Poem By My Daughter

A poet

A poet is a liar with a silver tongue pen, and a bleeding heart on the other end.

We are anagrams and metaphors and sphinxes in sheep skin.

Every letter is an actor that we send into the wind,

And we're only as good as the words you believe in.

Erika E. Mooney

Copyright March 2014

Old Paper by My Kid

by Alex

            

"The 2012 Election, Obama vs. Romney"

This paper is about the election and how Obama and Romney are going to fix some of the issues in the United states. This paper is focusing mostly on immigration, taxes and education.

There seems to be no similarities on how Obama thinks about immigration compared to Romney's idea. Romney thinks that there should be a wall all across the border of the U.S.A. between Mexico, but he will create a pathway to citizenship for those who have served in the U.S. military or for children who came "Through no fault of their own".

But Obama thinks a different way. He wants to stop deportation immigration that are undocumented. They will not be deported if they are under the age of 30 and have a high school diploma or GED or they served in the military.

There is a big difference on how Romney thinks and how Obama thinks about taxes. Romney believes that we should cut taxes on the wealthy families and large businesses, and he wants to raise taxes on the middle class and the poor. Obama thinks that we should raise taxes on the wealthy and cut taxes on the middle class and poor.

There is a small similarity on how Obama and Romney think about education because they are both thinking about the children. They both want to help the students get into college to get a degree. Romney believes parents should have more choice in how their kids receive an education. He also supports reducing the Federal government's role in education, testing students and rewarding talented teaches.

Obama believes in Federal help for students who can't afford college. He urges states to have a high standard in public schools and develop new programs for students. He believes in the No Child Left Behind Act but wants schools to have more flexibility in the approach. Obama wants to improve early education and the participation of American students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Obama and Romney don't have the same ideas. They think about the people, but they would act differently if they get elected. One would do one thing, and the other would do something else. To learn more, read the newspaper or go on websites. Go to Google and type in "election."

Sources:

Election 2012, Times for Kids.com

2012 Election Politics for CNN.com

Alex's Underwater Painting

Mixed media, on high school display

Alex's Horse

This Year's Easter Egg Experiment

Art by the talented, beautiful E.E.M.

She did this by drawing and coloring on her computer pad.  Talent emerging!

My Friends...We have reached Nirvana!

Tarzan and his cat, "The Thinkers" by A.R.M., with meditating friend by me.

Thanks to bro's family for the sculpey clay Christmas fun!

For the 2013 Martin Luther King Oratorical Contest

by A.R.M.

When I was younger, I used to believe that right was right and wrong was wrong. I believed that time was two hands spinning is circles. Until I heard of a man who believed that he could change people and how they feel about America. He showed them that they are somebody, not just another person on the side of the road.

This man's name was Mather Luther King Junior. When he said his speech "I had a Dream," he did not think about the time or place to say his speech. He just thought about the people. He didn't think of the actual day or month or season. He just did what was right.

Martin Luther King said, "We are now faced with the fact, my friends, that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is still the thief of time. Life often leaves us standing bare, naked, and dejected with a lost opportunity. The tide in the affairs of men does not remain at flood -- it ebbs. We may cry out desperately for time to pause in her passage, but time is adamant to every plea and rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled residues of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words, 'Too late.'"

If you wait for the right time, you might lose your chance to do the right thing. For example, someone may be getting beaten in front of you, and you're waiting to do something about it, but you have to do something now. When people do something right, they don't think about the right time. All they think is, "This guy is being hurt. I can't just stand here and watch him get beaten to the ground."

Martin Luther King Jr. saw African American people getting beaten, their houses getting burned, and their children being segregated in schools. He thought African Americans were equal. They just looked different. Because of his speech, many people started to think, "If we don't do anything about this we may lose everything we have." He affected people by what he said, and he didn't wait for a specific time.

Like Kevin Heath said, "A true hero is not someone who thinks about doing what is right, but one that simply does what is right without thinking."

I believe that there is no right time. It is always the right time to do the right thing.

Moving Anime Drawing

"Reflections of the Eye" by local artist E.M.

Lila the Small

Lila the Small

An epic poem 

by E.M.

Listen now as I tell you a tale,

Of a girl who lived in the city of Dale,

Her name was Lila, who was an elf,

About half the size of yourself,

One day she was in the forge,

When a man named George,

Cried out “Help the orphanage is on fire!”

Faster than a pluck of a string on a lyre,

She dashed out the oak door only to be met by fiery flame,

And many a men that had been slain,

But some survived and took flight,

To escape the hells delight,

But some were left behind,

So she ran into the flames senses blind,

Lila heard the weeping of a child,

Surrounded by fire so wild,

“Please! Someone help me! I am above!”,

Lila scurried up a beam she did push and shove,

A little boy out from under a stove,

And two other children ran and dove,

Under the cover of Lila’s arm,

To protect their trembling bodies from harm,

Running out carrying the three,

In one arm she did flee,

From the breath of the devil,

Barely escaping the building as it became level,

A hero that she became,

But a person all the same,

When she saved three lives,

She met her own demise,

In the city of Dale,

Many a fold still morn and wale,

Over the death of Lila the small,

Who was only half your height tall.

Parenting? Priceless.

Poem by Alexandra when she was just about 8

Swimming

I like swimming.

Swimming is fun.

We swim round in circles.

We go round and round and round.

When I go round and round,

I look like a fish

under the water,

soft and smooth

my arms move,

my legs push,

my hair waves

under the water.

When my mom calls me

we go home. 

It was fun!  I want

to go back again.

June 26, 2006

Poetry by Erika when she was only 11

Love
Love makes you feel explodingly glad
In your mouth you taste the sweetest of honey
You smell the delicious aroma of snapdragons
See your heart’s most desire
And feel the soft skin of your lover

Fear
Fear is the worst enemy of your body
It leaves a vile taste on your tongue
Smells like the scent of death
Feels like a ghostly menace is near
The sound of fear is a deathly silence
The sight of fear is a blanket of night
   
Lonely
Left by the light of friends
To taste ash on your tongue
To feel the lost wind on your face
To see no living thing
And to smell the scent of the wild-like wilderness
 
Hope
Like the swish of a bird at night
Feels like the joy of an adventure
To see the light in a whole new way
To hear the sound of the wind carrying a miracle
To smell the aroma of peace
To taste the sweet tone of water

  

Hatred

Hatred makes your body feel all tight

It feels like you’re having a fight

Hatred tastes like heated metal

Steaming like a kettle

All you can hear is an ear-splitting scream in your head

And you feel as if you were dead

All that you can see is the blackness of hate

Blacker than the blackest rotten date

May 15, 2008

A+ in Pack-Ratting (I prefer to call it "archiving.")

My only excuse here is that I am trying to immortalize my children's childhood and teachers. No one is buying it so far.

Talented Haiku by Erika

My daughter tells me she is going to write a book of Haiku. Of course, I am thrilled!

Below is the start of her book. Whether or not she finishes is irrelevant. Her soul is soaring either way.

------------------------------------

Clouds

Clouds are great white steeds

Galloping across the sky

Great hooves bring down rain

Shadow

Dark and motionless

Covering the morning grass

Devouring light

Moon

Bright and beautiful

A glowing light in the night

Shinning forever

School

A place of laughter

A place of wonderful things

The student learns all

Hope

The light in the dark

The light that fills us all

The key to pure peace

Snow

Softly it falls down

White and shining in the sun

Like a great diamond

Tree

Tall and stands alone

In a clearing by the sea

Dancing in the breeze

Fire

Flickering flames dance

Dancing a never ending dance

Till the morning light

Water

Flowing gracefully

Over rock and under tree

Singing lonely songs

Earth

Rocks tumbling down

Showering like ice and hailstones

Then sudden silence

Wind

Whispering to me

Telling me its own story

Caressing my hair

Storm

Black clouds fill the sky

Lightning clashing their great swords

Thunder’s mighty roar

Ice

Cold and glistening

Gleaming and reflecting light

Till the sunrise comes

Cat

Meowing softly

Purring on the window sill

Lying in the sun

Rain

Dancing on the roof

Pitter patter pitter pat

Waltzing on the roof

Time

Never seen by man

Cannot be captured by man

Time is forever

Erika's Poem

My elder daughter Erika is showing signs of becoming a great poet! Check out this imagery.

Storm

Black clouds fill the sky,
rain lashed the trees,
thunder threatened the earth,
lightening clashed its bright blades,
the wind was like a banshee
screaming in the night.
The trees were bent over,
cowering and hiding their faces.
The storm has come.

More Great Pics by the Kids (some cropped)

After Briefly Attending a BOCS Meeting

We were only there for twenty minutes or so, but from the testimony and the compassion they hold for others, the girls have formed their own conclusions about the immigration debate here in PWC. As part of their home-summer-school experience, they reported back their thoughts on the meeting (though like many adults, they admit being confused by the process).

Kids don't naturally hate, discriminate, or care about borders. They inherently want peace, security and love in their lives. It is up to us to provide those things for them.
__________________________

"I think that all people can have rights . So all people have to be nice to them . If you do not be nice they might lose hope because there is a war going on . So let them stay in the United States."

by Alexandra, age 10

__________________________

"I just have two things to say. Why are you doing this and what drives you to do this abomination? Why treat immigrants so poorly? I know that some came here illegally but that does not mean to treat them like dog dung! You sir have to learn like we all learned in preschool--always be kind to one another!"

by Erika, age 11

Summer School Writing

We are on day 12 of home-summer-school. Once again, I have a new appreciation for teachers and their ability to keep students on task, especially first thing in the morning when everyone is less than awake. Still, we are making progress, focusing on language arts. We do daily reading and comprehension activities. The girls have written quite a few pieces, some more successful than others. I have had them hand-write and type their work, giving them opportunity to work on handwriting and keyboarding.

Both girls loathe editing, my younger daughter in particular. We all struggle with spelling, but her struggles are more particular and fiercer because of her learning disability. This morning, she typed:

"I do not like spelling because it's hard to me. I cannot hear the letters. I cry when I spell. But, I try and try again. So, kids, keep on trying."

While I have not actually seen her cry at home, I do get daily doses of her frustration. We use tools like the spelling dictionary and spell-check to help. We have spelling bees and play Scrabble. And of course, we read. I am seeing progress in her reading which makes us both proud.

My older daughter has really thrown herself into reading which thrills me! Her comprehension is not always what it should be (probably because she guesses at the meaning of some words), but she has delved head first into the Little House series I have been hoping she would read.

On Monday, we watched the Civil War production at Manassas Battlefield Park. I intended to have them write about the movie as soon as it finished; however, the film proved to be more emotionally challenging than we anticipated. I prefaced the movie by having them review an interactive CD at home. The movie was nothing like the CD. The full color, re-living of Bull Run, not just black and white photos with narration or graves in the fields themselves, depicted war in ways I have shielded from the girls and limited for myself. I wish the park had posted a "sensitive viewer" warning on the film so we at least could have prepared.

I did have the girls write about the experience the following day when we were less emotional. My older daughter wrote:

"What I learned from the video on the 14th of July is that the volunteers to fight in the civil war were very young and they thought that the war would only last for a day. But they were proven wrong, many of the volunteers never returned home. The southern army, or the confederates, was under the command of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. The northern army, or the union, was under the command of U.S. Grant. The battle of Manassas was the most bloodiest battle of the civil war.

"The stone house that is in the battle grounds was used as a hospital. When the injured soldiers were in the stone house hospital the men would carve there names on the wood floor. Many men died do to infected wounds. But most of the men both north and south were captives to the opposite side that they were on. It is tragic that so many honest men had to die and never return home to there families again."

Let's just say that this summer has been a learning experience for all of us.