Odes

 We have so much to celebrate, don't we?  Is there a better way to celebrate or praise those we love or admire than in an ode?  As you read our odes, look for the literary devices we used.  Enjoy!

Extended Metaphors

 We read and analyzed the poem "Identity" by Pablo Noboa Polanco.  We love Polanco's use of extended metaphor and imagery in describing how his identity of being strong, free, and hopeful was forged from his own struggles in life.   Here are our own poems using extended metaphor.  Please enjoy!

We Real Cool

 In 1959, Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize, wrote the poem "We Real Cool."  In a few lines that push the traditional concept of structure to its edge, Brooks urges all of us to think about our lives, our circumstances, our choices, and the consequences of our choices.  Using her poem as a frame, we've created our own poems about our own lives, our own circumstances, and our own choices.  

"Harlem" Emulation Poem

 Everyone has a dream for their future.  Langston Hughes wrote a poem entitled "Harlem" to encourage the African Americans who migrated there to not give up on their dreams.  Here are our attempts at emulating his poem for our own.