Romare Bearden: Creative Response

The Block by Romare Bearden, 1971
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Go to the link above, look at the artwork and write a creative story or poem about the work. Post it in the comments section below.

In the Block
by Carlos (6th grade)

In the block it looks like everybody was outside. Then someone comes with a gang. They try to steal a ladies shoe. Everybyody else is calm in their apartments. Theres two people showing love to each other. I wonder why there window is open? Other people are smoking. Why doesn't someone tell them to stop don't they know that it is bad to smoke. If they were have a block party it is ruined. This street looks like its not visited by cops. It's crazy how all these bad things are happening on these different blocks. Many people are there but some are bad and do bad things the other ones are calm. Why are people smoking? I think people are trying to get in gangs by doing bad things. Like smoking, stealing things.


The Neighborhood
by Alexandra (6th grade)

The neighborhood was a calm place but one day it became a negative place. Lots of pople started smoking and doing bad stuff. The neighborhood became an awful place. But one day, a man came to change the place. This happen one night while lots of people were outside. He came and tried to convince people that what they were doing was wrong. They didn't care and just started doing anything they wanted. The man stayed in the neighborhood that night. The next day he made a speech to the people. This time they agreed with him and started changing. The people started making good decisions. Soon the neighborhood became a better place like before, thanks to an unknown person.


Poem
by Kudirat (6th grade)

In the city of disaster
I couldn't describe this harrasor
Where the angels spread their wings
That I would get some rings
Where funerals are held
So I just can ring a bell
In this small city
Where people are running around
And most things fall on the ground
This is calld the block
That you might just mock
So that is it for this poem
It can be added on the forum
Remember this is wher they cry
And where people might ask why
The moon is so bright
That it might give me a fright
So I guess you were right
That all of this actually happened on a beautiful night.