I am Saturday of every week
which makes people happy and relaxed.
Like the glasses I help
the people who have myopia.

My real name is Market Street
with many stores
to make people’s lives colorful.

As the sunshine
I bring brightness to the earth.
I am an ocean
covering 75% of the world.

Call me the red of everyone’s heart.

My real name is a dog
to accompany every lonely person.

As the winter of the year
I make the world white and neat.
Call me an ice cream
to make people feel cool
during the hot summer.

Like the grasses
I embellish the whole forest.
I am the whole of the world.

– Heki Zhao, 16

From the WritersCorps anthology “Solid Ground”
Poem of the Month: July 2007

Family is like
the harbor
where ships can take a rest.

– Jialie Liu, 16

From the WritersCorps anthology “Solid Ground”
Poem of the Month: June 2007

I am the wind
that blows your window curtains
apart, the wind that blows the leaves
off the trees and onto the dry grass.

I am that wind!

I can be gentle
or mad, but no matter what,
I am still that wind.
When I am gentle, I blow
not even an ant,
but when I’m mad, I shatter everything.

I am the wind!

I can mix
with water
to become hurricane
and after, nothing but rain.
I am the rain
going away
as the summer comes.

But I’ll be back.
I will be born from rivers, lakes, and oceans.
I am that rain.

– Anthony Mejia, 13

From the WritersCorps anthology “Solid Ground”
Poem of the Month: May 2007

Poetry should stick to you
Like molasses or peanut butter
Poetry should bounce around your head
Like a 25-cent ball
Poetry should grip you for the longest time
Like a vise lightened by an ox
Poetry should illuminate areas
Of your brain you never go
Like car lights in a dark garage
Poetry should be easy
Like thoughts leaving
Someone who can talk.

– Hilsen Zhang, 17

From the WritersCorps anthology “Solid Ground”
Poem of the Month: March 2007

Your heart should shine,
your heart is a gold mine.
You’re the only one
who can dig through it.
There’s a very large pit
to your deepest, darkest secret.

– Lena Zheng, 10

From the WritersCorps anthology “Solid Ground”
Poem of the Month: February 2007