Once

Students read the following poem by Siv Widerberg:

Once

Once I liked pablum
Once I couldn't find the way to Tommy's house
Once I didn't know how to skate
Once I thought my mama
was the only Mama
though other people had mamas too
Once when I was little, smaller, littler

Among the many poems generated by this model are the following:

Once by Miguel Quiroz

Once I liked Gerber peach sauce
Once I couldn’t eat pizza with extra cheese
nor hotdogs with ketchup
Once I didn’t know how to ice skate
Once I thought my mom was an alien
Once when I was little

Once by Giselle L. Rodriguez

Once I lived in Spanish Harlem
Once I was an angry child
Once I had a brother
Once I hated shrimp
Once I didn’t want to go to school
Once when I was little

Once by Danny Santiago

Once I liked tuna fish
Once I couldn't find my way to the N.B.A. store
Once I didn't know how to play basketball
Once I thought I was the only one
who knew about Street Fighter
Once when I was young, short and skinny

Once by Dipa Begum

Once I liked to play with straw dolls
Once I couldn't make any friends
Once I couldn't speak or read English
Once I thought Bangladesh was the
only country in the world
Once when I was little, smaller, littler

Caroline Pari introduced me to the following poem when I was teaching English at Seward Park High School. I've used it as a model ever since: http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html Among the poems it generated are the following:


Where I’m From by Noah Linda Clayton

I am Noah Linda Clayton.

I’m from fresh catfish,
homegrown goobers,
and our next door neighbor’s
stolen sweet grapes.

I’m from jigsaw puzzles
with missing pieces,
over-grown weeds
and barefoot feet.

I’m from frogs croaking in the night,
snakes hiding in the bushes
and endless mosquito bites.

I’m from understanding grandparents,
sympathetic church members
and a lost puppy.

I’m from “Let’s play cards,” “Oh, me! Oh, my!”
“If you pay attention,
you might still be here tomorrow.”

_________________________


Where I’m From by Willie James McCants

I am Willie James McCants.

I’m from warm crisp cornbread,
crunchy fried chicken, Mom’s baked ziti
and Grandma’s cream-filled vanilla cookies.

I’m from Super Sookers,
power toys with low batteries
and basketballs with no air.

I’m from the J train,
red and brown brick houses,
shoot-outs, dead dogs, highways
and car accidents.

I’m from, “Gimme,” “Nook, nook,” “Stupid,”
“You had your turn,” and
“When you goin’ to Baskin Robbins?”

_______________________________


Where I’m From by Katherine Roman


I am Katherine Roman.

I’m from smooth banana baby food,
rice and beans,
macaroni and cheese with broccoli
and strawberry ice cream.

I’m from red and white polka dot dresses,
shiny black shoes,
heavenly white blankets,
small bald baby dolls
and broken rattles.

I’m from tall buildings
with Welcome signs and balconies,
small rocky playgrounds with tall jail-like walls,
squeaky broken bicycles,
and screaming, laughing kids
flinging eggs from rooftops.

I’m from Angel Luis
cussing out the guys on the street corner,
and Grandma shoving the spoon into my mouth.

I’m from “Vamos para abajo a comprarte dulce,”
“Comete lo o te meto en la cara,” “La luna,”
“Ay, callase!” and “Ay, que linda!”

_________________________


Where I’m From by Dipa Begum

I am Dipa Begum,

I’m from cinnamon and cumin,
mashed potatoes seasoned with mustard oil,
onions and chopped green chilies, date palm jaggery,
curried chicken, sweetened curd and fried bread,
puffy and light that melts in your mouth,

I’m from little ragged dolls,
over 20 Barbies,
plastic baby rattles, pin wheels,
and colorful silk saris.

I’m from straw houses
that break in the wind,
poor people, congestion,
and dirt.

I’m from a religious mom, a generous dad,
two playful sisters,
and two annoying brothers.

I’m from “Stop it! I am going to tell Dad!”
“Behave, or else!”
and “Shut up, Dipa!”