Name Poems
(The letter's in the person's name provide the first letter of each line.)
 
 

Abstinent in food
Needful for somebody
Trying to be good
Open to people
New student

Like fruits
Independent
Accurate in time
Progressive man
Keep cool
Observant to my parents
Very friendly

Grown up spoiled
Only know about myself

Worrying about myself
Only take care about myself
On my parents' hands
Now I want to change

Little by little
Even though I'll give up
Even though I can be hurt
 
 
 
 
 

Kissing in love
I'm possibility in possibility
Young in my mind
Old saying in history
Until dying
Nature of us

King of us
Introduce of me
Money of the poor

Joker sometimes
User of CESL lab
Naming Jung Yun
Growth
Young girl
Upstairs living
Nice student (?)
 
 
 

Everyone
Loves
Someone
Always

Remember

Call
Anytime
Remember
Love
Life
 
 
 
 

Everyone loves someone
Love always in my heart
Someone who cares always
Remember call anytime
I will always be there, love is
my life.
                -- Elsa too

Cinquains
(This five-line poem requires a noun for the first line, two adjectives for the second, three
verbs, an expression of feeling, and in the last line a noun that means the same as the first
one.)
 
 

Summer
hot, sunny
sweating, swimming, enjoying--
I await cool fall.
Vacation
        --Yun
 
 
 

Summer
sunny, hot
swimming, walking, playing
good hot  free  relaxing
season
        --Anton
 
 

Summer
beautiful, enjoyable
swimming, dating, burning
I like this season--
happiness
        --Ki Youn
 
 
 

Moscow
big, noisy
building, working, rushing
alone, small, hungry, unneeded--
city
        --Anton
 

Kobe
pleasing, cool
exciting, attracting, welcoming
many kinds of people
hometown
        --Kenjiro

spring
sweet, warm
melting, starting, blooming
free, comfortable, brightened, new
magician
          --Lee
 

Felly
nice, pretty
loving, caring, supporting
I always miss you
friend
           --Elsa
 
 
 
 
 
 

Cinquain Collaborations
(The form is the same, but the paper was passed to another student after each line.)
 

hair
black, smooth
drying, cutting, coloring
hilarious, fashionable, strange, stupid
charm
 

moon
bright, pale
moving, changing, setting
it shines at night
romance
 

ring
round, beautiful
loving, giving, celebrating
happy, great, young, wonderful
jewelry
 
 

apple
red, sweet
picking, gathering, eating
people love this fruit
snack

Five Lines with a Wish
 

Grammar
difficult and correct
learning arduously
like a huge mechanism
if only I knew it well.
                -- Anton
 
 
Poetry
beautiful and different
born simply
like a wide river
if only I could write a good poem.
                        -- Anton
 
 

angel
invisible and mysterious
touch warmly
like a passing wind
if only I were an angel
                --Elsa
 
 
 

beds
comfortable and soft
leading into the new world
like a magic carpet
if only I could throw myself on it now
                        -- Yun
 
 
 

economy
ruthless and disgusting
gobbling greedily
like a monster
if only I were the supergirl
                -- Ake
 

love
mysterious and exciting
luring me on and on
like a haunted house
if only I came out safely
                -- Ake
 
 

English
strange and difficult
obstructing sternly
like a guard
if only I could beat it
        -- Kenjiro
 
 
 
 

Fall
romantic and calm
making me lonely
like my ex-boyfriend
if only I could enjoy fall
                -- Lee
 
 
 

twenties
confused and dark
driving me scared
like a long cave
if only I had a good flashlight
                -- Lee
 
 
 
 
 
 

I Wish
 
 

I wish I could graduate and go back to Thailand tomorrow.
I wish I could find my love occupation in my country without economic crisis.
I wish I lived on a peaceful and natural island.
I wish I could enjoy scuba diving every day.
I wish I could play the song "Hotel California" on the guitar.
I wish I were going to a party with many of my friends in Thailand.
I wish my family could be happy forever.
I wish I were a language teacher, so I could understand my students from many countries.
                                                                -- Ake
 
 
 

I wish I could speak every language in the world.
I wish I would lose weight, and I could wear a short skirt.
I wish we had bigger land than now; then we could live a freer life.
I wish I could be five years old, and I could live a different life.
I wish I were an optimist, and I could see the world with bright eyes.
I wish I could cook very well.  Then I could cook for my boyfriend.
                                        --Lee
 
 

I wish I had a black car with big wheels.
I wish I had enough money to buy a house on the coast in Florida.
I wish my friends were in Carbondale and we could spend time together.
I wish I liked all my homework.
I wish I had a million dollars and I could buy everything I want.
I wish I spoke English very well.
I wish I could get up late every day.
I wish I would find my lost keys.
                        -- Anton
 
 
 

I wish classical music and the aroma of coffee awoke me from my sleep every morning.
I wish I could travel around the world cruising in my yacht.
I wish I had a nice convertible car.
I wish I could meet my mother in my dream.
I wish my letters were made of feathers, and came to the hand of my friend in just one day.
I wish I were a good cello player.
I wish I could see the sea in my window.
I wish I had long, charming hair.
I wish I would fall in love like Juliet.
                        --Yun
 
 
 

I wish I could fly like a bird, I could fly everywhere!
I wish I were an angel, so I could help a lot of people.
I wish I could win the lottery, and I could buy a house.
I wish I could reach the stars, and become popular.
I wish I could sing like Madonna.
I wish I could travel all over the world and see a lot of things.
I wish I could hold my mom's hand, to feel her love again.
I wish I could go home to see my dad, so I could give him my hugs and kisses.
I wish I had a house next to the lake that I could swim every day.
I wish my husband would finish his school soon, so he could relax.
I wish I had a child, so I could have someone to play with.
I wish I could attend my best friend's wedding, to see my friends and family.
                                                        -- Elsa
 
 
 
 

I wish I were a movie director.
I wish I were a writer.
I wish I were eating sushi.
I wish I had a concert at CESL.
I wish I could meet Mozart and listen to his performance.
I wish I lived in London in the nineteenth century.
I wish I could meet Yukio Mishima and ask him why he killed himself.
I wish I could be the president of the United States; I would make every day a holiday
                                                                -- Kenjiro
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Limericks and other Funny Poems
 
 

A man cuts trees
A falling tree crushes a nest of bees
Bees get angry and attack him
He jumps and flees
He runs away to one of the seas
"You couldn't swim, but you are swimming now,"
says his friend Jim.
                --Kenjiro
 
 
 

A boy and his old shoes, who felt blues
met a kind girl with new shoes in the zoo.
"Can you change shoes with me?
The new would make me free."
Freely, he hurt from too small shoes.
                        --Ake
 
 

There was an old man from the coast of sea
who liked to climb up a tree.
One day he climbed too high.
He thought he could fly.
He jumped from the tree, and broke his knee.
                                --Anton
 
 
 
 

Carrot and Parrot

A farmer loves two things on his farm.
One is a carrot and the other is a parrot.
The skin of a carrot has bright orange.
The wings of a parrot have flight range.
But it is not the reason he loves them.
He can live by them--
one as a food, one as a friend.
                                --Yun
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Pronunciation Jokes
 

There was a woman missing her hat
who kept asking, "Where is my hat?"
A little boy answered, "Lady, here is your cat."
 

My grandmother kept complaining about her gums.
"I have a pain; my gums are bleeding."
My grandfather asked her,
"You want some chewing gum?"
My grandfather is deaf.
 

"Hurry up, we're running out of time,"
I kept telling my friend.
She told me, "You run.  I'm not.
I'm going for a walk."
Elsa:  "When I was in Chicago, I went shopping."
Her husband:  "No, when you washed in Chicago, your clothes got stained because you
washed with different colors."
 

I told my friends that every time I went to church
My knee was hurt, because I had to kneel
for a long time.  My friends said,
"Every time you go to church, you put a nail
in your knee?"
                                --Elsa
 
 
 
 

Imitations of "This Is Just to Say," a poem by William Carlos Williams
 
 
 
 

I have said
I tried to
pay attention to
my study

and that
I was possibly
doing
my homework

Forgive me
there were many things
in this town
and I had little
time to see them
                --Ake
 
 
 
 

Thief

I have taken
your car
that was in
your garage

and which
you were probably
hoping
to drive

Forgive me
it was big
so comfortable
and so fast
        --Anton
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I have dreamed
dancing fairies
that were in
the forest

and which
you were probably
hiding
from human beings

Forgive me
they were fantastic
so beautiful
and so charming
        --Kenjiro
 
 

Goats have chased
the virgins
that were on
the plain

where
the virgins were probably
singing
by the lake

Forgive the goats
the virgins were marvelous
so beautiful
and so lively
        --Kenjiro
 
 

My Nephew

I have eaten
the apple
that was in
the refrigerator

and which
you were probably
expecting
for a bite

Forgive me
you are
so infant
and so delicate
                --Yun
 
 
 

Color Poems
(Actually, the students put the color words in their own languages, in their own alphabets
or characters, but I wasn't able to reproduce those, so I've translated. --LD)
 
 
 
 

Although I don't like sadness
I like grey
grey as a cloud
before rain
grey as the pressure
in a boring day
grey as the smoke
from an exhaust pipe
of a car or a train
It seems to be time for leaving
I hate the leaving
but I like grey
                --Ake
 
 
 
 

White  reminds me of a bed.
If I say  white, I imagine a bride.
If I hear white, I think that is silence.
When I see Antartica,
I'm sure that is real white.
                --Anton
 
 
 
 

Red leaves a strong impression
Red gets a clear character
Red has a proud attitude
Red perfumes with a noble scent
Although I don't have anything
which has it,
more and more
I like red.
        --Yun
 
 
 
 
 
 

lying on the blue world
under the blue sky
blue feeling is traveling
to the far land,
under the same sky,
there, without blue
           --Ake
 
 

Early in the morning
I heard my father sobbing silently
I knew my grandmom had left last night, that color
I didn't know before.  My father's eye was black.

At the funeral
Everybody came over dressed in black.
I felt shocked
I felt dizzy.
I've never felt just like that in my closet,
even though half of my clothes are black.

After the funeral
my heart was becoming black
like a field,
after burning.
                --Lee
 

The flag in the
Philippines
is blue, white
and red, and
also there are
three stars with
yellow.

At Christmas time,
people wear red.

Christmas time,
everybody happy,
all the houses look happy
decorated with different colors,
especially red --
beautiful sounds,
soft sounds.

I wear red
only if I have a special day
at school.
                --Elsa
 
 

I like red.
Red makes us excited.
Bulls hate red.
Red evening sun
Red is noisy
Tokyo Tower is painted red,
Dante went to red Inferno.
Red blood
Red columns of the temple in Kyoto
                        --Kenjiro
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Eight Lines with No Verbs
 
 

An Unrest at the Start

An unrest at the start
A hope in the beginning
An effort during the crazy race
An attempt to be first at the finish
A joy after victory
A celebration among the flowers
                    --Anton
 
 

A Cold in the Winter

A cold in the winter
A lonely person inside the house
A sound of despair in the house
A heavy snow in winter time
A sound of wind in the sky
A fight in the country
A victory over Vietnam
A soldier who is a hero
                --Elsa
 
 
 
 

Fire into the Dark Sky

Fire into the dark sky
Scream of madness
Buildings around open space
Burning of books
End of the world.
          --Kenjiro
 
 

Life

A grumbling of anger about economics
A sobbing of sadness at the funeral
A conversation with joy at the dinner table
A scream of excitement at Disneyland
An emptiness after separation
A surprise of happiness at winning the lottery
A comfort of rest in travel.
                        --Lee
 
 

A Growling in My Stomach

A growling in my stomach
A smelling from the kitchen
A grace at the table
A toast for the harvest
A watering in my throat
A taste in my mouth
A delight under the light
And praise for the cooking of the hostess.
                        --Yun
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Haiku
(Students wrote these haiku -- 5-7-5 syllable pattern -- and haiku-like poems, after looking
at pictures.)
 

The silence of the tear
wrapping warm each other
a candle in my mind.
                --Yun
 
 

The smell of ancient
stands for a millenium
proud of pharaohs.
                --Anton

At a dragonship
Ardent dancing men, torches
Dropping in the pond.
                --Kenjiro

My son

Far from here
God sent me a gift
to make me more mature.
                --Lee

Ugly baby--
don't cry when mother goes out.
It's not such a long time,
my hug will be close to you.
                --Ake
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Bouquet
 

Every morning,
tiny drops of H20
outside my garden.
I heard a grasshopper
ruining my garden.

 
Every morning
I heard noise.
Scary sound
an insect
ruining my plants.
 

morning day
lightning, and thunderstorm
a scary sound
lightning struck the
bamboo trees
 

beginning of winter
I heard a cricket singing
a beautiful sound, but it's saying
goodbye
 

a slave working hard
always long hours until midnight
a man who is in the dark,
waiting for sunlight
 
                        --Elsa

Apples

loving this sweet fruit
picking a red snack
gathering
eating apples
            --Yun
 
 
 
 
 

Past Tense Poems
 
 
 

The soap was exhausted.
My forehead had a pimple.
My cheek got freckled.
My eyebrows were mismatched.
My lip-color was unbecoming with my dress.
My hair dryer was broken.
I had only one earring.
The only good thing was--
I got a call.
The date was cancelled!
                        --Yun
 
 

I got up this morning
ate breakfast
poked my tongue with a fork
bled at the tongue
cried and cried
took a walk after breakfast
was run after by a dog
run, run, run
was caught and bitten by the dog
cried and cried again
decided to go home
was bitten by mice in my room.
                --Kenjiro
 
 
 

Yesterday

I slept enough
ate breakfast
walked to school
took the classes
came back home
had lunch
walked to school again
finished my classes
went to the library
came back home
felt very tired
got some sleep--
It was a usual day.
                --Anton
 
 
 

The weather was getting cold
The falling of leaves was going on
The celebration was passing
The bird was flying away
The smoke was burning
The road was winding
The dreamer was waking up
The tear was dry
The love was gone.
                --Ake
 
 
 
 

I Used to, But Now
 
 

I used to say "I love you," but now I say, "I hate you."
I used to talk to anybody about my feelings, but now I don't.

I used to have a bicycle, but now I have a car.
I used to dream about a car, but now I dream about an airplane.

I used to study economics, but now I study English.
I used to speak Egnlish badly, but now I speak well.
                                        -- Anton
 
 
 
 

I used to be stupid, but now I know how to treat the situation.
I used to be arrogant, but now I'm sweet.
I used to feel lonely, but I feel strong for myself after breaking up with my boyfriend.
I used to say I was unhappy, but now I say I'm happy.
                                        -- Lee
 
 
 

I used to be a star, but now I am a leaf.
I used to be a king, but now I'm a clown.
I used to have a heart, but now I have a stone.
I used to talk about controlling the world, but now I can't control my life.
I used to think I was the smartest man, but now I think I am the worst.
                                                -- Kenjiro
 
 

I used to talk faster but now I talk slowly.
I used to be afraid but now I'm brave.
I used to have a temper but now I have patience.
I used to be irresponsible but now I am responsible.
I used to use bad expressions but now I am careful.
I used to seem a shy person but now I seem an outgoing person.
I used to feel lonely but now I feel happy.
                                --Elsa
 

I used to say,  "I can't do it," but now I try to say, "I can do it."
I used to hate a crowded street, but now I miss a crowded street.

I used to study about identity,
now I write poetry about identity.

Everything is changed,
but everything is in my mind.
                        -- Yun
 
 

I used to be a sage, but now I'm blind.
I used to flee from family, but now I seek for family.
I used to dive safely under the sea, but now I drive riskily on the highway.
I used to talk about my future, but now I talk about dirty jokes.
I used to dream about an exciting life, but now I dream to sleep.
                                                -- Akechitra
 
 
 
 

Comparisons
 
 
 

I sink slowly
I sink deeply

more sleepy than a bear in winter
more tired than an ant in summer
more boring than the goldfish in my bowl

Just I can wish
tomorrow will be better
                --Yun
 

Life

Sometimes beautiful like a spring flower
Sometimes terrible like a forest after fire

Sometimes crazier than a mountain stream
Sometimes calmer than a small lake

Sometimes as bright as a night star
Sometimes as shady as a morning fog

Life as life
Life as life
                        --Anton

Her voice is softer than the song of birds
Her lips are redder than roses
Her hair is blacker than ebony
Her smile is more valuable than ivory for me
She makes me crazy like Luna
I can't buy her heart with a great number of diamonds
Because she is so proud and independent.
                                --Kenjiro
 

My dog is like my daughter because she is a wonderful pet.
My heart pounds like a strong hammer because I'm in love.
My life is like magic because of my wonderful husband.
My dream's as tall as a building because of my ambition.
My Mom is like an angel because she is a wonderful person.
My husband is like a hero because he always saves me.
                                        --Elsa
 

Cigarette

Everybody thinks you are as scary as cancer.
Some people think you are harmful as drugs.
One of my friends tells me your smoke is mysterious as a ghost.
Even though they fire you so many times.
I know you are always with me as friendly as a best friend.
Even though all my friends are busy when I feel lonely,
You are still in my fingers.
                                        --Lee
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Extra Poems
(Yes, sometimes students did this, even though they didn't have to!)
 
 

These Things Make Me Happy

Hot coffee flavored with creamer and sugar,
big pieces of ham on soft bread--
this makes me happy.

Reading a long poem,
listening to lovely music--
these things make me happy.

Writing a letter to family,
designing my big house--
this makes me happy.
                -- Anton
 
 

Dreams

Dreams mean a lot to me.
I can see my future in my dreams.
I speak to my family and friends through my dreams.
Some of my dreams are lovely.
Some of my dreams are scary.
In my dream I communicate with my mother.
I always see my father in my dream.
Dreams are part of my life.
                              --Elsa
 
 

My Mom Is My Angel

Sitting in a rocking chair, holding an angel's warm hand,
and feeling her loving touch,
 I heard a voice, whispering a beautiful sound--
someone singing, reminding me of when I was a small child;
I know who sang that song--my mom.
I can't feel her physical
body, but I can feel her spirit.
My mom is my angel.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Musical Collaborations
(Students listened to a piece of classical music.  Each was given a card with a wh-
question.  The answers to the questions were collected.  Then students put them in an order
they liked, making small changes if necessary.)
 
 

Mozart

lazy and sleepy afternoon,
quiet room
in a light summer house
I'm listening
to lovely music,
a young woman playing the piano
on grassland
far from her country and
everything she loves
 
 
 

Tchaikovsky
 

Summer, hot day
a beautiful morning

in the ocean
she was dancing
with her husband
(brave and resolute)

who won the civil war
and returned

home.
 
 

Sousa

Christmas Day,
sunshine and raining--
she is dancing.

Well-muscled young athletes,
outside on the road
surrounded
by many people,

celebrating the victory.
 

Things That Make Me Happy Collaboration
(Everybody contributed lines to this poem.)
 

Sitting in a rocking chair holding an angel
Halloween children carrying bags, making trick or treat
Constructing a piece of wood to make a bed frame
making my lunch
writing about a movie story
reading a poem
the Ural Mountains
iced tea
designing a house
big pieces of ham with bread
hot coffee flavored with creamer and some sugar
spinach mixed with cheese and fried chicken
making freedom by scuba diving under the sea
feeding animals in my garden
fixing a car
writing a letter to family
glasses of water
listening to good music
beef and potato curry rice
reading Japanese essays
movies
hot bathings in the pool
caps of my brother
white-sauce spaghetti
vanilla ice cream with strawberry syrup
counting a star--

These things make me happy.
 
 

                *               *               *

Finally, here is a poem Elsa wrote, which probably speaks for all of us.
 

You and Me

There is a spot in my heart
which you all own.
There is a depth in my soul
Which you all have known.
There is a place in my memory,
My life that you all have fulfilled.
No other can take it, no other
Ever will.
There will be a time when, I will die
Physically, as the flowers do in fall.
There will be a time when, I am with
You spiritually, just call.