We hope you enjoyed Langston Hughes’ poem “Mother to Son”.
Please share your thoughts and responses with us.
You can listen to the poem again below.
151 thoughts on “Mother to Son”
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We hope you enjoyed Langston Hughes’ poem “Mother to Son”.
Please share your thoughts and responses with us.
You can listen to the poem again below.
Comments are closed.
Life ain’t easy
Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life ain’t been easy for me.
I’ve had ups and downs
I’ve had good days and bad days
I’ve had thing thrown t me
And words shouted at me
Life ain’t been easy for me you see.
You see in life you need to be careful my dear:
I’ve had bruises and cuts
And fire everywhere
I’ve seen people get down on their knees and say…
I CAN’T BREATH.
So boy don’t take advantage of people and don’t let them take advantage of you,
Life ain’t perfect,
You know the right thing to do
You’re a great person,
And never underestimate…
YOU!
An uplifting and inspirational poem Natalia.
Hello future me
Hello future me,
I’ll tell you about your past life,
Life is never easy,
It’s never been for me,
It’s no crystal stair,
More like a book,
Never gonna find out,
How things will end,
But I’ve never stopped trying,
Never stopped climbing,
Never stopped hoping,
Even in the darkest of times,
Life is never easy,
It’s never been for me,
So future me, keep trying,
Keep trying, just for me.
A clever and original idea Amy to change the poem so someone is addressing their future self.
Life isn’t what you choose,
Life is unpredictable,
Theirs an amount on what we have,
That’s what makes us different,
Life isn’t a clear path,
Life is an adventure,
There’s ups and downs,
So you need to push through,
Life isn’t always a bright sunny day,
Life is a roller-coaster,
You start thing then find out how they end,
So you should throw in some risks,
Life isn’t one page,
Life is a book,
Thank you Adlan. I like your use of repetition with the refrain: “Life isn’t…” but also the way you contrast the line with “Life is…”.
thank you
Modern life tunes
Well boy, I’ll tell you:
Life for me hasn’t been that good.
It’s had bad people come and do annoying stuff.
They changed the world.
But tough times never last.
You see, this one day, a virus came,
Then we had to stay and learn at home.
But, one day it all went better.
We can go and play anytime.
We can see our friends and play.
People say the virus may come back.
We can never know.
Life is us, the thing that makes me, me.
But we’re happy,
We have power!
We will live long and happy!
Then once, a little bird told me this:
No matter your problem.
Always, always, always never give up!
If time go wrong and you’re alone.
Try and try and try again.
Strive to win the game!
Life is like a rollercoaster,
With it’s ups and downs.
And when it ends, you should be happy!
And maybe one day you will be remembered a hero!
Thank you Ahmad. How interesting to maintain Hughes’ structure and style but update it with today’s concerns.
Get ready boy!
Well son I tell you:
Life isn’t a clear path,
There are dead ends,
And broken planks,
That stop you going,
And places with no carpet on the floor,
Life is dark,
But all the time,
You will have to keep going,
Don’t give up boy,
There will be corners to turn,
And obstacles to face,
But you can’t stop now boy,
Not now,
Boy don’t turn back,
Life is hard and tough,
Life isn’t perfect,
There are no clear paths in life,
Just keep going boy,
Go boy, go,
And don’t look back.
Thank you Hugo. We can often overlook the importance of titles but yours grabs the reader immediately and provides a hint as to what will follow.
thanks
You’ll Get There In The end
Life isn’t like a fairy-tale pathway
Filled with flowers and joy
No obstacles, no hurdles
Nothing to stop you.
No, life is a complicated map
That twists and turns
There’s ups, there’s downs
Lefts, and rights
There’s troubles,
You can get lost.
But wherever you go, there’ll be something.
Whether it’s good
Or bad
Or worrying
Or sad
It’s always new, always different
So when you feel about to break down
To give up, cry or sob
You need to stay strong, and just remember
You’ll get there in the end.
An original poem Esme. I can see why you decided to explore how life is different from a fairy tale. It’s a clever idea and I wonder if you could develop the poem further. Perhaps suggest there are no castles, fairy god mothers etc
Life is hard
Well, kid, I’ll tell you
Life for me ain’t crystal clear
It’s had its fear
And splinters
And scars
And places with no fairness
Unfair
But all the time
I’se been a flyin’ on
And reachin’ kindness
So don’t give up
I’se still flyin’
Life aint been no fair
Life is hard
Thank you Rahya. I like the way you’ve continued to use line breaks effectively like Hughes providing a fast pace to your poem.
Me to future me
Well future me I’ll tell you:
Life so far hasn’t been no straight road.
It’s had its ups and downs,
And bumps,
And cracks,
Sometimes even no track – –
Brocken.
But all this time
I’ve been driving on,
And reaching sharp turns,
And spinning the wheel,
Sometimes with no light.
So future me, don’t give up.
Don’t go back,
Cause you will find it hard.
Don’t give up now – –
For I’m still going,
I’m still driving,
And life for me hasn’t been a straight road
Very well handled Jaya. You’ve changed the focus of the poem but you’ve handled skilfully and the road extended metaphor works well.
MOTHER TO SON
Life isn’t fair,
Life isn’t Free,
Death isn’t rare,
Nothing is peace.
But sometimes, just sometimes,
Happiness trickles in,
Even then we lose people,
Our love thrown in the bin.
People move away,
People move far,
We think it’s unfair,
It is, but there’s nothing we can do anymore.
Then the monsters came,
The time of ending,
But we still had hope,
Our whole life bending.
Life isn’t fair,
Life isn’t free
Death isn’t rare,
Nothing is free.
Lovely poem Arun. I like the way you’ve taken inspiration from Hughes yet this poem is very much your own. I like the repeating stanzas too.
Father to Son
Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no diamond path
It has tacks in it,
And bruises
And paper cuts
And dead ends
And splinters
But life is a maze
I’ve still been running on
Making money
Reaching lands
Running from place to place
And sometimes hiding in the dark
Because sometimes life can let you down
But keep climbing on
I haven’t gave up neither shall you
Because life is like a Rollercoaster
Interesting idea Jama to change the gender of the speaker. Why do you think Hughes opted for the mother to be the speaker of the poem?
LIFE IS NOT TO CHOOSE
Life for me right now ain’t been no picnic
It’s had its endless ups
And never-ending downs
And its rules and restrictions
well, my dear, ill tell you
life for me right now ain’t been no picnic
Thank you Amir. Is this poem inspired by the restrictions due to COVID? It’s interesting to see how the world influences our writing.
Yes it’s about restrictions and due to COVID-19
Thank so much and I love all your poems
Life is a maze you never know where you’re going.
Life doesn’t have a map you can’t plan where you going
Life has ups and downs it can be hard some times
Life isn’t a strate line it’s not always easy
Life is book you never know what is next
You never know what is next in life
Thank you for the extended metaphor Amin. You represent life in many different ways.
The Real world
Well son today I’m gonna tell you a bit about the world
The world ain’t no Hollywood movie
No frazzle no dazzle no life is perfect
My mama used to tell me life is like a book you never know what’s going to happen next
You gotta work hard for the things you want and work hard you do
Life ain’t no picnic
It’s not all rainbows and unicorns
No crystal stair
There are splinters and torn up boards and places with no carpets
Bare
The world is a roller coaster
Ups and downs lefts and rights
And sometimes you’re gonna be in the dark
Where there aint no light
But even though there is rain there is always gonna be a rainbow
And although life may not be perfect
Its gonna be ok
So boy don’t you dare turn your back.
By Ruby Yr6 Gillespie primary school
Y
Thank you Ruby. I like the way you move between different metaphors in your poem.
Frank to Fig
Well, Fig, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been a comfy heated box.
It had humongous itchy balls in it,
And grime,
And tinsel in your mouth,
And places with no mice on the floor
-bored.
But every day
I’ve been sleeping on
And reaching for marvellous dreams
And eating sweet chicken
And sometimes shivering
Where land isn’t mine
So, Fig, keep on sleeping.
Don’t you wake Tim up.
Because you want to go out.
Don’t wake him now-
For he’s still sleeping,
He’s still snoring.
And life for me ain’t been a heated box.
Hi Frank, Who is Fig?
Well kid, let me tell you,
Life for me has been no fake flower,
It’s had sharp, jagged branches that scrape and catch onto you mid-climb,
And gnarled roots that grab at your ankles preventing you from reaching your next branch,
And ferocious bitter winds that throw large thorny leaves to your face,
And unreachable hand holes no matter how hard you try are unable to reach-
STUCK
But everyday,
I’ve been climbing higher,
And passing nests,
And journeying on this odyssey,
And often falling,
But getting caught on sharp branches.
So kid, don’t look back,
Don’t you dare sit on that swing down below
Because you can’t get to grips with climbing.
Don’t you turn your back now,
Because I’m still fighting these monstrous thorns,
I’m still reaching up.
And life for me has been no fake flower for me
Thank you Elspeth. I like the idea of the branches holding someone back and having to struggle through.
Life Isn’t Always a Caribbean Sea
Well my friends, Let me tell you.
Life for me ain’t been no Caribbean sea.
There’s been thunderous thrilling clouds,
And gargantuan gales,
And sometimes there’s nothing left for me.
Starved.
But all this time,
I’ve been sailing on,
And reaching islands,
And saving friends.
And sometimes losing them,
Where I feel like there’s no hope left.
So world, don’t you give up now.
Don’t you lose hope.
‘Cause you’s worked so hard.
Don’t you stop your paddling now,
For I’se still swimming.
I’se still parting these water,
And life ain’t been no Caribbean sea.
Hi Elsie, I think you use line breaks to good effect. I like the ending of your first stanza with the single word “Starved” having a great impact because of how you used the line breaks. Keep experimenting.
Well, kid, i’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no smooth road
It’s had unexpected, chaotic, panicking cars, that goes fast as bolt
Imagine, standing there shuddered, exhausted for the traffic light to flash green
And shivering in your bones-vexed
And pathways to choose, decisions to make
And locations with no respect, disastrous, devastating crashes, injured people to watch
Shock.
But all the time
I,se been survivin’ traffic jams-thumps
And dissuade drivers
And hemed by trucks, buses
And sometimes goin’ lunged by bikes
Where there ain’t been no peace
So boy, don’t you be reluctant bout’ cars
Don’t put your faith to cars
‘Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you cross the road now-
For i’se still goin’ honey
I’se still turnin’ roads
And life for me ain’t been no smooth road
So you keep on trying and never give up and don’t let the road take advantage of you.
Thank you Ayman. Some memorable phrases here:
“exhausted for the traffic light to flash green
And shivering in your bones-vexed
And pathways to choose”
Life Story
Well child, I’ll tell you
Life ain’t been no walk in the park.
It,’s had blinding, frightening avalanches in it,
And gigantic mountain Lions that attack when you least expect it,
And steep rocks that could crush you,
Numb!
But all the time
I’ve been climbing on,
And reaching rock ledges,
And turning corners,
And sometimes going in Ice Caves
Where there ain’t been no light.
So child don’t you give up!
Don’t you rest on a ledge
‘Cause it’s kinder hard’
Don’t you give up now,
For I’m still going
I’m still climbing
And life for me ain’t been no walk in the park!
Thank you William. Th park metaphor works well. Perhaps you could include some items found in parks like slides, roundabouts, swings to develop your metaphor.
Life ain’t been no easy test.
Well mother ill tell you,life for me ain’t been no 100% score test.it had storms in it and ups and downs,and questions i couldn’t figure out the answer to. But all the time ise been a climbing up, and falling down from hills and goin back to correct my mistakes and some times being stuck on stuff and not knowing the method to it. So mother dont u turn your head around. Don’t you sit on the stairs couse you find it kinder hard. Don’t you give up now. For i’se still goin honey i’se still trying and life for me ain’t been no fairytale.
Thank you Erisa. The idea of creating a metaphor of a test is an interesting one and something you could develop further.
A House Ain’t Always Made Of Brick!
Life for me ain’t been a glass mansion.
No!
I’ve had to be locked away
Taken away
And never known why.
A roof to protect me all i need
But is that what i get – No!
I need a place to call home a nice fire to sit beside
But sometimes dreams can be bigger then hope.
A lovely and cozy cottage I can call home.
A door I can open.
But my little friend you just gotta keep dreaming and believing
Because you never know what you are wishing for can
Be presented to you with a click well for some.
Life for me hasn’t been built
That’s your job.
Build your life!
Build your dreams!
Build your hope!
And one day
You will have a brick wall right there in front of you!
Fantastic Elise. You settle upon a metaphor of buildings and it works really well especially your ending where building becomes more figurative.
Well friend ill tell you its had sticks and stones init and bumps and needles and places with no fire to sit beside but all the time ise been dreaming believing and reachen and reachin and turnin different directions and sometimes gon in the dark where there aint been no light so dont worry dont give up dont stop believing cause you finds its kinder hard dont you fall now for ise still goin honey ise still climbin and live for me aint been no green light
A promising poem Alex. Try to consider where you would place line breaks.
Well child i’ll tell you life for me ain’t been no diamond chandelier.
For me there have been sub-zero icebergs drop right in front of me.
I had to climb through sticky snow which made my feet go numb.
It’s just terrifying.
But every time I’ve been trying to get through and doge the jagged boulders.
Always pushing through the blue blizzards where there has been no help from anyone.
So son, do not just turn your back and give up, keep pushing forward.
I’m still going, I’m still pushing.
And life itself is no diamond chandelier
Thank you Daniel. Yes battling with the cold works well as a symbol. I like the “jagged boulders” and “blue blizzards”.
Well,Dad,I’ll tell you.
Life for me ain’t been no free pass
It’s had fake doors in it,
And super glue,
And rivals that beat,
And people who just let you get hurt-
Sad.
But all the time
I’se been runnin’ along,
And reaching dead ends,
And losing crosspaths,
And sometimes goin’ into aggressive fights.
Where there ain’t been any allies.
So Dad, don’t walk away.
Don’t give up on us.
‘Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you trip now-
For I’se still walkin’.
And life for me ain’t been no free pass.
Thank you Ibrahim. It’s interesting to think of someone addressing their Dad rather than a parent addressing a child.
The sun setting down
Well brother I’ll tell you
Life for me ain’t been no
Drive in the sun set
It had orange,pink and yellow in it
And the sun setting down
but all the time i’se been riding and driving
And i’ve been twisting and turning
And sometimes going wrong turns
Where there ain’t be no turning back
So boy don’t you give up
Cause it is kinder hard
Don’t you stop there
Keep on going now
For i still goin honey
I’se still driving
And life for me ain’t been no
Drive in the sun set
Great title Lema. I think it works really well in your poem.
Tropical Sea
Well my friend, let me tell you,
Life ain’t been no tropical sea.
It has storms in it and thunder,
And places with no wood on it.
Bare
But all the time I’se been swimming on,
And looking for land,
And saving people on the way.
And sometimes the waves hit me.
There’s not even no blankets to keep me warm.
So don’t even think about turning back,
Don’t you lay on that bench and take a nap,
‘Cause you find it sorta hard,
And you’re getting tired.
Don’t you stop paddling.
For I’se still going honey.
I’se still swimming.
And life ain’t been no Tropical sea.
Thank you Aleisha. I like the idea of having to continue swimming rather than moving up the stairs. What obstacles might the speaker face when swimming?
Cousin to Cousin
Well cuisine I’ll tell you: life for me ain’t been no expensive car.
It’s had speed bumps,
It’s had cones to turn around,
And it has places where we dare to go.
With places that have no comfort-
Rare
But all this time I have been a-riding on,
And reachin red lights,
And turnin corners
And sometimes going in traffic were there ain’t been no hope
So girl don’t you take advantage of people don’t let them take advantage of you.
Don’t turn off the engine cause you find it kind of hard.
Don’t flop now -For I’se still riding,
and life for me ain’t been no expensive car
Thank you Leonie. I like the use of a car metaphor with difficulty of lights and cones.
TO LITTLE by rayah to my little cousin who makes a big difference Well honey ,i’ll tell you life for me ain’t been no soft subtle sponge cake its had burns and mistakes and big changes like someone leaves are world and thoughts that you ll never be able to forget but all the time i’se still hanging onto that hope and on the loneliest days it feels like an egg with no yoke and getting burnt or flattened and sometimes going places in your mind you’ll never want to see again so honey don’t let anyone tell you that your to small to do what your hart says you can do. So don’t you give up cause when you find it hard, don’t forget that the greatest joy in life is doing something someone says you cant do just because your to small. Cause life for me ain’t been no soft subtle sponge cake.
Thank you Rayah. Is this a personal poem to your own cousin? If so, I hope you share it with them.
Well, kid, i’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no smooth road
It’s had unexpected, chaotic, panicking cars, that goes fast as bolt
Imagine, standing there shuddered, exhausted, waiting for the traffic light to flash green
And shivering in your bones-vexed
And pathways to choose, decisions to make
And locations with no respect, disastrous, devastating crashes, injured people to watch
Shock.
But all the time
I,se been survivin’ traffic jams-thumps
And dissuade drivers
And hemed by trucks, buses
And sometimes goin’ lunged by bikes
Where there ain’t been no peace
So boy, don’t you be reluctant bout’ cars
Don’t put your faith to cars
‘Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you cross the road now-
For i’se still goin’ honey
I’se still turnin’ roads
And life for me ain’t been no smooth road
So you keep on trying and never give up and don’t let the road take advantage of you.
Thank you Ayman. I enjoyed the energy of your poem especially the opening. Your use of commas reflects the stop, start cars on the road.
Sister to Sister
Well Kati, I’ll tell you,
Life for me ain’t been no beach party,
It’s been a long wiggling, winding road,
It had holes in it and traffic jams.
You’re lucky young girl, life is easier now.
I’ve fallen down but gotten up,
so you can’t fall down either,
‘Cause I’m still going.
I’m still going down that winding road.
My life had lots of problems,
But yours hasn’t been that bad.
It had glass on it,
And screws on the ground.
It’s hard to drive around them,
But I’ve still done it.
There were car crashes,
and colossal diggers digging holes.
I still went round them and kept driving.
I’ve had to leave situations to help others.
I’ve fallen over so many times,
And bumped into everything.
I’ve been shocked.
You can never see what’s at the end of that road.
It turns and confuses me so that I face the wrong way.
So you keep going.
Thank you Hannah. Yes the idea of life as a road is a common one. I like the way you describe it as “winding” and the barriers someone might face.
Life ain’t easy
Well,daughter,i’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no pretty chapter book.
It’s had terrifying avalanches that will,trust me traumatize you,
And rocks thrown at me,
And dreadful obstacles.
And torturing and pushing but sometimes
You gotta ignore likes i’se been.
But all the time i’se been pushing my self
And ignoring,
And encouraging others to ignore the odds and evens.
And sometimes going in an out of places where i am not wanted.
So girl,don’t you stop believing in yourself.
Don’t you let them take control of.
Don’t you give up now-
For i’se still going honey,
I’se still believing,
And life for me ain’t been no pretty chapter book.
Life ain’t easy
Thank you Leena. Lots of powerful images here particularly in your opening lines with “avalanches” and “rocks” conveying the struggle the speaker and their daughter will face.
,brother,i’ll tell you ;
Life for me ain’t been no sunflower.
Its had dirty water in it
And no sunshine ,
And bad stormy cloudy weather,
And places with green spiky grass –
But all the time
I,se been doing this hard work for hours
And reachin ,to have the best colorful petals
And turnin , my garden into a place for little buzzy bees
And sometimes goin , in the dark where there ain’t been no light .
So drust me ,don’t you get stressed .
Don’t give up and keep going .
,cause you find it’s kinder .
Don’t you fall now –
For i’se still goin honey ,
I’se still climbin,
And life for me ain’t been no flower
Thank you for sharing your poem Summer. I think reimagining the symbol as a sunflower works well.I like the idea of moving between dark and light.
Brother to Brother
Well brother,ill tell you
Life for me ain’t been no traffic light
Its had red lights in it,
And orange lights in it to,
But green is the best
And places with hard concrete floor
But all the time
I’se been waiting for long
And its time to go
And turning corners
And sometimes going to fast
Where i aint been able to slow down
So boy,don’t you turn around
Don’t you stop your car
Cause you finds its kinder hard
Don’t you stop now
For i’se still going brother
I’se still driving
And life for me ain’t been no traffic light
Thank you Harry. I really like how you and your peers are reimagining the poem with new metaphors. I think the traffic light one works really well to show the ebb and flow of life.
Sister to brother
Well bro i’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no Golden egg.
It’s had burns in it,
And empty bowls
And bad recipes – terrible treats.
But all this time I’se been mixin’ on
And reachin’ for the sugar,
Sometimes gettin’ burn,
And messin’ up the recipes,
But bro,don’t you turn back,
‘Cause you finds it troublesome
Don’t you drop the cake now-
For I’se still goin’,
I’se still mixin’,
And life for me ain’t been no golden egg.
Thank you Isabel. I like the way you maintain a speaker’s voice throughout the poem. Also it’s interesting to change the poem and have the speaker as a sister. The extended metaphor of a cake works very well.
Life is no clear water,
it has murky ends, from shallow to deep,
every step a risk,
stepping deeper an deeper,
see weed layering your way,
making it hard to see,
my life is no clear bay,
Forever wading into the depths,
never knowing whats next,
I tell you know son,
life ain’t no clear way,
its something you may never see through,
never knowing whats next…
Thank you Jessica. I really like the opening of your second stanza.
Life has never been clear water.
You have to push trough all the sea weed and dirt.
Some times sand is soft,
but it may get in your eyes.
you can’t always see whats ahead of you.
Some times it’s effortless to swim,
some times you have to struggle.
It can be calm and smooth and calm,
or rough and bumpy.
Life has never been clear water,
you just have to try to get to the bottom.
Thank you Poppy. You create a negative extended metaphor like Hughes.
Life is like stairs,
you go up and down,
you are happy and sad,
sometimes life isnt a journey,
life is sometimes a dictionary,
life may not be happy,
sometimes different periods are scary or dark, they might be happy
or sad,
it’ll be dark of light,
you may never have a straight path,
Thank you Maria. Through a simile you explore how life changes.
life is like a journey
you have to pass obstacles
and go through storms.
but you get to the end
and you see the light.
the journey never ends.
Thank you Daniel. I like the way your poem ends with the light symbol suggesting hope.
Life is like a box of lemons
you never know if it will be sweet or sour
sometimes there are ups and downs
you might get a sour one but you just need to get over it
you might get a sweet one but it doesnt last long
so make the most of it and never give up.
Thank you Jemima. Yes there is always a degree of uncertainty in life.
Son, i’ll tell you
that my life
was like a flower
growing up was great
fully-grown, great experiences
but some tough times.
Life is black and white,
going through pain
and wanting it to stop
but be grateful
since you still have a life.
Thank you Katie. Is it a mother speaking in your poem too?
life is like weather sometimes
its nice sometimes its bad sometimes depressing
sometimes fun
but in life sometimes it can be challenging
times were you would want to give up
some times in life there is
a bright side a happy side
sometimes life can feel like a roller coster
there are ups and downs
happiness and saddness
sometimes would be a journey sometimes hard
sometimes easy could be simple
in life if you are ever felling down just look at the bright side
Thank you Amha. You convey the many sides of life.
Well son,
Life is like a dark tunnel,
It can be depressing and sad,
It can look to be endless,
It can also be end,
It can also be lifeless,
It can also be scary,
Life is like a dark tunnel,
It can be hard to keep on going,
But you need to keep on going,
If you keep on going you will eventually get to a better place.
Thank you Neo.
Life is like a piece of art,
Creative, unique and colourful,
Every piece of art is different in its own way,
some are bright and colourful,
full with smiles and dancing,
But some are dull,
No colour and full of deppresion,
But not all are like this,
some are both types of art,
Different colours and different shapes,
a mix of feelings all in one,
But you have the paintbrush,
and you can paint your future,
But dont rush into it because its harder than u think,
but nver give up,
because youve got a big adventure ahead.
Thank you Erin. It’s the first poem comparing life to art. You explain how different types of art reflect life. I wonder if you could develop this further with different styles of art?
Life is like a pencil
it can be sharp
it can be blunt
it can be bumpy
or broken
it gets smaller and smaller every time you sharpen it
there are different sides to a pencil
some times you want to chuck it away
but sometimes its messy and untidy
but sometimes its neat and tidy
there are good times with pencils
and bad times
then when u use it to much
it gets too small to use
and gets chucked away.
Thank you Sibora. Yes I can see how the ever shortening pencil is like life.
life is like a rubix cube always trying to be solved
once solved doesnt want to be messed up
waiting to be solved
taking pieces out
putting them back in
Yes life can be seen as complex like a rubix cube. If you like Rubik’s cubes, there’s a brilliant documentary on Netflix on the Rubik’s cube championships.
Things will come up in life-different things will happen,so listen here:
Life is like juggling eggs.
Each thing needs equal attention
Sometimes we make a big mess of things and dragons come to get us
We let them take over,things happen that could of been restrained.
Bad things
Then your juggling fire,
Things fly over your head,
Onto the floor.
But through all that time
Your still juggling those eggs-
Carrying on-
Never stop enduring
Things may smash on the floor
Things can get hard but the good will bite back.
The good will make it easy.
Make you calm,relaxed.
I’m still juggling-
Carrying
And life still goes on ,
Life is like juggling eggs
Thank you Connor. A very imaginative poem.
life is like a bird
some times flying high
sometimes swooping low
some times flying fast
sometimes flying slow
some times in life my friend
the bird seems to be lost
but the bird will follow the sun my friend
no matter what the cost
the bird is migrating these many miles my friend
just to find its nest
and like the bird you simply must
live life to its best
as the poems end is near
i hope that you have learned
that life has ups and downs my friend
for life is like a bird
Great opening Rufus; full of movement and energy. It really sets the scene for your poem.
life is like a game
it has twists
and turns
and forces you to think
and has parts of joy and anger
but all the time
you got to keep playing
things will get better
but things might get worse
with some ups
and some downs
but there is no turning back
so dot stop playing
and don’t forget
you will always win in the end
without knowing
life is like a game
Life is like a board game
its got fate squares
and move one space forward
monopoly
and all the time
I’ve been rolling on reaching rest squares
turning back go again
some times wining
some times loosing
life is like a board game
An interesting idea Henry. Perhaps you could add something about competing with others?
Now, listen to me an i’ll tell you:
Life is like a snowball fight.
You hit you get hit. Karma.
You build up your big ball of emotion only to not be able to lift it in the end.
When you run and run you evade the fight but you evade victory as well.
So stay together and your team of friends will help you.
When you put effort in your snowball it will not crumble.
Freezing cold and with a wet attitude you got to keep fighting .
Always fighting for life.
Because life is like a snowball fight.
Fantastic opening Kit. I like the balance in your poem like:” You hit you get hit. Karma” Did you think about adding a line break before Karma?
Life is like a seesaw;
it is never perfectly balanced,
and has it’s ups and downs.
Things can go one way or another…
also, you better hold tight so you don’t fall.
But sometimes
It gets old, creaky and boring,
seeming to last forever.
It’s a relief to get off,
leaving all reality.
Yet you have to keep going
for fear of ending it all
and having the pleasure stolen from you.
Deep down, it holds a special place.
Life is like a seesaw.
Thank you Anna. A seesaw works well as a simile for life.
Well let me me tell u something:
Life isn’t like a book
Its like a diary
You have to write it yourself
Nothings planned
You have to think –
Its not just there in front of you
so don’t give up and throw it away
keep on going
Don’t rub it out
Because anything is fixable
Interesting Astrid to opt for a diary over a book. I can see why as it suggests more control over your life than a book.
Grandmother to grandchild
Well grandson, let me tell you:
Life is like a lift,
People get on and press a button and it stops, wasting your time,
You want up, and they want down,
Just like the ones on the underground,
Going opposite ways,
People will try and stop you,
Go back to the bottom,
Disable it, stopping it in mid flight,
unintentionally teasing you, or maybe purposefully,
Yes, that can happen,
They might ignore you,
Start a conversation,
You could become best friends,
Maybe even get married,
Say their please and thank you’s
Some people might help you,
Travel upwards,
Some people might go down,
Travel downwards,
And sometimes you might go between two floors,
1-2, 1-2, 1-2, 1-2,
And life for me, still hasn’t got to the top.
Life for me is a lift.
Thank you Honor. What an uplifting poem (excuse the pun).
Life is like a roller coaster.
It goes up.
But it also goes down.
It has loop de loop’s.
And strait flats.
But eventually it will end.
And there’s nothing that you can do about it.
But still you keep on hoping.
That it won’t.
Still it starts again.
With a whole new life.
A new time.
But this time your gone.
Life is like a roller coaster.
Thank you Keir. You take a popular simile of the rollercoaster but you make it your own with your focus on the end of a ride.
Well my boy
Life is like a attick
You never know what you will find
Its dark you can never see whats coming
Its scarey and cold
But exiting none the less
There are mysters and odd things
But don’t go hide
You will find something
And it will be worth it
I’m not going down yet.
I’m still here
Life is like a attick
Thank you Sam. Your poem creates a mysterious tone.
Life is like a rollercoaster.
It has its ups and downs,
And sometimes it goes too fast for you,
And you want to get off.
But let me tell you something,
If you get off the rollercoaster too early,
You’ll miss out on the thrill of it,
The fun of not knowing what will happen next,
And the amazing things you’ll see along the way.
I know it’s hard to be thrown into a loop-de-loop,
To have your whole world turned upside down,
But if you stay strong, it’ll go back to normal.
So forget about life’s downs,
And focus on when the rollercoaster goes up.
Stay on with me until the end of the ride,
And you’ll get off a happy person.
Thank you Robin. Yes a rollercoaster with its mixture of excitement and fear works well as a simile for life.
Life is like a game,
Sometimes you lose,
Sometimes you win,
Sometimes your about to win,
But there isn’t enough time,
So you would have to start again later,
Sometimes you get into a fight because you thought you could finally win,
But something keeps on stopping you,
And you have no idea what it is.
Thank you Sophie. I think the simile of life is like a game works well.
Well dear carefully:
Life is like a non-published book.
It had some misspellings.
And its been miss-punctuated
And ripped pages
And missing pages-
Bad.
But all this time
I’ve carried on reading,
And kept on turning pages,
and although it can be bad,
It has great description,
And you travel into a world of your own,
So your lesson is,
never stop,
And make it a non-published book.
What an interesting idea Frankie. Suggesting life is like an unpublished book is original and it works.
Life is like a book,
Not knowing whats going to happen next,
Turning each page into mystery,
Every chapter is a new adventure,
Never wanting it to end,
Its never perfect,
But sometimes its great,
Carrying on through tough times,
Never giving up if its hard,
Always trying and never doubting yourself,
Not always being happy,
And sometimes really sad,
Intruiged and excited for a new chapter in life,
Relaxed and not stressed,
Calm and not depressed,
Elated and incontrol,
But sometimes its good to feel all these emotions,
Its good to make mistakes,
Try and be the best version of you,
Do what makes you happy,
Be kind,
Be caring,
Be yourself,
Life is like a book.
Ah yes. Using the simile of a book works well. Thank you.
Life is batch of roses,
Each a different quality,
A different shape,
A different size,
Not perfect,
Different colour’s,
Each one different,
And eventually,
They die
Your poem shows how economy of expression can be effective. Your poem is short but well considered. Each word and phrase contributes something. The last line is a shock and hard-hitting.
Let me tell you,
life isnt a quite drive,
there is traffic
and storms
rusty, and runs out of petroil
but keep refilling it
repear the broken bits
braking down can be fixed!
Keep turning the corners, and get
to the safe drive, the nice speed
somtimes the lights will go red,
slow down
think about it, green means go-
get back on the road
read the sines,
and renember im still driving,
be the lamposts for your kids
like i was the light for you
life is not a quitet drive
Thank you Eliza. I think an extended negative metaphor developed around driving works well. It’s impressive ho you manage to sustain the negative metaphor throughout your poem.
Well sis, ill tell you:
LIfe is like a dream,
heros and villians, friends annd foes
fantasy and nightmares.
Full of stories to tell,
Accept betrayal.
Your fate awaits,
dont run.
“Life is like a dream.”
Accept it
For what is given is what you get.
Take it dont brake it.
You cant control it.
“Life is like a dream.”
Thank you Poppy. I like the contrasts in your lines: “heros and villians, friends annd foes
fantasy and nightmares.”
life is like a climbing frame,you slide down and climb back up
the break it down the build it up
its never balanced.
and never side to side
life is like a climbing frame with ups and downs
Thank you Ali. A climbing frame works well as a simile.
I think its about a poem that this mother was telling her son to always fight racism and if some one pushes you down to always get back up and never sit down so always stand up and i think this is inspiring to black kids and white kids to not be pushed down to to always get back up
I think that this poem is about a mother who cares for her son and that she didn’t have a great life and i know this because in the poem it says ‘And there were places were there was no carpet on the floor’. I also think that she experienced racism because in those days the African- Americans faced segregation.
Thank you Georgia for your sharing your thoughts. I like the way you’ve explained how the context of the poem is important too.
I think that this poem is a very affective and touching poem. The line, “It had tacks in it, And splinters,” tells me that the mother had a very hard life and it wasn’t a crystal stair, meaning she wasn’t rich as rich people have crystal stairs not broken up, the stairs had no carpet. I feel quite sorry for the mother and the son. I hope that their life gets much, much better.
The message of this poem is: don’t give up even if you’re at your lowest.
-Freya (Prior Weston, Year Six, Tower).
Thank you Freya. I like the way you’ve used quotes from the poem to prove your points.
this poem is a powerful strong message it also says i think this poem is like not giving up when it said ‘dont turn back dont set down dont fall down ‘
I think that ‘Mother to Son’ means that in life nothing is perfect, and that there will be good days and bad days and some in between, but you need to keep going , let nothing stop you and be resilient. I like this poem because the message is quite sweet and using the stairs as an expanded metaphor was exceedingly clever.
This poem is really nice, I like the way that the poem is an expanded metaphor.
I really like Langston Hughes poem called ‘mother to son’. I have read this poem with my class and i think of it as a very inspiring poem. I like the way Langston Hughes has put in a lot of detail and also a message not to give up even in the hardest of times
This poem is really good because I liked the way that it described two stairs how she felt and how it said bare
prior weston primary school year 6
This poem is about resilience and not giving up. The poem Mother to Son is an extended metaphor with strong phrases and languages such as, ‘I’se still climbin’ honey,’ is showing how resilient the mother is and is trying to tell her son to live a better life then she did. I think the tone is kind of a sad mood because the mother has been in a lot of pain. The mother might sound demanding, but really she does not want her beloved son to suffer just like she did.
Tower Year 6 Prior Weston
A thoughtful analysis Sumiya. Thank you.
This poem is really good because i liked the way they described how it feels like being a slave and the fact that they made the poem a extended metaphor
prior weston primary school year 6
Thank you William. In what ways does the poem describe what it is like being a slave? Can you give an example?
I think that the poem mother to sun was a very heart warming .Poem because its telling the son life has not been no crystal stair its had tacks in it and splinters it’s also telling the son to never give up and then she has not stopped running and helping.
I love the mother to son poem.
I loved the fact that it was an expanded meatophor and it was a mother telling her son about her life , its really a fabulous poem and its very touching.
Yes it is Toqzhan. What do you think makes it touching?
I have read the mother to son poem and i think it was a great heart felt poem and i love the message of to not give up . I loved how the poem was a extended metaphor as it was really good.The whole poem is a amazing poem about the mothers life not being amazing but she kept going.
i liked the poem and figured out it is a extended metaphor about crystal stairs and
the strong message to never give up
i like this poem because it has a very strong message like “life for me ain’t been crystal
no stair”i figured out that the metaphor was and abandon house and to never give up
This poem is an extended metephor an also has a really good moral of never giving up no matter how hard life is
I’m glad you enjoyed it.
This is a lovely poem about life and hope
,brother,i’ll tell you ;
Life for me ain’t been no sunflower.
Its had dirty water in it
And no sunshine ,
And bad stormy cloudy weather,
And places with green spiky grass –
But all the time
I,se been doing this hard work for hours
And reachin ,to have the best colorful petals
And turnin , my garden into a place for little buzzy bees
And sometimes goin , in the dark where there ain’t been no light .
So drust me ,don’t you get stressed .
Don’t give up and keep going .
,cause you find it’s kinder .
Don’t you fall now –
For i’se still goin honey ,
I’se still climbin,
And life for me ain’t been no flower .
Thank you Summer. I like the idea of developing a negative metaphor around nature. It works well.