Award-winning students appear on ITV to read their poems
and talk about poetry.
The shows continue to be available on ITV.
These four award-winning student poets appeared with the founding director Jack Webb
& Poet-Teachers: Claudia Poquoc & Seretta Martin
Daniela Neria First place, Carver Elementary
The Old Door
The bell rang.
Oh, no!
Here they come!
I can sense them.
Ouch!
Stop slamming me!
Pushing me! It hurts!
I feel angry
when you kids do that.
You run in and out,
in and out, every five seconds.
There you go again—
in and out.
You grab my door knob
and twist and twist—
eer, eer, eer.
Your hands are covered
with dirt and germs.
Enough is enough!
I’m retiring.
The janitor is going to
remove me from my hinges
and take me home.
Wonder what he’ll do
with a gym door?
Boiling, boiling in a pot. I was removed
but I was hot.
Then put in bowl
of cold, cold water.
I’d rather be colder
than hotter and hotter.
My shell was cracked.
I was snacked.
First cut by a knife.
That’s the end of my life.
Anthony Bahena Carver Elementary, Grade 4
Poet-teacher: Claudia Poquoc
Classroom Teacher: Bill McClain
Jua Kim,
Third place, Spreckels Elementary
Champion of Nature
I am the sapphire sky. I never sleep,
and I don’t waste any minutes.
As clear as water, cover me with clouds
and I change my expression.
Watch me as I light the world with daylight, bright and gentle. I allow children
to fill their hearts with rays of warmth and joy
But time flies, and I fade away.
Call me the gentle river. I slowly and steadily wash by,
leaving nothing but a shimmering reflection.
Sometimes the sun evaporates me
and then the clouds rain me down to home.
Listen as I fall, drop by drop.
I flow in creeks, rivers, and oceans. Watch as tiny flecks of water
bounce around the rushing waves.
In real life I am only a third grade girl
But in my mind, I am a champion of nature.
If poetry was
fireworks
it would pop in the sky
and sprinkle down
new ideas.
If poetry was
imagination
it would vanish beyond
the boundaries of rules.
If poetry was
a blue bird
it would fly ideas
from pillow.
Border Voices Poetry Program 