The Pool Is the Capital of My Summer: Odes to Place

Happy Poetry Friday and welcome back to Northfield Elementary School. Today, the third grade poets are working on odes.I've been doing an elementary school workshop on odes for many years. Usually, my model poem is "Ode to Pablo's Tennis Shoes," by Gary Soto. When it's time to write, I have the kids take off a shoe, put it on their desks, and really examine it.You'll find my article about that lesson on my *Padlet page. Look for "Article: Kids Write Odes to Their Shoes."This year, I wanted to try something different and get kids writing odes to a favorite place. The model poem for this workshop is "Harlem Is the Capital of My World," from Tony Medina's wonderful picture book/verse biography of Langston Hughes, LOVE TO LANGSTON. It is spoken in the voice of Langston Hughes.Harlem Is the Capital of My Worldby Tony MedinaHarlem is the capital of my worldblack and beautiful and bruisedlike meHarlem has soul -- it's where black peoplecare about black people and everybody'schild belongs to the communityWhere we be stylin' and profilin'with concrete streets stretched outunder our feet and boulevards broadand spread like a red carpet for royaltyThe King of SwingThe Duke of EllingtonThe Empress of the BluesHarlem is a bouquet of black rosesall packed together and protectedby blackness and prideHarlem is where I residewhere I work and stridemy dark communityfrom the East River toSt. Nicholas Avenue withnightclubs and cabaretsspilling over with jazzand bluesy urban spirituals(it's not miracle we survive!)Why I fell in love with Harlembefore I ever got here!Yeah, Harlem is where I be --where I could beMeHarlem is the capital of my worldFrom Love to Langston, by Tony Medina, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (Lee & Low Books, 2002). Shared with permission of the author.The third graders and I talked about three important elements in an ode:*Imagery of the five senses.*Similes (these can be developed from the sensory images).*Hyperbole (similes can be used to create hyperbole).The students are familiar with imagery and similes, but hyperbole was a new concept. They picked it up quickly. In each class, someone noticed the phrase "like a red carpet for royalty" in Tony's poem. It's a simile -- there's not literally a red carpet running down the street in New York City. But it's also a hyperbole, an exaggeration to make the point that Langston Hughes believed the people of Harlem were as important as kings and queens.I loved the way that the Northfield poets incorporated some of Tony's poetic structure into their own odes.Poet: DesmondThe Pool Is the Capital of My SummerThe pool is the capital of my summer,blue and wet like water.The pool smells like weird chlorine in the water.The kids playing like crazy fish.The pool has toys and water slides,tasty sandwiches after and bumpy water.The pool is splashing.The kids are playing.The whistle is blowing.The pool is where I want to beall summer long.***Poet: DelaneyBroadkill Beach Is the Capital of My SummerBroadkill Beach is the capitalof my summer.In Broadkill all Ican smell is the amazingsalty ocean water.The smell is as niceas the smell of chocolate.In Broadkill all I feelis the nice warm towel Iam laying on and whenI go swimming I feelthe nice cool water engulfing me.In Broadkill all I cansee is the amazing oceanview. The view is as beautifulas a shiny diamond.In Broadkill all I can tasteis the sweet juicy taste ofplums.In Broadkill all I can hearis the soft ocean breezeof the beach.Broadkill Beach is the capitalof my summer.***Poet: ElisaWater Country Is the Capital of My VacationWater Country is the capital of my vacation,fun and amazing like the  mystical world.Water Country is like a rainstorm in a tunnel.The splish and splash of waterdripping down the edge of the waterslideand hitting the ground.The sun is as hot as the oven.Water Country was a forest of waterslidesand a field of yummy ice cream stands.Water Country has trees that smell like honey.Water Country is a relaxing, sunny funand yummy WONDERLAND.***Poet: SuswaraThe Forest Is the Capital of My LifeThe forest is life.Many animals, bushes, bark, and treesbelong to the forest.It is their home, where their vinesmake a beautiful sight.The dirt beneath the animals’ feetlike smooth dog fur.The vine of greenness.The specks of rain.The flower of happiness.The forest is like a bunch of natural lifetucked in together.The forest is where I love to be.It is beside me and behind me.The forest became my favorite placewhen I first took a look at it.The forest isn’t where I get to go every day.I only go sometimes.But still,the forest is where I love to be.***Poet: TessaDance Is the Soul to My Life!Dance is the soul to my life,elaborate, bright, and invitinglike me.Dance has a soul.It’s where people feel the musicand create. Everyonehas a beat.Where we are movin’ and groovin’we skip and jump to the beatwith lava on our feet.The Teacher of Jazz.The Ruler of Chackety.The Queen of the Studio.Dance is a painting of colorful picturesall put together and unitedto make a gallery.Dance is where I express,where I show my expressionswith a world of colorsso bright it sticks with youall day and all night.From here to there to everywhere--ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and modern—everywhere over the world.When dance came to meI finally felt alive.Dance came to me,it’s where I get to beme.Dance is the soul of my life.***Thanks to the Northfield educators and families for allowing me to share the third graders' wonderful poems.Posts in the “Poems from the Northfield Third Grade” 2018 series:Poetry Friday List Poem LessonA Garden of Words: 3rd Grade List PoemsThe Pool Is the Capital of My Summer: Odes to PlaceThird Grade Odes from Northfield E.S.Fractured Fairy Tale PoemsPoetry Friday: Once Upon a TimeA Gallery of Poems