Halloween was here, and now it’s gone.

Halloween on a school night is a punishment laid out on the parents and teachers around the world. Monday my students received my annual lecture: Have fun, be safe, don’t stay up too late, and please control your candy intake — and — if I find candy at school, you will soon find it in my tummy (especially Twix and Almond Joys!).

When you ask your 10-year-old students in late October, to write what’s on their minds, you find that they write about the ONLY thing on their minds: Halloween!  Many of my students love to write poetry. The short, precise phrases, the sing-song-y sound, the creative thinking all makes autumn and Halloween a great topic for a budding poet.

I hope you enjoy the poems written by two of San Jose’s growing minds:

"Hall-O-Poem" by Russell

Halloween has ended now.

People said stuff like, “Wow!”

They dressed up like a king, queen, or zombie.

They got lots of candy.

If you think that was fun

It has only just begun.

It was nice to Trick-or-Treat.

I admit … it was pretty neat.

I can’t wait for next year…

They will all be filled with FEAR!

"Falling for Fall" by Rachel

Leaves turn red.

There’s a nip in the air.

It’s so cold you want to stay in bed.

Socks up to your knees,

Jackets zipped up high,

It feels like it’s below zero.

It’s a wonder that we never freeze.