Anaphora Poems

Anaphora is the repetition of words or phrases in a group of sentences, clauses, or poetic lines. It is sort of like an epistrophe, except that the repetition in anaphora occurs at the beginning of these structures while the repetition in epistrophe occurs at the end.

Like epistrophes, anaphora has ancient origins, combining the Greek words ana, meaning repeat or back, and pherein, meaning to carry.  As this origin suggests, when we hear or read anaphoras, the sounds and meanings of certain words are carried back to us again and again until we begin to carry them with us as well.

It is used in poetry and political speeches. Think, “I have a Dream,” or “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

Mason Gustafson

Being a kid

I forgot about the old house and the tire swing in the backyard.

I forgot how I slept in my Bunk bed right underneath my Brother.

I forgot about running around in the backyard.

I forgot about moving out of my house, being so scared

I forgot about looking for a new house trying to fit in

I forgot about finding my way like looking in a lost & found bin

I forgot moving in to my new house playing as a kid 

I forgot Trying to grow up, kind of closing the lid

I forgot, Being a kid

Ellery K

A story that we have told,

A story that we must hold, 

A story of the boy in the back, 

A story of a records broken track,

A story we have loved, and,

A story we have mourned,

A story that echoes outs, and 

A story that we must learn and shout, 

A story belonging to only one, 

A story belonging to none,

A story forgotten by all of time, 

A story that I have missed, of mine,

So when the tides of history come, 

So when no one remembers to run, 

So when I can no longer shout,

So how can I live without, 

The story of your love

Esper

There’s a time I felt happiness. 

Warmth, like a spicy cup of hot chocolate, filling my body

There’s a time I felt love. 

My heart beating against my skin while flustered giggles seeped out from my throat

There’s a time I felt nothing. 

A numbness buzzing in my limbs

There’s a time I felt alone. 

An aching emptiness hanging low in my chest

There’s a time I felt rage.

Frustrated tears leaking from my eyes, nails digging into my palms

There’s a time when I felt betrayed.

Just to sleep it off, pretending it was all a dream

Abhay

I feel the screams of innocent people ringing in my ears.

I feel the gunshots hitting the metal panels of the abandoned corner shop.

I feel the empty bullet casings crunching under my feet as I walk.

I feel the smell of gasoline as armored trucks pass by.

I feel the fear of men with weapons locking eyes with me.

I feel the hunger in those kids’ stomachs asking for a nickel on the sidewalk. 

I feel the unknowingness of suddenly dropping to the floor as trucks pass by outside.

I feel the plaster hit me as our roof crumbles.

I feel the disappointment as our power suddenly shorts out. 

I feel the cold wind outside as we are wrapped in a blanket on the porch.

I feel the final coins fall out of our piggy bank. 

I feel the crying after our last valuables were stolen. 

I feel the pain.

I feel it all. 

Writing stories using 5 idioms.

Idioms are phrases which cannot be understood simply by looking at the meaning of the individual words in the phrase. They are figures of speech that

Rahul

The CEO of the company had butterflies in his stomach. This was the biggest deal of his life. His company could be acquired by Apple and him and his business partners could become millionaires. He knew he had to go the whole nine yards in his pitch if he wanted to be acquired. Apple was a big company and wouldn’t be easy to convince.

During his pitch it seemed he had a frog in his throat. You could barely hear what he was saying. The invention would have to speak for itself. No one could deny that the invention was brilliant. However, it is an invention that needs to be demonstrated. I could tell the Apple representatives weren’t impressed. 

 After the presentation the representatives said they would put this acquisition on ice. I could tell the CEO was devastated. The biggest business deal of his life, and he choked. All of his partners had to spend hours comforting him and telling him that there were other fish in the sea. After a little bit he finally accepted that the past was the past and he couldn’t change that.

Elise F

The sun beating on my face. Overthinking everything in my life. “Penny for your thoughts, Aubry,” said Jane. Well I think I have bitten off more than I could chew. I told my teacher that I would do the essay contest. But the essay is due tomorrow. I have basketball practice till 9 tonight. Then I will have to clean my room tonight or I will have my phone taken away! If I make this work it will be by the skin of my teeth. I started to tear up. “It is okay we all over book sometimes,” said Jane. Well not just that I feel like I haven’t had a break for months. Every weekend where everyone else has a break I have basketball games and I coach the younger kids. 

“Well then you should start to say no, don’t put too many eggs in your basket!” said Jane. I try but I feel like everyone needs help! I am spreading myself thin. “ I mean, you deserve your summer break!” said Jane. I guess so then I closed my eyes and stared up into the sun again.