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The Elephant’s Yell WRITING BY THE KIDS FROM REC. CENTER 59
NY Writers Coalition Press City of New York / Parks & Recreation Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor Adrian Benepe, Commissioner
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Copryright © 2002 NY Writers Coalition Inc. Upon publication, copyright to individual works returns to the authors. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Editor: Julia Schaffer Layout: Aaron Zimmerman The Elephant’s Yell contains writing by the members of a creative writing workshop for 6-13 year olds conducted by NY Writers Coalition Inc. at the NYC Parks Department’s 59th Street Recreation Center. NY Writers Coalition Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that provides free and low-cost creative writing workshops throughout New York City for people from groups that have been historically deprived of voice in our society. For more information about NY Writers Coalition Inc.: NY Writers Coalition Inc. 78 Eighth Avenue, #2E Brooklyn, NY 11215 (718) 783-8088 info@nywriterscoalition.org www.nywriterscoalition.org
The Parks Department cares for the City's more than 28,600 acres of green space and provides recreational programming in parks and through 36 recreation centers. Parks Afterschool, a free program for children ages 6 to 13, is housed in these centers. Afterschool is offered Monday through Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., September through June. For more information on Parks Afterschool, please call (212) 360-3300. For general Parks information: www.nyc.gov/parks (800) 201-PARK.
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Introduction Suggested titles for this book included Words from the Peanut Gallery; Words, Silly Words; Poems with Foam; Comb My Poems; and Grown-ups Laugh at Kids’ Poems. You can hear the sense of humor and insight in these titles and in all the works in this book. They come fresh from the heads of 17 talented kids who recently devoted 10 Tuesday afternoons to expressing themselves on paper and playing games with words. A bit of background: this project was made possible by the Parks Department’s free afterschool program, which offers athletic, arts, and academic instruction to children when their school day ends. The workshop I led employed the method of NY Writers Coalition Inc., which offers free creative writing workshops to writers whose voices aren’t often heard in our society (thus, “Words from the Peanut Gallery” and “Grown-ups Laugh at Kids’ Poems”). The partnership between organizations yielded something to be proud of--proof of how creative New York City children can be. Many thanks to the following individuals who made our efforts--and their beautifully published culmination--possible: Adrian Benepe, Emily Brennan, Chris Carapolo, Chris Clouden, Shaina Feinberg, Arnyce Foster, Kevin Jeffrey, Ruth Mendin, Divina Moore, Sherrie Plowden, Aaron 5
Zimmerman, and all the staff at Recreation Center 59. To the writers: Thank you for writing poems so excellent that I read them five times in a row. I admire how you mix the serious with the silly, the “elephant’s yell” with the “foamy poem”. I hope you bring that special blend to all your future endeavors and especially to your writing. Thanks for a great time! Julia Schaffer December 2002
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ONE WISH Brienne Colston, age 9; Shataya Imani Conley, age 6; Shondrea Giles, age 10; Frazier Max Penraat, age 10; Sam Penraat, age 9 I wish I had 500 zebras that were white and black and lived on New York Avenue in Washington D.C. I wish I had money green. I’d call it Ric Street 44,000. I wish I could go to Disney Street in Florida with a 2 year old white dog named Spikey. I wish I had a dolphin and her name would be Chennille Street. She would be light blue and 50 pounds. I wish I was a monkey on Cranberry Street with a life supply of candy and I was white brown with a cell phone in my pocket.
HAVE YOU EVER LOOKED IN THE MIRROR AND FELT SOMEONE PLAYING WITH YOUR HAIR? Johanna Ajon, age 11 Have you ever looked in the mirror and felt someone playing with your hair? The lights go off in the elevator Half steps Halloween night at my house… All the lights are off and the t.v. doesn’t work Something pulling your hair from your arm
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THIS FELLOW... Johanna Ajon This fellow Is going to swallow The hollow It is yellow And was never ever swallowed
IF I COULD… Patrice Anderson, age 10 If I could have power I would change people’s faces. I would change Limited 2’s spot and put it by my house. I will even put crazy brains in their head and they will give me money. They will even give me clothes and other things.
TREY Trey Bradley III, age 8 Terrific Runner Extreme Yo, I’m Trey, I’m good at football 8
MAGIC POWERS Brienne Colston, age 9 If I could have any kind of super Power I would want to have magic powers. I would be able to see in the dark and I would be able to see things 15 miles away! I would be able to stop fights and wars before they even started! I would Be so brave and strong that I could lift a 200,000 pound truck and eat a turkey sandwich at the same time. I’d be rich and the most powerful of all. People would bow down to me when they see me in the street. Owners of the most beautiful lands would keep asking me if I would buy their lands for $10 but I’d say no to all of them because I’m the best and nobody is going to change that.
I NEVER EVER CATCH A SCRATCH… Brienne Colston I never ever catch a scratch in a hot blot. I must clutch my English and Dutch. But I’m serious and delirious. Hummer Bummer I wish it was summer so I coop my loop and droop. I want some soup. 9
RECIPES Brienne Colston 2 pounds of fresh lungs 2 bites of human veins (with gravy) 8 pounds of dirty nails 10 jugs of human hair 5 ounces of blood 2,000 chunks of cow manure 2 pounds of dirt 540 bites of the brain 4 bites of snake skins 10,000,000 meals of fresh fried real bones A pinch of greenish molded cheese (cheddar) A lot of baked mud A whole lot of boiled kidneys That will make a good vampire casserole.
GOOD STUFF Brienne Colston 2 pounds of chocolate 10 squeezes of whipped cream 5 bags of cherries some root beer 100,000 bags of milk chocolate ice cream--vanilla Doritos on the top with little diamonds on the edges
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SMELLING Brienne Colston If I could smell emotions I would smell beauty Beauty tastes like chocolate Beauty feels like soft leather Beauty looks like money Beauty likes the Beast Beauty hates chicken Beauty loves herself Beauty is happy she’s alive
IF YOU KEEP YOUR DOOR OPEN AND A MONSTER COMES IN YOUR ROOM, WHAT WILL YOU DO? Shataya Imani Conley, age 6 If you keep your door open and a monster comes in your room, what will you do? Don’t scream Don’t yell Don’t touch Don’t look Call help Call your Mom or Dad To help
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IF I COULD SAVE PEOPLE FROM FIRES‌ Shataya Imani Conley If I could save people from fires I would fly in the city I would save them from fire I would try to get over the fire the fire looks like water it looks like grass it sounds like waves it feels hot I call all the fire people they will stop the fire and the people will be saved
I SWALLOW A‌ Shataya Imani Conley I swallow a yellow lemon A yellow sun I swallow a yellow lemon I wish I can swallow Ms. Sherrie
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MAD IS STINKING… Shataya Imani Conley Mad is stinking Tastes like rotten eggs Mad looks like brown and blue candy with worms Mad feels gooey Mad sounds like scary laughter
SHATAYA Shataya Imani Conley Crayola marker red Nonsmoking Boy Happy Girl Children at play Stop/Yield Welcome! Shataya
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SUPERPOWERS THAT I WOULD LIKE Hasan Dixon, age 10 If I could I would have the Power to stop time. I would be able To go home, play video games, eat A pizza and run back to school Without my teacher even knowing. I Would be able to do whatever I want whenever I want.
HASAN DIXON Hasan Dixon Happy Authentic Supreme Artistic Never Dainty Intelligent X-ray Over Nerve
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BLUE MATTERS… Hasan Dixon Blue matters Blue skies matter White fluffy clouds shaped like elephants matter Max crying when he falls on the floor matters Sammy crying when Max shoves him out of his room and closes the door matters Me crying when my mom won’t get me skittles I want skittles! I want skittles! I want skittles! Me screaming at my mom My mom getting in trouble with her boss matters These beyblades matter I like the red one The red one’s pretty big It lights up red when you spin it Green launchers matter Yellow rippers matter Pictures matter Red paint doesn’t matter that much to me Blue paint really matters to me Lights flickering off and on and children in my class screaming at the lights Like when we’re on the train My cousin Brienne matters My mom’s polka dotted stockings My little pink pom pom socks Me falling off the bed while I’m sleeping Me getting cake splatters in my face on my 4th birthday 15
That’s it. That’s all I want to say.
RECIPE FOR A NASTY NIGHTMARE Shireen Dunkley, age 13; Shaquanna Gomes, age 12; Shaquasia Myrie, age 8 First you mix your Freddy Krueger with boogers Then add a person with their eyes popping out Mix together with some blood Preheat the oven to 1,500 degrees Then add into the mixture some nothing, some smelly rotten cheese with spit Throw in a vampire and some pimples with a side order of Jason When you’re finished you’ll hear a big boom that scares you That tells you the first half is done Have a cup everyday before bed Smear it on your face and then a ghost will come and eat it And it will probably eat you up too!
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THE WONDERS OF KIKI MOJO Kiara Monet Giles, age 12 If I could I would have the super powers of seeing through anything all the way to the blackhole and Pluto. My name is Kiara Giles but I am known as Kiki Mojo!!
SOMETIMES‌ Kiara Monet Giles Sometimes It is so hot that I think I am a blot Sometimes I think I am a liquid which you Could put in a bottle and then Just throttle Then sometimes I think I am a cat which can scratch and Catch a mouse. Sometimes I wish I am in School and I get the hiccups And I have to get picked up Then sometimes when I am lazy I droop and snoop around 17
the house.
THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER!! Kiara Monet Giles What matters is family because they love you. What matters friends always make love. What matters kindness that makes your life brighter. What matters you getting your education to be the next president. What matters your attitude it shows your true colors. What matters which is you because you can truly make the world a better place!!!
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JEALOUSY Shondrea Giles, age 10 Jealousy tastes like sour jello Jealousy smells like milk that has been in your house for 10 years Jealousy looks like a dead rat Jealousy feels like you are in a worm Jealousy sounds like a bee buzzing in your ear
THE SPOT Shondrea Giles I.
I want to go to the spot but I had on top then I saw the cops then I dropped my phone
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I had a summer It was a real bummer 19
I called all the kids Hummers III.
I had a dog named snoop He loves soup I would call him a coop And when he finished his soup I would have to scoop up his book
UNFAT DISAPPEARING GAS WOMAN Shondrea Giles If I could I would have super powers. I like to make people disappear and eat people and not get fat. I can pass gas and have it not smell bad but blow people away.
WHAT MATTERS Shondrea Giles A twin tower filled with rectangular green money matters 20
School matters with teachers filled with smart people Candy matters, smells sweet, sour candy all kinds of shapes
HALLOWEEN CAKE Johanna Ajon, age 10; Shaquanna Gomes, age 12; Jessica Maldonado, age 12; Indya Sayles, age 12 2 cups cottage cheese with spit 2 ½ cup mutated cow heart Add a 36 page essay (homework) Add 13 ghosts 2 ½ cups of the snipers 2 sessions of school 5 green yip tims Add 6 Halloween nights 13,000 possessed dolls Bloody Mary Watch Chucky 3 times 6 bloody footprints 1 big dose of the devil Mix it all up. Put in the oven for 15 years. And you get Halloween Cake.
SUPER POEM
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Shaquanna Gomes, age 12 If I had a super power I would be able to change The weather so I wear what I want when I want To. I can make it hot or windy or snowy or Rainy or foggy I can Do anything.
SHAQUANNA GOMES Shaquanna Gomes Sweet Happy Angel Quail Unique Awesome Neat Nice Actor Great Outrageous Me Exciting Super
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IF I HAD POWER… Christopher Gresham, age 8 If I had power, I’d scare some people and act like I am going to kill them.
CHRISTOPHER GRESHAM Christopher Gresham Cat Hat Rat Ice Sly Tie October Got Hot Eat Ran Good Rod Ere S Ham Away Ma
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EVER NEVER SCOOP… Christopher Gresham Ever never scoop I am going to scoop you It is hot I see a box
INGREDIENTS FOR A NIGHTMARE Patrice Anderson, age 9; Ameisha Ferrer, age 9; Shaquasia Myrie, age 8 Spirits running around you through your house even when you’re taking a bath The door shutting and you don’t know who it was A robber coming inside your house and taking all your food A bird with a pimple on it and its eyes popping out A vampire face with worms sticking out Floor squeaking Windows opening and shutting A soda can with a tongue made out of pimples Your refrigerator talking A mouse coming out and scratching you A rat that talks A rat made out of boogers with a cherry on top A rat made out of spit covered with pimples and whipped cream A leaf that’s alive 24
Feet that talk Toe jam talking to you Trees talking to you Bicycle air talking to you Airplane talking Money made out of spit
FRAZIER MAX PENRAAT Frazier Max Penraat, age 10 Football Runner Amazing Zombie Intelligent Exciting Rice Pudding Mathematical Automatic X-ray Pets Energy Nice Reptile Athlete Awesome 25
Tapioca Pudding
CANDY Frazier Max Penraat Candy tastes sweet and sour It feels hard or soft Some smells sour or sweet It looks like many colors and shapes When I open it I hear a sound Like it is saying eat me in a soft whisper.
WHAT MATTERS TO ME Frazier Max Penraat What matters is food there are many kinds of food. They come in lots of sizes and shapes. It can smell good or bad I like meat byproducts they are usually red and they 26
smell weird. What matters Is family. There are many types of families. But family is supposed to Care for you. Water is So we don’t get dehydrated. Toilets are good so We don’t stink up the world.
BLA LA BLA LA Frazier Max Penraat Bla bla dreary bla bla Summer bla bla bottle bla Bla hummer bla bla clever Bla bla bummer Bla bla sworn Bla bla loop bla bla hatch Bla bla morning bla bla Bla! La la swallow la la Fellow la la snoop La la corn la la Born la la Box Lala Dutch lala Ever la la blot La la droop La la la!
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HOW TO MAKE A NIGHTMARE Hasan Dixon, age 10; Frazier Max Penraat, age 10, Sam Penraat, age 9 20 gallon pot. Sliced up vampire. 8 cobwebs. 3 gallons of old crusty dog poop. 3 cups of moose piss. 15 cups of pig blood. 3 bloody heads. 20 eyeballs. Bloody hair. 1 gallon of vinegar. 2 cups of mummy wrapping. 5 dead dancing monkeys. 10 feet and only one head. 3 skeletons. 2 pieces of dino doo doo. Moldy veggies. 3 monkey butts. Chocolate covered vanilla frosting rainbow sprinkled monkey heads with a pinch of salt. Put the stove to 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Leave it for 3 hours. Take out for ten minutes to let it cool. Put in old soggy gym socks and sweaty armpit hair. Put the bathtub full of water and put all the ingredients in and leave it for two days and lock the door. Empty the tub and sleep in it and you will have a nightmare.
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BOB THE SNAKE SUPERHERO MAN, SNAKE TYPE THING Sam Penraat, age 9 I want to be a snake that flies and has sharp teeth with a big earring on my ear If I could I’d have meat vision and heat vision super speed the best strength do not get hurt and change soda into moose piss
INDYA SAYLES Indya Sayles, age 12 Ice cream 29
Nice Dr. Hassan Yankee Stadium Angel Sweet Action Yahoo.com Lovely Exciting Super
MATTERS Brienne Colston, age 9; Hasan Dixon, age 10 Matter matter matters The clothes on my skin The nails on my fingers The beyblades in my bag The size of my underwear My red beating heart matters—it helps me live My house matters Chicken matters Beef matters Pizza matters Lamb and cotton matter Presidents matter Homeless people matter Lawyers Judges matter My mom matters My dad matters 30
My dad doesn’t really matter I matter
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