Youngsters at Miami-Dade County public schools got a taste of poetry writing as part of The Emily Project, a program directed by theatre professor Phillip Church and his What If Works production company. Guided by FIU students and alumni, the youngsters put pen to paper in an ode to self-expression.
Recipe of Friendship
Building a friendship is like following a recipe First, start mixing the most important ingredients: Trust, loyalty and respect.
Then adding a dash of loyalty goes a long way A cup of trust is a must. 3 servings of respect are what you expect Bake it over time to make it just right.
You build up your relationship like layers in a cake You decorate your cake by fixing your relationship With patience and dedication.
See through how you make this cake over time When you see the end result Friendship is a piece of cake.
—Isabella Garcia, 8th grade Rockway Middle School
I Once Thought
I once thought of faith, A catalyst of trust I once thought of society, A broken porcelain cup
Transparent like the glass once Like the seamlessly ending cycle But one day, it ends
I once thought of our trust in each other, how it died How we were fond of each other Now, nothing remains
—Thomas Grau, 8th grade Palm Springs Middle School
The Flower of Truth
There is a garden of flowers in each person One of these flowers is trust Like everything in this confusing world It grows, it lives, it dies.
As a naive child You don’t know exactly what trust is Until it is broken. When it finally breaks You learn a lot more about the world And how cruel it can really be.
It takes only a moment to pluck a flower It takes only a moment to plant a seed But flowers need more than a moment to grow For this flower, it can take a lifetime.
—Kaylee Diaz, 7th grade Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School