Concord International Elementary: Poetry and Song 2021
In the 2020-2021 school year, 2nd graders at Concord International Elementary School worked with Jack Straw teaching artist Vicky Edmonds to write original poems about their feelings, emotions, and what they’re like deep inside. Jack Straw musicians Abel Rocha and Levi Fuller wrote songs inspired by the students’ poems. Abel worked with Carly Groszhans and Katie Tabor’s dual-language (Spanish/English) classes, and Levi worked with Ms. Adams’s class. Abel and Levi recorded their songs with Jack Straw’s engineers, and joined the classes virtually to teach and record them with the students and engineer Joel Maddox.
Vicky Edmonds also worked with Concord 4th graders in Ms. Zambrano and Mr. Lindahl’s classes. She helped them write poems on many topics, including family, personal feelings and emotions, and nature. Vocal coaches Claudine Mboligikpelani Nako and Alyssa Keene helped each of them practice reading their work aloud, before recording them with engineers Daniel Guenther, Joel Maddox, and Ayesha Ubayatilaka.
Listen below for Abel and Levi’s songs with the Concord 2nd graders, and poems from the Concord 4th grade students, and read on for the song lyrics!
Song lyrics:
| El Salmon By Abel Rocha and the students of Ms. Carly and Ms. Katie’s classesAlla va el salmon  Rio arriba a desovar Rio arriba a desovarAqui mi cancion Que te ayude en tu viajarAqui mi cancion Que te ayude en tu viajarAyude al salmon Rio arriba a desovar Rio arriba a desovarAy como hare para llegar Vengo desde el mar Alla va el salmon Alma de las aguas El rojo del sol Hacia el rio arriba Alma de este rio Agua de este rio Alla va el salmon |
El Pajaro y el Jardin By Abel Rocha and the students of Ms. Carly and Ms. Katie’s classesLlevo yo por dentro un pajaro y su canto Que rompe el silencio Con la fuerza de su trino Observando mi destino  O soy silenteY mis colores Rompen el espectro De la luz . . . del sol De la luz . . . del solLas plantas y las flores aromas del jardin Comparto los colores Y volando soy feliz Y volando soy felizDel cielo y la tierra Soy un eslabon Vuelo, canto y brillo Alegrando, la ocasión Alegrando, la ocasión Abel Rocha: La Tormenta
Ay o Ay o Soles de alegria Ay o Ay o Una gran tormenta Limpiare a mi paso Rayo trueno y agua Cuando la tormenta |
Blue and Yellow By Levi Fuller and the students of Ms. Adams’s class  When I feel sad it feels like blue tearsblue and gray, so much rain around me When I feel happy it feels like the sun yellow sun shining brightWhen I feel sad a shark is surrounding me. it feels like blue cousins going away When I feel happy, a yellow summer day I’m floating on water.When I feel thankful it feels like rainbows smiling down When you do something right You’re a star with special dust.When I feel sad it’s like blue lightning Glowing storminess When I feel funny, a lemon in my mouth. the joy is floating in my heart.When I feel calm it feels like I have my hamster in my hand. When I’m excited it feels like yellow cake like a yellow car When I feel thankful it feels like rainbows When I feel thankful it feels like rainbows
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Yo soy la tormentaConcord Poetry and Song 2021 was produced with the generous support of the Washington State Arts Commission, Jubilation Foundation Fund, a fund of Tides Foundation, and individual donors. Special thanks to Seattle Public Schools International Education Administrator Thad Williams.
Artists
Vicky Edmonds
Vicky Edmonds is a poet and a teacher who uses the written and spoken word to bring the deepest and most authentic parts of ourselves to the page into the…
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Abel Rocha
Abel Rocha is a Mexico City-born folklorist, singer and multi-instrumentalist who performs music of Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Chile and Argentina. He is a foundational member of groups including…
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