Exercise: "I Am From" poems
I am from eating cheeseburgers.
I am from going to school for the first time.
I am from a fossil.
I am from a sea cookie.
I am from going to my Grandma's house.
I am from clay materials.
I am from a piece of mango.
-Pearce, Joaquin Miller
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Exercise: Secrets on the Line
Once there was a dark-haired boy named Rudolph. He was a really nice boy with bright blue eyes. He was very poor and all by himself, and he had a secret: to survive he had to steal small things from stores. He really hated it, but he had no choice. If he needed clothes, he would cut off the alarm and hide them under his pants. If he needed food, he would eat it at the store when no one was looking. If he needed to use the bathroom, he went to Starbucks.
One day, Rudolph walked into a dark storage room in the back of his favorite store. A light bulb went on, and behind him he heard the store owner say, "You're going to jail, you shoplifter!"
"No," Rudolph said, "Please let me go. I'm an orphan."
"Well," said the store owner, "If you're an orphan, then I'll adopt you."
-Luke, Joaquin Miller
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Exercise: Secret Recipes
Secret Recipe for Epically Awesome Beast Mode
Ingredients:
One television, any variety
One video game console
Instructions:
Plug console into television. Turn on television. Use controller (not included) to turn on console. Result? Home theater!
Side Effects:
Awesomeness, possibility of seizure, tendency to not get homework done.
-Alex, Joaquin Miller
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Exercise: Secrets on the Line
My story begins like this. Every night, someone named Dr. Woods climbed out of his window, went to the forest, and hung out with his best friends. I lived right next door to Dr. Woods, and one night I saw a tree in the forest move. I thought it was my imagination, but then it walked up to my front door and rang the doorbell. I heard the door open, and Dr. Woods came into my house. I hid in the darkness of my room, but soon I heard a voice behind me: "Looking for someone?" it said. I was paralyzed.
-Marco, Joaquin Miller