The Union Hill Elementary writers created their own poetry about countries of music, love, and even nightmares, based on inspiration from Alberto Blanco’s “In the Country of Better Knowledge.” Imagining the new rules they would establish (as a mom or dad) resulted in more chaos in the home or a new appreciation for all the things a parent does. These writers discovered that words have color, movement, and feelings. In writing and sharing their work, these students also found a renewed sense of confidence.
Terri Schexnayder
Artist Instructor
Being My Mommy
I woke up this morning as my beautiful Mommy. Now that I am in charge, I can do whatever I want—like grab the wallet, drive to the mall and go shopping. But, wait! What about my newborn baby sister? Do I have to take her with me? What about the bills? Aren’t they due today?
“Hi, Mom. How are you? Are the bills due today?” asked my child.
“Yes, young lady!”
Did I do everything there was to do? Yes, I did, and I didn’t even have time for the mall. Being Mom is hard!
Andrea Jaimes Belman
In the Country of Hidden Love
In the Country of Hidden Love, as you hold hands,
butterflies fly.
There are love letters hidden at every step.
There is an ocean full of kind mermaids
and flowers bloom everywhere you walk.
In the Country of Hidden Love
generosity speaks to you.
There are interminable sunsets
and the sky is always dawn.
Juliana Chantal Carter
Superhero
In the country of superheroes, everybody is saving the day by fighting the bad guys. The X-Men, Avengers and Fantastic Four are against Dr. Doom. Dr. Doom is a very evil man. He always destroys the town, the city of Superheroes. But, the superheroes smashed him.
Samuel Dixon
My Awesome Five Rules
I woke up and was on the computer, where I played games forever. I wanted to make it more fun at my house and for it to be quiet. Why is it so important to be quiet in the house? Because then you won’t be disturbed.
Playing games is awesome. It’s cool, and you have fun. It’s also fun to watch YouTube because it has amazing videos. Okay, so here are my five rules. Oh, wait, I will tell you tomorrow. It’s nighttime. Now, go to bed or stay up all night. Good night and see you tomorrow.
Thomas Gonzalez
My Words
Words are actions, music, donuts, hot dogs with ketchup, and shakes.
My words make me really happy, as happy as a camel on Wednesday.
On Thursday, my words are the color of lava red.
My words are important because they always thank me.
My words are like animals—
a gorilla eating a banana.
Abrien Hernandez
Me, I, Myself in Charge
When I woke up today, I realized I was like my Mom’s mom, in charge of everybody in my house. I told my family my new rules:
- I will let you hear loud music.
- I will let you go outside when it’s raining.
- I will make you go to sleep at 9:00 p.m.
- I will not make you clean your room.
- I will ask a servant to come and do things I tell them to do.
And, the most important rule: Peace and quiet in the house! These rules I have told you are important to me because they make the house creative. If you don’t like my rules, then you will go out of the house and be suspended.
When I finished listing the rules, I whispered to my sister Cristal, “And, you will have a bunny.” To Cecilia, I shared, “You will have a pony and a butterfly home.” And to my little brother, “You will have an elephant.” For my mom, I told her I would buy her a phone. “Dad, you will have your own tablet.” Everyone liked my new rules.
On my next birthday, I was still my Mom’s mom. It was really interesting and mysterious because I was wondering who made me this way. I wasn’t enjoying my world at this point and wanted to be a ten-year-old kid again. The next year, I turned into me again, but the rules stayed the way they were. I was so happy and said, “Life was crazy in the old days. I miss them now!”
Rosa Hernandez
Rules of My Life
I woke up this morning and was in charge of my house. I was the father and told my kids to turn off the music. My new rules are awesome. For example, you can have 6,000 friends in the house. I would like my family to go to Red Wagon.
I hope my family will be nicer because when I was young, they weren’t nice. Now, you can have a Wii and always make art. You don’t have to go to school and you have to be nice to your parents and take people’s advice.
I had bad rules when I was young. I had a lot—I mean, a lot—of work to do.
Eric S. Kawar
In the Country of the Lightning’s Love Music
In the Country of the Lightning,
you can hear the loud sound: Boom! Boom! Boom!
in your ears.
In the Country of the Music,
you can hear the loud music in your ears.
In the country, you see the love in your heart.
Marisol Lopez
My Rules
I woke up this morning, and I was Pop. Suddenly, I’m was charge of my household. I could have my music up loud and get a $1.6 million car. I sped in my fast car. I ate candy only one time a year, but went to Red Lobster every day.
Being in charge, I also went to school five days a week, rode in a Cadillac, ate seafood all day, and played games all night. I got pie every day at school and had parties with Takis and Ms. Terri’s chocolate chip cookies. I had all A’s, no B’s, and had a really good security system and guard dogs, like German Shepherds and pit bulls. I also had a 200-inch TV and a mansion for a home, plus sporting gear and other stuff.
Those were my new rules as Pop.
Jaydon Love
Words
Words are people.
Words are kind.
My words make me feel happier than I usually am.
My words are the color pink.
My words are important because I love when I talk.
My words help me communicate.
Mykaela Manor
In the Country of Love
Once there was a land and there were all kinds of things there.
Like letters on a leaf and the word “love” in the sky.
That’s how beautiful the land was.
Frogs with the word “happiness.”
Tyanni Muttilib
Thanksgiving Is
Thanksgiving is green like grass.
Thanksgiving is red like a heart.
Thanksgiving is light purple like a jewel.
Thanksgiving is yellow like a banana.
Charlie Routt
In the Country of Never-Ending Nightmares
A place where nightmares grow and fear hurts the people.
It’s like a scream of words that are scary.
There are monsters you imagine you believe in, but they don’t exist.
There are unusual things that lie in the bottom of your head.
There are things that you don’t want to see, but it’s a curse.
There are dreams that are dreadful
in the Country of Never-Ending Nightmares.
It’s like something that stabs you in the back.
Jada Servin
unbound 