MIDDLE SCHOOLS 

 

 

 

MY NAME? 
 
My name is spoken by elders  
Who can’t pronounce English well. My name is spoken by my parents  
When they are happy or perhaps angry. My name is spoken by my cousins  
Who calls me to play with them.  
 
Two twin bunnies hopping over the field,  
Finding gold coins everywhere. Both double minded and  
Thinking in opposite directions. My zodiac relates to  
My name, my luckiness, and mostly my happiness. My zodiac relates to  
My name, my mind, my thoughts. 
 
My name is shortened to  
‘C.See’ for my best friend’s dad. My name is shortened  
When a Starbucks receipt spells my name wrong. My Chinese name, Kǎ, can mean  
Either water, wood, or gold. My mother said it meant gold,  
Probably because she thought I would like it better.  
My name is my name… 
 

  Caitlin See   
  East Side Middle School, 6th Grade 
 

NAME POEM  
 
My name has come from many places. It was formed from the breath of another (Sarah) but still carried the meaning: Princess. I do not know which type of Princess though. She ought to be unorthodox and unofficial—like Mulan, or maybe Anna-: in the shadows, yet in the hands and heart of every kid of the 2010’s. Without my name, there would be no ‘me—’ (Sadie) so I owe part of my life in debt to that Pottery Barn Kids Catalog that my mom flipped through in her 30’s. Sadie was already on the radar—from my Great Grandmother. As an Ashkenazic Jew, I was named for my great grandmother who passed away before my birth. Sima, who was known to be an elite poolside tanner, and often gave visitors pound cake and ice cream upon coming over to her apartment in Massachusetts. I take it upon myself to carry that pound cake a-la-mode tradition, 

as well as my name. Rachel, my middle name, comes from my other great-grandmother, Ronea. She came from Romania, as Ronea. It is a beautiful name, like a seashell, yet Google Docs can’t get it right. She changed her name to Ray, upon immigrating to America. Ronea liked making cookies, and reading, and many more things that made Sima and her like a ying-yang. My cousin is Ronea Sea, the reverse of me, yet so similar. They were so opposite, yet fitting together, and completing the other—like me and my Ronea. My name is also in a Beatles song. Like my grandmother, cousin, and aunt, and on and on. Elenor, Michelle, Jude, Sadie. It’s a happy accident, an accidental, unplanned tradition. My name is snug like an old beige sofa in a loud and airy apartment, with rain glossing the windows. It is wet socks and cold toes propped up onto the heater, glinting eyes and plastered wet hair. It can be spoken, scolded, but most importantly, sung and danced. ‘Sadie’ is free and burdenless. She gets to live in the castle, but doesn’t have to be the queen. Though the name itself is still very special, and royal, like those plastic pink tiaras I wore as a toddler. But what I love the most about my name, is that I can define it, and it defines me. 
 

Sadie Green  
East Side Middle School, 7 th  Grade  

 
 
THINGS I DIDN’T KNOW I LOVED 
 
I never knew I loved music,  
 
The beats of a drum almost the same as the beats  
 
Of my heart  
 
The notes twirling around like ballerinas,  
 
Almost like I did as an innocent toddler 
 
I never knew I loved the moon,  
 
Silver auroras gliding across  
 
a rich black velvet  
 
Isn’t it sad how it will never be able to outshine  

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The sun?  
 
I never knew I loved the morning,  
 
And the sun gently brushing its warmth  
 
onto my face.  
 
The world rising up from a short period  
 
of hibernation.   
 
I never knew I loved flowers,  
 
Until the first time I painted with watercolor.  
 
It was a simple petal, single stroke  
 
Of the brush,  
 
one tiny speck  
 
of pink.  
 

  Zeynep Neva Ilica  
  East Side Middle School, 7 th  Grade 

 
 
NAME POEM  
 
My name means little pearl in Welsh. 
In Irish it means brave warrior. 
My uncle says I'm ABC, 
American Born Chinese. 
My middle name is Cmei. It is my first name in Chinese. 
It is the name my grandparents created. 
People with my name are kind in almost every way. 
I was born a 老虎(Tiger), and a Leo in America. 
My Zodiacs are not me but, 

my name shows who I am, heart and all. 
But sometimes I take on other names like Isla, or Amy. 
Isla means Island 
symbolizing isolation, transformation, and internal resilience. 
But for me 
Isla means water. 
The element that fills my heart. 
It’s comforting to know I'm not alone. 
It’s a name that describes what I am on the outside instead of the inside. 
Amy means beloved in many languages including French, but originated from 
English. 
But my parents don’t know these names.  
They just know Megan 
and that’s enough 
for me. 
 

    Megan Lee  
    East Side Middle School, 7 th  Grade  

 
THINGS I DIDN’T KNOW I LOVED  
 
I never knew I liked hot coffee 
on a chilly day 
It was always so bitter and dark 
and maybe  
that perfectly describes some of my days 
But coffee can be sweet and rejuvenating 
if you add the right things 
like peaceful notes in a hectic song can make  
a beautiful symphony 
I never knew I liked playing piano 
until I couldn’t play it anymore 
I missed the feeling of keys beneath my dancing fingertips 
The lingering sounds  
ringing in my ears 
The rush of adrenaline as I felt my audience 
watching intently  
Then again I never knew I liked winter 
A refreshing chill 

after a scorching summer 
The absence of pests 
that buzz around my head 
despite frostbite and sometimes 
unbearable 
cold 
 

  Julia Luo  
  East Side Middle School, 7th Grade 

 
NAME POEM 
 
My name means grace. My name represents an old Hebrew tale that many had forgotten. It's hiding behind a shadow but it deserves to shine.  Dating back all the way to 11 BC when I did not exist. The first ever “Hannah” was a childless woman. Day after day as she saw other kids running around hoping to have one herself. God gave “Hannah”  Samuel the jewish judge, after she was told she couldn't conceive. In name dictionaries, Hannah's name meaning has lots to do with the first ever hannah. Hannah means “god has favored  me” just like how centuries ago the first ever Hannah was favored by god with her dream. The meaning of hannah also consists of the meaning of being persistent. At this moment I resemble the real meaning of Hannah. I prove that Hannahs are what they are  described in the dictionaries. I am persistent in writing this poem. My name represents who I am. My name is how people perceive me. The first detail people know about me is my name ,all thanks to a monk my dad met just before I was borned. When I first moved to the US and lived in a small neighborhood my classmates there never had a hannah. Or at least an asian hannah. I was called all sorts of nicknames. Man those kids were creative. I was called hanny pants, nah nah, hannah toodle. I think this name describes who I am. It is unique in its own way. So unique you can make any kind of nickname with my name. So unique it's spelled the same back and forth.  Also taking part in the family tradition “Hannah” as in “Han dynasty,” although it has no actual relations it still meant a lot. On my dads side we are related to Liu Bang who was the ruler of China during the time period of 206 BCE - 220 CE. When I also did not exist. Even though there are hundreds of 
descendants related to the past ruler. I like to think of myself as a princess. Princesses have grace and that's the true meaning of the name Hannah. People often refer to me as Hannie for a nickname. But oftentimes if you hear it from afar it sounds like honey. Honeys are sweet, I wonder if all the Hannahs are as sweet. Without my name people wouldn't know who I am . People used to say “you seem like a hannah” but what if I'm called grace? I feel amazed as I searched up the most popular girls name in 2010. The year I was borned, the name Hannah was the 23rd most popular name from a list of 100. My birthday is June 23rd.  It feels like it was destined that the name “Hannah” waited for me all those years.  My name is so simple yet people still spell it wrong.  
 

  Hannah Wang 
  East Side Middle School, 7th Grade 

 
REVENGE POTION 
 
  A metal pot would be just fine, 
  As long as it's above a fire in a shrine. 
  Stir it clockwise, 
Don’t damage the snake's eyes. 
Careful now add the phoenix feather, 
Careful not to let it wither. 
Let it boil for a bit longer,  
So that the effect and charm becomes stronger. 
Wait for ten ticks of the clock, 
Then add the skeleton of a hawk. 
Be wary now, this is the most dangerous part, 
Where the potion can rise and rise to the heart. 
Let it simmer down, 
Be sure to not ruin it now.  
Circle it counterclockwise, 
Let it slowly start to crystalize. 
Take the scroll that is worn and old,  
Quickly undo the fold. 
Locate page thirteen, 
Instead of a chant start with a scream. 
The crystal should now shine more brightly, 
The color needs to be unsightly. 
Pick up a metal mace, 
And smash the crystal with little grace. 
Separate the pieces into corked vials, 
Congratulations on your finished trial. 
Take a teaspoon, no more, no less, 
Don’t just measure with a guess. 

Little by little, mix it into your victim’s cup, 
And make sure they drink it all up. 
 

  Liya Choi  
  East Side Middle School, 8 th  Grade 

 
TWO VOICE POEM 
 
At D’s house 
Terrace:                 Creaky, squeaky door 

Old, wooden floor 
Loved, D sits by the drawer 
 

Backyard:              Used, worn out grass 

Hard, gray stone path 
D sits, sipping her flask 
 

Dining Room:       Surrounded every Christmas day, 

     
 
Basement:             We sit, the baseball game is on 

On D’s beloved chair, looking onto the lawn 
Now, D is gone. 

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  Elena Davis   
  East Side Middle School, 8 th  Grade 

 
 
CRIMINAL BALLAD 
 
Under the blinding glow of a street light 
A single lady started a huge fright. 
Her looks may be deceiving so make sure what you are believing. 
Caught in the whirls of the shiny pearls on her ears. 
Spinning on a wheel against the tip of her heel, 
Trapped inside her stories. 
The 2nd of december was a night to remember 
The endless dark surrounded by a bright spark  
Creating a scene for Miss Deceive to not be seen. 

A dinner discussing a transfer of money, for a business plan. 
In which this mysterious lady met us with a delirious greeting. 
 

  Ramona Weinstein   
  East Side Middle School, 8 th  Grade 

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