Venetia Valley School

From Mr. McEowen's 6th grade students at Venetia Valley School in San Rafael, California. The students wrote their poems with California Poets in the Schools poet-teacher Lea Aschkenas.

Dear President Obama

We don’t want more war, but more peace.
Let the grass grow, not burn.
Let the people live, not die.
Let the soldiers come home to their families.
It’s us that make the change,
so why don’t we change things?
When someone shoots a gun,
someone dies, but when we don’t start war,
thousands live.

—Jesus

Freedom Star

Freedom Freedom
Freedom Star,
How we wonder where you are.
Even though we have Obama as president,
we know he isn’t permanent.
He may have voted against
the war,
but peace and harmony are very
far.
Even though there is violence,
some of us stay in silence.
Getting rid of poverty
is one step closer to harmony.
Why do we have a bad environment?
Why don’t we stop being silent?
Freedom Freedom
Freedom Star,
Show us how
powerful
your instincts are!

—Adil

You Won!

“You won!”
we all said,
people crying.
A long journey for you and me
too.
I was at school when it happened.
You won!

—Stacia


Obama Help!!

What do we call
that fabric
with those colors
Red, Blue, White?
with those stars
shining so bright? Nothing left
to say but the issues,
so there goes poverty
and the economy,
but what about discrimination
and something called immigration?
How about helping education?
And violence, the environment.
It’s hard
to say what’s
happening
TODAY.
I know we’re the future,
but can’t we
have a little help?
It’s time for
change. Can’t you hear
the clock?

—Ane

Mr. President

Don’t start wars.
Finish them with agreements.

Help the people in poverty.
Don’t let them suffer.
Give them jobs and they’ll
give you back the favor.

Mother Earth
needs our help
with more earth friendly cars
we’ll have a
better conscience,
recycle more,
make it easier!
Little by little…
may turn out to
be more than enough.

You can blame us,
but please
help us.

—Cristina