Poetry  

 
 
 
 
 
  

Created By: Kiersten Dutrow 

 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Where I’m From  
 
I am from dog fur and kid toys  
I am from a playset that has been moved too many times to count  
I am from messes and madness  
And a home that I can never call home forever  
 
I am from Army-Navy Football games in December  
I am from Easter pictures in the spring  
I am from Hallmark movies and Daniel Tiger  
And cozy blankets with Boom Chicka Pop 
 
I am from a family that lives miles apart  
Some are distant, but many close at heart  
I am from friends that become family  
And crazy busy schedules  
 
I am from sarcasticness and humor  
Hence: “not my kid, not my problem”   
I am from a home that holds more than furniture  
And I love I know will last  
 
I am from hugs before bed  
I am from help I can always call  
I am from memories that can never be held  
Within the borders of a wall    
 
10 word poem  
 
Blue skies  
Above lilies dancing  
And happiness would never cease 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Japanese Lantern Poem  
 
 
Light  
Warm, bright  
At day break  
On light shines at  
Dawn    
 
Haikus  
 
Bloodshed; resentment  
Over tea and revenue  
Brought revolution  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The French and British  
Fighting for supremacy.  
Victory at last  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Found Poem  
 
 

 
   
Person / Relationship Poem  
 
She walked into my life when no one was there  
And showed me love, when no one cared  
Her brown curly hair and vibrant smile  
Remind me of the times she chose the extra mile  
 
Everyone quiets when she enters the room  
And it is easy to tell when she disapproves  
One who always tells the truth  
Even if it is a little rude  
 
So many things I wish to tell her, but much to my dismay  
My mind often leads those things astray  
And I know no matter how many times she is pushed away  
Her love will always be there to stay  
   
 
Sliding Door Poetry  
 
My phone buzzes at ten pm  
It is my friend again, for no 
Other reason than to say hey  
I pick up my phone, sigh, and put it back down   
 
Then I let my mind wander to a time  
When no noise would have been made  
I take myself back to movement  
Where i had an empty room  
And invited another girl who I barely knew to come in  
 
Rehearsed conversation shifted to connections  
And formal to informal  
 
What if I had never invited her in?  
I would be alone with my books on a Saturday night, 
Rather than ignoring a spontaneous text  
Church would be filled with unknown people  
And little did I know, not even two years later, 
When  my  best  friend  moved 
away…  
 
She would be the first I would call  
Because I know she would stay  
So my sigh tuned to a smile  
As i began to type away,  
Thankful for the time 
I allowed her to walk in for a day  
 
   
 
Sonnet  
 
Could anything ever portray true love  
Of course it is unfathomable trust  
But could it cling to the wings of a dove  
Or fall under the temptation and rust  
Far beyond the peak of Mount Everest  
And stretch to the Pacific Ocean Blue  
Or does it falter to the storms, tempest  
When you fail to catch an obvious clue  
Would your affection ultimately bind  
Such as a secret that cannot be told  
Or is kindness impossible to find  
Like a ceramic cup that will not mold  
But love can’t compare to a precious rose  
Only moments, you refuse to disclose  
 
   
 
Free Verse poem  
 
In James Madison’s life, he accomplished much 
By devoting his life to the country he loved 
Founding father and leader to all 
One could say he made all the calls 
He always knew just what to say 
Even when his opinions might be shunned away 
Creator of the government we live in today 
And had time to form a party along the way 
So let’s take a moment to honor the man 
Who paved the way for our country today 

 
   
 
Legends Pop Sonnet  
 
Dost thou golden ages create a spark? 
I saw thee gleaming beneath the sun’s rays 
It seems as if it were only a phase   
Trembling with the burden to leave a mark 
The world could not hold us, our hearts too strong 
Heaven above couldn’t even ponder 
That our abiding love will not wander 
But perhaps the world won’t forget our song? 
My head shall not bend to fame and release   
I shall wear the precious crown he bestowed 
Forever astray in the love he showed   
A bliss, unconditional love may cease   
Oh this dire journey had been so bold 
Legends in the dust, our story was told 
Kelsea Ballerini, “Legends” 
   
Sanctuary 

By​ Jean Valentine 

People pray to each other. The way I say "you" to someone else, 
respectfully, intimately, desperately. The way someone says 
"you" to me, hopefully, expectantly, intensely ... 
—Huub Oosterhuis 
You  who I don’t know  I don’t know how to talk to you   
 
—What is it like for you there? 
 
Here ... well, wanting solitude; and talk; friendship— 
The uses of solitude. To imagine; to hear. 
Learning braille. To imagine other solitudes. 
But they will not be mine; 
to wait, in the quiet; not to scatter the voices— 
 
What are you afraid of? 
 
What will happen. All this leaving. And meetings, yes. But death.   
What happens when you die? 
 
“... not scatter the voices,” 
 
Drown out. Not make a house, out of my own words. To be quiet in   
another throat; other eyes; listen for what it is like there. What   
word. What silence. Allowing. Uncertain: to drift, in the 
restlessness ... Repose. To run like water— 
 
What is it like there, right now? 
 
Listen: the crowding of the street; the room. Everyone hunches in   
against the crowding; holding their breath: against dread. 
 
What do you dread? 
 
What happens when you die? 
 
What do you dread, in this room, now? 
 
Not listening. Now. Not watching. Safe inside my own skin. 
To die, not having listened. Not having asked ... To have scattered   
life. 
 
Yes I know: the thread you have to keep finding, over again, to   
follow it back to life; I know. Impossible, sometimes.   
Image that relates to Sanctuary  
“Death” By Oscar Bluemner    
 
Big Six Analysis 
“Sanctuary” by Jean Valentine has draws an intimate connection 
to the reader that speaks volumes into the poem. A sanctuary is 
usually in a church where silence is prominent. This title gives you 
insight into the overall meaning of the poem and may allow you to 
see it differently. The speaker of “Sanctuary” is a burdened person 
who although has endured trials and tribulations, is attempting to 
encourage others to press on and follow the trail towards life. To 
find the beauty within the darkness. This kind of speaker is 
treasured in a way because few people validate the situations 
others face in a real and tangible way. Instead they look down or 
make assumptions in an effort to not ruin their reputation or alter 
their life. As for the speaker’s attitude towards pain and trial, it is 
very empathetic as the poem dives full force into trials and 
tribulations that the audience may be facing. Personification is 
frequently used throughout this poem to convey the central 
message of the poem in a more specific way. For example, “scatter 
the voices.” The most repeated phrase is a type of figurative 
language. Voices cannot literally scatter, but in a metaphorical 
way, it can be applied to internal voices as well as actual 
conversations you may have with people around you. Another 
repeated line is, “scattered life”- as with the voices, life cannot 
scatter. However, it can reference to spreading yourself so thin 
that there is no room left to breathe. Visual imagery is also used in 
this poem. “To repose. To run like water--” This quote forms a 
picture of tranquility, peace, and freedom. When water runs, it 
does not worry about what it will flow into. Instead it flows 
unwaveringly and doesn’t limit where it will scatter itself. ‘“Listen: 
the crowding of the street; the room; Everyone hunches in against 
the crowding; holding their breath; against dread.” This forms a 
concrete image of anxiety and fear. Holding your breath against 
dread allows the audience to form that mental picture and relate 
their own experiences to the message of the poem. The beginning 
tone of the poem is somber direct. Towards the couplet, the tone 
shifts to intimate, empathetic, and encouraging. This tone shift is 
paramount to determining the true meaning of the poem. To 
paraphrase the poem, it is about questions that sometimes 
remain unanswered. It is about validation of hardships, but the 
realization that your struggles do not define you. You can rise 
above them as long as you follow the thread, as referenced in the 
couplet, to a life worth living. It is okay to struggle, as long as you 
don’t remain defeated. The central message or theme of the poem 
is as follows. Be still; acknowledge the darkness, but then look for 
hidden beauty within the darkness.   
Reflection  
My writing process has evolved since the beginning of writing 
poetry because I am able to look for the deeper meaning that is 
often hidden. Imagery has become more apparent and I am able 
to easily identify different types of figurative languages and 
determine their relevance, in relation to the theme. Developing 
the haiku was an assignment that definitely impacted my thought 
process with poetry. I liked how a story could be told through so 
few words. The precise perfection of the way imagery is displayed 
is something I feel that I am more knowledgeable about. On the 
other hand, the sonnet is something that I did not enjoy writing, 
for it was too constricting in its structure. The syllable count, 
specifically, took the creativity out of writing because I writing to 
fulfill a word count rather than to express myself.  
 
In conclusion, this unit on poetry has allowed me to express 
creativity and go outside the box. I learned that I enjoy writing 
certain types of poetry, such as haikus and free verse. Poetry does 
not have to purely academic. In fact, it is written to portray a 
certain message that is applicable to the lives of the audience that 
reads it. It can be written for a multitude of reasons and each 
piece of poetry means something different to each person that 
comes across it. Poetry is personal, offers connections, and 
deserves more credit than it gets in the twenty first century.