2. Through Dad's Camera Lens
© Cindy J. Odom
Piles of snow all pushed aside,
Little children going down the slide.
A rainbow with its pot of gold,
All of these are stories once told.
So many days have quickly passed
and he has now grown old.
But the memories will forever last,
Of stories that once were told.
Now as I look through my camera lens,
New stories will unfold.
Someday my children will remember,
Stories that once were told.

3. This poem is about a dad looking at old pictures of his son’s childhood. The
little boy has now grown old and the father is looking back on the old times.
This poem has end rhyme in the first stanza, then a rhyme scheme for every
other line. The camera represents childhood because the father is reminded
of what he used to capture all the memories.
I chose this poem because it expresses a lot of emotion. The mood is sad
because its talking about growing up and looking back on memories.

4. Leaving Home
© Janice Andrade
Give mother a hug
Father a kiss
The time has come
We have talked about it
Many times before
But the time is now
Fake a smile
And turn away
Start alone
I must leave everything I know
Into a world
One I do not understand
Hoping to find out
Who I truly am
Letting go of their hands
I am off
Not looking back
This is my time my journey
I have to do this my way
I walk in a girl
I will walk out a woman
Ready to face the world

5. This poem is about finally leaving home. It is about a girl who is ready to become an adult
and face the world alone.
This poem is a free verse because it has no rhymes or stanzas.
I chose this poem because as I get closer to graduation, I realize I’m going to have to
leave. I also like this poem because it gives a sense of empowerment of an independent
girl.

6. Seeking Adulthood
© Maysie Stott Morrison
I'm getting older now,
No longer a child,
Not yet an adult,
But a girl trying to carve a path for herself
I'm learning to make my own choices,
Molding a future with my bare hands,
Learning how to step out,
Despite the shaky ground
I no longer need to be held tight in your embrace,
But crave an independence,
A one that lets me explore my hunger for this world,
A world full of hidden meanings
But sometimes I fall,
As I struggle to take in the world before me,
Overwhelmed by the bigger picture,
The adulthood that lays ahead
And it must be hard for you to accept,
That I'm building a life for myself,
Making mistakes that you cannot cure,
Choices you never dreamed I'd make

7. This poem is about the speaker letting her parents know that she is going to be
okay on their own. She talks about craving independence even though she
knows there may be a struggle.
This poem is a free verse which contains no rhymes or stanzas
I chose this poem because it is about someone trying to get her parents to
accept their independence.

8. If—
BY RUDYARD KIPLING
(‘Brother Square-Toes’—Rewards and Fairies)
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream—and not make dreams your
master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your
aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

9. This poem is a dad telling his son the requirements needed to
become and adult.
This poem has an inspiring tone. Its also a free verse with no
rhyming. It contains a metaphor in the last stanza “if you can fill
the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth o distance run”
The author uses running as a metaphor for life. You have to try
your hardest all the time even if it leaves you exhausted.
I chose this poem because I like the message it gives. The tone is
very inspiring. It talks about traits that all people should posses:
self-confidence, patience, honesty, and character.

10. Paper, Paint, And Crayons
© Margaret Alliet
Eighteen years, a thousand fears,
Yet countless joyful times.
A tiny baby smiles just once,
Her Daddy's heart it binds.
A toddler cries with tearful eyes,
That only Mom can dry.
The little girl so cute in pink
Decides what clothes she'll try.
Her favorite pastime soon becomes
All paper, paint, and crayons.
Some years go by, she's growing fast,
No longer holds our hands.
She struggles some along the way,
We hope she feels our love.
The strength she needs takes all she has,
She's all we're thinking of.
The sun breaks through, she finds her way,
The clouds begin to clear.
And every day that passes now,
Each one we hold so dear.
She'll leave us soon to spread her wings,
A dream or two to find.
We know her life's forever bound
To these roots she leaves behind.
We hope she knows how proud we are,
How deep our love resides.
How much we've learned along the way,
Seeing through our child's eyes.
The paper, paint, and crayons
Through graduation years,
Will always be our most precious ones,
Despite the thousand fears

11. This poem is about a parent describing a child growing up. It tells each
experience the child goes through. From the beginning as a baby all the way to
graduation and leaving home.
This poem has an end rhyme. This poem uses paper, paint, and crayons as a
symbol for childhood. This poem has a tone change from happy childhood
memories to sad when the speaker talks about the child finally spreading their
wings and leaving.
I chose this poem because it reminds me of my childhood memories. It also is
easy to read and flows nicely because of the end rhyme.

12. Why Do You Have To Grow Up?
© Mark Willenbring
What has happened to the days?
What has happened to the years?
Please let me for one last time,
wipe away your tears.
I used to rock you each night,
with a bottle to make you sleep.
How I long to do this one more time,
your warmth and softness keep.
Babies should not be allowed to grow,
stay small and forever sweet.
Bright eyes, a giggle, prancing around,
a wonderful smell and very soft feet.
One day as I grow very old,
you may have to take care of me.
You may not look like a baby anymore
but a baby is all that I see.

13. The speaker is talking about a person growing up. The child graduates and knows
that he/she is going to eventually end up caring for the parent, like the parent
once did to them.
This poem contains an end rhyme in an abca and in the second-fourth stanza abcb
rhyme scheme. The poem uses imagery to explain the baby’s bright eyes and soft
feet.
I chose this poem because it is a reminder that the care our parents once give to
us will be given back to them when they become older. Also this poem did a good
job putting a picture in your head of a cute baby with bright eyes and a giggle.

14. Do You Remember Childhood
Crawling across the floor
Trapped behind closed doors
Never wanting more
Do you remember childhood
Rolling through the grass
Excited for class
Watching time pass
Do you remember childhood
Pedaling on your bike
The boy you still like
Sad when the bell strikes
Do you remember childhood
Driving down the road
Those looks made with code
Your love always showed
Do you remember childhood
When he broke your heart
And it was just the start
You are no longer art
Do you remember childhood
When childhood was still there
And your heart wasn't bare
And people would care
Do you remember childhood?
I can't remember childhood.
Faith Grayson

15. This poem is about remembering childhood memories. The poem shows experiences of
riding bikes and first loves. It’s sad in the end because the speaker is forgetting
childhood since they are growing so old.
This poem has a rhyme scheme. Also the poem has a hyperbole when the speaker says
“do you remember childhood. I don’t remember childhood” the speaker didn't’t forget
everything its just some of the memories are fading since they are getting older. The
speaker also compares themselves to art, I think that is a metaphor for being young and
creative.
I chose this poem because it has some of my favorite childhood memories in it. Also, I
like reading poems with a rhyme scheme because they are easy to read.

16. My Childhood
My childhood was fun,
tough and exciting.
My childhood was one where there
wasn't much fighting.
This was my childhood.
My childhood was filled
with family and friends.
My childhood was filled
with love that tied up loose ends.
This was my childhood.
My childhood came
with a grandmother that cared.
When she left me
I remembered all the times we shared.
This was my childhood.
My childhood was filled
with classwork and homework.
My childhood was filled
with parents who hated work.
This was my childhood.
My childhood was filled
with fun in the hood,
and food that tasted like Campbell's,
'Umm Umm Good! '
This was my childhood.
My childhood was filled
with tricycles and bicycles.
My childhood was filled
with popsicles and Dill pickles.
This was my childhood.
My childhood was filled
with lots of happy holidays.
Holidays that aren't
just the same nowadays.
This was my childhood.
Now my childhood
has become nothing but memories,
But all the good times will live on
within me.
This was my childhood.
Kiera R Lewis

17. This poems is about the speaker explaining all their favorite childhood memories. Like
their favorite Campbell’s soup , happy holidays, and memories of a grandma that once
cared so much for the speaker.
This poem contains end rhyme for every other line. Also it has a consonance because of
the repetition of “this was my childhood” This poem has good imagery because you can
really get a feel for the speaker’s childhood experiences.
I chose this poem because some of the memories remind me of things I did when I was
younger.

18. Childhood Faded Away
Childhood Faded away,
to a far away land,
simple, so simple were we,
Days of Play,
Going our Way,
Having fun, no care,
for another day,
time for us stood still,
playing king of the hill
Childhood Faded away
thinking of another day,
summer time was fine,
when friends were kind,
swimming holes were filled,
our hearts were thrilled
Childhood Faded Away
to a time that makes me sway
many years have passed away,
since childhood faded to another
day,
Childhood Faded to places,
UNKNOWN TO US
floating somewhere in time.
jim foulk

19. This poem is about losing your childhood. The speaker talks about all their
favorite childhood things like playing king of the hill and summertime in the
swimming hole.
This poem is a free verse. I think there is a metaphor for the childhood fading
away to places unknown to us because its comparing it to us forgetting things
as we get older.
I chose this poem mostly because it puts it into perspective that you won’t be a
kid forever and the memories will start to fade.

20. Childhood
Childhood was a time of innocence
When life was considered to be unambiguous
When the world seemed to be fair
When the universe was based around our little brown bear
Childhood was a time when we lived in dreams
Our future hidden behind life-size screens
When everyone appeared to be our friend
We didn't have to consider what would happen in the end
Childhood was a time when life was full of colors
We would all depend on our feeble Mothers
When sorrows never knocked at our doors
We didn't need to be concerned about wars
Childhood was a time when love was pure
We would all behave immature
There were no obligations
No need to fear the regulations
Childhood was a time which is now long
gone
All our friends and family have all moved
on
Childhood will never come back but
We all have memories untold,
remembered until we grow old.
Tasha Thomson

21. This poem is about remembering times of innocence and realizing it’s time to
move on and keep the memories close to you.
This poem has the symbol of the little brown bear it says “ when the universe was
based on our little brown bear” basically saying their wasn’t drama or tough
things to worry about, as long as you had your brown bear that is all that matters.
This poem is also a free verse with no real rhyme scheme, although it does have a
couplet in the first stanza with the words fair and bear.
I chose this poem because it’s a good reminder that you have to move on but it’s
okay to look back on memories because they keep a sense of innocence.

23. Happy
Happy is yellow and pink
It tastes like a lollipop
It sounds like belly laughing
And it smells like baking cookies
It looks like summertime
And it makes you feel fearless

24. I believe
I believe in the power of friendship
The sound of laughter
The warm summer sand
The importance of self respect
The comfort of a loyal dog
But the belief that success comes without
hard work is impossible
I believe in the color pink
I believe in miracles
I believe in karma and it will come back for you
And I believe in the fact that oreo’s
must be dipped in milk

25. I am
I am
Family, happiness, love
I value friendship and memories
Kindness is important to me
Passion is important to me
Happiness is always and option
I don’t always like school, but it
is important in life
Long naps are the best
Forever waiting for summer
A good laugh is always needed
I am.

26. Sand
Sun beating on me
Powerful ocean waves crashing down
I stand in the sand

27. Strong
A child
Young and weak
Growing up
Graduating and leaving
Old and strong