These poems were written collaboratively by the participants of the Family Writing Workshop hosted by the FCO on March 19, 2010 as part of the March Break Family Event on campus. While the format is based on the poem, “The Job of an Apple” by Ronna Bloom, the themes were chosen spontaneously by the writers.
The Job of A Dad
The Job of a Dad is to protect children,
to be good, to be holding me.
The job of a Dad is to take photos of the family,
The job of a Dad is to encourage us to do stuff,
to earn money for their family. The job of a Dad
is to be around the kid when they need you the most.
The job of a Dad is to be strong, to be healthy, to eat
and to give us the right food.
The job of a Dad is to play with me.
The Job of A Kid
The Job of a kid is to study, is to work hard, is to listen to their parents.
The job of a kid is to play.
The job of a kid is to grow, to become a good human,
on the earth, to hope for their future,
and to imagine.
The job of a kid is to learn, to have fun
and to see a lot.
These poems were written during the same event by individual children:
Mint Chocolate Ice-cream
This is a story about a forest. It was the warmest forest in New Zealand and in the forest were many mint trees. One day a man went through the forest with his pet, a dog named Joey. As he was passing through the forest he smelled the mint and this and the heat made him remember his favourite mint chocolate ice-cream.
Written by Ina Arora — 9 years old
Blue Moon
I woke up in the morning. I heard my grandma moaning. It was familiar scene to me. My grandma is sick. I know that she’s suffering from pain, and I want to help her. But I can’t. I am in impoverishment.
I’m a 5th grade girl. And I’m living in a small town with my grandma.
My grandma told me that my mom and dad went to the city to earn money. They will come back one day. I don’t remember my parent’s face.
My grandma said I resembled my dad’s eyes, and my mom’s nose.I was lonely and I didn’t have any friends. But once I met the blue moon, now I’m not lonely. I’m a friend of blue moon. I’ve never talked to him in real life but I communicate with him with my heart. I don’t know why I like him.
This is the story about how I met him. I was crying beside a tree which was near the lake and I saw the blue moon reflecting on the lake. It was bright and shinny. The blue moon gave me energy and hope. Then, I suddenly became a friend of the blue moon.
Today, I had a dream. There was me and my grandma flying in the sky with the blue moon. The happiest thing is that my grandma was not sick in my dream. I was happy even if it was a dream.
I know this is a dream but I know it will happen as long as I have my friend, blue moon.
Written by Jane Kim — 10 years old