8th Annual Poetry Contest Winners
We received thousands of magnificent poems again this year. It wasn’t easy, but somehow we managed to narrow it down to a handful of winners.
A special thanks goes out to this year’s judge, poet Gary Soto. He showered great praise on our winners, with phrases like “Walt-Whitman inspired” and “Zen-like qualities.” These young poets truly have conveyed wisdom beyond their years in this amazing work. Meet this year’s winners and Runners-up (at right) and read their wonderful poems.
Read about all our great PRIZES, and our generous sponsors.
K–3 English Winner
Noah J., Grade 1, Center for Teaching and Learning,
Edgecomb, ME
We stand still for everything that comes stumbling up our
back.
We scrape the high sky.
We can hear the wind whistling beside us.
We are the mountains.
K–3 Spanish Winner
Paula A., Grade 2, Awty International School,
Houston, TX
“El Perrito”
El perrito viene por aquí,
El perrito dice que sí,
Su madre dice mire ahí,
Para su comida de todos las días.
El perrito vive por aquí,
El perrito bonito dice que mi ví,
Pero el perrito bonito olvidó,
Que necesitaba comida para el domigo.
El perrito come y come como todos los dias,
Pero su mamá olvidó darle comida,
Luego el puede jugar,
En un extraño lugar.
El perrito sube y sube,
Hasta que alcanza una nube,
El perrito esta muy aburrido,
Su mamá dice burrito.
4–8 English Winner
Eloise S., Grade 7, The Spence School,
New York, NY
“Always in May”
Always in May, I set out to attack the bushes outside of my home
With shears
Always in May, I ignore the people walking by, staring at the clippers
As though they are covered in blood
Long ago in May, Mrs. Smyth watched me from her window across the street
People say she lived at home alone with fifteen dozen cats
Then again, people say
Once in May, Mrs. Smyth stopped staring at me
I didn’t know where she had gone, until she was right next to me
Wearing a tight grey tweed
She started talking, in a monotone voice
Her dry humor impaling itself
On the rosebush
When I didn’t answer, she sighed and shakily started to walk back to her house
After she turned away, I was happy that she didn’t pursue the answer longer
Once in May, Mrs. Smyth got hit by a bus
And Always in May, we pray at her grave
Always in May, when I clip the bushes
People stare at me
Like my shears are bloody
Always in May, when I peer out of my window
Parents hush their giggling children
And avoid my home
Always in May, I see a girl outside my door selling Girl Scout Cookies
And I buy some
Always in May, I bring the cookies to Mrs. Smyth’s grave
And catch fish for her cats
But not always in May, do I eat some myself
And taste the chocolate swirling around in my mouth
Then I go back to the bushes outside my house
And clip them
Whether they need it or not
4–8 Spanish Winner
Haley Dresang, Grade 8, Shorewood Intermediate School,
Shorewood, WI
“En La Noche”
En la noche se me olvido de todo.
Mi reflección en el lago se refleja la luz de la luna.
Los colores del cielo son magníficos.
De azul profundo a un morado oscuro.
Las flores están girando,
Girando a la música de la noche.
La música de los grillos, los dulces gorjeas.
El césped va y viene y los pájaros cantan
Una canción de la noche.
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