Can you write a poem about McDonald’s? Ask a Hyla 7th grader! This month, Emelio’s 7th grade English students — in addition to daily freeform writing and novel reading — have been studying poetry to strengthen their own writing. Sections decorated their tents for Halloween, with ghosts and webs, and these spooky scenes seem fitting for studying poetry. Some of the poems they’ve been studying include language and scenes that are fantastical, imaginary, and mysterious. Some poems ask haunting questions. Some poems are puzzling or surprising or defiant such as Liz Waldner’s “Trust” or Ronald Wallace’s “You Can’t Write a Poem about McDonald’s”. Students shared lines that stood out to them: “I waited in the greasy air”. Through discussing Wallace’s poem about McDonald’s, the students could understand and explore sensory diction, how to select words that speak to the senses. Studying “Trust,” students saw the power of first person, creating a character for the reader to meet. Poetry in Emelio’s class is vivid and engaging, playful, and “gross”. Hyla 7th graders are learning that yes, you can write a poem about McDonald’s because you can write a poem about anything.