Poetry

You all now know I'm gushing over C's contest-winning poem. Last night, at what I expected to be a sort of awkward, "let's-get-this-overwith" school award ceremony, I was pleasantly surprised. All of the district's (non-charter) middle schools' contest winners were represented. They even bound the winning poems in a nice little booklet (leaving out the last line of C's poem, much to her annoyance). Cake and drinks were served. I figured that was pretty much it but then they had a reading where each kid got to share their poem. I was a little nervous about that but it ended up being really terrific. A couple of them even brought a little tear to my eye. There were, of course, a fair number of "Trees, they are beautiful. Grapes they are so Fruitiful" kinds of poems (still mighty good considering they're creepy middle schoolers) but there were a few that really grabbed me. My favorites (other than C's, of course) were "I Am From Hicks And Hillbillies" and "I Am From The Philosophy Of Love" and "Grace" (about a dog dying and getting a new puppy... I had to sing "Old MacDonald silently to myself during that one to keep from crying), and BIG.

After everyone read, a local author came by to praise Cammy for the "economy" in her writing. She thanked him for the compliment. He asked her if she knew what he meant by that. She said, "I get to the point and I do it with nouns and verbs." I was impressed with the answer (as was he) especially in light of her experience in 3rd grade when she was selected to present a poem on a local public radio show. When asked why she is drawn to haiku, she said, "They're short and I wanted to get out to recess." Ahhhh... honesty.

I really appreciate when an event designed to recognize students' academic pursuits is handled so well. Too often they seem to set out to celebrate the "weirdos" and encourage the wearing of strange costumes, social engineering of oddball relationships, and are filled with speeches that seem to be lifted directly from some "Abnormal Psychology of Pre-Pubescent Outcasts" text. This one could have just as easily been a basketball awards ceremony as a poetry reading (alright... save for a couple more berets, and fewer congratulatory ass-slaps). Anyway - bravo!!

I know... I'm gushing excessively. It's a little gross. It's my blog and I can gush if I want to. Trust me, there are many tales of annoyance with the budding hormones and well-established 'tude associated with my oldest kid to come. I just want to be sure I get the good stuff out in the ether along with the "if she melts down one more time while trying to finish her math homework after procrastinating WAY too long, I think I'm going to run away and raise miniature donkeys."

In fact, I think I'll go write a poem about escapist mini-donk husbandry while I vacuum and fold laundry. Wish me luck!

PS: It's a good one today!