Historical Poetry - 4th period

EDITORS NOTE: The following poems were written by the students of Mrs. Taylor's 12th grade English Class, Period 4. The assignment was to write a poem that MAY one day be used as an original historical document. The assignment parameters were that the facts the poems are based on must be independently verifiable, and the historical significance can be personal or social. Any style was acceptable. I have edited for spelling only, and any errors remaining were at the request of the individual author. Appearance of the poems here constitutes first publication, and all authors retain all rights to the individual works. Matthew E. Forman

Untitled by Katie Davis

My historical event would
have to be in 2007 August
When I was driving home
after I had went to get my
check from Kroger and
was driving down Cason Lane
and I was sick and was
coughing and sneezing and
traffic in front of me
was stopped and I rear-ended
a brand new red 350z and
I got a ticket for improper
following and had to go to
court four times and driving
school.
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Poem by Jimmy Gilbert

I play baseball for Riverdale
But once I played and it was hell,
I threw the ball and to my surprise,
My elbow broke in front of my eyes!
I dropped to my knees and grabbed my arm
and everyone ran to me at my alarm!
I had to have surgery and got a big scar,
But you can't see it when you look from afar
I still play baseball but I hope and pray
that my elbow will be fine and I'm there to stay.
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Tragedy by Rebecca C.

It was a beautiful morning
People getting their morning coffee
Walking to work
Kids laughing in school.

We heard on the announcements
on a fine day at school
That a horrible thing has happened,
teachers put on the news.

We watched two buildings fall
people screaming for their lives
Mothers crying because they know
they lost a loved one that day.

Silence was all around me
people getting called out
one by one. This is a day we
remember, that day September 11, 2001.
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You Lost Your Little Girl by Kelly Martin-Culet

Stranded all alone in a world so much bigger than I.
From the other room I hear you scream,
No, you can't take my baby from me!
I used to believe that you wanted to try.

Foster care system, child after child.
I was stuck there in that place to be a slave.
They would punish me because others could not behave.
I knew it would only get worse once the termination papers were filed.
I came to see your love was a lie.

Visit after visit, you never showed.
Days passed so slow.
Where were you, my family? I did not know.
My hate for you only seemed to grow.
How could you pick beer over me? That makes me cry.

I began to lose home, night after night.
I was forced to be a mom of a child that was not mine.
I laid in bed and listened to the others whine.
You were sick and you didn't even fight.
How could you live with yourself in a lie?

Year after year I've prepared myself to find you.
I am so nervous that I can't say what is needed to be said.
The thought of seeing you both messes with my head.
The fear, the pain, the scars and a great gain, if only you knew,
that for loosing me I am thankful to you.

Why I wish to find you dear mother and father, well one reason only.
To remind you that you are weak and it was your fault that you lost your little girl!
How do you sleep at night? How do you speak a word of joy?
How do you still pick up that can and drink?
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Daddy By Angel Wilson

My dad and I were alike in every way
Even the blind could see.
When you looked deep in both our eyes
you could see me in him and him in me.

Christmas was just a few days away
My sister and I lay silent in bed.
I never knew that after a night of sleep
The next morning he would be dead.

Over the years I try to forget my tragedy,
But the sadness seems to build every day.
I try to hink of all the good memories
But the sound of a gunshot never goes away.

I wish I could've known who he was
As days pass his voice and face dim.
All I can do is listen to stories.
God must have needed an angel beside him.
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Untitled by Sam Omanchonu

It happened during the day
Everyone was sorry to say
The towers had fell
America was going through hell
I was very sad, the towers were gone
The skies were dark for very long
The whole country grieved, what a horrible day
But we all hope things would return the same
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Poem by Albert Atakpu

Growing up just figuring out how to do backflips
I was an impressed child. One day on
January 24, 1998 I was being taught to
do backflips on my bed with my brother
and that day has been in my head ever
since that day. This was the day that would
make a change in my life forever. Forever since
that day I still have backflashes of the day I
busted the back of my head open and I had
to be rushed to the emergency room. I received
8 stitches to the back of my head and that is a
day that I will never forget. At the time
my brother had told me to go forward but
at the time I thought that meant backwards.
So I proceeded to go backwards and pursue
my backflip one that was the worst day of my
life yet. This was the day I experienced
my life changing event January 24, 1998.
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Silver Band in the Spring by Kayla Van Winkle

The rain beating on my tin roof is
Almost as soothing as your touch
But it's not quite equivalent to your hand.
Oh how I miss you so much
And the only things left to remind
Me of you are these pictures and this
Silver band.

The sun standing on my skin is
Almost as warm as you holding me.
But it doesn't match the warmth
Of your arms wrapped around my body.
not to mention the feeling it made
Me have was grand.
Still the only thing that helps me
To remember you is this silver band.

Time and time again your face is imprinted in my memory
And your voice is all I hear.
And the words I believe to be passing through my ear
Are just memories calling to me
But still I can't help but let them
Take me to a faraway land
And have more to remember you
By aside from this silver band.

The wind hitting my lips almost matches your kiss
Though it is not a kiss at all.
This is probably the thing mostly missed
This silver band doesn't match it at all.

This feeling I have inside is a feeling
I can't compare to anything.
Because nothing can make me feel
The way you made me feel.
Now all that's left of you and me
Is this silver ring
That makes all the memories real.

So I will wait for the day when
Your face is right in front of me
And your voice is really passing
Through my ears.
When the memories have again become reality
And you are really near.

When I finally get to go to that faraway land
And your fa ce I have to dream of no more,
When I look down at my hand,
A tear will fall to the floor,
Because no longer
Around my finger
Will rest that silver band.
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9/11 by Stephanie Patterson

September 11th is an historic
event for all Americans.
I remember exactly where I was.
Mrs. Altheidess 5th grade class room.

The principal said on the intercom,
All teachers turn on your televisions.
Our nationi has been attacked.
My teacher immediately turned on the TV.
She started crying, I think
Someone she knew was there.

As I was watching the TV
All the people were running and screaming.
Many families looking for their
Missing family members.

It was such a tragic day
I or any other American
Will never forget that day.
America has changed forever.
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Untitled by Justin Baker

Clear cloudless skies
Children busy at play
And unsuspecting the worst.
The large steel mountains
Glowed silver in the sun.
Only a quick flash
Of fire and smoke
Ended the lives of many.
Planes had taken
The World Trade Center.
Made the huge mountains
Crumble. The rubble
Would devour everything
In its path.
Scenes often found in
Movies and books
Were nothing
Compared to this disaster.
This wound will take
A very long time to mend.
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The Election Day by Grace Par

The day had finally arrived,
The day the dream came true.
The thunderous sound of the cheering crowd,
The joyous tears that fell on our faces,
The strength we had in our holding hands,
That color or race matters no more,
On that day my heart rejoiced,
The election of 2009.
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That Day by Devin Murphy

It was a day in August,
The 29th to be exact.
When this storm
Went on attack.

My house was in its path
Thre was nothing anyone could do.
We thought we were doomed.
How could I help?

I'm too far away.
My dad is still there
I hope he's ok
There's know way to know.

Then we get a call.
It comes 3 days after.
He is alive, we couldn't be happier
But then he starts to cry.

He tells us we no longer have a place to live.
What a scary thought that is.
He tells us it will be ok, we still have each other.
He says he loves us, the phone call fades.
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Untitled by Nathan N.

On the way home
I was driving my car,
I wasn't very far
When I saw the light
On top of his car.
I got pulled over
In the parking lot of Taco Bell
This night was He__
I got a ticket from the cop
For failing to stop.
I will never forget
The Friday after homecoming.
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Historical Event Poem by Brittany Elliott

On August 17th 2001 I had my tonsils removed.
I was ten years old.
Before my surgery it was a struggle to swallow
I also could not talk very loud at all.

Mom scheduled a date to get my tonsils out
So my throat would no longer tremendously hurt.
I did not want them out, I was afraid of the after pain,
I was going to hurt before and after they were out again?

Mom said if I get them out now my throat would hurt no more.
She had me convinced, I wanted the pain no more.
We were in and out of the hospital that day,
It wasn't as bad as I expected it to be.

When I got home I had to drink plenty of fluids
And I got to eat lots of popsicles.
The soreness after the surgery only lasted about a week,
I was so happy that it didn't hurt to speak.
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Poem by Breanna Marquez

I was in a deep dream
When I heard my brothers scream.
He ran upstairs to wake everyone up.
I was so terrified at what I heard
All of my next actionis became blurred.
My brother said the house was on fire.
Boy, how I wished he was a liar.
The house burnt down to the ground
Everyone was crying and we all had a frown.
This was probably the scariest day of my life.
It happened about in the 4th grade.
I was shaking because I was such afraid.
I will never forget this day
When everything my grandmama had burnt away.
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Not so Good Friday by Jessica MacDonald

Night of Good Friday
April 14, 2006.
At a birthday party with friends,
Feeling of fun could never end.

Then 10 o'clock came around
And everything turned upside down,
My mom came and got me
And ended the fun of the party.

Once out of the house
The bad news came quiet as a mouse.
Like a silent explosion
My mind became eroded.

My cousin had died
While on his way to make him a bride.
The front left tire had locked
As he tried to make the car stop.

Went into the median, flew over the side
Hitting a van inside was a soon to be bride.
Killing the driver while he flew out
Breaking his neck with no cry for help.

On this day, my uncle's anniversary
To now become one for not 2 but 3,
My cousin died that morning
And left a family forever mourning.
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