Persona, 6th grade

We read "Jorge the Church Janitor Finally Quits" by Martin Espada, and discussed how Espada spoke in the persona of a janitor who has been dehumanized by his work, and has privately made the decision to quit his job. This poem is written in an accessible voice, but is deceptively simple: it is riddled with sophisticated metaphors and poetic language, which the students had no trouble digging out. We then tried our hand at writing persona poems, focusing on adults with jobs.

Mrs. Hernandez, Rm. 109, 6th grade

Mr. Henry
Vanessa A.

No one ever
talks to me,
ever since I
got a new partner.
I must be invisible
like the cold white walls.
No one knows my name
like they've forgotten all
of a sudden.
My friends are
no longer my friends.
I sometimes wonder
why I chose them.
Could this have been
my passion?
Was this my first choice?


Doctor Josue
Adalberto S.

Every day
saying, "Help me."
Studying, never
finishing school.
Disease spreads
more faster
than you finsih
discovering the
cure.
Being the worst
student in class
not smart, not
cool, just me.


My Day
Daisy A.

I was a substitute and now
I'm a teacher.
It's my first day, I carry books,
eat breakfast, and study my
lesson plans.
Many unknown children enter
screaming and shouting like
a zoo where animals are not
controlled.
I say Stop and Stop and they stop.
I was five when my teacher was my
boss, now I'm 30 and I'm the
boss.

Persona, 7th grade

Here are the 7th-graders' responses to "Jorge the Church Janitor Finally Quits" by Martin Espada. I was most impressed by the insight and compassion that they felt, and the humor that many of them employed to portray their various...employees. Andy's poem in particular blew my mind...take a look! So internal, so cerebral! They were amazing, and they had a good time with this one.


Mrs Jamen, Rm. 207, 7th grade

the day
he lost
it
Andy M.

Who is he?
Who am I?
Who are we?
All who say
he I we
will wish they
don’t. I lost it
I lost it. My
boss comes
in Get to work
he, I, we, which one
I ask What
do you mean?
I am 3 people
or more I say
I am he I am
I and we are
we. Well that
makes sense he
says nothing makes
sense anymore


Miguel the Street Cleaner
Charles H.

No one knows
the importance
of my job,
I am the best
street cleaner.
I clean the
streets with the greatest of
ease.
Except when your
car is parked on the street.
Some days I just want
to run over those cars
like a monster truck.
Can’t they read the
sign.
Without me the
streets would be
dirty.
Maybe I should
quit and the
streets will clean
themselves and I
will become a monster truck driver.


Roberto the Paletero
Pamela H.

Another day out of church,
waiting for people to come out.
I have all kinds of flavors:
strawberry, lemon,
mango, coconut, yum!
Oh, finally, the people come out!
My first day on the job.
What fun!
Oh, man, what happened, the police
is here.
They come on their bikes towards me.
“Sir, do you have your license?”
“Umm, no sir, I don’t.”
“I’m afraid I have to give you a
ticket for $50.”
Man, they must think I’m some
poor Mexican.
Like a man on the street.


Vet Put to Sleep
Myriam L.

Day after day
people bring in
their big,
small,
noisy,
quiet,
fat,
skinny,
hairy,
bald
animals,
and every day I
whine,
groan,
sneeze,
cough,
cry,
talk, and…
check animals.
And one day…
I got tired of
big,
small,
noisy,
quiet,
fat,
skinny,
hairy,
bald
animals.
So…
one day,
I put my job to sleep.


Mr. Czoski, Rm. 209, 7th grade


They ask me, what
I did wrong.
I write their name.
Alejandra R.

They ask me, but I
don’t respond.
They should know.
They think I’m the master
but they should go with the law.
My name may be wrong
but I will respond
I will stop you
for a crime
for a death
or whatever is against the law.
My life and my family miss
me but I have to go
against the violence
and crime to save them
and you. It’s my first day.
Let’s get
started
now!


Garbage Man
Jacob L.

No one
knows my
name.
I am from
a foreign
land.
I do
what
no one
does:
I collect
your garbage,
give it to
the land
fill.
No one
says
thank you
so,
you’re
welcome.


Burger King
Michelle A.

How I feel!
Wow, cleaning tables,
taking out trash,
taking your order.
Oh, my God, lady, cheeseburger
without cheese? Lady, you crazy.
Wow, Burger King, let’s quit.


Mrs. Harris, Rm. 210, 7th grade

Unknown Name of Nothingness
Dalia C.

No one knows
my name.
They call me Ms. Applebottom.
It’s like if my name has
no meaning.
For one, I am married,
which changes my name to “Mrs.”
I have nothing to do with
apples or bottoms.
Once I enter the teachers’
lounge, I am
in peace,
not minding what the
principal is gossiping about.
Lunch is over and
my room is filled with mad dogs
and lions that are still waiting
for meat to chew upon.
There is an apple on
my paper-filled desk.
Red and shiny.
That is, Ms. Applebottom’s apple.


Colin the Stockboy
?

Nobody cares.
I am just a
stockboy at Target.
I am not even a
boy, I am 32 years old.
I am just the lonely
stockboy who never gets
asked questions.
I miss my country of Canada
and the hockey.
I think there is a hockey
game from my childhood
in each box.
My boss just yells
about the boxes being on
the wrong shelf.
I don’t even think
they know my name.
But who cares,
I know I am smart
but I just don’t apply
myself. I work so hard as a stockboy.
My life is getting
worse because now
I am fired.


Untitled
Christy Z.

Everybody screams it.
You’ll choke on it.
I press the button and I’m done.
Daddy just bought me a brand new
Benz.
I hate you first.
You’ll see me through the magnetized
lens.
You’ll only see what she said.
Don’t bother word on the block matters
most.
The boy I want won’t climb the higher
branches; he’s scared of falling.
The pictures you see were taken by
black and white mouth.
My film ran out.


Mrs. Bourret, Rm. 208, 7th grade

Not Because of the Color of My Skin
Anissa V.

Should I catch it,
or should I not.
I'm black--
that's the color of my skin--
I'm Latino--
that's who I am.
They expect me to.
Why, I ask?
Oh, because I'm black and supposedly
powerful.
I know I can.
I'll catch it because that's how
good I am,
not because of the color of
my skin.
Out!


Marilyn the Mom with Many Careers
Melissa C.

No one asks me if I'm doing good.
They ask for favors I should do.
No "I love you," just "Mom I
need your help."
I'm a banker who gives out
free money almost each day.
I'm a doctor who doesn't even
have a diagnosis.
I want to fix this mess!
I'm a taxi driver always
going here and there.
The house's darkness is
taking over my body taking
me away to the underworld.

"I Remember", collaboration, 6th grade

I've been wanting to have the kids work collaboratively for a while, but after working individually for so long, I wasn't sure how they would respond. They rose to the challenge admirably. I gave them a time limit and their "I Remember" litanies from before, and they turned out beautiful work.


Mrs. Hernandez, Rm. 109, 6th grade

Our Rememberings
Daisy, Vanessa, Alex, Joey

I remember when the snow
came and it was so icy
cold.
I remember when I started
school.
I remember that I got in
a fight in school.
I remember when I got in
trouble.
I remember my best test
grade.
I remember when I got
out of school.
I remember when I fell
and broke my tooth.
I remember when the waves
were so strong and scary.
I just Remember.


I Remember
Miguel G., Chris R., Miguel A., Cesar L.

I remember my friend when I was one year old.

I remember a dancing monkey in my car.

I remember the drunken fans.

I remember when I was short.

I remember eating 14 sugar cookies in a row.

I remember my weird teacher.

I remember the train ride.

I remember when my parents would
argue while I played with my car.

I remember falling off a horse.


Remembering
Christian H., Miguel C., Andres F.

I remember running around naked
when I was a baby.

I remember getting punished for
running naked.

I remember changing the dirty
diaper.

I remember eating Gerber.

I remember crying, screaming, yelling,
and kicking.

I remember getting ready for my first
day of school.

I remember pulling hair.

I remember when I met Mickey Mouse.

I remember my first detention.

I remember the first few friends
I made.

I remember the first time I burped.

I remember the first time I was scared.

I remember we finished our poem.


I Remember
Paola, Monse, Jailene, Jocelyn, Lizzet

I remember when
my mind was
sent free
creativity flowing
around my find
listening to me
not to someone else
creating something
new no one else could
think of
finding me
self surrounded
by ideas
looking at
them thinking
them twice
I remember
my mind never
getting locked

I remember

I remember when
my mind was sent
free
I remember a hand
popping out of a bird
I remember looking
at a lonely girl
sitting by herself
I remember my
soul being taken
away
I remember my
dreams falling down
I remember my
dreams coming back