“Home” by Maya Klein
November 18, 2025
A home is a shelter to stay warm or cold
Family are loved ones
A room is a safe place to hide in and love
A bed is a place to dream
A forest is a place to imagine and draw
A tree is a place to climb and pretend to be Tarzan
The day is a time to play and get wet
The night is a time to calm down and think and think what’s next?
A paper is a thing to write on and savor
A river is a place to swim and splash
But when the grass turns brown and the trees are bare
it’s time to do warmer things
but still give and share
Stay inside by the tree’s glow
with hot chocolate in hand
People and creatures trying to stay warm
all over the land
And suddenly the flowers are blooming
and the trees full of color
The days of fun for one another
This is my home
This poem was written by Maya Klein as a 4th grader at Lafayette Elementary School, with WITS writer-in-residence Cypress Manning. Performed at the Seattle Arts & Lectures Community Curated Series Series event with Padma Lakshmi at Benaroya Hall on November 18, 2025.