KINDNESS

TASTES LIKE

POTATO CHIPS

IN THE MIDDLE

OF MY PASTRAMI

SANDWICH

Sanislo elementary 3rd

grade poets

March 30, 2012

KINDESS TASTES LIKE POTATO CHIPS

IN THE MIDDLE OF MY PASTRAMI SANDWICH

Since I am a fan of pastrami and potato chips, I know this is

true—but mostly because of the swiftness and brilliance I’ve

seen, while working with Sanislo third-grade poets.

I am honored to have spent ten weeks with these students, explor-

ing a theme which has much relevance in our fast-paced and often

rough-tumbled word—kindness.

We began with List Poems, on the topic of how to grow a friend-

ship, inspired by Sark’s poem “Being a Wonder Full Friend.”

Wonder Full—full of wonder—the way we are naturally, and the

generosity that comes with this.

We experimented with imagery, such as “Sea otter, you swim as

smooth as wood polished three times a day.”

We experimented with repetition, such as “You can count on me/

to make you pancakes when you are sick./You can count on me /

to dance with you when you don’t have a partner./You can count

on me /to shovel your driveway, when your back hurts.”

We experimented with specificity in order to bring the reader into

our world, such as “I think I could act like Tom Brady, and throw

a Hail Mary pass (a long forward pass, in football) to Wes Welker

and make sure it’s a touchdown, if you were there.”

We experimented with hyperbole, such as “I will bring an Ara-

bian foul to class to do the splits and the tango, with a rose.”

Thank you Ms. Parkhurst and Ms. O’Connor for your guidance

and support, and your wonderful poets! -Ann Teplick,

WITS Writer in Residence, January 6-March 30, 2012

©2012

Sanislo School Press

Ms. O’cOnnOr’s class

Eyes as yellow

as a sunflower

Ms. Parkhurst’s class

Kindness,

like a flamingo

Dancer IN

a sparkling river