Gift Poems

Last weekend I was invited to teach a poetry class at Sibshop, a program for siblings of children with disabilities, organized by Parent to Parent of Vermont. Thanks to Judy and Joanne for making this possible!

I led the group (just four kids and three adults) in writing gift poems, modeled after a selection from "You Bring Out the Mexican in Me" by Sandra Cisneros. I asked them to close their eyes and think of a person who was very special to them. It could be a friend, family member, neighbor, teacher, anyone who had changed them for the better. I asked them to make a list of things this person brought out in them to spark ideas for a first draft.

1) Animal - Does this person bring out the roaring lion in you? The monkey? The hummingbird?
2) Part of Nature - Does this person make you feel like a tall mountain? A flashing star? A calm lake? A whispering field?
3) Colors - What colors does this person bring out in you? Midnight purple? Grass green? Dark red?
4) Feelings - Does this person bring out the creativity in you? The courage? The joy? Sometimes the anger or sadness?
5) People - Who does this person bring out in you? The magician? The warrior? The singer?
6) Anything else that comes to mind!

After everyone had their lists, it was time to start a first draft. I told the class to think of a rough order, a way of structuring their favorite items from the list. I asked them to think about rhythm and repetition, to read their poems out loud and listen to the sounds. When everyone had revised and rearranged their way to a final draft, they copied the poems onto colored paper and decorated them as a holiday gift for the person they'd written about. Here are the kids' poems:

Dear Abe
You bring out the fun in me,
the laughter in me, the clowning
in me, the mischief, the color black,
and the trouble maker in me.
-Phin, age 9

My Dad
You bring out the monkey in me
when you say I am one.
You bring out the clown in me
when you act like one.
You bring out the laughs in me
when you make up funny things in the book.
You bring out the red in me, the color of laughs
when you joke around.
-Zachary, age 9

Cole
You bring out the wrestler in me,
the fun, creativity, and laughter.
You bring out the hungry lion in me
when you make me angry
and the demolisher in me
when we knock stuff down.
-Ellis, age 11

Rachel
You bring out the music in me,
the dance floor in me, the singing.
The laughter in me and bright sunny yellow in me.
The bubbly in me.
You bring out the "y'all" in me,
the stylish clothes and beads in me.
-Hannah, age 11