LIFE
The world is full of mysteries, and doubts.
Some things too unspeakable, like devastating events.
That’s too hard to forget. And some things,
Impossible to live without.
Like, love, or him above.
Beyond the horizon, hence the sea, is pure life.
That’s too beautiful to describe through my very eyes.
Like the horizon as I wisen I start to conclude,
The world is not about fighting fire with fire,
That ends up in a ball of smoke. It’s about uniting;
Together with the ones you love the most.
Disgust, despair and dismay won’t do.
What’s inside you is what matters most
It’s important,
It’s even greater than the great deep blue.
Life is love, peace, and sanity.
That Strengthens the youth,
And I surely, speak the truth.
~Esther Animalu
Ode Ice Cream
Ice cream, Oh Ice cream,
How I love you so much,
Your amazing flavors,
Gives me a rush!
Oh, so creamy and milky,
My taste buds just POP!
After I put a spoonful of you in my mouth,
I just can’t seem to stop!
Your smooth and dreamy,
When you melt on my mouth,
You are enjoyed by all people,
from the North to the South.
Delicious and cold,
On a burning hot summer day,
The first thought that enters my mind,
Is your sweet taste to save the day.
Late at night,
When I hear the Ice cream trucks tune,
I quickly grab my shoes and money,
And out the door I ZOOM!
Ice cream, Oh ice cream,
How I love you so,
Just as much you will never know!
~Sara Schiffman 601
Ode to Popeye’s Fries
Popeye’s, oh, popeye’s,
How do you do it?
You produce the most
Wonderful, delicious, delectable, exquisite,
Mouth watering, fit for a KING
French fries.
Thin layer of crispiness on the outside,
Soft and velvety on the inside,
Seasoned with only the best, of the best
My mouth turns into a watering pool every time.
Smells as if I were in an incredible,
French fry wonderland.
Warms up my hands as I pick up each one
And deliver it into my mouth.
You are my pal, my best French fry friend,
Grumbling for your deliciousness
It’s sad when I kill you but my stomach is SO happy.
Ode to Popeye’s fries,
You create a rainbow in my heart.
You warm me up in the winter when I swallow you down,
I feel like I’m flying into heaven when I get you.
You are not just sticks of potatoes,
You complete me with your savory flavor.
An Ode to My Cat
Meow, Meow, your funny little noise,
Used when you want food.
So loud and powerful,
My spoiled little Brooke.
Purr, Purr, your melodious noise,
Like the a soft engine running on happiness,
Used when you are comfortable and bliss,
Then you place upon me a kiss,
With your scratchy-soft tongue.
Oh how I love the way you play like a toddler,
Never tiring or finished,
Knocking down bottles and others objects,
Exploring new places,
Inside our big house.
I love the way you act like you can understand,
You comfort me with soft purrs and scratchy kisses when I am feeling down,
You are the ringmaster in your one cat circus when I am feeling bored.
It’s like you’re a person,
The way you listen attentively,
Oh how I love you.
I love your fur,
So soft like a piece of silk.
Such unique patterns of brown, gray and black.
Never have I seen any cat,
Quite like you, Brooke.
Your big eyes look at me,
Your pupils different each time,
Sometimes like a snake,
Sometimes like a begging puppy,
But they’re always a radiant green.
You wake us up in the cutest way
Looking for food and to play,
Like you’re waking up your maid and chef,
You pounce on us and knock down things,
‘Till we start the day by feeding you.
Oh how I love you,
You keep me happy,
You make me laugh,
And you are mine.
– Ciara Burke
Ode to my Grandpa
Grandpa, if you didn’t know
I love you more than words can say!
You were like a father to me.
You protected me like a knight in shining armor,
You fed me and made sure I was never sad.
I miss you.
Why did you have to leave me?
I love you and I always will.
You probably don’t know this but that night you left,
i stood up the whole night crying.
I thought you would have been at my wedding,
or met your grand kids.
I remember when you helped me get an A on my P.E project,
And when we used to stay in the garage
with Sincere and Jasmine
and you would teach us the old days songs
and we thought we were rock stars,
And when we used to sing the songs ” Brick in the Wall” ,
” Don’t Stop Believing”, ” Cold as Ice” , and ” Diamond Girl”
I miss those days so much.
The day of your memorial was like a heart breaker.
It was so sad everybody was crying their eyes out,
That was by far, the worst day of my life.
I remember when everybody gave a speech,
except me because just listening to everybody’s, made me cry.
When everybody was finished,
I ran to Vanessa and started crying.
She took me to her room and had me wash my face,
she lent me a pair of glasses so that nobody can see
my eyes because they were as red as the devil
she mad me promise to cry no more tears because
now, you were in no more pain
I remember when you told me about the pains that you were
having on the left side of your stomach,
which turned out to be pancreatic cancer.
I remember when you used to scream at me like a lion,
but now I know you were only trying to make me stronger
and now I know that you loved me just like I loved you!
– Cynthia Rosado
Ode to My Friends
People who stay by me
People who care for me
The ones that don’t betray me
The ones that are like the siblings I never had
Those are my friends
We fight
And not talk for a while
But we always come back and get some gumballs
We laugh about it the day after
Those are my friends
They made me fake names thinking it was cute
They care for the real me the me that’s inside
We comfort each other when we’re sick
We visit each other without hesitation
We meet when we can
Making plans
Setting dates
Seeing each other is getting harder and harder
But I always hear their voices
Calling for me
And I answer back
Wait for me
I’m still here
They’re still waiting
Like true friends
When I cry they cry with me
They make me feel better
With every word I follow
I’m their follower
Their disciple
They think they follow me
They only listen because they want to
My best friends
But I know someday
I will forget them
But when that happens I’ll make new ones
Until then they’re by my side
Working together
My dearest and closest friends
I could write a million things to describe each of you
I know you so well
My truest friends…………
-Haley Davis
Ode To My Sister
My sister is the greatest friend
I’ve ever had
She is never selfish
And always caring
She holds my hand when I am ill
She talks to me after I have a nightmare
Pours my cereal in the morning
Makes a great bowl of
microwave popcorn
She lets me wear her clothes..
Sometimes
She loves her computer, but lets me use it anyway
Her last piece of chocolate usually ends up in my belly
She won’t let me win in games, I have to earn it
We don’t always get along, but she loves me anyway
My sister, my friend, Taylor
-Julia Maldonado
Ode to Trees
Giant trunk covered in brown bark
Long, pointy, crooked branches
Branches like old women’s bent fingers
You can see them in Central Park
Home to squirrels and birds
A place for enjoyment alone or with friends
The shady tree protects us from the sun
Families picnicking, having fun
Children laughing as they play hide and go seek
Dogs barking, jumping, and running
Different colored leaves all through the year
Wide, small, differently
Leaves changing color like the color of the rainbow
Leaves falling gently like the first fall of snow
No oxygen to breathe without trees
The world would look empty and naked
They will disappear
They like to hibernate in December
Sleep, sleep, and sleep to spring
They will like us to remember
-Mark Nardella
Ode to My Hands
One ,Two,Three
All ten
Smooth, purple veins
flow
upward to the long, bony
fingers.
They hold things,
pull things,
grab things,
feel things,
touch things.
They are like my tentacles
transmitting
all kinds of sensations
to my brain.
I try and care for them
by applying
lotions,
creams trying to
keep them tender.
Brown ,speckled spots
are quietly beginning
to appear.
They are called age spots.
They spring up suddenly like daffodils
in a frost covered garden
However unlike the flowers
The spots are forever.
Some even spread.
Yet, it’s okay.
It is what it is.
I am getting older and
My hands are
reminders of time.
We have been through
A lot
together.
They were there clutching
my dad’s hand on the
first day of kindergarten.
They were there to hold
my pen firmly as I learned
to write my words.
They were there to caress my
husband’s hand and wear
my wedding ring.
They were there to
Stroke gently my babies ‘
Soft, pink skin
as they nursed at my breast.
They were there to release my mother’s hand
as she slipped away from us to
another world.
They are with me day –to-day,
Reaching, reaching.
My hands-my-ten fingers-
are my extensions to the world.
-Ms.Berhardt
Ode to Food
Food, oh food, such a lovely treat!
With your fruits, vegetables and milk products too.
You keep me fed ‘till midnight tonight!
Yummy and healthy that keeps me alive.
Your apples are so smooth, your watermelon so big.
Your ice cream is so cold, your peanut butter so sticky.
Your pickles are so sour, your milk so creamy.
I love you food, for the meals you give me
Food, oh, food, I love you so much
With a bite and a crunch in each yummy fruit.
You keep me alive with your healthy snacks,
That tastes greater than candy itself!
Your rosy red tomato like a sponge,
Squeezes out the bloody juice inside with a slight touch.
Your extremely delicious soup is a river,
Flowing down the hill in my mouth, toward my stomach.
Your emerald green broccoli is like a flower,
With its green top sprouting out like petals on a chunky green flower.
Food, oh, food, you’re just so great!
Food, oh, food, with lovely smells.
Spices mixed with rice, carrots and peas.
The scent drifted away and into my nose,
It smells so good, I just want more!
I’ll come upon you, food and I’ll gobble you down.
I’ll give a satisfied burp and walk away.
Food, oh, food, I love you so much.
You make my world whole,
You make my life long.
-Shirley Xia
Ode to Hearts
The heart of a young girl,
Is fragile and delicate,
And often taken for granted.
Given and passed,
Boys never seem to realize
The importance of caring for it.
It never comes back,
Without a crack.
When not handled with care,
It will shatter
Your heart is your life,
Pulsing and beating,
it sends love throughout your body.
It will break,
At least once.
The pain will be unbearable.
You will never want to love again.
Love hurts,
Your heart will scream in agony.
But that’s not true.
Loneliness hurts.
Rejection hurts.
But in truth,
having someone care and love you heart,
it the only thing that makes you feel
WONDERFUL AGAIN.
-Portia Vargas
Ode to Chocolate:
It’s brown and delicious
Melts in my mouth
Sweet and yummy
Feels good in my tummy
Like molten lava it flows
In my mouth
You can find it in cakes and cookies and such
In brownies and cupcakes and ice cream
It’s never too much
Chocolate is so great
I love it so much
I just want you to know
You can look but don’t touch
Chocolate is my weakness
It is so good can’t you see
It is as yummy as yummy
Can be
As smooth as butter
You feel
And taste so good
Chocolate you are my sun shine
My protector of fear
I always feel happy when you are near
-Robin Landolfi
My Imagination
I am an eagle flying high in the sky,
Among the clouds that dot the sky,
Like paintings of many different things,
I am a bee that flies low,
Gathering pollen on beautiful flowers to eat,
I am an ant on the ground looking for food,
And scurrying around,
I am a fish swimming even more deep,
In rivers and lakes and even seas,
One minute I am this,
The next minute I am that,
I go from a human to rabbit to a fat fluffy cat,
I am an alien a poet or astronomer,
I am a spy on a top secret mission,
When I get out of this world,
Away from it I fly,
My imagination lets me be,
Whatever I can see,
It all depends on my desires,
It’s the greatest gift for me,
I can be whatever I want to be!
-Yasmine Mohamed
Ode to Shelter
Shelter
Your guardian angel
Your haven
A place to relax
A wonderland
A place of privacy
Protection
Relaxation
Peace
You’re best friend
You’re place to cry
To laugh
To act silly
To be mad
Shelter
-Andrew Keblish
“Ode To Moby”
Oh Moby
I miss you very much
how sad it was when you went down the toilet
You were a great goldfish
you were as gold as a ring
Oh Moby
changed when you sunk to the bottom
In the middle you were green
like grass
white like snow around it
But mostly that wonderful gold
Oh Moby
didn’t make a noise
not once
you were as quiet as a mouse
I won you at the Halloween fair
Oh Moby
All together
you were $6 but I didn’t care
$1 to win you
the other $5 for food
Oh how sad it was
when you sank to the bottom like a rock
when you passed on
I will miss you
Oh Moby
-Donald Johnston