Student poetry part 1!

Remember Glenis Redmond's stay at Bridges during the 2nd week? (if not, you can check out the July 2006 archives for more details) Well, as a result of this collaboration, we have some poems to showcase, and many more put together in an anthology for the students! Here are a few samples:
The Kappa class wrote recipe poems, and here's one-

A recipe you’ll never forget.
Ashley Jenkins
1 cup of my ancestors picking cotton in the hot southern fields.
2 teaspoons of their tears being washed away by their bloody hands.
1 pinch of our ancestors fighting for freedom.
A dash of hope and faith engraved in my heart by my mother, by teaching me that being a black woman made my spirit stronger, and more willing to fight, while she put her macaroni and cheese into the oven as I helped her flour the chicken.
1 drop of tolerance for all of my black and hispanic brothers and sisters who have been mentally and physically abused, because of our darker skin.
A handful of freedom for everyone touched by these calming words.
Baking Instructions-
Mix all of this into the minds of others and bake it by showing actions of tolerance, giving hope and faith to others, and spreading freedom to everyone you touch.

and here's another recipe:

Ashley Tapperson
The recipe for a better world is as easy as it gets
But to make sure you understand, I’ll break it into little bits
A cup of peace is what we need to make the world go round
For all of us to get along with everything we surround
Two teaspoons of love, to sugar up our lives
Embrace even your enemies, give them the longing to survive
A pinch of troubles, inner conflict with yourself
To overcome, build character and bring your spirit wealth
A dash of imagination will throw adventure into everyone
Let’s sink below the ocean floor, or travel to the sun
A drop of dreams to strive for and hold your head up high
To achieve above and beyond and reach into the sky
A handful of faith to keep our hearts alive
Not to be afraid, but to go ahead and dive
Mix it all together, make a smiling face
Go ahead and be different, every kind of race!

one more about home:

Tacloban, Philippines
Neizel Songalia
Born in a small island where coconuts dominate
Burned by the rays of the sun, but cooled by the clash of the waves
Alarmed with natures golden invincible music
Awakened by the sudden gleam of the goddess light
untrapped by the eyes
Sudden rush through the door to say good-bye to my mom,
I wave a memorable goodbye to hope she’ll be alright
And so I go on, breakfast is eaten, the clock ticks in a beat,
and I wait for the real treat.
My heart beats with the clock, beating and beating, my ears
Participate and tell me they’re here.
Continuous laughter, continuous running, I became a princess,
I became a mom
I fell but I went back up with no concerns, but wounds
continually appeared but disappearingly healed
We hit a can with a shoe, we froze each other by a tapping touch
We made our own territory, we conquered each others base
We climbed a tree for tropical fruits, we ended up on top of the roof,
Turning into a new world where miniature flowers became our food.
I became a bird, I became doctor, I became a patient, and
I was thought to be dead.
With the powerful ball of light keeping our surroundings suspected and
Reflected
And the rays directed to our diamond fantasies
This was my childhood in Tacloban, Philippines
A time where imagination was in full content.

Look for more soon!