the bird on fire

The Palm Valley School Student Blog

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Congratulations, PVS Poetry Recitation Winners!

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Upper-School Poetry Recitation winners Mirabelle Lee (1st place), Kristina Panagiotaros (2nd place), and Louisa Richardson (3rd place) hold up the book awards carefully curated by English teacher Mr. Chris Griffin.

In the weeks before the Winter Holiday Break, the Palm Valley School English Department hosted the annual Upper and Middle-School Poetry Recitation Finals. The Poetry Recitation is a long-standing Palm-Valley tradition. All Upper and Middle-School students participate at the classroom level. Judges are invited in to select two or three students per classroom to advance to the division-wide finals. 

Judge Wallach presents the Middle-School Poetry Recitation winners: Jackie Padgett, Sophia Bottine, and Benjamin Rouche.

The Upper-School Finals took place December 1 before an audience of Upper-School students, teachers, and parents. Junior Mirabelle Lee, after reciting Toi Derricotte’s “my dad & sardines,” was chosen as Upper-School winner by Judges Maguire, Sarkis, and Wallach. Mirabelle will advance to Riverside County Poetry Out Loud competition. Our POL alternate and second-place winner is junior Kristina Panagiotaros. The audience also selected Kristina as Audience Favorite with her recitation of “Self-Help” by Michael Ryan. Third-place winner is freshman Louisa Richardson with her recounting of “What to Say Upon Being Asked to Be Friends” by poet Julian Talamantez Brolaski. 

Middle-School Poetry Recitation Finalists: Moses Gizaw, Kimberly Sayers, Lorilei Behr, Jackie Padgett, Sophia Bottine, Benjamin Rouche, Jaxon Pacilio, Maxwell Pretorius, Alexander Kirov, and Addison Uhlhorn

The Middle-School Poetry Recitation followed a week later. Judges Griffin, Nayfack, and Wallach selected three winners: Sophia Bottine, grade 6, with her recitation of James Dickey’s “Heaven of the Animals”; Jackie Padgett, grade 8, with her recitation of Sara Teasdale’s “There Will Come Soft Rains”; and Benjamin Rouche, grade 6, with his recitation of Mary Karr’s “All This and More.” We had a tie for Audience Favorite: 8th-grader Kimberly Sayers with her recitation of “The Raven” and 6th grader Jaxon Pacilio with his recitation of “Football.” 

Upper-School Poetry Recitation Finalists: Indiana Behr, Riley Jorgensen, Kyle Knight, Pip Watson, Landon Elder, Louisa Richardson, Simee Patel, Mirabelle Lee, Gabe Rodriguez-Portugues, Kristina Panagiotaros, and Rylie Conway

Poetry Recitation winners are selected based on the Poetry Out Loud criteria of physical presence, voice and articulation, interpretation, and evidence of understanding. We wish to applaud all finalists who continue–with poise and thoughtfulness–our poetic tradition: in the Upper School – Indiana Behr, Lily Jones, Kyle Knight, Riley Jorgensen, Pip Watson, Simee Patel, Gabe Rodriguez-Portugues, Landon Elder, Rylie Conway, and Luke Sonderman; in the Middle School – Lorelei Behr, Alexander Kirov, Moses Gizaw, Addison Uhlhorn, and Maxwell Pretorius.

Goodbye, Summer (Vacation)

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Welcome back to thebirdonfire.org. On the first day of this 2023-24 school year, I asked 8th graders to read and respond to Emily Dickinson’s “As imperceptibly as grief.” She was mourning the passing of summer in the poem. I asked how the 8th graders felt about summer winding down. Kimberly had not only a full reply, but one in impressive verse. She’s allowed me to share below. — Blog Instructor Zachik

First, Dickinson . . .

As imperceptibly as grief
  The summer lapsed away, —
  Too imperceptible, at last,
  To seem like perfidy.
  A quietness distilled,
  As twilight long begun,
  Or Nature, spending with herself
  Sequestered afternoon.
  The dusk drew earlier in,
  The morning foreign shone, —
  A courteous, yet harrowing grace,
  As guest who would be gone.

  And thus, without a wing,
  Or service of a keel,
  Our summer made her light escape
  Into the beautiful.

— by Emily Dickinson


Now, Kimberly . . .

As the days drift

With the hot breeze and the summer sun

A feeling of unfamiliarity emerges

A feeling of loss

But as the days continue

And autumn creeps up from behind

The feeling of hope

Leads into comfort and knowing

That everything changes, for better or worse

Seasons change like the changing of mind

A change of clothes and a different pair of shoes

The dog days of summer turn into the black cats of Halloween

Crisp warm days and chilly nights

And waving goodbye somehow does not seem so sad.

— by Kimberly Sayers

Ignite me~

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We end the year with Post-of-the-Blogger’s-Choice. One day, in American Lit, we were talking candles and churches and candles lit in churches, and Jess had a recollection of being a child in church witnessing the extinguishing of candles. And, she remembers being overcome by sadness at the sight. On the spot, she penned this beautiful poem. She shares it with us.

Blog Advisor Zachik

By Junior Jessica Billimore

Once again they put out the candles, 

And with that they rob me of my hope,

They steal the fire from my eyes,

Yet I’m still blinded by the forspoken lies,

My heart you cannot mend, I ask is this the end?

And with that my dreams disappear,

I am in dismay for what can I say?

My thoughts are dark, 

So bring light to my life,

Now I’m alone,

This loss I can’t condone,

Yearning for a love I secretly loathe,

Burning is my soul,

Until next time my life will be dull,

So set me on fire,

For the light makes me a liar,

So I ask you to ignite me forevermore.

If you weren’t here

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Luke asked here in Blog: “If you could erase anyone, who would you erase?” That’s a little dark, yes. But, like the storyline of It’s a Wonderful Life, it is intriguing to ask What would life be like without . . . Jimmy Stewart? the missing link? Lana Del Rey? or your best friend? This week, the Blog Staff pursues this What If. Penny starts us off with a poem considering life without her best friend.

Blog Advisor Zachik

By Middle-School Blogger Poet Penny Andreas

When I first met you, 

It was awkward. 

Really awkward. 

There was long silences

Really long silences. 

And uncomfortable laughs,

Lots of them. 

But after a couple minutes, 

I guess I could say we clicked. 

Even though I have known you for not even a year, 

It was almost like I knew you my whole life…

Almost. 

Every now and then, 

You would say something absurd, 

Or really weird. 

Even when there were a lot of people

It always seemed I could notice you anywhere. 

But if you weren’t here, 

I don’t know what I’d do. 

If you weren’t here, 

I would have no one to text.

If you weren’t here, 

I wouldn’t have anyone to tell secrets, 

Or complain about assignments or homework.

If you weren’t here, 

I would still be trying to memorize everyone’s names.

If you weren’t here, 

I’d miss the random things you’d do in class. 

If you weren’t here, 

I wouldn’t be writing about you.

If you weren’t here…

Where would I be?

I love you, but that one thing you do . . .

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Taking inspiration from a Poets&Writers prompt, I asked our writers at The Bird on Fire to compose a poem about a specific detail or unexpected obsession of a loved one. Alyna and Penny had delightful, dark(?), and illuminating responses.

Blog Advisor Zachik

An “I-Love-You, But . . .” Poem by Upper-Schooler Alyna Rei

I love you but

I find it weird when you let a disgusting cockroach go out rather than “erasing it”

I love you but

I find it annoying when you cut me off when I’m talking

I love you but 

I find it offensive when you don’t “save room for dessert”

I love you but

I find it rude when you make fun of me for being “shy”

I love you but

I find it upsetting when you make me uncomfortable

I love you but you are not it

Sister, a Poem by Middle-Schooler Penny Andreas

I Love you, but when you don’t shut my door after opening it i feel like slamming the door on you. I love you, but when you talk non-stop, I really want to put duct tape on your mouth. 

I love you, but when you steal my clothes I feel the need to burn yours. I really love you, but when you make rambunctious noises at 5:30 AM, I am tempted to lock you outside 🙂

The Dream-Man, A Sonnet 

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By Middle-School Blogger Poet Penny Andreas

As the clock hand reaches for twelve,

And the chimes gong in the silent night, 

When all you hear is the echoes of bells, 

He awakens, by my side. 

He has no body, only hands with string;

He controls your brain when you have no thoughts, 

But he’s the one that awakens them, 

And makes sure they don’t rot. 

The deepest sleep, when he plays with your mind

He makes these scenarios, places them in our head,

Makes people chase you, with nowhere to hide, 

 Then comes that next night, to play them again. 

He creates the nightmares, the dreams too. 

And it’s not only me; He’s also beside you.

What’s Love?

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By AI and Luke Sonderman

I asked bloggers to define that slippery concept “love.” Luke turned to AI. The result was “Blah.” Then, Luke went Luke-ish. His poem is not a love missive most want to receive, but it’s original.

Blog Advisor Zachik

Love according to AI: 

Love is a fire that burns within,

A force that knows no end or sin,

It binds two souls with gentle touch,

And fills their hearts with love so much.

Love is a melody sweetly sung,

A symphony that never becomes unsung,

It brings together hearts and minds,

And leaves all else far behind.

Love is a flower that blooms and grows,

A fragrance that always flows,

It lifts us up and makes us whole,

And warms the coldest, loneliest soul.

Love is a treasure that we hold,

A story that will always be told,

It’s the magic that lights up our days,

And forever in our hearts, it stays.

Love according to Luke:

Love is being right. 

There is nothing better than being right.

Whether being right makes someone else cry,

And especially when it makes someone else say “I am wrong,”

Love is being right.

Some people say “It’s not about being right, it’s about being nice.”

Those people are what I like to call LOSERS.

Do you want to be a loser?

No.

Be a winner.

Be Right.

If anyone knows what love feels like, it’s me. 

Because I am ALWAYS RIGHT.

Ask anyone, they’ll tell you. 

So the next time you feel down or lonely. Maybe unloved.

Scoot your way into an argument and WIN.

You can trust me. I am ALWAYS right.

What am I?

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By Junior Jess Billimore

You see me everyday, 

Or do you?

You’re familiar with my presence,

Maybe too much so.

You walk all over me,

To and fro. 

Some of you dislike me,

Yet I continue to grow.

Am I invasive?

I endure the pain that you give;

All I want is to live.

I take up lots of space, 

Growing at a fast pace.

Is my existence a waste?

You see me everyday.

Please, appreciate me today.

*Log in your answers in the comment section.

Haiku on the Grass

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Pull up a lawn chair. We’re talking about grass. Penny opens our theme with meditative haiku on that which grows beneath our feet.

By Seventh-Grader Penny Andreas

The grass stands up tall

Upon the hill with the sun

Its blades reaching high

The pine tree sits strong

Shorter among the birches

Green and yellow leaves

The bluebird flies high

Up in the sky with the clouds

It flies with the wind

The snail moves slowly

Sliding on the blade of grass

Its shell balancing

I walk in the field

Alone in a labyrinth

Of long and tall grass

What’s Love?

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I was in my writing group. And, we fell to defining love.

As long as we’ve had language, we’ve been trying to put “love” into words–and often failing. But, we know instinctively when we get it right. My fellow writers turned to the sages and dramatists and poets of time for definitions of “love.” I turned to my own sages–the Blog Staff. 

The following is junior Levi Kassinove’s reply.

— Blog Advisor Zachik

When the stars darken,
Few remaining question,
If what they see is what it is,
And if what it is is really what it’s supposed to be.
When all is assimilated,
Ideas are never braved,
Except by love. 
It is the anchor to the ship,
To keep the ship from floating away,
To madness and wrongness. 
It is the connection to all that’s compassionate
But a connection at most
For nothing is the same
But everything is okay

Levi Kassinove