John Muir Middle School—Ms. Morris, 2/3 period

These poems are from Kellie Morris' 2/3 period 6th grade students at John Muir Middle School in San Leandro, California. The students wrote their poems with California Poets in the Schools poet-teacher Kristin Palm.

Advice to Our President

Don’t start wars.
Are you going to make
this world a
better place?
We’re glad that
you became president.
Bring the people
in Iraq home, where
they belong.
How does it feel
to be a president?
Make the world a
better one.
Are you going to lie
like our last president?
Stay strong and don’t
be like those
wimps that try to
make everything
right!

—Sandra Sefic

My Advice to Obama

Be careful.
Stop war.
People cry when their son dies.
We voted for you
to make a change.
We trust you.
Make our
future happy.
Are you going to let
people that don’t have papers
live here?
Are you going to change what we ask?
I am interested in you telling me
how you are going to make
that change.

—Katherine Martinez

Letter to President Obama

Always give people jobs
if they don’t have one.
Never give up on what
you’re doing.
Help stop the wars.
Give money to people
who are poor.
Make fast food places use
fresh stuff.
What are you going to name
your puppy?
Has your life changed being president?
Help us and make this world
go round.

—Heidi Macias

My Advice to Our Next President

Remember to stay away from people
who are dangerous.

Be careful in the streets.

Please lower gas prices.

Help us stop polluting our
oceans.

Take care of our sick animals.

What is one thing you can
change?

How do you feel being our
new president?

How do your girls feel being
the daughters of the president?

Oh, and I LOVE the color purple.

—Bianca Lopez

Our President . . . Obama

Obama, change the world!
Work on lowering the bills.
Obama, try to stop wars and
racism and gang violence.
If you change that you’ll make
the world safer than it is now!
Obama, Obama we believe in you.
Follow the people’s hopes and dreams
and change the world for once!
Obama, may I know, how are
you going to change the world?
You have got to make the
world a safer place to be in!
Obama, change the world
and make it safe!

—Diana Arciniega

Advice to President Obama

Make a new, huge skatepark.
If you had a monkey, what
would you name it?
Let kids paint the White House!
Make school days shorter.
Allow skateboarding in school.
Remember, most kids hate school!
Make time for more breaks.
Have fun being president!
Save trees, recycle homework.
Ignore all other advice besides mine!
I would like for you to do
a backflip off the White House!
Make me vice-president!

—Rodney Adamos

Advice for Obama

Help the homeless people.
Watch out for strangers.
Always share joy with other people.
Make the constitution better.
What do you want to do for
the country? Don’t forget
to help people. Help people
change laws that are unfair.
Make the gas prices lower.
But always give schools a higher
amount of money.
What does it feel like to
be president?
Make things 80 percent cheaper.

—Hilton Leung