Under the Sun

I have seen a lot of things under the sun.
I have seen many poor families under the sun.
I have seen my people pray to the Great Spirit.
I have seen parents crying over their kids.
Under the sun, I have seen a lot of things:
People trying to make themselves,
Falling trees, people running, yelling.
My name is Waneta and I have seen a lot.
The sun is so bright and the river is smiling.
But here things are different.
I have seen our people leaving our homeland Oregon.
I have seen a lot of things under the sun, bad and good.
Under the Sun.

- by Tanya Popovich, age 15


[Editor's note: This poem is the result of an English class project examining local history through literature. After reading poetry, fiction and non-fiction representing various groups who lived in or came to Oregon in the 1700s and 1800s, youth were asked to write a poem from the perspective of one of the residents or newcomers.]

Life in Oregon through the eyes of Slavic youth

Tall buildings reaching the sky
People everywhere
The colors green, orange, and white

- by Tanya Popovich, age 15


Old roads
sitting in dirt
swimming in joy.

- by Luda Polyakova, age 17


And I can’t go on, I want to be with you.
Lights, the streets are gold.
Look out my window at the world below.

- by Evelina "Vilka" Dorochenko, age 19


city lights, and homeless bums
gangs riot for a last breath
other people tend to live the way they want to live

- by Natasha D. and Gennadiy T., age 17


You see many different buildings
There is one that stands out
My big white house, the newest and biggest.

- by Sveta D., age 17


Sunshine and showers raining down:
what can be better than the community of those
who are trying to reach that unreachable world?

- by Katie E., age 18


daily showers, fresh and clean
home sweet home
forever it will be.

- by Natasha Dumitrash, age 17

two more haikus

Blue skies
like soft pillows
running after each other.


Roses sweet but cruel
love to trick us
soak us in tears.

- by Yana K., age 15

two haikus

My friend came over
She left slamming the door
and doesn't pick up the phone


Sunny day, went riding my bike
come home with bruises
all over my body

- by Julia Salyuk, age 15

Haiku 27

Looking down
from the air
seems so attractive.

- by Nina Yakymchuk, age 15

Haiku 26

Jump and rejoice,
forget the past, believe in the future.
Think about the good.

- by Evelina "Vilka" Dorochenko, age 19

Haiku 25

He strikes and misses
But he has another try
A lesson in life that we wouldn't mind

- by David Vasilchuk, age 17

Haiku 24

Rushing through a busy city
walking through a déjà vu
the sky seems so tall and blue

- by Natasha Dumitrash, age 17

Haiku 23

Sudden traffic
while people cross the streets
on a busy rainy day.

- by Vadim N., age 15

Haiku 22

Broken binding of a book,
pages flying in the air,
free like pigeons everywhere.

- by Victoria Kharitonenko, age 17

Haiku 21

Wet air...
presses down feelings
alone remembering hard times...

- by Luda Polyakov, age 17

Haiku 20

in town on the street
I'm racing with my bicycle
alone in traffic

- by Gennadiy S., age 19

Haiku 19

Across the road with yellow lines,
Lunging forward towards the ball with a job in the muscle,
Swinging, but the baseball flying by.

- by Alex B., age 15

Haiku 18

A building downtown blows up.
A person riding a bike presses down on his brakes.
Now he's screaming.

- by Vlad K, age 17

Haiku 17

Jump, jump, jump like no one's watching
Sounds of laughing and cheering
Air full of fun.

- by Adela B., age 15

Haiku 16

Playing not only with the sun,
but I believe the shadow is part of it.
While we're in the air, the shadow tries to run away.

- by Serge K., age 15

Haiku 15

Commotion
Teardrops fall from the sky
Cars like scattered ants

- Liliya Kharitonenko, age 15

Haiku 14

A lonely street
Forgotten by people
Received the friendly birds

- by Tanya Popovich, age 15

Haiku 13

I remember my childhood
when I see that boy
playing baseball

- by Liliya Garkavets, age 15

Haiku 12

Buildings reaching to the sky
As if painted on the ground
I watch under my umbrella.

- by Ivan Khylchuk & Victoriya Tsygipalo, age 16

Haiku 11

The sky opened
like a dark universe.
My eye reflects the stars.

- by Alex B., age 15

Haiku 10

When the sun went down,
she whispered
good night.

- by Nina Yukhymchuk, age 16

Haiku 9

The city was full
People running everywhere
Buildings falling all over

- Andrey German, age 15

Haiku 8

lonely streets
gray sky
dripping rain

- Tanya Polezhayeva, age 14

Haiku 7

The sun was shining,
finally freedom.
They were flying.

- Nina Yakymchuk, age 16

Haiku 6

A sunny day
a jump rope and children
painted on the ground.

- by Yana Korenychuk, age 15

Haiku 5

Jogging down the street
surrounded by skyscrapers
under my umbrella

by Taya Kedrich, age 15

Haiku 4

The city high to the sky
as I walk, my head stuck to the umbrella
asking for dryness

- by Irina Sadovnik, age 15

Haiku 2

Busy neighborhood
Boy playing on street
Missed the ball

by Tanya Kuzmych, age 15

Haiku 1

This talent...
I will eat today...
It's what I feel. . .

by "Boss", age 15

[Photo credit here]