Wilson’s Loudspeaker team has worked diligently throughout the school year in order to produce quality content for the Wilson community. During the month of April in order to celebrate National Poetry Month a few of our team sent in their favorite poems and wrote about them.

Jayden Phan: 

The Altar

 A broken ALTAR, Lord, thy servant rears,

 Made of a heart and cemented with tears:

  Whose parts are as thy hand did frame;

No workman’s tool hath touch’d the same.

                   A HEART alone

                   Is such a stone,

                  As nothing but

                  Thy pow’r doth cut.

                  Wherefore each part

                  Of my hard heart

                  Meets in this frame,

                  To praise thy name:

       That if I chance to hold my peace,

 These stones to praise thee may not cease.

   Oh, let thy blessed SACRIFICE be mine,

     And sanctify this ALTAR to be thine.

• The reason why I chose this poem is because when I read this poem, it reminds me a lot about my father since he loved poems. He would always have me read poems here and there and he would always lecture me about the meanings of each poem I read and what they symbolize. 

Miguel-Angel Gonzalez:

The Giving Tree

BY SHEL SILVERSTEIN

Once there was a tree….

and she loved a little boy.

And everyday the boy would come

and he would gather her leaves

and make them into crowns

and play king of the forest.

He would climb up her trunk

and swing from her branches

and eat apples.

And they would play hide-and-go-seek.

And when he was tired,

he would sleep in her shade.

And the boy loved the tree….

very much.

And the tree was happy.

But time went by.

And the boy grew older.

And the tree was often alone.

Then one day the boy came to the tree

and the tree said, “Come, Boy, come and

climb up my trunk and swing from my

branches and eat apples and play in my

shade and be happy.”

“I am too big to climb and play” said

the boy.

“I want to buy things and have fun.

I want some money?”

“I’m sorry,” said the tree, “but I

have no money.

I have only leaves and apples.

Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in

the city. Then you will have money and

you will be happy.”

And so the boy climbed up the

tree and gathered her apples

and carried them away.

And the tree was happy.

But the boy stayed away for a long time….

and the tree was sad.

And then one day the boy came back

and the tree shook with joy

and she said, “Come, Boy, climb up my trunk

and swing from my branches and be happy.”

“I am too busy to climb trees,” said the boy.

“I want a house to keep me warm,” he said.

“I want a wife and I want children,

and so I need a house.

Can you give me a house ?”

” I have no house,” said the tree.

“The forest is my house,

but you may cut off

my branches and build a

house. Then you will be happy.”

And so the boy cut off her branches

and carried them away

to build his house.

And the tree was happy.

But the boy stayed away for a long time.

And when he came back,

the tree was so happy

she could hardly speak.

“Come, Boy,” she whispered,

“come and play.”

“I am too old and sad to play,”

said the boy.

“I want a boat that will

take me far away from here.

Can you give me a boat?”

“Cut down my trunk

and make a boat,” said the tree.

“Then you can sail away…

and be happy.”

And so the boy cut down her trunk

and made a boat and sailed away.

And the tree was happy

… but not really.

And after a long time

the boy came back again.

“I am sorry, Boy,”

said the tree,” but I have nothing

left to give you –

My apples are gone.”

“My teeth are too weak

for apples,” said the boy.

“My branches are gone,”

said the tree. ” You

cannot swing on them – ”

“I am too old to swing

on branches,” said the boy.

“My trunk is gone, ” said the tree.

“You cannot climb – ”

“I am too tired to climb,” said the boy.

“I am sorry,” sighed the tree.

“I wish that I could give you something….

but I have nothing left.

I am just an old stump.

I am sorry….”

“I don’t need very much now,” said the boy.

“just a quiet place to sit and rest.

I am very tired.”

“Well,” said the tree, straightening

herself up as much as she could,

“well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting

Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest.”

And the boy did.

And the tree was happy.

• The reason I chose this poem was because it was a very memorable poem that discusses the topic of growing, from this young boy hanging out with this tree and then eventually the boy grows up and uses the tree to his advantage until they both become old and they share a last moment together again. It was always a poem that I was interested in and always found interesting in the way the storyline worked. 

Matthew McKenna:

Toilet Strategy

A little boy sat on the toilet;

He was in there way too long.

His mom came in to check;

She thought something was wrong.

He’s sit and sigh, sit and sigh,

Then he’d slap the top of his head.

“Why do you do that?” his mother asked.

“Works for ketchup,” he said.

By Joanna Fuchs

• I like this poem because it includes potty humor as well as children being silly which is adorable. 

Roxy Kuper Wilson:

Progress 

By Rupi Kaur 

our work should equip

the next generation of women

to outdo us in every field

this is the legacy we’ll leave behind 

•  I like this poem because it talks about how over time, women’s voices will continue to grow stronger and be heard. It shows how the power of women’s voices can and will impact the generations to follow. 

Isabel Juarez:

The Sun and Her Flowers 

By Rupi Kaur

Rise

Said the moon

and the new day came,

the show must go on said the sun

life does not stop for anybody

it drags you by the legs

whether you want to move forward or not

that is the gift

life will force you to forget how you long for them

your skin will shed till there is not

a single part of you they’ve touched

your eyes finally just your eyes

not the eyes which held them

you will make it to the end

of what is only the beginning

go on

open the door to the rest of it

time

• The reason I chose this poem was because it’s a very heartfelt poem that speaks on the topic of life and time. The poem offers a very important message about moving on with life whether you want to or not. 

Mrs. Smeltzer:

https://youtu.be/HYKKjPNIL84

• Micah Bournes is my favorite spoken word artist. When I first heard this poem, I sat at my desk and cried. He moved me. As an English teacher I contemplate language daily, but I had never thought about language this way. Not only did I learn something, but I gained a whole new appreciation for all cultural dialects. Bournes is also a musician. 

Karla Manzanares: 

“Still I Rise” 

by Maya Angelou

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may tread me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

’Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells

Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I’ll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Shoulders falling down like teardrops.

Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?

Don’t you take it awful hard

’Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines

Diggin’ in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,

You may cut me with your eyes,

You may kill me with your hatefulness,

But still, like air, I’ll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?

Does it come as a surprise

That I dance like I’ve got diamonds

At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history’s shame

I rise

Up from a past that’s rooted in pain

I rise

I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise

Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise

I rise.

• Maya Angelou was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. Her poetry has  inspired others for generations and continues to make an impact on people’s lives. The poem “Still I Rise” is near and dear to my heart because of its overall message that you can overcome anything and nothing will be able to hold you back. In light of recent events (the 2020 BLM protests) I have acknowledged my privilege and wanted to read more poems/stories written by poc in order to better understand what they have to go through and to support them. Although the overall message can be applied into many different circumstances the main point Maya Angelou was referencing is the true reason as to why this has become my favorite poem. The poem speaks about Angelou’s  resolution to overthrow prejudices and injustices. It also summarizes the struggle and the positive attitude Angelou has against racial and gender discrimination. Angelou makes the point that nothing will hold her back including her skin color and she reiterates that she will rise. Angelou’s poems were a great introduction to civil rights authors and have opened my eyes to the reality of the world around me. She is a wonderful role model whose legacy will continue to live on even after her unfortunate death. 

Marco Haynes:

When am I going to make a living 

By Sade 

When am I gonna make a living? Ooh

It’s gonna take a while before I give in

See the people fussing and thieving

While the sharks are wheeling and dealing

Gotta look up and tell yourself

There’s no end to what you can do

They’ll waste your body and soul if you allow them to

This is time to start believing in yourself

Put the blame on no one else

• One of my favourite songs by Sade and lyrically I’ve always liked and especially the piece I chose. It’s motivational and a perspective of life to tell you to keep fighting and not let others control your soul to start living. A lot of her lyrics are about life and emotions but this piece seems to have it all. It can be seen as sad and truthful but can be used to inspire and motivate people.