“My worn out green sneakers, that’s where my sadness lies.” / ”I am an awful dentist, but a great cook.”

Jess Stoner has the best job in the world, she says, because she gets to work with the authors of these poems. The poems by kids series-within-a-series are by students in Title 1 schools in Austin, TX. You can read her introduction to her students’ poetry here: Make Me Real: Poetry by Kids. 

Of the poetry in this series, Stoner writes: “The poems you’re about to read are going to blow your mind.” We couldn’t agree more.

It Would Be Neat If With the New Year

It would be neat if with the New Year
I could leave my sadness behind with
the old year. My worn out green sneakers,
that’s where my sadness lies. I look forward
to getting new ones, but my sneakers mean
so much to me. I will take all the sadness
out and replace it with happiness. I will
start a brand new, happy year. I will
leave my sadness behind in the old year
and see how it feels to be happy.

—Eugene from Pioneer Crossing Elementary

♦◊♦

Great Future

In the future I want to be a vet.
The things holding me back are my grades.
They are bad grades, but if I’m honest, probably they will hire me.
When I get grouchy, I am frozen.
I am an awful dentist, but a great cook.
Funny to me, the reason I want to be a vet.
I love animals, and I want to help them feel loved and cared for.
I will give them a home where they can play with toys they like.

—Steve from Pickle Elementary

Read more poetry by kids in this series.

Read more poetry on The Good Life.

—Photo credit: Josephers/Flickr