Poetry Portraits

The Indian Raid
By Rachel
(This is what I think one of the soldiers who killed the Natives might be feeling)

As I sit,
Gazing into the fire,
I think of the people that used to be here.
I think of the culture that is lost,
And wish I had not done what I did.

The sun was blazing up above,
And my heart was fluttering.
My brain did not know what to think at the sight of the cowering women and children.
But they are gone now to where ever their souls go.
Why are the other men rejoicing,
When I can’t bring a smile to my lips?

Life will go on, Life will go on,
But I will always remember this terrible day,
Where My heart is Thumping,
At the site of our dead enemies.

Poetry Portraits

The Cemetery
By Rachel

People come every day,
Bringing their dead in coffins,
People walk by laughing and joking about death,
While others stand crying at graves.

In the quiet morning,
It will be empty here,
And people will forget their loved ones.
The sun will still rise and set each day,
And the moon will always be offering its lonesome rays of ghastly light when the sun has gone.

The rain will still rain,
The snow will still snow,
The hail will still hail,
The fog will still float in the morning air,
And the sun will still shine each day.

Poetry Portraits

Carl Sandburg
By Rachel

Carl Sandburg was born on January 6, 1878 in Galesburg, Illinois. When he was 18, he had several jobs, but none of them suited him. He loved reading and writing, so it’s no surprise that he became a poet. Sandburg never went to high school because his family only had enough to send his sister Mary, but she shared her books with him and he learned enough to be admitted to college. When Sandburg was out of college, he married a woman named Paula. They had 3 children, but their first had epilepsy (an incurable disease), and although there their two youngest children were healthy, one of them was very slow at learning. Two of their children never moved out of their house. Despite all Sandburg’s troubles, he was a magnificent poet.

Magnificient Musicians

George Frideric Handel
By Rachel Donka

George Frideric Handel was born on February 23, 1685 in the town of Halle, Saxony in northern Germany. His father wanted him to be a wealthy man, so Handel was enrolled in law school to be a lawyer. Handel’s father was so intent on Handel being a lawyer that he did not allow musical instruments in their house. But Handel was determined to play music, so he managed to hide a harpsichord in the attic and he taught himself to play. Handel composed operas for a while, but he got sick of composing them and turned to compose oratorios instead. Oratorios were operas with out costumes and solos. His most famous chorus was the Hallelujah Chorus. In 1712, Handel moved to London, England where he died on April 14th, 1759.

PAWS

Today me and my mom went to the PAWS center. We got a tour of the facility and some volunteers told us what paws is about. We got to see all the dogs and cats they had for adoption. That was sad. Then we found out that the animals are only there for about 10 days before they're adopted. PAWS also has a foster care program. I want to foster kittens. I think it would be lots of fun.

Amazing Art

Harmensz Van Rijn Rembrandt
By Rachel
Harmensz Van Rijn Rembrandt was born in 1606 in Leiden, Holland (this is where the Pilgrims lived before they left for America in 1620). Rembrandt studied with multiple artists throughout his life. He became famous for his ability to make biblical figures seem heavenly, and also still human. He had an outstanding ability to portray light in his pictures. Rembrandt, although he was one of the most popular artists in Europe, started losing money as an adult. He bought pictures from other artists that he could barely afford. He also started painting for himself instead, so he did his job, but for no one, which lost him a lot of money. Harmensz Van Rijn Rembrandt died on October 4, 1669. He was one of the most skilled artists in the Baroque Period.

Poetry Portraits

Edgar Allen Poe
By Rachel

11/5/2008

Edgar Allen Poe was born in the year 1809. His parents both died before he was 3 years old. He was taken to live with John Allen, who had been a wealthy friend of his mother. When Poe was 13, he could read Latin poetry fluently, and he started writing poetry of his own. When he was in college, he wrote his first happy story, but when he read it to his friends, they teased him about it. Poe’s life had been riddled with sadness. He was an Alcoholic and he had to end college early due to the several thousand dollars he was in debt. He had some trouble with money and he fought with John Allen. When he was 18 he enlisted in the army saying he was 22. When he got back from the war, he went to live with his relatives that had taken his brother William in. He wrote very sad poetry, as he was a drunkard and was deeply disturbed in mind and thought. Edgar Allen Poe died on October 3, 1849. He might have been insane, but he still was a good poet. Some of his most famous poems and stories are “The Raven” and “The Tell Tale Heart”. Poe may be dead, but a part of him will always live on in American poetry.