2024 Family of Writers: WE HOPE

NOTE: During the first week of Family of Writers, ninety-eight families gathered at three elementary schools across the Palos Verdes Peninsula to write together. I’ve read and sorted your HOPE Post-its. 

After the first line in each stanza, you’ll notice a number in parenthesis. This represents the number of families who shared the same hope. You’ll also see bolded words that represent  the general category for the hopes in the stanza. In the second to last stanza (with the number 10), there aren’t any bolded words because these lines didn’t fit into any of my neat Post-it pile categories, but they surely added voice to our piece. 

With the exception of the first line, the words in the poem are those of the 2024 Family of Writers participants. I’m just the scribe who put the pieces of the puzzle together. 

–Lorrie Tom

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We are Palos Verdes families who write. (98)

We hope to spend time together as a family,  (10)

Cuddled up,

Resting on Sundays.

We hope for fun and laughter, (15)

Relaxing at home with 

Movie nights, games, videos, and free time. 

We hope for a longer summer break, 

or maybe even no school at all.

We want time outdoors,

And to play in the snow.

We hope to attend an Imagine Dragons concert. 

We want to learn how to write well, (6)

Writing something truly memorable 

Together. 

We hope to read more, 

And finish the Percy Jackson series. 

We hope for coding classes.

We hope to wake up earlier, (3)

Exercise,

And not be late. 

We want to go out to dinner once a month, (7)

Explore new restaurants,

Eat Korean BBQ,

And lots of ice cream with sprinkles.

We want to cook together often.

We hope to go surfing, (5)

Ride bikes, and learn snowboarding.  

We want to become better at soccer, play striker, 

And score a goal. 

We hope to go to more Dodgers games, (7)

And see them win tonight!

We hope the Dodgers and the Yankees win the World Series.

We want the LA Rams to make the playoffs this year.

We hope to travel (25)

With family,

To see family,

On road trips,

On ski trips,

In planes.

And camp outdoors. 

We want to visit

Somewhere new,

Sequoia,

A zoo in China,

India for Christmas,

London,

France,

Japan (again),

The Matterhorn at Disneyland,

And Hong Kong Disneyland too. 

We hope to make new friends, (4)

Have playdates,

And spend more time with Grandpa.

We hope for a pet, (4)

Or even 100!

We hope they are healthy and happy.

We want to teach our dogs more tricks!

We hope to win the lottery, (10)

Get more money,

And find many fossils.

We hope Aston drives well, 

And Pinkey is in bed with us tonight.

And this year,

We hope that our Elf, Christopher,

Doesn't ruin the mirror again.

We hope our house is safe,

And we’re back together 

Very soon

As a family. 

We hope to reach our goals, (2)

And have a good life together.