Way back in December, LA Chamber Orchestra composer-in-residence Derek Bermel came to 826LA East with his clarinet Clarence. He spoke with our students (or rather Clarence did), and that kicked off a discussion about the different ways humans and other creatures communicate–with words and music, barks and squeaks and honks.

Since then, a number of students have explored these ideas further and written poems inspired by Saint-Saëns's Carnival of the Animals. These poems will be presented at this Sunday's LA Chamber Orchestra family concert. A few of them are below—enjoy!

"Tortoises"
by Nicholas

They
love to eat
lettuce.
They are tiny and big and fat and slim.
They are very…

…slow

"Kangaroos"
by Oscar

I am a kangaroo
I can jump high
I am brown
I like being brown
That’s all

"People with Long Ears"
by Malik

They need one more person
Evil people trying to take over the world
Scary, Virus, Zombies
Deformed ears: Big, Saggy, Stretchy, and Long
Rule the World

"Pianists"
by Anthony

Someone is alone in the park.
The man wanted to get married.
The man was poor.
He was single.
He wanted a dog,
and a cat.
A wolf is by him.
He is old and he has white hair.

"Fossils"
by Alexis

Someone dancing sitting alone
All so lonely
Thinking of someone to dance with
Then finding someone to dance with
For a contest to do
So we do this contest
For a trophy to win
She finds somebody to dance with
While they’re dancing
They look at each others eyes
They say you have beautiful eyes.
Then dance slow
Like you’re in a talent show
Like a love story by Taylor Swift.
And thank you.