Matthew's Writing Portfolio

Current Publishing 

During our poetry unit, we had the privilege to collaborate with graphic design students from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Each graphic designer set out to design forms and distribute our poems in unique ways that addressed the central message of each poem. Below you can see my poem’s design by Chris. Enjoy! 

Previous Publishings

As a class we recently finished reading the Gold Cadillac by Mildred D. Taylor. This book tells the story of a Black family during the 1950’s during the civil rights movement. These diaries were written by students from the perspective of one member of this family, either ‘lois, the youngest daughter, father, or mother as the family faces discrimination, segregation, and racism. 

My dad’s truck was covered with bird poop.”Let’s go wash my car,” my dad said 

And  we went to the car cleaner near wash  World and I shouted, “yay.” I heard hoses  and cars beeping when we got there.That's when we used the vacuum  cleaner to vacuum up the car. Also that's when i put my finger in the vacuum. I wanted to know what would happen. I felt like if it was gonna take my skin off, but i could take it off without my dad knowing about it. Next we went to the water part and the soap.  My favorite part was the water cause the specs of water go every where and i can get wet. Also my dad  was holding the hose and watering the car.  THe water bounced he soaped the car.  I put more money for we had extra time to clean up the car. Next we soaped the car my dad grabbed the . Then I watered the tires and got home. Lastly, my dad and me dryed the car with towels and the bird poop was gone. Also the mud was gone to. 

Slashed

One day it was my first day of school  and i was excited To go to school and my mom brought me to the bus stop

NEXT, I got in the bus.But before i went in the bus i gave my mom   a  hug .Also I said bye to my mom and got to the bus and drove to school  When school finished i was on my way home and i was sitting  in the bus and that's when somebody made me laugh and my whole body leaned back, and I heard a “CCCrack!”  My head felt strange. I rubbed my head with my hand and then I noticed there was blood coming out. I had slashed my head. I had a big cut right in the back of my head in the middle of my head and started

  Panicking  a lot. My heart was beating like Flash’s feet. and then I went waaaa. Brandon’s sister tried to help by giving me skittles. It worked a little, but then when I finished my skittles the bus got to the bus stop. Then I got off of the bus and my mom saw me crying. Then she asked, “Que Paso?” I told her in Spanish, I slashed my head. She ran with me on the sidewalk back to our home, put me in the car, and my mom drove me to the doctor. The doctor said they HAD TO STAPLE MY HEAD!!!!  The doctors opened a stapler all the way so it was flat.And i hurt a lot.Like a lot.And then they put me a big band aid in my head.And that's when my head felt better in days.