We invited young people up through eighth grade to enter the Seattle’s Child kids’ poetry contest in honor of Poetry Month, April 2022.
We have so many thoughtful and talented young people out there!
These are the honorable mention entries. Authors are Konstantinos S., Stella S., Ash L., Briana E., Hannah T., Meeko E., Liam R., Ida P., Skylar B., Seth D.S.., Ida P., Solveig Y. and Emely A.
Read on for works about friendship, seasons, animals, nature, and love. Two lovely poems were submitted in both English and Spanish.
Thank you and congratulations to all who entered!
Find more winning entries here.
Honorable Mentions:
Before Time
By Konstantinos S.
Grade 4
Seattle
Moon and sun,
both shining so bright,
waiting,
waiting to meet,
waiting to dance.
My Thoughts While Taking Louie Outside
By Stella S.
Grade 8
Seattle
I sit on my porch,
While Louie sniffs around the bushes.
Sometimes I hear him make his little snorts,
As his face practically becomes one,
With the many flowers.
And as I breath the fresh air,
I realize two things,
One,
I don’t think I will ever convince
This dog to come back inside.
And two,
Even though this day is as perfect
As a day can be.
Even though I’m with a dog,
Who loves me unconditionally.
Something seems off.
The fresh air is too fresh,
Things are too still.
And where is the constant news
That’s been fed to me daily?
And then I realize something,
That I have used all my strength
To put off.
That after years of writing and fighting,
After all the unrest
That made people so upset,
Things have changed.
I am changed.
And this whole world will never be the same.
I’ve Lost My Touch
By Ash L.
Grade 7
Seattle
I’ve Lost my touch. Since I found out I was going to be done with
therapy I haven’t been able to write a thing. Maybe its because my
poetry derives from loss and pain, I mean think of a poem the is about
happiness and being fulfilled with life; nothing that what I thought.
Maybe it’s because I’m addicted to felling numb, and for the first time
in my life I am not in pain or sorrow. So maybe this means this is the
end or more so this will be my end.
Mi Lengua
By Briana E.
Grade 8
Seattle
Mi lengua es mi identidad, la conexión con mi pueblo y mis raíces
Canta alabanzas que aprendí en la iglesia, gracias a mis abuelos
Aprendí unas alabanzas que fueron escritas por mi abuelo, sus títulos son
-En su amor-
-Mi vida eres tú –
También cantaba una frase de una canción que conozco que se llama Carnaval Del Barrio.
“P’arriba esa bandera
Álzala donde quiera
Recuerdo de mi tierra
¡Esa bonita bandera!
¡Contiene mi alma entera!
Y cuando yo me muera
Entiérrame en mi tierra!”
Mi lengua se viste con azul y blanco
De las banderas de Honduras y Guatemala.
Mi lengua detiene las palabras que no quiero decir
Palabras que probablemente me puedan afectar, o lastimar a mí y a otras personas.
Mi lengua no reacciona cuando escucho a alguien decir,
“Todos los latinos/hispanos/chicanos deben regresar a su país”
Mi lengua está impregnada con el sabor la soda famosa de Honduras, Bananina
Sabor de banana helada, y deliciosa cuando hace calor afuera
Mi lengua disfrute la deliciosa fruta del mundo, pero mi favorita son los arándanos y sandias
Mi lengua antigua habla Garífuna
Aprendí desde los 2 años mis primeras palabras en garífuna son:
-Buiti binafi y Buiti Guñoun – que significa buenos días/buenas noches.
Palabras de mis abuelos Federico y Angela Barrios.
También mi bisabuelo Benito
Mi lengua sabe la historia de mis abuelos.
Caminando en la playa, donde se conocieron por primera vez.
Amor, pero de mundos diferentes
Siempre estoy agradecida con ellos.
Porque tengo la oportunidad de vivir en los Estados Unidos
Mi lengua grita con orgullo y confianza
Orgullosa de ser catracha y chapina
Sin mi lengua
Yo no soy yo
Mi lengua es mi cultura.
Mi Tongue (translation of the poem above)
By Briana E.
Grade 8
Seattle
My tongue is my identity, the connection with my people and my
roots.
Sings worship songs that I learned in church,
that I learned from my grandparents.
I learned some praises that were written by my grandfather, whose
titles are
-En su amor-
-Mi vida eres tuMy tongue also sing a phrase from a song I know called Carnaval Del
Barrio.
“P’arriba esa bandera
Álzala donde quiera
Recuerdo de mi tierra
¡Esa bonita bandera!
¡Contiene mi alma entera!
Y cuando yo me muera
Entiérrame en mi tierra!”
My tongue is dressed in blue and white
Of the flags Honduras and Guatemala.
My tongue stops the words I don’t want to say
Words that can probably affect me, or hurt me and other people.
My tongue doesn’t react when I hear someone say,
“All Latinos/Hispanics/Chicanos must return to their country”
My tongue is impregnated with the flavor of the famous Honduran
soda, Bananina
Iced banana flavor, and delicious when it’s hot outside
My tongue enjoys the delicious fruits of the world, but my favorites are
blueberries and watermelons.
My ancient language speaks Garífuna
I learned from the age of 2 my first words in Garífuna are:
-Buiti binafi and Buiti Guñoun – which means good morning/good
night.
Words from my grandparents Federico and Angela Barrios.
Also my great-grandfather Benito
My tongue knows the history of my grandparents.
Walking on the beach, where they met for the first time.
Love, but from different worlds
I am always grateful to them.
Because I have the opportunity to live in the United States
My tongue screams with pride and confidence
Proud to be catracha and chapina
without my tongue
I’m not me
My language is my culture.
Untitled
By Hannah T.
Grade 6
Lynnwood
A friend Is a light In the dark
When the days Are bad
And happiness has gone
All that’s left Is darkness.
But then A light
A warm hug and A listening ear.
such small things
yet so meaningful at the same time
The happiness starts coming back
the light brighter
I wait, wondering if it’s a dream
staying on guard
preparing for the point where it all ends
But the light doesn’t go
it stays by my side
with a hand on my back, understanding.
I relax, comfort and joy filling me
the more i relax, the more the darkness changes
everything that was once dark is now light
replaced.
a wave of peace washes over me
and all is quiet.
It’s just me.
me and the light.
Inside of compassion
Is the hope of a greater future.
Inside of the future
Is a possibility.
Inside of the possibility
Is a rose,
Waiting to bloom.
Inside the rose is a sunrise,
Ready for a new day.
Inside the sunrise
Is a sense of comfort.
Inside of the comfort
Is peace
And quiet.
Inside the peace and quiet
Is a home filled with family.
Inside the family is love
And grief.
Inside of the love,
Tears.
Inside of the tears
Is an ocean,
Crashing onshore.
Inside the ocean
Is a boat,
Filled with an ancient mystery
Inside of the mystery
Is a quest,
Forgotten and left unsolved.
Inside of the quest
Is a cloud
Dark and stormy.
But inside the cloud
Is hope.
Hope
and joy
What is Love?
By Meeko E.
Grade 2
Sammamish
Love is where you care for someone and would do anything for them.
Love feels like you’re protected by those who love you and you protect
those you love.
I do not completely know what this feels like because I have never
been in love but I think it feels like a deep rumble for someone. But I
know what it feels like to be loved.
My parents love me.
They care for me and they do things for me even if they don’t want
to.
Love is a bright light.
Opposite Poem
By Liam R.
Grade 3
Whidbey Island
I love sushi.
I dislike avocado.
I have one cat and two dogs.
I want six ducks.
My friends say I am coocoo.
My family says I am funny.
One day, I will win a race.
I will never be stupid.
My favorite food is sushi and candy.
I’ll never eat avocado.
I feel sad when I’m alone.
I feel happy when I am not sleepy.
I feel safe when I’m with hy dogs.
I feel scared when I’m alone.
Back up
By Skylar B.
Grade 4
Kirkland
I got back up
from the fire and the ashes.
I got burnt, but I stood back up.
I got back up again until I was
standing
in the flames.
I got burnt, but I stood back up.
Just another way to get back to me.
I could have gone down in flames
but I’m here.
I’m here.
Burning down the flames
’cause I got back up.
Cherry Blossoms
By Seth D.S.
Grade 4
Shoreline
Petals as pink as
Rose quartz dropping from branches
Stretched out to the sun.
Sun
By Ida P.
Grade 2
Tacoma
Green leaves
Summer sun
Green fog
Golden potatoes
that are growing
in the earth.
Sunset
By Solveig Y.
Grade 5
The setting sun sinks behind a hill,
Burning a hole where the light does not hide
Water laps lazily
against the smooth white shells that adorn the rock beach
Palm trees sway gently in the cool night wind
Now the darkness waiting at the corners
rush to be the first to cover the last rays of sun that
paint the clouds with pink, orange and gold
The darkness wins
And With a flash of brilliant green light
The great ball of gas
Sinks into the sea.
Zapatos incómodos, pero bonitos
By Emely A.
Grade 8
Seattle
Mi lengua no es diferente a las demás
No es especial, más bien ordinara. No se parece a nada ya que solo tiene que quedarse callada.
Canta versos con los que no me identifico
Diciendo cosas que no siento y haciendo cosas sin querer.
Mi lengua se viste con ropa que no me gusta usar
Zapatos incómodos, pero bonitos
Mi lengua antigua habla de temas que no conozco
Palabras de gente con la cual nunca hablé
Siempre viéndome cambiar de piel
Mi lengua está manchada con las palabras que no puedo decir en voz alta,
con los deseos que nunca podré cumplir.
Es un candado, una casa que solo puedes abrir
Con una llave que está perdida entre muchas otras.
Mi lengua no tiene sentimientos,
Pero siente sabores, el clima la afecta y solo puede estar calmada
Cuando sabe que está mal verse enojada.
Uncomfortable but nice shoes (a translation of the poem above)
By Emely A.
Grade 8
Seattle
My tongue is not different from the others
It is not special, rather ordinary. It doesn’t look like anything since she
just has to keep quiet.
Sings songs I don’t identify with
Saying things, I don’t mean and doing things without meaning to.
My tongue dresses in clothes that I don’t like to wear
Uncomfortable but nice shoes
My ancient tongue speaks of subjects that I do not know of
Words of people with whom I never spoke to
Always watching me change of skin
My tongue is stained with the words I can’t say out loud
with wishes that I’ll never fulfill.
It’s a lock, a house that you can only open
With a key that is lost among many others.
My tongue has no feelings,
But feels flavors, the weather affects her, and she can only be calm
When she knows she looks wrong when she’s angry.
