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Writers in the Schools, 1523 W Main, Houston, TX 77006. witshouston.org Since 1989, Writing at the Menil has brought the vision of Mrs. Dominique de Menil and Writers in the Schools (WITS) to life. Using art to inspire creative writing, this nationally- acclaimed program brings Houston students to the museum to engage with art and create stories, poems, and prose under the guidance of a WITS writer.

Because there are no explanatory placards on the walls, audio tours, or curatorial commentary at the Menil, students explore the museum and interpret the artworks through their own words. Forming personal connections to the art, this immersive journey remains a favorite for both WITS students and teachers alike. My Red is Sad by Adelaide ...... 6

My Pen by Gerardo ...... 7

Up and Away by Alejandra ...... 1 How the Fox Became Orange by Sophia ...... 8

Ode to a Pale Painted Sky by Caroline ...... 2 My Black by Shiloh ...... 9

Azul | Blue by Josue ...... 3 How to Draw Me by Benito ...... 10

The Healer by Lorenzo ...... 4 I Love You by Evelyn ...... 11

Las cosas que hablan I The Things that Talk by Matthew ... 5 The Aquamarines by Christian ...... 12 ODE TO A PALE PAINTED SKY UP AND AWAY A dash of the quick running wind The color of silky string from If I was a cloud, I would dance a spider’s web to the tippy-top of Big Ben. Twirling The sound of waves crashing on it until the moon comes against a salty sea out. I would dance away gracefully in the rock in an ocean of moonlight. As I came to a stop, hard storms with the crashes as the river flows, I would sip as loud as a bookshelf racing a wet drink, a little sip. When I wake to the ground up drifting in water, I would sway in the sky as if I was in You take me up to the night a pool. Twirling, dancing, or twisting, sky like an owl’s swift feathered I would blast through the sky. wings above the crest of the moon Raining and pouring so farmers’ prickling the frosty grass with crops will grow. I would shimmy your wave crashing against the down to the ground as pretty pink sunset beach fog. I would flap back up as high as the birds. I would shiver as it snows down. You appear to be among the constellations By Alejandra, 1st grade The fluttering blue jay wings grasping an egg wishing to meet you on a tree frog’s back Misty morning air brushing against my face A swirling galaxy out in black, the extremely boring color Pale Painted Sky, I await to see you shining some day

1 By Caroline, 2nd grade 2

AZUL THE HEALER Inspired by The Healer by René Magritte ¡Azul, despierta! Azul, vísteme. By giving it all away, he hopes he can receive some back. Azul, dame un dibujo. But, that’s not always the truest fact. Azul, píntame una piscina. The man has nothing left Azul, píntame el planeta Tierra. but a cane to keep him walking Azul, dibújame, dame el cielo. and a bag to keep him working. Azul, dibújame un rio. He has no head, but a hat that just might keep him flirting. Azul, dame unos zapatos. The cage that resides in him Azul, dame pintura. holds onto a bird ¡Azul, despierta! that’s not even inside of him. Some may say he’s not human because he has no emotions. He may seem like a monster, but he can control himself. BLUE He gave it all away just to better himself. Some may say he’s a monster, but I think Blue, wake up! he’s a man. Blue, dress me. Blue, give me a drawing. Blue, paint me a swimming pool. By Lorenzo, 9th grade Blue, paint me the Planet Earth. Blue, draw me, give me the sky. Blue, draw me a river. Blue, give me a pair of shoes. Blue, give me paint. Blue, wake up!

By Josue, 1st grade

3 4 LAS COSAS QUE HABLAN MY RED IS SAD

El relámpago se mueve suavamente. My white is as satisfying as a happy polar bear. My pink is as odd as a fancy parasol. La montaña baila sobre las nubes. My lavender is as cheerful as a precious wedding dress. El árbol se ríe cuando los pájaros están hablando. My silver is as elegant as a pair of polished shoes. Las ventanas cantan cuando sale la luna. My green is as disgusting as a bowl of broccoli. Mi lápiz brinca y corre en la noche. My red is as sad as a gash of blood flowing from my forehead. My blue is as scary as a hurricane flooding my home. My yellow is as reckless as a dead dragonfly. My orange is as angry as my candied apple falling to the THE THINGS THAT TALK ground.

The lightning moves gently. By Adelaide, 2nd grade The mountain dances about the clouds. The tree laughs when the birds are talking. The windows sing when the moon comes out. My pencil plays and runs in the night.

By Matthew, 3rd grade

5 6 MY PEN HOW THE FOX BECAME ORANGE

My pen creates life by itself, Once upon a time, the fox was white. She had a problem because without help. she could not hunt in her forest. Her white fur gave her away to every My pen tells me to let my ideas mouse, rabbit, and squirrel. She could only eat bugs, if she was lucky. She flow like the wind. decided to ask a woman why her hair was brown. So the fox traveled My pen makes me through the forest to the countryside. But there, every woman’s hair she the artist I am. could see was black. Then, the fox traveled to the big city. But there, every My pen fills in the white paper. woman’s hair she could see was yellow. So then, the fox traveled to the My pen drives the mistakes to ideas. countryside on the other side of London. There, every door was closed, so My pen is my friend. she could not see any women. But she could see a pen full of yummy, stu- My pen changes joy, pid chickens. The chickens had been fed until they were very fat and would to MORE joy! make a good meal for a hungry fox. My pen shines the light The fox crept toward one chicken. But then a woman came out of in the darkness. the house. “Ay!” she shouted. “Get away from my chickens!” She was holding a can of red paint. She must be going to paint the barn, the fox thought. The By Gerardo, 3rd Grade woman’s yelling took the fox out of her thoughts. Just then, a dog barked loudly. The woman jumped, and the red paint spilled all over the fox. The fox ran back to the woods. Some time later, there was snow on the ground. The fox, who was now red, was hunting one of the few birds who were still in the woods. It was eating acorns and didn’t notice the fox. She stalked it. Closer, closer ... pounce! At the last moment, the fox’s tail brushed up against some dry leaves. This alerted the bird, and it flew up quickly, cawing out an alarm call. The fox leaped after it, but her claws fell short. She tumbled back down into the snow. The white, white snow diluted the red color of her fur, turning it orange. And that is the story of how the fox became orange.

By Sophia, 3rd Grade 7 8 MY BLACK HOW TO DRAW ME

My black is a spiral river I wish you to draw me well like a And a size of lightning scattering into velvet glitter person sitting by a mountain. Make my And a maze circle. face as precious as a bucket of jewels. My mom thinks black is sad Like a funeral Make my body as strong as a But I think black is a hill of piano notes bulldozer, and make my legs as fast And a bubble hidden inside paint. as a helicopter wing going full speed.

By Shiloh, 3rd grade Make my eyes two diamonds in a galaxy of stars.

Make me!

By Benito, 4th grade

9 10 I LOVE YOU THE AQUAMARINES

I love you so much that I eat thousands of hearts. The aquamarines are when I love you so much that I talk to butterflies. you feel not happy, but not sad I love you so much that flowers bloom when I pass by. either, when you feel stuck I love you so much that my soul changes color. between happy-go-lucky and I love you so much that I cry chunks of rainbow. gloomy-go-crying. It’s like when you see there’s a rainbow, but I love you so much that I’m a fish. you don’t feel like riding it, and there’s a sad puppy, but you don’t By Evelyn, 1st Grade feel like taking it home. The cure for the aquamarines is to accept that happiness inside you. It helps you feel better as you walk into the sunset.

By Christian, 3rd Grade

11 12 DRS. MELANIE J. MALINOWSKI AND ANDY D. CUNNINGHAM THE MENIL COLLECTION NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS MARCIA AND MICHAEL NICHOLS THE PERIWINKLE FOUNDATION THE POWELL FOUNDATION THE SIMMONS FOUNDATION WRITERS IN THE SCHOOLS SUPPORTERS TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS THE TRAVELERS FOUNDATION ROBIN ANGLY AND MILES SMITH UNITED WAY OF GREATER HOUSTON THE JOE BARNHART FOUNDATION MITRA AND JOSHUA WOODY BETH AND JASON BERNAL 97.9 THE BOX THE BROWN FOUNDATION, INC. ARTS CONNECT HARRY S. AND ISABEL C. CAMERON FOUNDATION BAKERRIPLEY LUCY AND SAM CHAMBERS BRIGHT SKY PRESS CITY OF HOUSTON THROUGH HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE DISCOVERY GREEN WITH SUPPORT FROM THE SALNERS FOUNDATION THE CLAYTON FUND, INC. HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY COPY.COM KPFT 90.1 THE WILLIAM STAMPS FARISH FUND MECA HOUSTON GENEROUS ANONYMOUS DONOR POETS.ORG GEORGE AND MARY JOSEPHINE HAMMAN FOUNDATION QUEENSBURY THEATRE H-E-B TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS THOMAS PRINTWORKS THE JACOB AND TERESE HERSHEY FOUNDATION URBAN WORD ALBERT AND ETHEL HERZSTEIN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION YOUNG AUDIENCES OF HOUSTON HOUSTON ENDOWMENT INC. THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO RF HUMPHREYS FAMILY FOUNDATION KINDER MORGAN FOUNDATION THE LARSEN FAMILY ANGIE LUTZ EDISON MIDDLE SCHOOL MANDARIN IMMERSION MAGNET SCHOOL SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL ELIOT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MCREYNOLDS MIDDLE SCHOOL CATHOLIC SCHOOL ELMORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER SALVATION ARMY ELROD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ADOLESCENT AND YOUNG ADULT SCARBOROUGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EVELYN RUBENSTEIN JEWISH PROGRAM SCROGGINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COMMUNITY CENTER MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER SOCIETY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS FIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PEDIATRICS STEVENS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOSTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MEADOW WOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL ARTS GLOVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MECA HOUSTON IN MEDICINE PROGRAM ALMEDA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT MEMORIAL DRIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL ASIA SOCIETY TEXAS CENTER OF EDUCATION THE MENIL COLLECTION RENAL DIALYSIS UNIT AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL HARRIS COUNTY JUVENILE PROBATION MITCHELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL BASTIAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MONTROSE CENTER - HATCH WEST CAMPUS BEEVILLE INDEPENDENT HARVARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MONTROSE GRACE PLACE TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL SCHOOL DISTRICT HELMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MY BROTHER’S KEEPER WOODLANDS CAMPUS BETSY ROSS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HOLLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL N.Q. HENDERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TH ROGERS SCHOOL BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM HOUSTON NAVARRO MIDDLE SCHOOL TIRR MEMORIAL HERMANN BROWNING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HOPE STONE OAK FOREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TRAVIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BRUCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HOUSTON ACADEMY OF INTERNATIONAL PARK PLACE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON - DOWNTOWN BURBANK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDIES PERIWINKLE FOUNDATION URBAN ENRICHMENT INSTITUTE CHAVEZ HIGH SCHOOL HOUSTON ARTS PARTNERS POE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAINWRIGHT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COLLEGECOMMUNITYCAREER HOUSTON GRAND OPERA PRESBYTERIAN SCHOOL WESLEY COMMUNITY CENTER COMMUNITY FAMILY CENTER HOUSTON INDEPENDENT PUGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WESTBURY HIGH SCHOOL CONDIT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL DISTRICT R. MARTINEZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHARTON DUAL LANGUAGE ACADEMY CORNELIUS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY REGIS SCHOOL OF THE SACRED HEART WHEATLEY HIGH SCHOOL DAWSON RESOURCE CENTER KAISER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RICE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL LITERACY WHITTIER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DEANDA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KASHMERE HIGH SCHOOL AND CULTURE WILSON MONTESSORI SCHOOL DEBAKEY HIGH SCHOOL FOR HEALTH KETELSEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RIVER OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WOODSON SCHOOL PROFESSIONS KEY MIDDLE SCHOOL RIVER PERFORMING AND VISUAL WORTHING HIGH SCHOOL DEER PARK INDEPENDENT KIPP ACADEMY WEST ARTS CENTER YELLOWSTONE ACADEMY SCHOOL DISTRICT KIPP LIBERATION ROBERTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YMCA OF GREATER HOUSTON DISCOVER U KOLTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ROBINSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YOUNG WOMEN’S COLLEGE DISCOVERY GREEN CONSERVANCY LANIER MIDDLE SCHOOL SAINT ANNE CATHOLIC SCHOOL PREPARATORY ACADEMY DUCHESNE ACADEMY OF THE LANTRIP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SAINT JOHN’S SCHOOL SACRED HEART LAW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SAINT LAURENCE CATHOLIC SCHOOL DUKE TIP SCHOLARS LEVY PARK SAINT MARK’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL DURKEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LOBIT EDUCATION VILLAGE SAINT MICHAEL CATHOLIC SCHOOL EARLY COLLEGES COLLECTIVE LYONS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SAINT ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC SCHOOL EAST EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL M. C. WILLIAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL SAINT STEPHEN’S EPISCOPAL EASTWOOD ACADEMY MADING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL HOUSTON