Poems Chosen by High School Students

Introduction

As the school year comes to a close, I thought it would be an interesting bridging exercise to join seasoned, veteran writers with young performers in some way.  I am forever fascinated by what high school students are drawn to when they are given choice in poetry, so this week's post centers around their chosen pieces.  I invite you to write to anything that triggers, excites, or resonates with you in any of the poems.  Or, write to the student--share a dialogue with them about the poem!  I am happy to share your messages with the students featured here.

The Poems

Marty: "If you live life without regret, you will never fear the reaper. All the events that happen in life can have meaning if you choose to give it meaning. While everything that happens is meaningless because overtime everything you did will be forgotten, that doesn’t mean you meant nothing. We all know death will happen. We still try to prevent it with vaccines, eating well, and exercising which only shows that life has meaning to us and keeps us going. "
1969
by ALEX DIMITROV

Source: Poetry Foundation

Bellina: "The title of the poem is 'The Animals,' so aptly I assumed it to be about animals. I assumed the poem would have a more juvenile theme based on the title.  This was not the case."

The Animals
by JOSEPHINE JACOBSON

Source: Poetry Foundation

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​Lucy: "I expected to uncover some form of jealousy or maybe guilt some other person was hiding. I didn't expect the poem to set a positive message.  Humankind could accomplish so much more if people stopped worrying about what others thought of them and become confident with themselves, with their natural gifts. " 
Envy
by MARY LAMB

Source: Poetry Foundation

​Cristiano "The poem is titled 'Numbers,' something I know is included in everyday life. People may dispute it but it may be the language of the  future, in coding.  Numbers, in a concept, is a very creatively rich subject.  The imagery of dancing swans and silver bodied fishes gives a beautiful tone; it makes you want to keep reading." 
Numbers
by  MARY CORNISH

Source: Poetry Foundation

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Carli: "I like the moral, and the fact that they believe in reincarnation."
Walking Home 
by  MARIE HOWE

          Source: Poetry 180

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Elodie: "The tone of this poem is that of admiration and reassurance. The speaker is telling the subject of the poem how nothing in the material world could ever live up to their beauty or memory. Images such as 'Not marble nor the gilded monuments' or 'But you shall shine more bright in these contents; Than unswept stone besmeared with sluttish time' are good representations of this."
Sonnet 55: Not marble nor the gilded monuments
by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Charles: "I chose this poem because it looked interesting and I thought it would be at least a little humorous. I mean, I think the poet titled it '300 Goats' because there are a lot of goats in the poem."
300 Goats
by NAOMI SHIHAB NYE