Six Words Can Say It All

"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night."

Edgar Allan Poe

Eleonora

"I believe that we are meant to move through the world with interest, and writing keeps me interested.

It is like comparing notes."

Julia Cameron

The Right to Write

     This quarter begins  our study of the short story and to kick-off the section students wrote six-word stories, a concept made famous by Ernest Hemingway when he wrote-

For sale: baby shoes, never used.

Here are a few student examples:

Angels are my type of thing.

Carly McGirt

Finally flying so high, I fell.

William Lampke

Falling in reverse is very confusing.

Ella Rosenberg

Lemurs go swimming, crocodiles get full.

Ian Fisher

Man killed by Subway at dinner.

Mike Guinn

He thought he could swim. Sinking...

Christian Giglia

Rides roller coaster, sleeps in hospital.

Sophia Kalyuzhnaya

Paperboy missing? Didn't hear the news.

Alexander Jones

Best cantrip: sing yourself to sleep.

Emma Carter

     Another assignment asked students to write a paragraph using a first line from one of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories. Here are two examples: 

     Misery is manifold. It is too much to handle. People. Making others mad and sad is not what we are made for. Why can't we work on an agreement to make things right, and not make hate the thing between families around the planet?

-Jake Dudzik

It was a chilly November afternoon. I saw it, small and insignificant to some. But not to me. It was a shining beam of hope. I picked up the small diamond ring and put it in my pocket. If I sell it, I may have just enough money to get to America.

-Emma Carter

Words of the Week
click on word for definition

recusant
delate
uncanny
teratoid
cantrip

A New Day

"Why should we write? We should write because it is human nature to write. We should write because writing brings clarity and passion to the act of living. We should write because writing is good for the soul."

Julia Cameron

The Right to Write

A sampling of student work from week one:

AlphabetamericA

by John Chirchirillo

America

became

confused,

dumb,

evil,

fat,

greedy,

"heroes"

in

justifying

killing

loving

mammals.

Now

our

propensity

questionably

resembles

self-

terrorizing

ulteristic

vultures

wanting

xenogenetic

zealousness.

Everyday

by Madeline Keller

Everyday. People

pray. Scared

of sin. Don't

let it in. Here

we wait. Hiding

hate. Afraid

to die. And

face our fate.

Warfare

by Cuinn McDermott

War destroys life

Air warfare is full of unknown danger

Rarely do people come back unchanged

From all countries arise war

All war is foolish

Red blood covers the ground

Everyone is gone

America

by Sara Cazorla

Amazing birds chirping

Miracle wishes

Excellent people

Remembering sweet memories

Interesting thoughts

Clapping hands

Applause all over the world

Music

by David King

Making tones always

United across the world

Sadly auto tuned

Intervention for musicians

Classy people lose it


Celebrity
by Darian Bolten

Constant fans, screaming
Electrifying crowds
Liars happen a lot
Even more end up doing drugs
Big movie stars
Reacting when something happens to them
International fame and fortune
Too many break ups and make-ups
Yes, they can live normal lives


An Abcdarium
by Isaac Catchatoorian

Among this sad world,
Boisterous beings (although very rare)
Claim themselves: never bored

Denoting the negative,
Enriching our lives,
Furthering the positive

Gratefully living,
Hoping for the best,
Intellectually perceiving,
Jokingly being

Kindness is their key
Loving all those 'round
Motivating us to try
New things we see

Opening our minds
People come together
Questioning why one doesn't like another

Running to the finish
Stopping no time soon
Turn back now
U will be sad when you lose

Venturing to new heights
Worrying not about fail
X-emplifying true leaders
Young,
Zealous beings who will always care



Celebrity
by Emma Carter

Constantly fighting
Everyone is watching
Lights always flashing
Even the best can fall
Being so well known can
Ruin your spirit
Integrity is rare
Trust is scarce
Your worth is in the hands of the world

Alphabet poem

By Elizabeth Hemingway

A

dults think they know everything. I just don't understand them. For example, they love

B

abies. I can't imagine why? They can't do anything and everyone loves them just

C

uz they're babies. But they're useless

D

uh.

E

veryone knows that all they're good

F

or is crying, sleeping, and

G

awking aimlessly at things.

H

ow is that cute?

I

don't know why adults are so hung up on them, they only turn into to toddlers who

J

ump on the furniture and make a huge mess of everything. Like my cousin mickey

K

now what else I hate about toddlers? They get away with everything because they're

L

ittle. "Oh..little Mickey couldn't have done that.."

M

ickey didn't know any better" "Mickeys just too little to know its wrong.

N

o, he's EVIL.. Did you ever think that maybe he understands perfectly?

O

r that he's waiting to strike again?

P

lease, adults never think things through. But I know the truth. I'll get him to

Q

uit his evil doing once and for all!

R

ight after I get out of time out. Right now I'm forced to just

S

it here waiting for him to strike. Nothing else to do but watch the

T

imer...

U

gh... I just know he's out there, laughing at me. It's his fault. He messed with the

V

acuum cleaner, not me.

W

ell... guess who got blamed? Me. He just does whatever he wants. Like breaking my

X

-men action figures. Then if I fight back, he frames me, and no matter how much I

Y

ell that I'm innocent, they don't listen. Well... He better not be playing with my toy

Z

ebra. I will stop him, one day I will stop evil doing. I swear. After the timer rings that is...

The power of words

By Elizabeth Hemingway

Words are powerful

They can bring you up with one sentence

Just as easily as they can take you down

They can make you feel on top of the world

And they can crush your hopes and dreams

Break your spirit

But the happiest words of all

Are "I love you" from the mouth of the one

Most close to you

And the words that hurt the most

The ones that can change your life

Are those two so very small yet so very powerful words

"Good bye"