Similes & Comparisons

The Assignment: Students responded individually to a list inviting them to construct similes and other sorts of comparisons. Every student in class has contributed at least one line here. The results are some wonderful group poems on various topics (such as color, heat and fear). Note: Because these similes and comparisons were constructed in response to a list exercise, I’ve made a few adjustments to punctuation, and removed some of the repeating structures. In some places, line breaks were also added.

The pieces below represent work compiled from the three different classes.

Room 206

on THE MOTION OF AN AIRPLANE…

the airplane rose like a bee
or blue jay. The airplane rose
like a child in a swing. A wild chicken.
The airplane took off like a mighty eagle,
like water evaporating.



On LONELINESS

As lonely as a rose
in a garden of daisies.
As lonely as my dog,
a kid in a time out,
or the dark shadows themselves.

As lonely as a spider
or an old tree with no leaves.



on HEAT

hot as a summer day,
the flames in a campfire
hot as electricity
or a day at the beach.
hot as a flashlight,
a pig’s breath



on FEAR

Fear is like a dark dark room
or darkness itself.
Fear is like not having
a chocolate cookie with milk.



This Week’s Spotlight: Room 205

on WHITE


As white as the snowflakes falling from the sky,
white as a lily, as paper, a wedding dress, white
as a polar bear, mushroom or glacier.
White as the wall, a ship sailing.



on FEAR


Fear is like hot flames rising from the underground,
like a cat scared of a dog. Fear is like the airplane,
high above the ground. Your heart beating fast,
like it’s getting burned. Fear is like a ghost right behind me,
a chicken running without a head.
Fear is like a killer rabbit attacking.



on HEAT


hot as a sun, as the stove making pancakes
hot as fireworks, like a melting ice cream cone
as hot as boiling water, a light bulb, motor car.
hot as a kid with a fever, a desert.

hot as popcorn out of the microwave



on LONELINESS


As lonely as a school with no one in it,
an abandoned house, a stray dog.

As lonely as a dead bird
as lonely as a fly
as lonely as Britney Spears,
a ghost, an owl. A rock by itself
or an empty cell.
As lonely as the Ugly Duckling


on BEING EAGER OR IMPATIENT

as eager as an anteater
impatient as the sun is to rise
as eager as a dog to go outside
impatient as a little kid at a toy store


on FATIGUE (BEING TIRED!)

tired as buffalo, a fat man,
a grandma.

tired as a donkey.



on NERVOUSNESS


as nervous as a president
or a new kid,

as nervous as a new dater
like a patient at the hospital
nervous like a person getting a shot with a needle



on “LOUD”


as loud as thousands of radios
as loud as an elephant
or a baby


on JOY

Joy is like the holidays gathering.
like getting out from school…

like us about to open our Christmas presents!



on the MOTION OF AN AIRPLANE

the airplane rose like a whale jumping,
a hunting bird
a kite, slowly and then fast

the airplane rose like a cheetah catching its prey
like a falcon through wind.
the airplane rose like a witch, a rocking boat, a wave.


TOUCH


as rough as an alligator’s back
as rough as stepping on a seashell
rough as shark skin
rough as the Rocky Mountains
as smooth as a table



GREEN AS SHREK


As blue as the sea when it’s night

blue as sapphires
or Cookie Monster

green as broccoli
as green as a crayon


OTHER FAVORITES


as blue as the night sky
as rough as a bumpy road
as eager as a jumping monkey
as pretty as a watermelon
as smooth as a butter spread
nervous like a shy cat
as green as a venus fly trap

as rough as a tortoise’s back
as quick as a hamster running away
as green as a little leprechaun’s suit

as smooth as ice cream
as blue as the earth
as pretty as Christmas day

The apple is red as the inferno.
Cupcakes are like soft pillows rising in the sky.

Group Animal Poems

Working in small groups, students at Jane Addams Elementary studied various photos of animals from _National Geographic_ and then wrote collaborative animal poems. Here are just a few of the many wonderful poems that resulted from the exercise:

Room 205

Elephant in the Water
Group Poets: Jenevie A., Christian L., Vanessa R.

This elephant’s trunk is big and wrinkly.
Its skin is really bumpy.
The elephant moves around in the water.
It plays in the sand and gets down and dirty.
He likes to be on his knees. He also has long tusks.
Its eyes are as big as big eyeglasses.
Its whole body is wrinkly. His tail is puffy
like Eeyore’s, from Winne-the-Pooh.


The Tortoise
Group Poets: Glafira G., Jessica Z., Olivia M., Brenda V.

I found a tortoise outside
it had a hard shell
dry skin and
its eyes opened wide.

He was just sitting there
doing nothing
just sleeping and eating
but I really didn’t care.

Night came and it was still there
I just wanted it to leave
but he was too fat to walk
so I had to push him outside

I finally pushed it out almost
it was hard work
but it was worth a try
to get that tortoise out of my life.


Untitled
Group Poets: Jose P., Oscar P., Victor B.

The snake is camouflaging
scared to be eaten

Or hunting for food almost in total stillness
mice, rats, or spiders

Blending its scales with the earth
moving his tail to catch the prey.


Untitled
Group Poets: Yessenia F., Jocelyn M., Diana G., Alexis V. and Bianca C.

I found a panda
in the middle of China.
The cub’s fur reminded
me of a small Dalmatian.
The cub reminded me of
a small dog that has come
out of the tub.
The fur soft like a dog’s fur.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Room 206

Bats in the Trees
Group Poets: Anthony R., Gerardo C. and Rodolfo L.

These bats look like rats
that look like leaves
falling off a tree
that go with the breeze. They look like
butterflies all in the same tree.


Untitled
Esteban S., Lisbeth M., Melissa B.

Quieter than a mouse
Small narrow eyes
Vampire-like fangs
Ears that can listen miles away
Scary-looking creature
Deadlier than its looks
South Africa is where it’s found, about 5 pounds?
Eats like a man-eating carnivore
Looks like rat mixed with bear.
Little in size, big on threat
A ferocious Honey Badger.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This Week's Spotlight:
Room 207

The Fishing Cat!
Group Poets: Jasmine M., Jeniece D., Miguel H., Monica A.

I didn’t know cats liked water,
but the fishing cat does.
Stalking through the clear
ponds with its gold eyes, watching
its reflection until a fish comes in
sight. Not making a sound, it creeps
up to the water, with its razor
sharp claws, it captures a fish and
chews it with its sharp white teeth.


Goat Poetry
The Goat
Group Poets: Xylina D., Ruben G., Maria A. and Jesus C.

A goat is as soft as cotton
white as a cauliflower,
hiding from Mr. Diprima,
but he doesn’t realize how sharp
his horns are, for protection.
The goat doesn’t realize
he’s a mini cow.
He gives milk.
Again, he’s meat!


Untitled
Group Poets: Amanda A, Alyssa H., Karla M., Tom A. and Ciro F.

It’s Halloween night, the bats escape
coming out from trees like leaves.
Trying to find their next meal
looking down from the sky.
The rain begins to pour
and the bats are our umbrellas.
The bats are changing as part of a new season.


Untitled
Group Poets: Celia M., Karen S., and Michael O.

I saw a monkey at the zoo
The people told me his name was Lue
The monkey’s arm is catching flies
like a frog’s tongue in the sky
The way he swings from tree to tree
amazes me like a dream
Next time I will bring him
banana cream pie


Untitled
Group Poets: Dalila L., Maria R., Roberto S. and Erik R.

A plate of wobbly green jell-o.
The frog is transparent, but not much; like tape
Also like tape, he can stick to a tree
But he is not like tape: water can’t stop him
He has as many freckles as stars in the sky
He’s endangered, he’s losing patience, he’s
scared, “Is there a fly here? Can I eat it?
No! No! I will leave, fly into the trees.”


Honey Badgers
Group Poets: Tiffany R., Alejandra S, Lesly V. and Oscar E.

I saw a Honey Badger.
His teeth as white as snow
and sharp as a razor.
His face mad as could be.
His face full of blood!
Eating his snake.
Guarding his snake and getting full!
Why a Honey Badger?
Is he really as sweet as honey?
Am I next?!

DREAM POEMS

Cindy G.

In my dreams I feel no pain.

In my dreams I see no pain.

In my dreams my tears are tears of joy.

I can fly like a bird
as far as neverland.

I can walk on the ocean
without having to swim.

I see no violence.

I see Spiderman.

In my dreams I can be four.

In my dreams the world will never end.