AWARDWINNERS

YOUNG POETSCONTEST2020

The Jackson District Library is honored to present the annual Young Poets Contest and it is exciting to see how the students have responded over the past 16 years to this program.

This year, 879 entries were received from students in all grade levels throughout Jackson County. Students from public, charter, private, and home schools participated. We congratulate all our student authors for participating in this year’s contest, and for expressing themselves through poetry.

This booklet contains the award-winning poems from the 2020 Young Poets Contest, as selected by our judges. On behalf of the Jackson District Library board and staff, I thank our outstanding panel of judges for their dedication to reading all submitted poems and selecting the winning entries. We thank all the parents, teachers, librarians, and staff of Jackson County schools for encouraging students to participate - making this a successful event year after year.

This year the support from our sponsors helped provide for the publishing of the poetry booklet as well as certificates and prizes for our award-winning authors. We gratefully acknowledge their generosity and support.

Please take time to review these award-winning submissions on the following pages and offer your congratulations to the student authors.

Thank you,

Sara Tackett, DirectorJackson District Library

From the Director

Judges

Dr. Ann Green, ChairwomanElissa AldenAsa FlemingVal PetersonMartha PetryJoe ScarpinoAutumn Rose Wood

Primary Sponsors

Friends of the Jackson District LibraryJackson Breakfast Rotary ClubThe Flip & Monette Thorrez Giving Fund

Co-Sponsors

Catherine Nowak

Acknowledgements

Table of Contents

Albert, Ian

Alger, Wyatt

Allen, Jacob

Baker, Suzanne

Barney, Andrew

Batterson, Brianna

Blankenship, Raina

Brandeberry, Parker

Childs, Ben

Coughlin, Phillip

Cumberworth, Ava

Davison, Quinn

Dawson, Rosie

deGlee, Brynn

Everline, Mikayla

Fannin, Gracelyn

Fracker, Amelia Louise

Gretzner, Jordan

Helm, Elijah

Horsfall, Brayden

Hosmer, Katy

Hurst, Isabella

Jean, Jace

Johnston, Jake

Lefere, Helen

Locke, Annie

Lucas, Gracen

Green Is...

Credo Poem

Untitled

Remember Me

Poetry Assignment

Untitled

What Does It Feel Like?

Art Room

On the Lanes

Science Who Knew it was Physical - Eagle Path

Motorcycle

Him

Rosie

ABC's of 4-H

Orchids

Birthday Parties

I Am a Shy Girl with a Past

Birds

Tacos

Mountains

Science is Cool

Babies

Matter

Kleenex

There Once Was a Turtle...

The Gentle Forest

Air Show in the Snow

44

42

23

50

21

40

20

13

43

34

28

48

13

19

31

10

25

38

8

24

33

10

36

18

21

27

16

Author(1st Place Winners in Bold)

Poem(1st

Page

Table of Contents

Magnusson, Melaina

Magnusson, Zoë

Maples, Tavin

Martin, Coral

McClain, Clark

McGee, Maeve

Newton, Ben

O'Neal, Madisyn

Osborn, Haley

Peter, Quade

Pollak, Owen

Powell, RJ

Prough, Cannon

Ramirez, Juniper

Reamer, Morgan

Rizzo, Stella

Saucedo, Gabriel

Schwartz, Carissa

Shoemaker, Grace

Snabes, Olivia

Spaulding, Chanel

Spender, Amier

Tyson, Sage

Vermeulen, Reese

Walsh, Kaitlyn

Weed, Ruby

Wentzloff, Jude

Green Is...

Credo Poem

Untitled

Remember Me

Poetry Assignment

Untitled

What Does It Feel Like?

Art Room

On the Lanes

Science Who Knew it was Physical - Eagle Path

Motorcycle

Him

Rosie

ABC's of 4-H

Orchids

Birthday Parties

I Am a Shy Girl with a Past

Birds

Tacos

Mountains

Science is Cool

Babies

Matter

Kleenex

There Once Was a Turtle...

The Gentle Forest

Air Show in the Snow

Author(1st Place Winners in Bold)

Poem(1st

Page (1st

Shards

Hope

Outsiders Outcast

Rainbow Tears

Snow

I Love Flynn

Rapper

Gone

I Believe

Darwin

My Summer Day

Run and Play All Day

I Love Turtles

Escape from the Challenge

goodbye

Snowflakes

Snow

The Ruination

This I Believe

The Answers You Seek

Science

I Love Sharks

The Ocean

Letter to a Mermaid

The Beauty of Friendship

Pillows

My Snake Hope

26

17

39

45

14

11

15

22

41

43

7

12

7

9

55

15

9

56

52

32

36

8

29

14

31

23

17

Table of Contents

Williams, Ella

Willoughby, Grace

Yaniga, Claire

Ballet

Light versus Dark

Gods and Golems

37

48

50

Author(1st Place Winners in Bold)

Poem(1st

Page

NOTE: We regret that we were unable to reproduce all original formatting; however, care has been taken to reproduce the poems as they were originally submitted.

Table of Contents 7

First Place

My Summer Dayby Owen PollakBean Elementary School

Swords,spiderwebs,wood,ladders,imagination,Happy, nervous,adventure, Blue,rainbows,relaxing,love,friends

Second Place

I Love Turtlesby Cannon ProughDibble Elementary School

I like turtles.They can swim some.They go so slow,I can pick them up.They are so cool.I’d love to have a pet turtle…But I already have a hamster.I love them so much,I’d like to pick it up and hug it,Then put it back in the ocean.

Kindergarten7

Third Place

I Love Sharksby Amier SpencerDibble Elementary School

The littlest sharkWent swimming around the whole reefLooking for a friend,It was an octopus!When he found his octopus friend,They had a coral reef school.Sharks are so cool.They swam in a coral reef pool.They like to swim aroundAnd eat fish.Because sharks have BIG teeth.They have BIG fins!I love sharks.

Honorable Mention

Tacosby Elijah HelmHunt Elementary School

Looks tan.Smells dilishis.Sounds crunche.Tastes tastee.Feels soft.

Kindergarten 8 9

First Place

Snowby Gabriel SaucedoQueen of the Miraculous Medal School

I am from the sky,I am white,

And,You can make a snowman out of me.

I am from the North Pole,I am from water,

And,You can melt me while I lie on the ground.

I am cold,I come from the South Pole,

But,When springtime comes,I will just say, “Goodbye.”

Second Place

Escape from the Challengeby Juniper RamirezHomeschool

Escape from the challenges you face this morning.Look at the Christmas ornaments falling down from Christmas trees.Whoa whoa whoaRain can’t hurt you.It will grow plants for the challenges.Rain does not hurt you a drop, and we like rain.Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh.Skip through the worldWe can glide but we’ll be safe.Just hold onto my shoulders, it’ll be alright.And always we’re home nowWe figured it outHallelujah now.

Grade One8 9

Third Place

Babiesby Isabella HurstQueen of the Miraculous Medal School

Babies are cute.I love babies so much because they're so silly.I can’t sleep at night because they're loud.Babies are warm.

Babies are sleepy.Babies are always hungry.Babies are fun to play with.Babies are playful.Babies are snugly to cuddle with.Babies are loving.

Honorable Mention

Birthday Partiesby Gracelyn FanninPioneers Homeschool Co-Op

Friends, piñatas, and games,There are so many names.

Ice cream and food,I am in a happy mood.

Grade One 10 11

First Place

I Love Flynnby Maeve McGeeWarner Elementary School

If you kissed Flynn he would give you bug-eyes.You would love it.He would laugh if you blew bubbles on his belly.It would make you laugh.He was so chubby.He was cute.He had big blue eyes.Flynn was handsome.

But then the day came that he died.He was five months old.

Sometimes I cry myself to sleep.I miss you, Flynn.Where did you go?I love you Flynn!He was so sweet.He was loved.

Grade Two10 11

Second Place

Run and Play All Dayby RJ PowellSt. John School

I wish it was day all the time.Run and play all day.

I wish it was sunny with no rain.Run and play all day.

I wish the sun and moon would rise together.Run and play all day.

I wish the stars would shine with the sun.Run and play all day.

I wish the clouds were light all the time.Run and play all day.

I wish I could run and play all day.Run and play all day.

Grade Two 12 13

Third Place

Art Roomby Parker BrandeberryJackson Christian Elementary School

The sound of an art room is,splat,

swoosh,whoosh,

snip,scratch,

rip,brush,rattle,

And wow!

Honorable Mention

Rosieby Rosie DawsonSt. John School

Radiates lightOddly sillySmiles a lotIs friendlyEvery person’s friend

Grade Two12 13

First Place

Letter to a Mermaidby Reese VermeulenQueen of the Miraculous Medal School

Dear Mermaid,

I want to send you mailI would if I couldSo I’ll give it to snail.

It may take foreverYou know how slow snails can beI should’ve sent an e-mailBut like Snail, Wi-Fi is slow in the sea.

I’ll have snail give it to whaleHe should be much fasterIf not it will be a disaster.

Let me know if you get my letterIt will make my dayIf you can send me a sea turtleIn my bathtub it will stay.

Second Place

Snowby Clark McClainJackson Christian Elementary

Snowwhite and fluffy

floating and fallingquickly

puffballs from heaven

Grade Three 14 15

Third Place

Rapperby Ben NewtonSt. John School

RapperCool Fast

Singing, Beatboxing, JammingMicrophone, Headphone, Dress, Shoes

Turning, Flipping, SpinningStrong Smart

Dancer

Honorable Mention

Snowflakesby Stella RizzoQueen of the Miraculous Medal School

Sparkling frozen dropsFalling diamonds from the sky

Falling on my tongue

Grade Three14 15

First Place

Air Show in the Snowby Gracen LucasWarner Elementary School

That airplane contest in DecemberWas easy to rememberThe paper was hard to foldWith our hands so cold

Eli’s plane was a dartIt had trouble from the startInstead of going straightIt plopped down like a weightInstead of being fastAll the others flew past

SImeon’s plane was made for stuntsWith a nose that was bluntInstead of doing barrel rollsIt flew straight into a poleWhen it didn’t turn loopsAll he could do was say “Oops”

I made a glider and threw it highThen the wind caught it and it went bye byeWhen we found my plane, It was so wet It looked like my dog slobbered on it

So, we had a snowball fight insteadBut the air show disaster was still stuck in my headEven though the show was a bummerMaybe we will try again this summer

Grade Four 16 17

Second Place

My Snake Hopeby Jude WentzloffQueen of the Miraculous Medal School

My snake’s name is HopeYes a snake not an antelope.I think she is the best snake in the worldBut when I scared her she curledShe’s a ball python YesI can hold her and play chess!

She can eat a 4 in. mouseShe doesn’t live in a houseShe lives in a cageShe is very young in ageShe likes to hide in her rockShe doesn’t have legs so she can’t walk!

There is a log in her cage but she doesn’t hide in it very muchI don’t know how many were in her clutchShe hatched in an eggNot with ONE legShe’s definitely not a dopeThat is my snake Hope

Third Place

Hopeby Zoë MagnussonBean Elementary School

Hope is what I desireFlaming like one million fires

Hope is burning through my mindWe have a tight connecting bindHope lays lightly across my head

As I lie awake in bed.Hope…Hope…

Hope.

Grade Four16 17

Honorable Mention

Kleenexby Jake JohnstonBean Elementary School

Kleenex, my hero has come to save the day.Hopefully it does not fail to clear the way.

My nose, so stuffed about to be free.Kleenex is awesome the best invention to me.

So I huff and I puff and blow my nose out.And hopefully my Kleenex does the job for my snout.

Grade Four 18 19

First Place

ABC's of 4-Hby Brynn deGleeHanover-Horton Elementary School

A group of kids who are going to change the future.Bugs get your animal down…you along with it.Courage is the main factor in walking into a show ring.Doing what’s right for your animal is what’s right for you.Everybody is sad when it comes to saying goodbye to your animal.Fair is the best thing.Games are for people who have time…pshhhh not me.Hay is a tasty treat for your cow to eat.I love my animal.Jealousy isn’t something you need to feel.Kind and caring are your traits.Live to change the future.Money is your prize.No one should ever bring you down.Own up to your mistakes.Parents can’t do everything for you.Queens are the girls who wear an invisible crown.Rule-breaking is not good.Someday we will rule the world.Tomorrow…come on….I have to wash tomorrow?!?!Umbrella, no way! I’d rather be wet.Violence should never be towards your animal.When you wash, make sure to dry.X-rays aren’t necessary for your animal.Your best commitment.Zebras are not for us!

Grade Five18 19

Second Place

What does it feel like?by Raina BlankenshipDibble Elementary School

What does it feel like?You are asking me what it feels like?Only if you know what it feels like.You feel alone.Like someone smashed your head into stone.“You mean depression”.No, I mean the obsession to be someone else.Like you are an elf on the shelf.“Like a puppet”Exactly Like have you ever gone above your budget.“Yeah”You have to put something away“Yeah…”Same but instead you put away your identityBecause you are afraid they won’t like your personality.“That got dark fast”I know it did but someone has to bring up the topic.Or else no one will stop it.The End

Grade Five 20 21

Third Place

There Once Was a Turtle...by Helen LefereQueen of the Miraculous Medal School

There once was a turtle,Who lived on a beach named Myrtle.

There were reefs with eels,And ports with seals.

There were various shells,And ships rang their bells.

People swam and flew a kite,And came across an awful sight.They found the poor turtle dead,

Because a plastic ring encircled her head.

Honorable Mention

Poetry Assignmentby Andrew BarneyJackson Christian Elementary

I’m supposed to write a poemBut I do not know howNow I feel the pressure

Sweat dripping from my browI’m supposed to write a poem

But I do not know howWhat do you say? This is a poem?

Wow!

Grade Five20 21

First Place

Goneby Madisyn O'NealQueen of the Miraculous Medal School

When dancing in the cloudsHanging in the rainRunning through the meadowsBeing chased bythe man who ruined EverythingHiding in the brisk fogCrying behind a bushWith no leavesFighting for survivalWandering throughthe narrow pathListening…Watching…Waiting…Wanting to helpbut Can’t get anyYou’re Gone

Grade Six 22 23

Second Place

Untitledby Jacob AllenPioneers Homeschool Co-Op

Poems are hard to makeBut to school a poem I must take,Don’t worry, it’s a rhyme,Maybe I’ll write about some thyme,No, that’s too dull,Maybe a cart you can pull, No, no, no, that won’t do,How about a bird that flew?Poems are hard to make,But to school a poem I must take,Maybe a climber that can’t climb,Or a clock without a chime,No, how about a cup that is full,Or how about a great big gull,Or a small plane that is blue,Oh, I don’t know what to do!

Third Place

Pillows by Ruby WeedMichigan Connections Academy

Pillow lies still on my bedShe is where I rest my headShe has heard my biggest secretOne I haven’t even écrit

Pillow watches my every actionEven if I am doing fractionsMy pillow is one of a kindIt’s insane she hasn’t a mind

Grade Six22 23

Honorable Mention

Mountainsby Brayden HorsfallNorthwest Kidder Middle School

White peaks and cold airFreezing people everywhere

May they reach the top

Grade Six 24 25

First Place

I Am a Shy Girl with a Pastby Amelia Louise FrackerNorthwest Kidder Middle School

I am a shy girl with a past.I wonder what happens after you die.I hear the air whisper eerily in my ear.I see a dark figure in the corner of my lit room.I want to be the strongest I can be.I am a shy girl with a past.

I pretend that my heart could never break.I feel my heart crack when I cry.I touch the hourglass that shows how much time I have left.I worry that my life will crumble beneath my feet.I cry when I picture myself standing over my grave.I am a shy girl with a past.

I understand that nothing lives forever that all things must eventually die.I say I know my worth. I’ve paid dearly for every ounce of it.I dream that my life has no flaws.I hope that one day I can find the true meaning of life.I am a shy girl with a past.

Grade Seven24 25

Second Place

Shardsby Melaina MagnussonWestern Middle School

Perfection shattersinto a million mistakes.But we pick up the pieces,and stick them back together.The problem is,They only hold untilWe’re gone.And then,They collapseOn the next generation,Leaving the childrenTo clean up after.

We are children.We are leaders.We are the future.

We shouldn’t haveTo clean up the ShardsOfYourMistakes.

Grade Seven 26 27

Third Place

The Gentle Forestby Annie LockeLumen Christi

Hundreds of trees in the forest.All are lightly swaying in the wind.The birds are flying low.It’s about to rain.All the animals hide:The birds, deer, rabbits, wolfs, and many more.The rain is done.All the animals come out.Worms are poking out from the dirt.The birds are getting the worms to eat.The rabbits are eating the wet grass.The deer are eating fresh flowers.All the animals are looking for food.The animals have eaten and they’re all happy.It’s night time now and all the animals must sleep.The birds go to their nests, rabbits go to their burrows.All the animals are ready to sleep.But what about the owl? It just woke up.It “hoos” in the gentle wind,Looking at the hundreds of trees in the forest.All are lightly swaying in the wind.

Grade Seven26 27

Honorable Mention

Motorcycleby Ava CumberworthLumen Christi

A motorcycle is something to admireEvery detail is perfectly made Engine parts, screws, cables, knobs on tires

If I can put my hands on it I think it will come aliveI can almost hear the engine hum Like the sound of a beehive

It can hear us talk about it and the way it would feelTo take it for a dream ride at night And burst out of its place on one wheel

I wish I could jump right on it and take it far from homeRev the engine loud and ride into the street Watch the rain land on the chrome

I can feel the wild wind whipping in my faceFeel the power of the engine taking me away Pretending that I am winning the race

The world is left far behindWith all the fears and tears I have forgotten that the world can be kind

I am as free as an untamed animal in the wildAdventure awaits and my mind can’t wait The sun beat on my shoulders and I smiled

Then in the distance I heard my friend’s voice say look at the chainsWe come back to the world, the motorcycle and I As if we had been gone for days

Grade Seven 28 29

First Place

The Oceanby Sage TysonPioneers Homeschool Co-Op

The ocean water washes over my feetThe sun shines on my faceThe dolphins swim in front of meAs if to run a race

On the shore hot was the sandAnd grainy to the touchWhen it’s picked up falls through my handWhich makes it hard to clutch

The beauty of the waves I seeIs more than overwhelmingThere is a captain out at seaOn a ship he’s helming

The clouds display God’s gentlenessAs they tumble byTo demonstrate His endlessnessHe made the bright blue sky

The salty air and crystal wavesThe warming sand and sunAre all things that our God has madeAnd show what He has done

Though the crowded coastline shoreLooks like chaos to the eyeIt is my favorite place to beAnd I know exactly why

The ocean water’s in my bloodIt courses through my veinsAnd memories that take me backAre all the beach attains

Grade Eight28 29

Though life is short and time is preciousLike the waves that lap the sandThe sky and space and oceans tooAre all held in God’s hand

Grade Eight 30 31

Second Place

The Beauty of Friendshipby Kaitlyn WalshPioneers Homeschool Co-Op

Beauty lies in the deepest places in a friendship’s soul.Friendship reveals the strongest and weakest qualities in one’s life.To have a companion, broken spirits are made whole.Kindness and laughter drowns out the sorrow and strife.A friend’s sweet smile when it’s needed most.A tear shed in sympathy, an encouraging word.Love and empathy is a medicine, never overdosed.Honesty and feeling much more preferred.The beauty of feeling each other’s pain,The miracle of celebrating the joy of a friend.When one cries in storms, a dear friend feels their tears as rain.As happiness fills one’s heart, their friend is beside them from start to end.A true friend is always there to discuss God, and his love.They’ll freely share their thoughts, and the way they feel.Together they practice and meditate on things above.They’ll tell their sorrows so deep, their greatest joys, and their fears so real.No man, nor woman, nor child has ever seen, and never will,A thing more beautiful than such companionship.A bond between a few people, a great longing to fill.The beauty that lies in every person, is the beauty that creates a never-ending friendship.

Third Place

Orchidsby Mikayla EverlinePioneers Homeschool Co-Op

Orchids are my favorite flower.I will look at them every hour.

They look so magnificent.But none of them look translucent.Orchids are such beautiful flowers.

It’s like being beautiful is their superpower.

Grade Eight30 31

Honorable Mention

The Answers You Seekby Olivia SnabesLumen Christi

I get asked a lotIf I belong to my parents or not.No, I didn’t come from them, if I hadThis wouldn’t make me so sad.

No more questions, please no more.I can’t bear the uproar.Nobody understands how it breaks my heart in twoTo hear all these questions about the pair I’ve gone through.

I was separated from my mom at the age of three,So after that I thought it’d be just my sister and me.I lived with my aunt in a big houseBut being just a kid, I felt small as a mouse.

Then one day two people walked inAnd I felt something emerge withinCould it be? Will they be my forever family?

I was rightWe spent the nightA couple times until the day came to beThey knew that weWould belong to them

They’d build us up with strong roots and a sturdy stemIf you have questions that you carryI’d be happy to answer them, they aren’t too scary.

Grade Eight 32 33

First Place

Science is Coolby Katy HosmerColumbia Central High School

Ask a question on something you’re curious about,Raise your hand, and please don’t shout.Form a hypothesis (an if, then statement)

It’s a simple task, really quite blatant.Experiment with your problem,

Don’t stop until you’ve reached the bottom.Observe and record all what you see,

Write down some solutions to what they could be.Draw out your conclusions,

And be sure there are no further confusions.Tell all what you’ve learned to kids around school,

Then maybe they’ll believe you that science is cool.

Grade Nine32 33

Second Place

Eagle Pathby Phillip CoughlinColumbia Central High School

I am working on my Eagle Badge.It is Scouts highest honor.I plan that when it is awardedI will carry a sense of pride and honor.

I will be part of a groupOf Eagle Badge holders.An honor I will carryUntil my dying day.

The application was lengthyThe questions were a challengeSignatures were required It all begins now

Nerves are high.Can I really earn this award?Do I have what it takes?I can only try.

Classes were offeredA binder was madePages of resources, prices,Badge requirements, contacts, and personal infoOrganized and labeled waiting for action.

Can I do all this?Do I have the confidence?Can I stand in front of multiple people?And explain why I am worthy.

Selecting a project.Working with my church.Standing in front of the Trustees.Asking them to have confidence in me.

Grade Nine 34 35

I never built a fence?Not sure how this goes.How will I pay for all this?Can I dig a post hole?

Finding the funds.Collecting ideas.Going back to the trustees.Getting approval.

Good feelings were started.This may really work.The project continues.So far it’s all good.Building a fence project.Collecting the costs.Calling suppliers.Building a ledger in my project notebook.

Fighting intimidation.Making new friends.Building relations.Asking for help.

Merit badge requirementsPhysical fitness, Personal management,Learning new skillsCooking and hiking for miles on end.

The process is ongoingI’m learning a lot.My troop is behind me.And my confidence rises.

When I finish this taskMy hope is to beConfident, brave, heroic and mentally strongLike the eagle who soars in the sky.

Grade Nine34 35

Third Place

Scienceby Chanel SpauldingColumbia Central High School

Doing this last minutesixty seconds to be exacthave to write a poembut I wish it was a rap

birds in the skyfish down belowi kinda want to crywhile writing this poem

rocks in a riverice in a drinkdid I really write that well just thinki could write raps all day and songs all nightbut just this poem don’t feel write

a volcano is a rupture in the curst of planetary massbut that’s too bad because I’ve learned that in science class

this poem ain’t bout the factsthis poem is just a rapabout tectonic plate and how they just crash.

Honorable Mention

Matterby Jace JeanColumbia Central High School

Everything in this world takes up space,volume, mass substance that always leaves a trace.

color, odor, length, and densityare some of the properties that make up everything and

there intensity.Solid, liquid, gas, and plasma are the four phases of matter,everything in this world can be broke down into the latter.

Grade Nine 36 37

First Place

Balletby Ella WilliamsPioneers Homeschool Co-Op

The delicate silk glossed over by light;Dusty and tiny tears that show my hard work;The pink ribbons wrapped you must tie them right;Painful, yet pretty leave me with a smirk;Bruises and blisters are well worth the pain;The days and hours are not just a waste;This pain is addictive, hard to explain;Criticisms hard but must be embraced;Your highs will always shine brighter than lows;If you stumble get back up, try again; Get over your box and stand on your toes;Remember to use counts of eight, not ten;Improvement will come if you work and striveBallet is my love, my joy, and my pride.

Grade Ten36 37

Second Place

Birdsby Jordan GretznerNapoleon High School

I wonder what it is liketo have no bordersno boundariesno chainsjust endless horizonsI wonder what it is liketo soar amongst the cloudslistening to the wind singspeaking to the sunsethearing all of her storiesI wonder what it is liketo sleep beneath emerald leavesto listen to the gentle fall of rain around youseeing the world from abovefalling in love with the skyI wonder what it is liketo be free

Grade Ten 38 39

Third Place

Outside Outcastby Tavin MaplesWestern Career Prep High School

We forsake who we are to cover up the scars,For the strangers that we become;

Only hides the outsiders we are,And deprives us of knowing where we’re from.

Never lose heart for you’ll drown in sorrow,Don’t end it all today for you always have tomorrow,

Our time is ours not stolen nor borrowed.

The life we have is precious not practically pathetic,We should be outsiders together be a little empathetic.

You may feel alone but you always have a home,Outsiders stick together you’ll never roam alone.

Together we fight sticking together into the night,Although together we are; alone we feel fright,

Outsiders we were born; outcasts we become for all isn’t alright.

Grade Ten38 39

Honorable Mention

Untitledby Brianna BattersonHanover-Horton High School

Through the pastureAround the trees

Over the hillsUp the river stream

I am stronger than a bull.During storms I run

Despite danger I workInstead of running away and hiding

Because of my passionate heartI will never stop.Beside my family

Between my friendsOutside the cities

Underneath the clear skyThis is where we belong.

In herd of at least 10Among the elderly

Along with the youngIn addition to the sick

We always stick together.Towards the setting sunBefore nighttime occurs

In front of a glistening riverAway from all troubles

I am happy with my horse family.

Grade Ten 40 41

Honorable Mention

I Believeby Haley OsbornHanover-Horton High School

I believe in the equality of all,the kindness of strangers,the idea that music heals,the wisdom of parents,the power of words,silence, protest, hard work.

But I don’t believe in not giving second chances.

I believe in making the most of life,I believe in quality over quantity,I believe in the importance of education,self care, mental health, confidence.

And I believe in getting to know someone before deciding what kind of person they are.

Grade Ten40 41

Honorable Mention

Credo Poemby Wyatt AlgerHanover-Horton High School

I believe in the power of intelligence,The benefits are undeniable.The absence of ignorance heals the world.The presence of it kills the world.The ignorance in America has brought racism, Nazis, homophobes, the POTUS.

I do not believe our country is ruined.Things can be reversed,With only a little more knowledge.

I believe people mean well.I believe voters will open their eyes.I believe false information is given to them by social media, The president, senators, and certain news outlets.

And I believe the country will heal.We will change our waysAnd “Make American Great Again”.

Grade Ten 42 43

Honorable Mention

On the Lanesby Ben ChildsHanover-Horton High School

I believe in the concept of practice,The outcome of hard work,

The power of determination,The effects of positive thinking,

The value of teamwork.Bowling, Pins, Return.

But getting a zero on a split is just frustrating.I believe in the importance of spares,

I believe in good misses,I believe in 6-10 conversions.

My ball, My brace, My drybag.And I believe in going for count on splits.

Honorable Mention

Darwin by Quade PeterHanover-Horton High School

Large, fluffy, wet, sleepyRelative of Caruso

Lover of food, sun, and napsWho feels soft, silky, and damp

Who fears Betty, vacuums, and feetWho gives cuddles, something to trip on, and love

Who would like to see the sky up close, the food bowl always filled, and ice cubes in every bowl

Resident of The Peter HouseSir Darwin Wetpaw

Grade Ten42 43

Honorable Mention

Green Is...by Ian AlbertNapoleon High School

Green is a John Deere and the grass it cuts.Green is the money in my pocket for the work I do.

Green is my experience at the Christmas tree farm andGreen is the tips I get for loading the green fragrant trees

Green is the wrestling mat I step onto.Green is the uniform I wear.I am not green with envy…

It’s wrestling time – GO GREEN!

Grade Ten 44 45

First Place

Rainbow Tearsby Coral MartinColumbia Central High School

Saturday, September 28th, 2019.Waking to a peaceful dawnFilled with anticipation.An exciting and energetic morning.Starting early to get ahead of myself;Beginning the day with my brightly coloredRainbow tears.

Saturday, September 28th, 2019.Oh, how I loved those fine lines:The magnificent blue channelFlowing along with the warm pink tone,Contoured near a stream of sunny rays.Adding silver snowflakes of glitter to complete our Rainbow tears.

Saturday, September 28th, 2019.Standing on a platform of warm tar and asphalt,Flinging bright fabrics into the air;Numbers running through our heads as our bodies moveTo the same rhythm, interchangeable, yet still distinguishable.Each of us displaying our ownRainbow Tears.

Saturday, September 28th, 2019.Buses loaded up with childrenAnticipation and excitementBuzzing through the air like bees.Heading towards a place derived from Greek tragedy,All while approaching my own, unknowingly admiring ourRainbow Tears.

Saturday, September 28th, 2019.Falling away from our original path.I’m pulled from the transport, filled with uncertainty.

Grade Eleven44 45

Pulse racing, stomach dropping,Panic tugging at every inch of my soul,I’m taken away, no longer concerned about ourRainbow Tears.

Saturday, September 28th, 2019.trembling and baring my teeth,feeling cornered and afraid,like a dog in a cage.spoken to with soft, solemn words.being drowned in the abyss of uncertainty; feeling smallin an ocean that would do nothing but wash away my rainbow tears.

Saturday, September 28th, 2019.worsened anxiety, filled with confusion.collapsing into the seat of the auto,I became a vacuum;engulfed in all the pain and pressure from the universe,I exploded and out came my truerainbow tears.

Saturday, September 28th, 2019.like a loose cannon the shaking began.spasms created an earthquake within the vehicle.forty-five minutes of tremors, and an aftermath that even Time couldn’t fix;corruption rained down my face as those tears became polluted with black.forever lost in heartbreak, those dark, tainted rainbow tears.

Saturday, September 28th, 2019.safety only found in a mother’s arms.tenderness so pure it felt almost like pain killers.diving into that comfort, becoming a little bigger.A clan closer than before; caused by the absence of one.Family sweeping away myRainbow Tears.

Grade Eleven 46 47

Saturday, September 28th, 2019.Continuing my journey,I radiate strength and power.Fighting to hide what haunts me inside.Protests rally outside, but persistence remains by my side;Once again racing towards the cities of tragedy.I am greeted by hushed sympathy, and thoseRainbow Tears.

Saturday, September 28th, 2019.The bright colors of fabrics bring less comfort than before.The peaceful, solidarity of the event has transformedInto quick-paced attempts to re-paint a picture of harmony.Blankly gazing at brick I listen to failed trials of comfort.Simple groundless apologies told,As they slovenly reapply those streams,Messier than any cascade before:My Rainbow Tears.

Grade Eleven46 47

Second Place

Himby Quinn DavisonColumbia Central High School

My body; I could not look in the mirror.My voice; I could not stand to hear her.Suicidal thoughts were becoming hauntingly clearer,Until I met him.

My smile; I had been without her for years,Myself I could display without any fears,My days could exist without so much a tear,Because I met him.

Slowly though, the bruises came back.The hitting, the yelling, I had to retract.He was so different now; that was a fact.I had to leave him.

I had been left off even worse than I was,My sense of self-worth had become but a fuzz.The euphoric high of death was my favorite buzz,Because I met him.

Even though I am ashamed that I fell so low,I learned that, no matter what, He will love me so.Ecstatic to unite with Him and receive that angelic glow;I finally found Him.

Grade Eleven 48 49

Third Place

Light Versus Darkby Grace WilloughbyColumbia Central High School

Light versus Dark an endless fight,they tend to split at day and night.I’ll throw a punch or club your face,you better back away and give me some space.

Dark will confuse you and get you lost,Light will help you at all costs.Dark is friendly pushing you around,Light gives you love, never putting you down.

Light a fire within to rid the monsters of your past,Darkness will knock out your heart in a single blast.Darkness will drive your thoughts insane,Light will try and fail to relieve the pain.

Waking up young with Light in your eyes,never stepping from your dreams still on life’s highs.Darkness will play with your day like a puppet on strings,don’t let it get to your brightness or give you angel wings.

Grade Eleven48 49

Honorable Mention

Remember Meby Suzanne BakerColumbia Central High School

Helplessness is a tragic feeling,It hurts more than pain and sorrow.This was inevitable but I didn’t believe that it would happen so soon.I looked into your eyes and saw a stranger looking back at me.Do you know my name?Do you remember all the memories we shared?I miss you.

I hate to visit because it’s so hard to see you this way,But I ache inside when I don’t visit you.Your face still lights up the room,Even if the person behind it isn’t the same one I remember.How are you, stranger?How am I supposed to live life without you?I love you.

The day that you leave is going to be hard,But not impossible.Because deep down I’ve known,That you have been gone for a long time.When will I see you again?When will the clock run out?Goodbye.

Grade Eleven 50 51

First Place

Gods and Golemsby Claire YanigaColumbia Central High School

Dry dirt on dusty earthBright orange eye halved, hooded in the horizonThere is no breath of brisk wind somewhere nearSoul: an unknown word

When the world is darkgrains of sand slip through celestial handsFalling through the atmosphereSeeds planted, though it is still lifeless hereSoul: a possibility

Navy night gives wayFingers, grasping from the soft grainy groundan arm and shoulder UnveiledA discrepancy in this lonely daleSoul: a new idea

Gods above awakeAware of accidental creationsGolems roam earth, made of clayMinds full of space, ready to claim knowledgeSoul: a discrepancy

In hours of lightThe ones with oversight rage against lifeLiving clay becomes rubbleUnwanted, unloved, a cause for troubleSoul: a memory

Dry dirt on dusty earthBright orange eye halved, hooded in the horizonThere is no breath or bone hereOnly the breath of brisk wind somewhere nearSoul: an unknown word

Grade Twelve50 51

Second Place

This I Believeby Grace ShoemakerHanover-Horton High School

As I stand here,In the midst of indifference.The past repaints itself on our skin.From the past to now,Let it be a warning to what is to come.

This I believe,Uniting is the treasure you seekOur way of living needs to be thought out again.As the people of this EarthListen to the cries of our from within the soil,Can you hear it?The strikes of death among usLook you’re bleeding too.

Close your door next generationChange the outcome of our time.Don’t let this process be the story for another decade.

Careers lost,their lives gone to changing the world,we can’t provide the help needed, unless we work together.How do you help people in need whenWe are the ones caught red-handed?

From the life of a little girlshe overthinks everything.From the simplest things to life decisions.A daddy’s girl without a fatherNeedy from the attention not had.Friends not found.Anxiety from the sea of strangers looking back at herThis complex life like theirs, as allJust as scared of the future as she.I am about to break.

Grade Twelve 52 53

She lives in a world of not enoughNot enough food,not enough money for gasnot enough time,not enough affectionnot enough love,not enough people to help us,not enough.

Hatred grew, deep in the souls of AmericaThe ongoing looks of daggers for the families that have no more to give.Like the chicken pecking because of differenceBullied I, and my sisters and brothers.But all this pain never ceased.

But we were not the only ones struggling for life3 little girls and a little boy.Riding down the cracked sidewalks on little scooters,Bad man, they were the culprits.How would we know?

Not only abuse was in store for these children and mother.That man would slink at hours till all were asleep to make motivesIt didn’t take long for the mother to finally breathe in false courageA mother’s love for her kids, fighting, giving all she had.But falsely it was, the strangers took leverage and leftLeaving this family with all bills, not money and no place to goTo the streets they went.

This I believe, that we need to figure out how to do this together,doing so TOGETHER.United not just American hands,Not only to make US; fed, supplied, and cared for, but ALL people.Not you or me deserves a life without love and understanding.

Today we see it all over the place,people who want change,they want helpthey are in need.What are we going to do?

Grade Twelve52 53

I know exactly what many people do,That indifference that was taught at an early age,We do nothing.We cover our eyes to the damage.Just look, look at it allDon’t close your eyes no more.

WE do nothing about the poverty ending lives,disasters making many unemployed, murders, rapists, thieves, corrupt people, injustice.Why do we do NOTHING?I don’t understand why we let this happen to brothers and sisters alikeYou don’t get it, you are dying tooSave yourself.Like cows in a storm looking right into the demise of their lifeLetting yourself drowned.

I know things happen that are out of my control,but there are many, many opportunities for even me alone to help everyone out.We need to love, we need open minds and we need to do it TOGETHER.Love for one another without fail,Not because it is the right thing to do, to do so because we are being of love.Please look at the war scars on your body, open your eyes, we can do this togetherTake my hand.

Grade Twelve 54 55

Third Place

goodbyeby Morgan ReamerColumbia Central High School

HisColor was blue.His eyes, hidden by a mist.I sought to dry the ocean.It is a shame he never saw me.

TheirColor was lavender.The fields filled with purple flowers.The scent reminded me of days gone by.It is a shame they never thought of me.

HerColor was magenta.Her lipstick smeared across my face,The same night I told her how I felt.It is a shame she never told me the same.

These are my colors.I awake to see my blue ceiling.My room smells of lavender.The magenta speaker blasts music.My life. Me.

Grade Twelve54 55

Honorable Mention

The Ruinationby Carissa SchwartzColumbia Central High School

Prosperity beacons, hand steady,A Cheshire grin, unseen,Ignored.

The Like reach, seeking only to listen,To wonder,To learn,

Helplessly,Hopelessly—Unaware of their own undoing,

Oh, they reach,As the world crumbles,And hubris consumes—

All is lost.

Grade Twelve 56 57

Primary Sponsors: Friends of the Jackson District Library, Jackson Breakfast Rotary Club and The Flip & Monette Thorrez Giving Fund

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