am somebody
I have a scar on my eyebrow
I have the letter D on my right hand
I have an imperfect body
I am Somebody
I love my family
I love my friends
I love my dog
I am somebody
I must do my best
I must care for others
I must write with my left hand
I must be respected, protected, and never rejected
I am somebody
Marit Elverum

So sad
the moose has lost his hips
now he can’t hip,
hop,
and rock his moves.
Alyssa Forstad

Dead Wolf

Gray fox

Prowling the world trying to find my place
A land of freedom that’s what they say.
Going from place to place but I can’t stay.
I am lost, hungry,  and tired.
I should have stayed with my pack.
It it my fault.
I have met my demise.
Marit Everum

Twinkle twinkle little star
I can see you bright and far
All across the world so high
I just love to see you cry
Twinkle twinkle little star
I can see you bright and far
Alexandra Litel

                  Snowflake

www.its.caltech.edu

Gleaming and falling,tumbling and floating,
Screams, “winter is here!”
I wonder if there will be more?
I feel wondrous and excited
winter is here!
Evelyn McNeil

The brown wasp’s nest
Old, destroyed and discarded
But it was still safe
Theodore Wogstad

BUT I AM SOMEBODY
I am myself everyday
I am a singer by heart and soul
I am not you and you are not me
BUT I AM SOMEBODY
I have a dream to be a singer
I have friends and family
I have people that care about me
I AM SOMEBODY
I have freedom
I don’t have nice things
I don’t have a lot of money
BUT I AM  SOMEBODY
I must be my best
I must be a singer
I must do what’s right
and I must be respected, protected, and never rejected
I AM SOMEBODY 🙂
Alyssa Forstad

Sea Urchins

There once was a sea urchin named Stubby
He lived on the ocean floor
He is very spiky
But still adorable, and then Stubby once more.
Erin Anderson