The English 3 class has just finished reading Anne Bradstreet's (the first American Poet) "Upon the Burning of My House" in which she describes a terrible fire that destroyed all of her belongings. In response, the juniors selected an object that they would never want to lose in a fire and wrote a poem modeled after Bradstreet's model using her aabbccddeeff rhyme scheme.

Upon the Burning of Our House - July 10th, 1666
by Anne Bradstreet
(1612-1672)

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In silent night when rest I took,
For sorrow neer I did not look,
I waken'd was with thundring nois
And Piteous shreiks of dreadfull voice.
That fearfull sound of fire and fire,
Let no man know is my Desire.
I, starting up, the light did spye,
And to my God my heart did cry
To strengthen me in my Distresse
And not to leave me succourlesse.
Then coming out beheld a space,
The flame consume my dwelling place.

And, when I could no longer look,
I blest his Name that gave and took,
That layd my goods now in the dust:
Yea so it was, and so 'twas just.
It was his own: it was not mine;
Far be it that I should repine.

He might of All justly bereft,
But yet sufficient for us left.
When by the Ruines oft I past,
My sorrowing eyes aside did cast,
And here and there the places spye
Where oft I sate, and long did lye.

Here stood that Trunk, and there that chest;
There lay that store I counted best:
My pleasant things in ashes lye,
And them behold no more shall I.
Under thy roof no guest shall sitt,
Nor at thy Table eat a bitt.

No pleasant tale shall 'ere be told,
Nor things recounted done of old.
No Candle 'ere shall shine in Thee,
Nor bridegroom's voice ere heard shall bee.
In silence ever shalt thou lye;
Adieu, Adeiu; All's vanity.

Then streight I gin my heart to chide,
And didst thy wealth on earth abide?
Didst fix thy hope on mouldring dust,
The arm of flesh didst make thy trust?
Raise up thy thoughts above the skye
That dunghill mists away may flie.

Thou hast an house on high erect
Fram'd by that mighty Architect,
With glory richly furnished,
Stands permanent tho' this bee fled.
It's purchased, and paid for too
By him who hath enough to doe.

A Prise so vast as is unknown,
Yet, by his Gift, is made thine own.
Ther's wealth enough, I need no more;
Farewell my Pelf, farewell my Store.
The world no longer let me Love,
My hope and Treasure lyes Above.


The following poems were created in junior English:


Alyssa Long
Friendship is the key
To the concept of life that I couldn't yet see
The day my grandpa passed away was the day I felt alone, astray
He I held close to my heart
Then and there I had to part
To the person I love all my life
This was hard; it felt like a knife
Then a person I've known practically all my years
She was a friend, one of my peers
Presented something to ease my frown
Something fluffy, small, and brown
I hold this object dear to me
For everyone to know and see
I could not bare to lose again
The thing I write about with my pen
Something so dear to my heart
I could not bare to once again part
It's helped me out along the way
To ease my mind about that day
You may ask what this simple thing means to me
Bu if you look closely you will see
This thing is but a symbol of my love
To the one who is now up above.


Chelsea Meyer
Under my bed, you will find
All of the memories that fill my mind.
From friends and family to holidays,
Upon these pictures you shall gaze
I made this album all on my own
To someone else I will never loan
My love for my family, my love for my friends
My love for them never ends
And in this album it will show
I love it dearly and now you know
If a fire were ever to burn this book
I would never again see the pictures I took.


Lorrie Smith
Hanging in solitary splendor on the wall
An image of hope and love to all.
A smile so sweet it lights her face
And a grin on his no one could displace.
A man of solemn, yet joyful heart
Held this child like a work of art.
She was his future; he was her past.
From the time of her birth they knew it would last.
The times they had and the times they shared
She rarely knew how much he cared.
But while he held her you could see,
This was the place he loved to be.
Now he's gone, no longer here
And this photo is what she holds dear.


Laura Prochazka
My Grandma has a talent indeed.
She mad me this to show her love to me.
The only colors are green and white.
I sometimes fight with it through the night,
When I have nightmares of mean cats fighting.
It keeps me warm when the wintry weather is biting.
I would be angry if I lost this in a fire.
What is she could never make me another in all my hearts desire?
When my Grandma passes on, I will have this.
This handmade blanket means the same as a kiss.


Liz Florence
Brown and furry
I'd save him in a hurry
Stitched by my Aunt
Part him, I just can't
Coming up one leg short
I bet he's the only one of that sort
No matter what he'll always be near my heart
From now until forever, we will never part
A gift to me and my brother
I will pass him on to no other
Whenever I'm feeling low or down
Looking at him always helps me come around
If my house were to go up in smoke
He is what I miss most.


Anna Wright
On Christmas day I got a gift
And from my heart it will not drift
A gift from my grandparents, true and dear
A part of them will always be near
In memory of my grandma, whom I have lost
It cannot be replaced at any cost
It's broken now and that's ok
Their love for me will never stray
And if my house burnt to the ground
I'd miss this item gold and round


Ashley Mouser
While it sits in my closet peacefully
It sits there full of memories
Those memories that once filled the air
Are now only thought about with special care.
It's filled with all the colors of the rainbow
Which helps give a little glow
Through the good and through the bad
It's the key to all the years I had
This person and thing are meant for me
To be happy with my family
Through my childhood and onto many years
This object's held very dear
Without it I would be lost
For I would have nothing to live for at all cost.


Shanli Spradlin
Smooth and shiny, silver and bright
Oh how well it reflects the light
It's so beautifully adorned with a heart
Dividing tow small diamonds apart
Although small and light as a feather
It symbolizes a year together
It's so perfect and oh so round
Knowing it's there, I sleep sound
Representing a promise of love and desire
The one thing I'd hate to lose in a fire.


Hali Keltner
A delicate gift from her to me
As I cherish it, she's all I see
It hands by a chair and it cool to the touch
The beautiful ornate purse reminds me so much
It's not something to use but something I love
Memories of my great grandma who watches above
With colors of red, peach, purple and gold,
For me to keep, to have, and to hold
The burning of my house would be the worst thing for me,
I would lose the purse that was given to me.


Megan Coonen
I got my freedom on that day
So on my couch I'll no longer lay
A gift from my mom so close to my heart
It truly is a piece of art
Soft and brown, with a colorful bow
With me, it will always go
If fire took my house from me
Oh how sad I would be


Samantha Crow
Soft, white, furry and fluffy
When I hold her close she makes me tuffy
I got her in a trip to the mall
And she is only eight inches tall
She is all dressed in pink and has black eyes
But she never, never, never cries
He made her with his own two hands
In never never neverland
She is a very special to me
But she is no bee


Ann Oxley
Last that I got from someone I love
Fits on my hand as though a glove
All through the holidays it sat under the tree
On Christmas day it was given to me
Because my grandmother had recently passed
I'll keep this ring as long as I live
Because it was the last thing she ever could give.


Ryan Sweet
An early memory of me
Too young to see
That so much of my past
Could burn up fast
Keeping memories undead
No just images in my head
Something to share
If any one gives a care
So important to me
Maybe you'll see
A piece of my past
Gone away too fast
And when I'm dead
A picture of my head
That people can share
With anyone who gives a care.


Marco Guldener
Es ist viereckig und liegt in der Schublade,
Und es ist ein Bisschen dunkler als schwarze Schokolade.
Es ist lang wie mein Fuss and breit wie miene hand
Es hat acht ecken und zwoelf kant
Nur en knopfdruck und ich befind mich in einer anderen welt
Das ist nicht aufzuwiegen mid allem geld
Ich sehe es mir an wieder und wieder
Ich glaube es wird mir nie zu bieder
Mehr als vier stundnen hab ich auf diesem band
Von meiner familie freunden und meinem land
Fuer mich bedeuted es mein leben
Ich koennte nie aufgeben
Auch wenn es haerter waer als das grausigste erdbeben
Davon zu profitieren und zu leben
A thing so small, so important in my life
If I would lose it
That would be the worst thing for me, my father and his wife.