Intergenerational Poetry Project, March 2004

Poems written and performed by:
Fourth/Fifth Grade Students from Ms. Bamberg's class
&
Elders of the Diamond Senior Center

Directed by Nancy Deutsch, Artist-in-Residence, Diamond Senior Center

Poems Inspired by: A Dream Deferred
"What happens to a dream deferred...
does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?"
— Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream if it can't come true?
Does it mean you still have to stick to it
like a stick of glue?

Or do you just drop it right there and then
like a rejected egg laid by a hen.
Maybe it just is not meant to be
like a relationship between a lion and a fish
Or does it go to another dreamer
who dreams like me?

— Melissa M., HMCRA

What happens to a dream that fades away?
does it vanish
like a leaf that falls on the ground
or a heart that has been
ripped apart?
So hold on to your dream
maybe it'll come true
quick as a snap.
or will it disappear
like the day?

— Greg, HMCRA

Cherish your dreams as you would a loved one
'Cause they are your life.
Life and dreams are never done
So keep right on 'till you have won.
— Irene, Diamond Senior Center

Tape down your dreams
'Cause if dreams fly away
Life is a butterfly with a broken wing
That cannot fly.

— Eddie, HMCRA

What happens to a dream denied?
Does it disintegrate
Like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle
Falling apart when you put it away?
Or is it a bird?
Molting, casting off its baby fluff
Growing strong wing feathers
Enabling it
To rise again
And fly?

— Gale, Diamond Senior Center

A dream that dazzles
and later goes belly up
later reappears as a buttercup
unfolds its petals
reveals brilliant designs
jolts with joyous hopes
and fulfills all mysterious signs.

— Gene, Diamond Senior Center

Hold on to your dream y'all
Or you let them die.
But never let them die y'all
Because you are a part of God.
Y'all never do that
You are a part of God.

— Sean,HMCRA

What happens to a dream that no longer dances?
Does it slowly stop spinning
like a flushing toilet
or sit hurt in the corner
like a scraped and bleeding child?
Or does it merely hide
waiting to jump out in surprise?

— Jaime, student teacher, HMCRA

"Sound Stars" (Poems written to the sound of a chime)

— Gene, Diamond Senior Center

The Universe Speaks
Two golden bells
hitting against each other
tingling hello.

— Salene, HMCRA

Echoes of the Ancestors
A last wave
in magic lavender light
the universe captured—
emptiness of the bell.

— Shan, Diamond Senior Center

Callings
Sounds like a baby dolphin
calling its mom.
Loud as a giant drum,
soft as a butterfly
spreading his wings.
Feels like someone
tickling my heart.

— Greg, HMCRA

Space
Cymbals fading into the night
Golden orange splashing bright
Space in eternity exploding light.

— Panching, Diamond Senior Center

Listen Up,This is my Poetry
Sounds like a reindeer
with an elf with bells ringing,
Sounds like a deer calling its mom,
I feel like I want to save the animal.

— Sean, HMCRA

Sound Stars
Tuning river's ring
into blue spheres.
celestial crystal
endless morning.
Quiet peace
becoming, becalming.

— Gene, Diamond Senior Center

Feelings
Reminds me of cars
Sounds like Ms. Liz
Reminds me of red
Makes me feel like a good person.

— Eddie, HMCRA

The Gloaming
Distant music playing softly
Shades of misty mauve
Flashing gold and silver
Reflecting on rushing waters.

— Jack, Diamond Senior Center

Ringing
Let me be do you plead
And kids should be able to read.
Why do you cry, do not cry
Let the bird fly.
And it is the color green
and red and blue.
Light is like a fight,
But love is above.

— Arthur, HMCRA

The Sun
It bursts over sea
So big and round
And slowly ascends
Unto the heavens.
It greets the day
Absorbed in the sky.
A celestial song
For all the world.

— Bee, Diamond Senior Center

Silent Waterfall
Flying peaches
 Silent waterfall
  Green grass
   Mellow me
    Wing of Titanic.
— Adrianna, HMCRA

"I'm As Young As A Dream"
— Arthur, HMCRA

I'm as young as the first leaf of a dandelion,
I'm as old as the food in an Egyptian mummy's tummy.
I'm as young as a new novel,
I'm as old a wrinkled book.
I'm as old as a wrinkled droopy pickle,
I'm as young as a fresh cucumber.
I'm as young as a brick waiting to be a tower,
I'm as old as vitamin A milk that has turned sour.
I'm as young as a flower in the ground,
I'm as old as 1,000,000 dead flowers.
I'm as old as my friend Jack,
I'm as young as a new IMAC.
I'm as young as a newborn kitten,
I'm as old as an ancient owl.
I'm as old as 90,
I'm as young as my new bright green VW beetle.
I'm as old as brittle ink,
I'm as young as a dream.

— Group poem by the Intergenerational Poetry Project,
with students ages 9 - 90

From My Window

From my window
  I hear fireworks that sound like gunshots.
From my window
  I see the Bay Bridge looking like a crown.
From my window
  I feel as happy as sunshine.

— Salene, HMCRA

From my window I hear a river of steel
  rushing by on noisy black circles
     that seem to be trying to stick to cement.

— Phaeton, Diamond Senior Center

From my window I hear
  people race cars up and down the hill.
From my window I hear
  guns that shoot people in the head.
From my window I wonder
  what God has told me.

— Eddie, HMCRA

From my window I wonder if the clouds
  try to hide the moon's embarrassment.
From my window I feel like a small boy
  looking at the King.

— Erna, Diamond Senior Center

From my window I hear
  the other children playing in the sky, laughing and crying.
From my window I'm surviving
  the mind of thoughts.
From my window I feel
  my poetry beginning and never ending.

— Adrianna, HMCRA

Letters to the World

I asked the world,
"Why are you letting war take over?"
And the world said,
"War cannot take me over."
I said, "But it is. It's making you look bad."
The world said, "But how can I stop it?"
I said, "You can make earthquakes."
The world said, "But then that destroys me."
I said, "It can't destroy you if you don't let it."
The world said, "Thank you. Now I can stop the death of people in war."
I said, "You're welcome. I guess we helped each other."
And we swirled away to talk to the sun.
P.S. The world tried to remember, like an elephant with a ribbon around its trunk.

— Adrianna, HMCRA

Dear World,
How is the universe today? Is it safe or is it dangerous. Are you scared?
He said, "I'm as scared as a coward of the meteors."
I asked the world,
" Is Barry Bonds taking steroids?"
He said, "I don't know the future, so find out for yourself."
I asked the world, "Are you looking for peace?"
"No," he said. "Because it's Bush in charge."
"When will the war be over?" I asked.
He said, "Maybe in 2004."
I said, "Do you think you're safe?" and he said,
"I have the moon, the sun, and stars. Of course I'm safe."
"Then watch the war as you watch the stars."
I said, "I will my future be good?"
He said, "Of course, because you write poetry so your future is great,
and the future is yours."
P.S. I hope peace will come someday.

— Greg, HMCRA

Hey world, the time is heading for night.
How do I approach the dark, with no lamp to light?
Take a trip inside, find a jewel to ride.
Polish the stone, feed every dog a bone.
Or do you think that the world can be understood
without understanding yourself?
P.S. Life is what we become
Either a palace or a slum.

— Gene, Diamond Senior Center

Dear World,
How does it feel to be floating in outer space?
World: It's ok out here.
Do you talk to the other planets and stars?
World: Yes, they are my friends too.
Who do you mostly talk to up there?
World: I mostly talk to stars because they are close to me.

Dear World, I've been thinking I would like to come up to outer
space to see you and sit on top of you.
World: Yes, you can come up here and sit.

Dear World, do you play games with other planets?
World: Sometimes I do, but mostly I watch you and the people.
Can you tell me about other cities and towns?
World: Yes, I will because I love to talk to you.

Dear World, sometime I would like to spend the night with you.
World: Not yet, because I'm always awake because I want to see everyone.
Do you have a boyfriend?
World: Yes, his name is Mars.
P.S. You are my best friend.

— Mariah, HMCRA

I asked the World,
Why haven't we learned to stop hurting each other?
And she said,
"Probably because you haven't really looked and felt."
I said,
"Lately I've been thinking what a wonderful day it would be
when peace and love prevail."
P.S. I send you love
— Panching, Diamond Senior Center

Tapping Into Our Senses

" Smells like Poetry"

—Arthur, Harvey Milk Student

See-Say

Little bite and fight to it
A demon in disguise
Puppy's belly, bear's fur
Look like a slug
Breath of fresh air
Smells like poetry. . . lemon!
— Group poem to a lemon

by Panching, Arthur, Melissa, Phaeton, Erna

A Fair

Like a mouse's skirt
Like a miniature giraffe
Scales on a goldfish
A fairy's comfy rocker
Hair on a fairy's wing.
— Group poem to tulip petals and stem

by Salene, Jack, Sean, Shan, Eddie and Bee

Our Five Senses

Muted jade pockmarked brown
Looks like a hula shirt
Sweeping like a maid
Christmas tree and presents
Needle ripping my skin.
— Group poem to pine needles on a branch
by Adrianna, Mariah, Gene, Greg and Gale

Smells fresh
like a spring morning,
Feels smooth and caressing,
Looks like a fairy boat.
Stem with a mushroom
on the end.
Fades from a luscious pink
to a milky ivory.
— Bee, Diamond Senior Center

Poems To A Pine Branch

Smells like peppermint
Feels like someone tickling me on my feet
Sharp as a porcupine's skin
Looks like a maid sweeping dust.
Reminds me of Samuel P. Taylor camp
It surrounds me by Mother Nature.

— Greg, HMCRA

Wintergreen morning on 18 mile creek
Silk broom needles
Muted jade pockmarked brown
Spiral sensations flowing evolution.
— Gene, Diamond Senior Center

Poems to a Tulip

Soft as cotton
a bug's boat
fall
when petals
falling,
a butterfly's wing.

— Selene, HMCRA

A memory of springtime in a beautiful garden
Cool and soft as velvet, youthful baby skin.
Color of a girl's party dress
Ear on a teddy bear.

— Jack, Diamond Senior Center