Blowing in the Wind
Poems and short stories from the Windy
City, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Budlong Elementary School
Chicago is by Lake Michigan. We get wind blowing across
the waters. Our land is very flat, so there is little to stop the
wind.
World Atlas:
QUICK
FACTS:
North
Illinois
America > United States > Illinois
 World Atlas: North America > United States > Illinois
QUICK FACTS: Illinois Capital
Springfield Total Area
56,345 sq mi
145,934 sq km Population
12,419,293 (2000 census) Major Cities
Chicago (2,721,547), Rockford (143,531), Aurora (116,405), Springfield
(112,921), Peoria (112,306) (July 1996 est.) Highest Point
Charles Mound
1,235 feet
376 meters Income per capita (US$)
$31,145 Industry
machinery, food processing, chemicals, electrical equipment, printing
and publishing, fabricated metal products Agriculture
corn, soybeans, hogs, beef cattle, milk, wheat Natural Resources
coal, petroleum, crushed stone, sand and gravel, lime, zinc (U.S.
Government sources)
We started this project in December, We hope to
hear from everyone that reads our class book.
Love
By Alberto Reyes
Love you
For your warmth
And sweetness
Love you for you’re
Kindness too
Love you especially for your
Dearness
Love you for just being you.
If your asking if I need you
The answer is forever
If your asking if I will leave you
The answer is never
If your asking me what I value
The answer is you
If your asking if I love you
The answer is I do
When I first saw you
I was afraid to meet you
When I met you
I was afraid to hold you
When I held you
I was afraid to kiss you
When I kissed you I was afraid to love
you
Now that I love you
I am afraid to lose you
A SPECIAL FRIEND
Angelica Quintana
A friend is someone we turn to when
our spirits need a lift.
A friend is someone we treasure for
our friendship is a gift.
A friend is someone who fills our lives
with beauty, joy, and grace.
And makes the whole world we live in a
better and a happier place!
There was a man
Who was big and fat
He ate a woman who was
hairy
And there was a fairy
Her name was Mary
She ate from a bush
That was filled with
berries!
A poem by Ashor Youkhana
Friends
Bevin Drew
My friends are always there for me, it is almost
like I am married.
But true friends do not care if you are poor or
wealthy.
Your friends are like a brother or sister but
sometimes they are better if you need a person
to talk to.
You got your friends
You may get into fights sometimes but that is just
life.
When the teacher gives out hard homework you
do not understand,
The Park
By: Cindhy Hernandez
One day I go to the park,
I see the same bird fling in the tap.
I look over and over
I see kids playing in the park,
people on the ground.
I look at the tree and apples fall down in the
ground.
When I go to my house I see flowers grow
up.
The sun went down and the moon came up.
I go to my room I feel to sleep and I see
stars looking at me.
You got your friends.
If everyone is being mean to you,
you got your friends.
Your friends are someone you can't replace.
Your friends give you that feeling.
If you could not fail, what would you accomplish?
You got your friends.
Our City
Our city is bustling,
The people are hustling,
To get where they need to go.
The cars,
The cars,
One car, two cars, red cars, blue cars,
So many cars,
Cars are everywhere!
I know you think there is no time,
To do all there is to do,
Let me tell you that there is when it’s hot out,
You can scream, and scream, and shout,
Then after go about,
To see everything our city has to share,
When it’s hot out you can go everywhere.
By, Corey Campbell.
MY UNLUCKY DAY
BYthe
DELIA
One day I was going to
mall.
I had to walk down the
hall.
The hall was too long,
So I held on the wall.
The walls were wet,
So I had to fall.
After that I got up,
And started to shop.
But everything was
closed, so I left.
I had to take the train
I forgot my umbrella and
Then it started to rain.
After I got home, I
thought:
I will never go out again.
The next day I got up
FLORES
Hungry Animals
Deo Yanong
There was a boy named Ben.
His parents liked animals but he was scared of them!
They went to Africa for a vacation.
He was so scared that the animals were gonna eat him!
It was getting dark.
He had to go to sleep.
Later that night there was something outside.
He was scared!
He was terrified!
He checked outside!
As soon as he opened his tent
there were snakes, wolves, and spiders crawling on his feet!
He was screaming for help but nobody was there……..
When he opened his eyes he knew…….
IT WAS JUST A DREAM!!!!!
CHEESEBURGERS
BY ERIC BRAKE
I was traveling through the jungle in search of the lost
temple of cheeseburgers.
I have been looking for it for a half an hour.
I must find it.
I have a meeting with Arnold Shwarzenegger.
Oh no. I have been captured by the people of french fries.
Oh how they worshipped them.
If they were lucky they would find two or three a year.
They have not eaten for seven months.
They were willing to eat themselves.
They were already seasoning me.
I think they put too much pepper.
Huh, why would they put me in a box?
That’s nice, they put the heat on.
It’s really hot in here. It’s burning in here.
Ahh, I’m in a stove.
Let me out! Let me out!
I know, I’ll just push the oven door open.
I did it! I got out.
Aww they burnt my chicken.
While I was running I fell through a hole in the ground.
I did it!
I’ve found the lost temple of cheeseburgers!
The Park
By: Jocelyn Cano
When I go to the park I hear dogs bark.
I hear the Popsicle cart ringing.
I hear the creaking from the swings swinging
I see the children run and lots and lots of fun.
They slide down the slide again and again.
They glide on the roller blades all over the place in
a fast pace
I feel the cool breeze as it passes through my face.
I wish this day would never end!
In the Night
Joel Cabrales
You wake with a start,
In the still of the night,
With your toes all exposed,
And your quilt pulled up tight.
There’s a terrible felling of doom and
unease,
That thumps in your heart,
And knocks at your knees.
You open your eyes,
You stare through the gloom.
Strange shadows loom large,
On the walls of your room.
You hear a loud creak,
As the monster draws near,
And the more that you hear.
Then you see its weird shape,
At the foot of your bed,
With long skinny legs,
And a huge lumpy head.
So you switch on the light,
And you whisper,
“Who’s there?
But it’s only your clothes,
Hanging over the chair.
THE SUMMER
JOEY MALONEY
The summer is so fun I want to have a
cinnamon bun.
One car, two car, red car, blue car.
I really love cinnamon buns.
There are as hot as the hot summer
sun.
I don’t like Halloween ghouls but I love
a cold summer pool.
I use lots and lots of bleach to get the
grass stains off from the beach.
In the fall I can play with a kickball but
it is nothing like a beach ball.
Joseph Charriez
My name is Joseph L. Charriez and today is the day I
go to Egypt to look for the lost tomb of King Joseph.
The plane made it at twelve o clock in the
afternoon. It was hot and dry. I really liked the weather
here for some reason. But then all of a sudden there
was a huge sandstorm. Then all of my partners and I
ran for shelter.
When the storm finally cleared, we went back
outside to see what happened. Nothing really
changed. All I saw was sand, sand, and more sand.
When I turned my head I was so shocked at what I
saw. I FOUND THE LOST TOMB OF KING
JOSEPH!!! That was easy!
So then my team and I went to check it out. So right
when we walked in a huge mummy pops out and starts
chasing us away from the tomb! But luckily the mummy
was not that fast. While we were running he tripped over
a stick. We walked back to the tomb. When we got in all
I could see was sand and hieroglyphs. Then I took a
piece of the hieroglyphs off so I could take it back to the
lab to be deciphered.
Then I tapped a piece on the wall and a door
opened. So my crew and I walked in and I saw a
huge sarcophagus on the floor. I had just found
King Joseph’s burial chamber. My partners said we
shouldn’t take it because it was cursed. The curse
was that everybody who was involved in taking it
out of its resting would soon disappear. So I
decided to leave it there!
I was so exited to start going home; it has been a
long day. I just want to go home and sleep.
A SPECIAL FRIEND
Angelica Quintana
A friend is someone we turn to when
our spirits need a lift.
A friend is someone we treasure for
our friendship is a gift.
A friend is someone who fills our lives
with beauty, joy, and grace.
And makes the whole world we live in a
better and a happier place!
There was a man
Who was big and fat
He ate a woman who was
hairy
And there was a fairy
Her name was Mary
She ate from a bush
That was filled with
berries!
A poem by Ashor Youkhana
Friends
Bevin Drew
My friends are always there for me, it is almost
like I am married.
But true friends do not care if you are poor or
wealthy.
Your friends are like a brother or sister but
sometimes they are better if you need a person
to talk to.
You got your friends
You may get into fights sometimes but that is just
life.
When the teacher gives out hard homework you
do not understand,
You got your friends.
If everyone is being mean to you,
you got your friends.
Your friends are someone you can't replace.
Your friends give you that feeling.
If you could not fail, what would you accomplish?
You got your friends.
Bad Mad Fat Cat
Juan Serna
I had a cat.
He was very fat.
He made me mad
so I chased him around with a bat.
Then he ran away,
but since he was so fat,
he didn’t get far.
He came back and bit me on the leg
so I chased that cat!
Whenever that cat comes back,
he bites me on the leg
so I chase that cat with a bat.
He still comes back
so I chase him with a bat
before he bites me on the leg.
Bad, mad, fat cat!
Huh? Dr. Phil?
By Justin Wang
It was a dark stormy night. I heard sounds and weird
lights coming from old man Trenchard’s house. His
brother went mad eating granola bars so they sent him
to a mental hospital that what I heard on the block. I
think the lights and sounds were a party.
I went to check out the party. It was pouring out there.
Lightning like was everywhere. I got to the house. I
opened the door. All sudden all these big blood sucking
screeching bats came out. The lightning struck them all.
It was like fireworks.
I got inside. I heard a voice talking to me. It was old
man Trenchard talking from a microphone. He said”
There are three doors one of them lead to me lab. I
replied’ your not old man Trenchard your Dr.
Treacherous!!!! Yes you are correct he replied.
I picked the middle door. I fell into a trapdoor. I was
hanging over a pit of acid what it seems to be. I was
trying to figure out how to escape. The rope began to
break. I fell. It was hopeless. It was just green jello.
I reach to an elevator. I went up the elevator. I reach to
the top there he was sitting on a chair .Dr. Treacherous
was looking out the window. He said, ‘I got something to
tell you. I am really Dr. Phil’. Huh??? He took off his
mask.
All a sudden lightning struck the window. He tripped on
a wire and fell out the window. Just before he fell out
the window he said, ‘I’m your father.’ I looked out the
window. He was gone into the night. After that I went
home. I went to sleep like nothing happened at all. I
woke up. It was a dream or was it???? I asked my mom
before I went to school if I had father. She said,’ Your
father is Dr. Phil.’ I was surprised as I went out the door.
Lizzeth Tapia
Chicago is a big city. It has a lot of awesome
places to go with your family. One of my
favorite places to go is to the botanic Garden,
Six Flags, and Gurnee Mills. Gurnee Mills is a
big mall it has all kinds of stores to go to but
it’s a kind of expensive. There are even
places inside to eat. The Botanic Garden is
an awesome place. It is very calm and
relaxing.
There are all kinds of gardens to go to. There are
beautiful flowers and waterfalls. It is a really
awesome place. The Six Flags is an awesome
place to go especially in the summer because that
way you could ride the water rides and you can go
to the water park. It has big roller coasters. My
favorite ride is the superman and the batman. Now
were going to talk about the downtown. The
downtown is a really cool place to go especially at
night because all the lights are turn on and the
Sears Tower looks really pretty.
If you want to go shopping you have to take a
bunch of money with you that is for sure .At night
when you go take a walk there are big screens and
water is falling from the top of the screens. Then
people’s faces come out and suddenly water starts
coming out of it. One funny thing is that when a
person’s face appears on the screen its mouth
opens and water comes out. Chicago is a really
awesome place you should come and visit you’ll
like it for sure.
The World We Live
By: Lois Angelo Y. Villaseran
The Beauty of the green grass
The cool spring breeze
The warmth of the sun
Reflect the blue sky beyond
The happy hearts of the children
Dancing around the garden
Enlighten ones life
It’s the nature’s gift to everyone
IN A JUNGLE WE WILL BE
Wherever cheetahs roam free
And monkeys swing on trees
Is the place I want to be.
It is easy to see
To only those who believe
In a jungle we will be.
As we stand
In the glistening white sand
And you hold my hand.
It easy to see
To only those who believe
In a jungle we will be.
We return home
As the sun sets
And the moon rises.
It is easy to see
To only those who believe
It is home we will soon be.
By Malavika Prakasan
THE FAT UGLY CAT
Marc Cauinian
There was a cat that was very fat.
My cat who likes to eat rats.
My cat’s name is Mike,
who likes to ride a bike.
I had a pet rat who got ate by my cat.
I was very mad but also sad.
When I was riding my bike I saw a big fat balloon and
thought it was Mike.
My cat’s favorite thing to do is take a nap.
Sometimes he will do five laps.
Sometimes he likes to wear a cap
when he is going to sleep.
I really feel sorry for my rat because of the fat ugly cat.
When I see my cat I always think of my pet rat.
My Chicago
Marisol Silva
Chicago is the best city. It has many places
to visit. When I’m at school I like to go on
field trips. Sometimes we go to museums,
and sometimes we go other places. My dad
takes our family to the zoo, Lake Michigan,
the movie theater, and other places. I would
like to go to the Sears tower, or other tall
buildings. I would like to see the whole city
from up there.
Chicago is the biggest and prettiest city I
know.
The Windy City
Melissa Montes De Oca
You can feel the wind from miles
away
You can feel it in your face
You can feel the breeze in your
face
It feels cold
But at the same time it feels good
The wind that you can feel from
far away
The wind of the city
The wind from the windy city
The windy city
Spring Time
Mihaela Ivanova
Spring time is a great time.
Trees and flowers smell like lime.
The flowers start blooming.
The trees start singing.
It is a great time to go out and play, play, and play.
There’s a lot of things you can do in the spring time.
You can go to the park with a friend.
You can play ball on the street.
You can walk your dog around the block.
In the spring we don’t have school for a week.
COOL! We can do whatever we want.
Spring time is the best!
Jaime and Niall’s world!!!=]
by Niall Gallagher and Jaime Rodriguez!!!
One time there was two dudes named Jaime and Niall.
They were going to Jaime’s house,
And when we got there we played “Game Cube”!!!
After we played “Game Cube,” we went to the store.
When we went to the store, we got candy.
Then…. all of a sudden we were walking back to Jaime’s house
And we fell through a hole!!!
We went exploring,
And we found that we were in an underground tomb!!!
Ooooooooo!!!
We walked around and found a mummy and a big box
Of gold!!!
Niall and Jaime took the gold and than a mummy chased us!
We ran away we got out then when we got out of the hole we bought the world!!!
THE
END!!!
When the Sun Comes Out
By Ravadee Sim
When the sun comes out,
And it’s a beautiful day
More and more people want to play.
You can hear the kids laughing and
Playing in their own way.
But when the sun goes down,
There’s nothing you can do,
But wait and wish,
For the night to be through.
I once went on a boat.
I forgot to wear a coat.
The weather got chilly,
But the birds were singing.
The girl next to me was crying
For her mommy.
The wind was pushing
The waves got bigger, and bigger
The rain came pushing down.
Five more minutes until home.
Counting the time
Waiting until the day was over.
Five minutes have passed.
I'm all soaked and wet.
Got home. Got into bed.
Thought about my day,
It was wack!
A poem by Samantha Fox
Traffic
I go outside, all I see is cars.
There’s cars here and cars there.
You hear beeping and honking.
There is red cars, blue cars, black
cars.
So many cars!
Sometime you hear music
Blasting outloud.
Then you hear people saying,
“Get out of my way.”
So there’s cars here and cars there.
Cars are everywhere!
By Sara Cornejo
Mark and the dog
by: Sherilyn
One day I went to the park for a walk.
I heard some dogs, barking at a man
by the name of Mark.
The dogs were chasing him.
It was late at night and the barking was
very loud.
Mark got so scared that he made a
loud fart that scared the dogs away.
The Cheerful Song
by Thu Tran
On a Saturday afternoon
I step out the door
All of a sudden
A block of gray cloud
Came my way
I went inside with a frown
Because it was going to rain
My mom said to put that frown
Upside down
My frown was still there
Until I turned on the radio
And heard a cheerful song
That made my frown
Upside down
The sun came out
As I jump to the beat
And I sang cheerfully
Well, I am going to talk about my two
best friends.
Lizzeth and Jocelyn,
They are funny.
Fun, fun, fun to hang out with.
Lizzeth likes to shop, shop, shop!
Jocelyn loves to play soccer!
Jocelyn and Lizzeth love to
dance ,dance, dance….
and dance!
Lizzeth is so cool,
and laughs with me a lot.
Jocelyn likes to draw,
Lizzeth prefers to write.
Jocelyn likes dogs –woof, woof !
and Lizzeth does, too.
They both just love pets.
Fun, fun, fun to hangout with.
They are my best friends!
MY BEST FRIENDS
BY: Tracy Reyes
Well, I am going to talk about my two
best friends.
Lizzeth and Jocelyn,
They are funny.
Fun, fun, fun to hang out with.
Lizzeth likes to shop, shop, shop!
Jocelyn loves to play soccer!
Jocelyn and Lizzeth love to
dance ,dance, dance….
and dance!
Lizzeth is so cool,
and laughs with me a lot.
Jocelyn likes to draw,
Lizzeth prefers to write.
Jocelyn likes dogs –woof, woof !
and Lizzeth does, too.
They both just love pets.
Fun, fun, fun to hangout with.
They are my best friends!
MY BEST FRIENDS
BY: Tracy Reyes
The Cat
By: Winston Lai
There once lived a cat that was
Owned by a man who is fat.
One night, the cat was sleeping
on mat
And the man had a bat.
They were running around the
house,
And then, the man slipped on a
hat and
The cat ran away and never came
back.
The cat ran away and went to town,
And suddenly, the cat saw a clown.
The clown is frowning but he didn’t cry,
In a burst of light, rain was pouring down.
The clown felt sorry for the cat,
So he brought the cat into a hotel
With a crown on top of it that shown across town.
They went inside in their room,
And they sat down.
They were about to eat,
And in front of the cat was a plate of fish.
The cat was beat and it wanted heat.
The cat put its feet on the heater.
Suddenly, the cat thought:
“Maybe I should cheer because life here is better
than at over at the fat mans house.”
Vacation
By: Wonjun Jeong
We went on vacation to Devils Lake.
We went on a hike…
it was supposed to be about 3 miles long
we got lost
After an hour we ended up about 5 miles
from our car
when we came up on a road.
We walked a mile
and found someone to give us a ride to our
car.
I became very tired
I do not wish to go there anymore.
Credits
 Teacher: Gayle Perrin, 6th grade
 Authors: Children of Budlong School
 We look forward to comments from teachers and
children in Jamaica.
 Contact: jkarr1@sbcglobal.net, and we will reply!
 Dr. Jo Ann Karr, Facilitator, International Literacy
Clusters Program, Chicago, Illinois.
 International Literacy Clusters Program, funded in
part by the Illinois Reading Council, an affiliate of the
International Reading Association. Copyright@2007