Book Three | thisisit

Keeping the Poetry Flame Alive

Andrea Louise Ambler

Illustrator Christine J. Curry

Pencils and People

Pencils and people seem like opposites.
Pencils are born tall,
Then become smaller and smaller.
People are born small,
And they grow taller and taller.
A pencil can run out of words,
People can create words endlessly.
Beyond the differences they are quite the same.
They both create.
Pencils create letters, notes, essays, and novels.
People create cars, houses, airplanes, and computers.
And when they are combined,
They create something wonderful,
They create something magical,
They create a poem!
Jasmin Shabtai

If I Were in Charge of the World

If I were in charge of the world,
I’d cancel speeches,
Final exams,
Going to school, and also
Lousy teachers.

If I were in charge of the world,
There’d be better arcade games,
Less messy kittens, and
A voting age of twelve.
If I were in charge of the world,
You wouldn’t have troubles.
You wouldn’t have war.
You wouldn’t have death,
Or “Go do your homework.”
You wouldn’t even have homework.
If I were in charge of the world,
The amusement parks would all be right next door.
All parents would encourage TV,
And a person who sometimes did bad on a test
and wasn’t close to being the best,
Would still be allowed to be
In charge of the world.
Louis Abronson

The American Flag

I see the American flag flapping in the wind,
As if it were an eagle soaring across the sky.
Its colors are symbols:
Red represents courage
Like a soldier sacrificing his life
During the Civil War.
White stands for honor,
Like the president standing
By my side.
Blue is for victory. We won the
Battle for Independence, and

Began to build a New Nation.
The American flag symbolizes Courage,
Honor, Justice, and Joy.
Jiin Lee

Eagle

As the symbol of America,
Does the eagle fly-
Forever in its flight with freedom,
May we see it rising high.
In the waning sunlight,
Above the world it soars-
As the long-streaked daytime
Begins to close its doors.
Before the stars come into sight,
It gives a raucous cry-
Then takes off for a final flight,
Against a moonlit sky.
Waking in the morning,
While the sun appears in view
It stretches wide its wings,
And begins the day anew.
Gaba Vallone

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