When introducing our Poetry Unit, I encouraged my students to write about something they are passionate about. That makes poetry so much easier, more fun, and authentic. Several students wrote about sports, and these two writings featured below are action packed poems throwing us right into the center of the play. Since poetry is technically music, you could say these poems are a hit!

FOOTBALL

BY: Wyatt Cookston

Every Friday night from August to October
Teams go into battle for four quarters
From the “Set, hut” to the blow of the whistle
Moments flash by…
Starting from the crash of the pads from the line going into the defense
The quarterback drops back in the wet grass,
Flings his arm back and releases the ball
And as it whistles and cuts through the air…
Defense tries to swat and bat it down; no one can touch the pass.
The ball falls safely into the receiver’s hands
Who is in the air at the back corner of the end zone.

Once he is pulled down, he  d   r  a  g  s   his feet in the end zone.

The whistle says the play is over.
Referee raises his arms

TOUCHDOWN!

Wyatt Cookston is an eighth grader at Sunnyvale Middle School. He is a hardworking, respectful young man with drive in school and on the field… as seen in his poem. – Ms. Angela Henderson

Instinct

By Cameron Kilpatrick

I step in the box, with much hesitation
The crowd is filled with much indignation
I watch the ball fly from his hand
Over the plate, the catcher’s glove it lands.
“STRIKE ONE!”
Is all I hear.
Then, moaning and groaning,
Strikes me with fear.
The pitch is thrown,
Right in the zone.
I swing.
“STRIKE TWO!”
Before I know,
I see the throw.
Instinct.
The game comes to an end.
Our team captures the win.

Cameron Kilpatrick is an eighth grader at Sunnyvale Middle School. His creativity, sense of humor, and skills are exhibited in baseball and other sports as well as in Drama and writing. Excellent, concise rhymed poem! -Ms. Angela Henderson