We had the BEST poetry slam ever. Thank you to all who entered. Here are the winning poems. The first in each group was created by the students before coming. The second was created from words given to them before school on the day of the slam. The third was created - on the spot - from words given by the audience.
Ms Williams
A special thank you to Tiffany Daud for all her help in making this happen - it was a fantastic idea Tiffany!
NEXT UP: A poetry slam! competition between PHS and CASA - March 2010 - sign up today to join in the fun.
Jake Fahlenkamp - 1st place
Day 1 – Night and Day
Night is dark, dark as Hell,
When day is near, all is well.
Night is the essence of death and sorrow,
As you lie in wait and pray for the morrow.
When night falls, you’re full of fear
And jump at whatever sound you hear.
Day is a time for frolic and fun,
As you feel the wind and warmth of the sun.
When day is here, you feel joy and love,
The same as you feel, from heaven above.
At night, the demons come out to play,
And run in fear at the first sign of day.
So when you feel the terror come,
Before the fear to you succumb, remember
The light will be there soon, to save you from a ghastly doom.
You feel the light from deep inside,
And know that you don’t need to hide.
So close your eyes and get some sleep
Ignore the demons nightly creep.
You feel the fear begin to fade,
Its control over you is deep in shade.
You can rest at ease because you know
The light of day will always show.
Day 2 – Soldiers Our country is a land of love,
Long passed soldiers watch from above.
They fought with burning strong desire,
With hopeful hearts, full of fire.
Through falling shells, and flashing lights,
Our flag stood strong, a symbol in the night.
Our soldiers had begun to fight,
For every freedom and every right
They charged the enemy, full of fear
And fought through pain and streams of tears.
Today, the children laugh and play
Because they’re free every single day
They’re free because of these who fought before,
In every national and world wide war.
In honor of them, I am proud to say,
“God bless the U.S.A.”
Day 3 – Dragon People in villages don’t waste their time braggin’,
Because they’re repeatedly attacked by a vicious angry dragon.
People will scream and break out in tears
As they run away screaming in fear.
They do not fall, but rather they fly
And drive to attack from high in the sky.
When the dragon is slain, there’s nothing but joy
On the faces of every little girl and boy.
The smog is gone, there is only light
And people are safe to come out at night.
They rejoice and join together in song,
They’re happy because the dragon is gone!
Amanda Fisher - 2nd place
Day 1 – Hit or Miss
The purple sky falls around me,
The chirps of crickets in the air.
The swirl of wind in my hair.
I reminisce about the days, long-
ago, but it remains in mist.
I am sad, and start to cry
My life was just a hit or miss.
Day 2 – Ends We are told that we must hate.
That day always ends in night.
That we have no freedom.
That we have no reason to fight.
Our desire for love
And our willingness to help
Is stopped dead in its tarcks.
The laughter
The sun
Yet now we have none.
Day 3 – Ode to the Peasants The madness falls upon us
The broken laughter
The fear
How we wish to be happy.
Our pride has been squashed
By the bougiue ideals
We fall
Their pride rapes of our joy.
We are nothing more.
Larissa Goodanetz - 3rd place
Day one – Shed a Tear Sitting on this cold white snow
I feel as if all I knew I no longer know
As I look around it all seems to glisten
I sit here to think and truly listen
It’s amazing the peace I feel here
I can’t understand why my eyes want to tear
I’m forgetting everything that happened in the past
These new thoughts and feelings I hope will last
I don’t know why I look to the sky
All I know is I want to cry
I had forgotten what life is really for
Up until now it’s been one big bore
I’m amazed that this was created for me
It makes me want to just fall to my knees
I near nothing but the snow melting on trees
And see nothing but the snow falling from leaves
I will never forget the peace I feel here
Its so amazing all I can do is shed a tear.
Day 2 – Just Wait My eyes are open, yet they seem closed
The night has blinded me from the path I have chose.
What happened to the hearts of those who dwell here?
The children that strive for love one blocked by fear.
As I long for laugher that turns into tears.
I’m faced with compassion that turns to hate
Each day we live is another fight to be first in the gate
Life as we know it is losing strength
But hold on, brace yourself
Soon flowers will spring from this cold heard earth
And the thirst for hope will be within our reach.
For each moment will soon be as bright as day
Because freedom will finally have its say.
Day 3 This madness that has fallen upon this earth,
Has scared me for the future birth.
The sky is broken yet diamonds fall
They pave the way for the crystal ball.
The joy that lands upon the angels’ wings,
Has given me hope to search for love.
They make peace in the eyes of the golden dove.
Jack Franicevitch – Poetry I could write a poem about laughter and love Feelings and beauty, the blue sky above. An angsty poem about war and peace, Depression and loneliness that never will cease. Or something with anger, that's diabolitical, Expressing a feeling that's often political. Using words I don't know like serendipity, And making up junk like chocolate-chippity. My views on poetry are more or less skewed, Some people see them as improper and rude. A poem for me, all throughout time Is not a poem if it doesn't rhyme.