Award-winning words from young poets

Announcing the winners of the Monitor's 11th annual Young Poets Contest.

from the January 23, 2007 edition

Congratulations to the hundreds of young poets who entered the Monitor's 11th annual poetry contest. You are so talented! The five entries on this page were chosen by poet Elizabeth Lund to be final winners. But all entries showed much creativity. Thanks to everyone who participated.

White

A glassy string of pearls,
A soft silk dress for a little girl.
The tall steeple of a church,
Even the bark on an old birch.
A bit of cream in my bowl,
Perhaps the beautiful, drifting snow.
Powdered sugar, sprinkled on cake,
A frothy, cold, vanilla shake.
A large patch of garden daisies,
A small cotton blanket for a tiny baby.
A puffy cloud rolling by,
A sleek dove in the sky.
All the stars twinkling at night,
Each and every one are white.

Shennah Derstine
Harrison, Maine
Sixth grade

Haiku

Wolves pad through the snow
The she-wolf's belly's bulging
cubs are coming soon

Madeline Pace
Yucaipa, Calif.
Seventh grade

Oh Night Sky

Oh night sky, oh night sky
come to break day,
Oh night sky, oh night sky
please don't go away,
Oh night sky, oh night sky
waiting here for you,
Oh night sky, oh night sky
you're my favorite time of day.

Samir Fridhi
Belmont, Mass.
Second grade

Ink

Any empty pen,
A bladeless sword,
A weapon with no power,

A dormant mind,
A sleeping beast,
A dragon in repose,

A blade of tempered steel,
A beast that swiftly rose,
Can attack a thought with zeal,
And pen out gallant prose.

Mitchell Kinnen
Cincinnati
11th grade

My Fridge

I'm hungry for some romance –
fluffy, chocolate-dipped
angel food cake.

I'm hankerin' for some fiction –
yummy, nutty, coconut
German chocolate cake.

I'm starving for some poetry –
filling, spiced,
moist pumpkin bread.

I'm ravenous for some nonfiction –
steaming broccoli cheddar,
when I'm filled with sugary sweets.

My dinner, my dessert ...

... my books.

Carrie Blanton
St. Louis
Eighth grade