Winter

Nov. 1 - 22, 2007

Dec. 18, 19
2:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Jan. 16 (Wednesday)
at 6:15 p.m.

South Lawrence East Elementary School, Lawrence

Spring

Feb. 8 - 29, 2008

Apr. 8,10
2:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Apr. 30 at 6:00 p.m.

Marsh Grammar School, Methuen

Additional Reading Opportunities for AppleSeed Contributors

Issue

Winter 2008

2/11/08

7 p.m.

Nevins Memorial Library, Methuen

Methuen contributors to Winter edition

Winter 2008

2/13/08

7 p.m.

Stevens Memorial Library, North Andover

North Andover contributors to Winter edition

Winter 2008

2/27/08

7 p.m.

Memorial Hall Library, Andover

Andover contributors to Winter edition

Selections from the 2008 Winter Edition of AppleSeed

Used by permission. All rights reserved. Selections last updated: 1/24/08

Bryana M., Thomson School

Don’t you dare comb my hair,
There are knots and snarls everywhere!
If you do, I’ll surely shout
So don’t you dare comb them out!
Maybe I’ll hide under the bed
’Cause if you comb them, I’ll be dead!
So I’ll hide in the pantry
Oh drats! She found me!
So don’t you dare comb my hair,
I don’t know why you care ’bout golden locks of hair
I hate shampoo, barrettes Boo-hoo!
Oh good! it’s time for school!

Camille H.
Comprehensive Grammar School
Listen to the author read

The silver,
Shining wings
Will cure your
Sickness.

The silver,
Shining wings
Will blow darkness
Away.

The silver,
Shining wings
Make your massive heart beat
Faster and faster.

The silver,
Shining wings
Make a beautiful, delightful, gorgeous
Shine.

The silver,
Shining wings
Make you and me
Be alive.

Christopher R. and Philip P.
Oliver School

As I look down the alley
I am making my choice

Should I walk down this alley?
Yes, I’ve made up my mind

It looks like a gaping mouth
Which swallows me in its darkness

I see rats, mice, and insects
All scurrying away from me

This alley smells like garbage
Of rotten and disgusting things

I slowly get used to the smell
And realize it’s the opening

I come out and bless sunlight
And say bye-bye to darkness.

Yearahm A.
Sanborn School

Listen to the author read

Frog, oh frog with your very long tongue
You’ll eat every fly in the sky
You’ll jump up
and
d
o
w
n
You’ll turn aroun’
You’ll have a frown
Because there are no more flies in the sky.

Genesis D.
Wetherbee School

Jessica A., Tenney Grammar School

Ben R., Thomson School

Children are playing out in the yard,
Swinging on swings and climbing on trees.
Running around while playing tag,
And doing whatever they please.

Bees are buzzing
Crickets are humming
And birds are singing a tune

Flowers are blooming and smelling sweetly,
And trees are giving off shade.
The grass is blowing gently and quietly,
Because of a warm day.

Mia D.
Kittredge School

Selections from the 2007 Spring Edition of AppleSeed

Used by permission. All rights reserved. Selections last updated: 5/30/07

Cannons firing
Each blast taking away what someone
Has worked so hard to keep
Their life
Guns shooting
Each bullet taking away what someone
Has worked so hard to keep
Their life
Planes attacking
Each bomb taking away what someone
Has worked so hard to keep
Their life
Why not have
Peace?

Keval
Sargent Schooll

Listen the the author reading (MP3)

The waves are crashing, birds in flight,
Watching daytime turn to night,
It’s getting hard to see offshore,
For nature is taking away my light.

My horse is giving me a neigh,
Watching daylight slip away,
He seemed a little worried,
So I whispered to him “It’s okay.”

The breeze is whipping through my hair,
It smells salty in the air,
It is starting to get chilly,
But I don’t really care.

It’s getting late, I have to say,
My horse gave me another neigh,
He asked when it would be tomorrow,
I told him, “Soon it would be the next day,
Soon it would be the next day.”

Erica
South School

Listen to the author reading (mp3)

Drive to the mountain
Get your gear and a ticket
Click into your skis

Find your favorite ski trail
Ride lift to the top
Keep tips up when leaving chair

Launch your way downhill
Controlled “pizza” is the best
Careful not to crash!

Ryan
Marsh Grammar School

Artwork by Kenny, South Lawrence East M.S.

Bright and cozy
Light and lovely
Always by my side
Never leaves me alone in the cold winter
Keeps me warm
Exhibit to my eyes
Tears I cry
Silent at all times.

Sujehiry
Guilmette School

Artwork by Norberto, Tarbox School, Lawrence

Dancing its dance,
Swirling around,
The dancing then stops,
The decision then starts,
To drop rain or snow,
It decides to drop snow,
To drop its silver for kids to enjoy,
The dance starts again
And now Earth dances too.

Max
High Plain Elementary School

"Looking toward the Future" by Paulo
Timony Grammar School

One day while I was reading a book, my teacher’s loud, booming voice filled the room. “Today, we will be doing a project,” he said. “Ohhhh!” the class groaned. “No, no,” my teacher replied. “We will be writing to kids in Iraq, comforting their sadness about the war.” I looked up from my desk. “Go on…” I said under my breath.

My teacher somehow seemed to have heard me. “Each student will get a pen pal. They will write to each one. It will be a big help to people, especially worried parents and guardians,” he said. And, so we did.

My pen pal was Ala Meen. He is seven years old. My letter went like this:

Dear Ala,

Hello! How are you? My name is Sabrina and I from the United States. How are your parents? I have heard about the war. I am sorry. I hope my letter is a longer one next time. I just have so many questions that I can’t fit in this letter. I hope you write back.

Your helping hand,
Sabrina

Sabrina, West Elementary School

Do you remember? I do.
On that beautiful winter day,
As the snow fell like confetti.
You forgot your snow pants,
And you weren’t allowed to retrieve them.
I stayed with you, inside, as everyone else
Was out skiing and sledding,
We had fun…
Playing cards, drinking cocoa,
And jumping around.
But as everyone came in,
Our hearts sank like a brick to the ocean floor.
But we knew our fantastic memory
Would stay in our hearts forever.

Ashley, Sanborn School

Zoom! I started down the hill on my snowboard. I was immediately pelted in the face with sleet. I imagined what I could be doing right now, sipping hot cocoa, sitting by the fire, but instead I was snowboarding. I glided down the hill with so much force that when I looked behind, the snow that had once been beautifully patted, was now sparkling and shattered. A sudden winter wind blew me off my snowboard and out of my thoughts.

Peter, Atkinson School

I played in the fields when I was young
Under the warm and vibrant sun.
There was a story Mother once told me
About a peaceful wood filled with trees.
Birds flew by without a care
Up to the sky to the open air.
You could hear the deer run through the bushes,
You could feel the water as it rushes.
You could taste the wild berries’ juicy taste,
And see the bunnies making haste.
You could smell the graceful evergreens
They have needles instead of leaves.
Mother told me the story every night,
She said, “If you close your eyes really tight,
you might find yourself in the middle of the wood,
If I can, I bet you could.”
Then she tucked me into bed,
Turned off the lights and kissed my head.
And that night, I dreamed of the wood,
As my Mother said I should.

Rebecca, Bancroft School

Sarah, Franklin School

Selections from the 2007 Winter Edition of AppleSeed

Used by permission. All rights reserved. Selections last updated: 2/25/07

The artwork for the cover for the 2007 winter edition of AppleSeed was done by:

Connor
Thomson School

Symphony Poem

It was wonderful,
It was great!
They did a lullaby
Which was sweet.
All the people were very neat.
And it made me go to sleep.
The music was great and sweet,
And the music went in my heart —
In me!

Johanny
Tarbox School

Wind

Howl, howl, swivel, swivel,
My fear of wind has just begun,
Slithering through the forest of green,
Making its way to my window,
Howling and sweeping and startling me,
I don’t know why you do this to me,
I do not know for sure,
Maybe you do it to everyone,
Maybe only to me,
Wind.

Emily
Sanborn School

Running with Fall

Speeding, running, fast,
Feel leaves as I run on
Tasting bitter air

In the forest in backyard
Racing, racing, fast,
Wanting to be the fastest

Now retired to my bed
But in my dream I run on
Speeding, running, fast.

Ryan
Marsh Grammar School

My Name

They say my name is
Beautiful!
Then I say my name is
A Russian princess’s name
“Wow!” they say.
“I wish my name
was that cool!”

Annakarina
South Lawrence East Elementary School

Monkeys

Frisky, slippery, running up a tree, it’s a monkey that I see.
He can lie like a thief, and get you in disbelief.
Quick as a wink and a blink, his coat’s glossy and slick.
The trees are sticky as glue, but like a rat,
this chimp knows what to do.
Avoiding the tree’s trunk sap, like a fox and a trap.
Woodpeckers tap, while jaguars nap.
When this ape looks for bananas, he has a pig’s manners.
He’ll eat any he can see, then he’ll dance around the tree.
He’ll show off to the rest, while looking his best.
And for survival,
He’ll fight like a soldier until his son takes over.
What a happy funky monkey!

Alyssa
Comprehensive Grammar School

One More Person Gone

I see the dirt in my hand.
I taste the saltiness of the sea.
I hear my heart beating fast.
I touch the tears on my cheek.
I smell the daisies around me and know that it is done.
One More Person Gone

Gates
South Elementary School

artwork by Arun
West Elementary School

Take it to the Net

Sometimes I stop and think,
What if I could make the basketball sink?
Like Paul Pierce, Larry Bird, or Robert Parish,
Just think, my name would be known for all to cherish.

If I could nail the game,
And be on my way to the Basketball Hall of Fame,
I would be famous and the crowd would all cheer…
“Dribble, shoot, take it to the net, have no fear!”

The game’s tied up, it’s up to me,
To score the winning shot for all to see.
My heart beats fast and my legs move faster,
I shoot the ball, I hope it’s not a disaster.

This is the life, playing the game,
And now, it’s my turn to be in the Hall of Fame!

Julia
Bancroft School

Flute Piece

Dylan, Comprehensive Grammar School

Listen to Dylan's Flute Piece as an mp3 file

Listen to Dylan's piece played forwards, then backwards, and then forwards again
arranged as a four part cannon for marimba, recorder, voice and music box
an an mp3 file

Listen to the canon played 2 times faster

Listen to the canon played 4 times faster

Do you have a musical composition to submit to AppleSeed?
If so, get it to your advisor before the next deadline.

A computer without keys
The wind without a breeze
A laptop without Chris
A fork without a dish,

A printer without ink
Soap without a sink
A book without pages
A job without wages,

Cake without frosting
A ball without tossing
A shoe without a foot
A pot without soot,

A face without a smile
A machine without a dial
A bat without a ball
A jump without a fall,

The sky without sun
A book without fun
Sticks without ends
Me with no friends.

Christopher
High Plain Elementary School

Listen to Christopher read his poem
(.wav audio file)

(mp3 file)

There once was a great ghastly ghost
Who thought he could scare people the most.
When visitors would come to call
Clinking and clanking he’d come down the
      hall.
When in the kitchen to take a drink
He’d pop his head ghoulishly out of the sink.
In the den to warm yourself by the fireplace
He’d make it as cold as outer space.
Until in the bathroom mirror he did stare.
Screaming, he ran right out of there.

Kevin
Franklin School

Listen to Kevin read his story
(mp3 file)

artwork by Jordan
South Lawrence East Elementary School

Speeding, running, fast,
Feel leaves as I run on
Tasting bitter air

In the forest in backyard
Racing, racing, fast,
Wanting to be the fastest

Now retired to my bed
But in my dream I run on
Speeding, running, fast.

Ryan
Marsh Grammar School

Listen to Ryan read his poem
( mp3 file)

photo by Alison
Franklin School

Are you listening, baby bluebird,
For your mother carrying worms?
Your evening dinner flying through the woods.

Are you listening, baby bat,
For vibrations in the air, made from your screeches, high up there?
In the darkness you’ll see,
Echolocation is the key.

Are you listening, baby deer,
For predators far and near?
Their tracks in the mud,
Their scents in the air.

The rustle of leaves not too far behind,
On an autumn morning there’s so much to find.

The creatures of the forest are much aware,
To listen for sounds in the woods,
Here and there.

Amanda
Bancroft School

Listen to Amanda read her poem
(mp3 file)