Esme Ulland-Joy, 8

Writing poetry is really fun and I’ve written a lot of poems since I had to read about Gwendolyn Brooks for homework. It is actually a funny story, so let me tell you about it. Every Tuesday for homework we had to read a story to a parent (easy) and one Tuesday I had to read about Gwendolyn Brooks. Gwendolyn Brooks was an American poet and the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize (FYI).

After I read the story my mom showed me the poetry section in our home “library” (a bunch of book shelves) and all of a sudden…BAM! I loved to write poetry. My first poem (but I had previously written poetry at school) was for my mom. One of my poems I wrote is called Freedom:

Hear our cries hear our shouts

We are America we have no doubts

We will continue our fights for equal rights

We will keep fighting until we fall for peace, equality and justice for all.

The inspiration for this poem is that I thought the first line was in a magazine I subscribe to, but it wasn’t and then all of a sudden I wrote like three verses!

Another poem I wrote is called — well, I don’t have a name for it yet actually because I just can’t think of a name. It’s about Lake Superior:

When I walk along the shores of Lake Superior

I hear the waves crashing

I see the water splashing

I feel sand on my bare feet

I drink cool water from my water bottle

and I love Lake Superior

I also like writing poems for my mom and teacher. Here is another poem that I have written:

Spring

rain is falling

spring is calling

green leaves start to bloom

sometimes there is a full moon

almost summer yay

it’s Easter hurray!

A full moon tonight and

everything seems just right

That actually might be my favorite of all the poems I’ve written. Here is another one:

What I’m thinking of

I’m thinking of apples and oranges

and bright red cherries

I’m thinking of giants and goblins and little fairies

I’m thinking of how to remember the rest of this poem

I’m thinking of how to end this.

That is probably the funniest. Most of the poems I write are rhyming poems, but I have never written limericks; funny poems that have three lines that tell a story. I hardly ever write Haiku (three lined poems) and I have written at least 25 roses are red violets are blue poems for Valentine’s Day on my cards. If you like writing poetry here is an advice poem for when you are trying to write poetry:

Choose a topic you enjoy

Write from inside you

Now it is the end of this column

I hope you enjoyed

I hope you are not annoyed

Now it is the end

I’m sad to say

I hope you are having a good day!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Esme Ulland-Joy is 8 years old and will be in the fourth grade at Sandy Knoll. Esme loves ballet and reading.