Pursuit of Poetry:
Ms. Uyeda's 7th grade class
[On November 3, Ms. Uyeda's 7th grade class at Willard Jr.
High in Berkeley, California wrote a group poem in response to a poem
by the Emperor Kangxi. The class was preparing to visit The Oakland Museum's exhibit, "Secret
World of the Forbidden City: Splendors from China's Imperial Palace."]
Also see the individual poems written
by the students.
I Am—
I am the unpredictable gecko changing
colors and moods with my surrounding
swirling
never stopping.
I am the friendly crocodile as it lets
the little birds eat all the remnants
in his mouth
to prevent gum and tooth decay
on the Nile
facing the gargatanuous sun.
I am bad, the eagle just looking to
his prey,
preparing his talons
to attack.
I am the loud wind when it talks to the leaves.
I am the singing blue jay who sits on the window
in the morning
warming with my beautiful song.
I am the unique butterly
with my own patter and way.
I do as I want and do as I say
I expand and change.
I can fly off
in my own way.
I am the fast cheetah who runs like the wind.
I am the cheetah.
My colors on my skin are gold on Black,
shiny as a diamond.
My teeth are sharper than
a butcher's knife.
I am swifter than a rabbit
after a carrot.
I run my own territory.
I catch my own prey.
I eat them till there's no more
meat or flesh on their bone.
I am cheetah.
I am the fast cheetah soaring through the forest.
I am the clever frog eating a fly.
I am the funny-looking hyena
laughing through the night.
I am the strong grizzly bear
who takes down
the strongest and fastest herd of bulls.
I am a bear
Who has been across the mountain
who has been across the world
I run faster than the wind
as strong as Atlas
Only instead
I can hold up all nine planets with one hand.
I am the sleek tiger.
I walk with confidence and beauty.
My deep yellow eyes get what they want.
I sneek up on my prey and attack with anger.
When you look into my yellow eyes, you forget everything except me.
I am a sleek tiger.
I am the strong tiger, quick as light,
clever as the snake who quietly stalks his prey
and then strikes.
But I am the most,
greatest falcon
who flies the thuder without fear.
I am the intelligent dolphin
who dives into
the cool
deep ocean.
I am the strong swimming dolphin
who jumps and twirls
in
the blue and green waters of the ocean.
With the sun chasing at my back,
I sing the song of the waters.
I am the mist fresh off the pond
rising above the mountains,
rising above all.
Into the sky until it is
my time to stop dreaming.
I am creative mother earth
who created the rainforest in Brazil.
I am the self-less earth who gives
us all
the things we know.
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