Ursula Reversula - Judges Choice
Mandy Augst - Faculty
The life of Ursula Reversula
Is completely topsy turvy.
Everyone else likes the straight and narrow;
Ursula prefers the curvy.
If we all agree that that is that
And no one strays a bit,
Ursula will certainly shake things up
And think the opposite.
I know this, for I’ve seen her myself
Doing the strangest things.
She cleans her house all winter long
And sings carols in the spring.
There can be a line quite long,
From here to infinity.
Ursula will step to the very front
And huff impatiently.
I see her son, Amanda, as well,
Always out on the streets,
Driving his mother’s car around
With Ursula in the baby seat.
But I guess it’s better that Ursula doesn’t drive
And she doesn’t do the mowing,
For she wears her glasses
On the back of her head
And can’t see where she’s going.
Mandy Augst - Faculty
The life of Ursula Reversula
Is completely topsy turvy.
Everyone else likes the straight and narrow;
Ursula prefers the curvy.
If we all agree that that is that
And no one strays a bit,
Ursula will certainly shake things up
And think the opposite.
I know this, for I’ve seen her myself
Doing the strangest things.
She cleans her house all winter long
And sings carols in the spring.
There can be a line quite long,
From here to infinity.
Ursula will step to the very front
And huff impatiently.
I see her son, Amanda, as well,
Always out on the streets,
Driving his mother’s car around
With Ursula in the baby seat.
But I guess it’s better that Ursula doesn’t drive
And she doesn’t do the mowing,
For she wears her glasses
On the back of her head
And can’t see where she’s going.
Unsportsmanlike Grandpa
Mandy Augst - Faculty
He plays dirty.
He doesn’t play fair.
He’ll bite, and pinch,
And pull your hair.
He never bunts the ball
Or takes one for the team.
When he doesn’t get his way,
He stomps and swears and screams.
He calls a ball a strike
And pitches really hard.
He’s been known to cause a bruise or two.
His curveballs leave a scar.
My buddies run away in fear
When he steps up to the plate.
Their shrieks can be heard all over--
The town, the county, the state!
He swings for the moon every time,
So watch out when he’s hitting,
Because backyard ball’s no joke
When Grandpa’s babysitting.
Mandy Augst - Faculty
He plays dirty.
He doesn’t play fair.
He’ll bite, and pinch,
And pull your hair.
He never bunts the ball
Or takes one for the team.
When he doesn’t get his way,
He stomps and swears and screams.
He calls a ball a strike
And pitches really hard.
He’s been known to cause a bruise or two.
His curveballs leave a scar.
My buddies run away in fear
When he steps up to the plate.
Their shrieks can be heard all over--
The town, the county, the state!
He swings for the moon every time,
So watch out when he’s hitting,
Because backyard ball’s no joke
When Grandpa’s babysitting.
Lily Lansky
Mandy Augst - Faculty
I love Lily Lansky
Like a leopard loves its spots.
Lily makes my legs wiggle
And my stomach turn to knots.
She leaps across the playground
And lounges on the swings.
She lunges for the four-square ball
And lingers by the rings.
I love Lily, there’s none truer
Than I. There’s no doubt
That Lily and I would be together
If I weren’t stuck here in time out.
Mandy Augst - Faculty
I love Lily Lansky
Like a leopard loves its spots.
Lily makes my legs wiggle
And my stomach turn to knots.
She leaps across the playground
And lounges on the swings.
She lunges for the four-square ball
And lingers by the rings.
I love Lily, there’s none truer
Than I. There’s no doubt
That Lily and I would be together
If I weren’t stuck here in time out.
Coosie Coo
Mandy Augst - Faculty
Jim is short for James,
And that’s a good enough name.
Being called Jim
Would never put me to shame.
If my name were Lawrence,
I’d be happy with Larry.
Or if my name were Harold,
You could still call me Harry.
There are plenty of nicknames
That would suit me just right.
You could even call me Dewey
If my given name were Dwight.
I’d settle for Tiger, Slim, or Bugsy.
Even Little Man, Big Man, Slugger, or Mugsy.
I’d have no problem answering to Sport.
If my name were Mortimer,
You could still call me Mort.
Hot Rod, Junior, Bud or Billy,
Tony or Sonny or Jack or Willy.
But, believe you me,
You’d be embarrassed too
If your mom gave you the nickname
Coosie Coo.
Mandy Augst - Faculty
Jim is short for James,
And that’s a good enough name.
Being called Jim
Would never put me to shame.
If my name were Lawrence,
I’d be happy with Larry.
Or if my name were Harold,
You could still call me Harry.
There are plenty of nicknames
That would suit me just right.
You could even call me Dewey
If my given name were Dwight.
I’d settle for Tiger, Slim, or Bugsy.
Even Little Man, Big Man, Slugger, or Mugsy.
I’d have no problem answering to Sport.
If my name were Mortimer,
You could still call me Mort.
Hot Rod, Junior, Bud or Billy,
Tony or Sonny or Jack or Willy.
But, believe you me,
You’d be embarrassed too
If your mom gave you the nickname
Coosie Coo.
Big Red Tomato
Inspired by "My Name"
Ellie Johnson - 2024
It means happiness and courage. It is special to my heart. It means sadness, but also
means great memories. It is the day you would come and pick me up from preschool. It is a
tomato red color. It is the smell of mashed potatoes and corn every Wednesday afternoon.
It was my grandmother's name and now it is sandwiched between Ellie and Johnson. She
had a green thumb. Which is supposed to be good luck for gardening, but I think she had a
special talent.
My grandmother. I would've liked to be in the big red tomato longer. The chilly wind and
hot hot hot cocoa. The sweet and buttery corn. The warm milky mashed potatoes. Until the
veggies started not coming as often. Just like that, the smells were gone. That's the way I last saw
my grandmother.
And the story goes on, I never forgot her. She looked out the window to see my beautiful
face coming out of the building, the way so many cars lined up on the curve. I wonder if she left
early just to be in the front of the line. I wouldn’t have to walk as far. Ruth. I have deserved it,
but I want to inherit the big red tomato.
At school they say it is big and annoying, but I love the bold color. But inside whenever I
see a big red color my name seems to make me feel proud. My name is made out of something
hard, like metal, not quite as soft as a cloud. Ellie who comes home and is still Ellie. But always
deep inside I feel a connection with Ruth.
Inspired by "My Name"
Ellie Johnson - 2024
It means happiness and courage. It is special to my heart. It means sadness, but also
means great memories. It is the day you would come and pick me up from preschool. It is a
tomato red color. It is the smell of mashed potatoes and corn every Wednesday afternoon.
It was my grandmother's name and now it is sandwiched between Ellie and Johnson. She
had a green thumb. Which is supposed to be good luck for gardening, but I think she had a
special talent.
My grandmother. I would've liked to be in the big red tomato longer. The chilly wind and
hot hot hot cocoa. The sweet and buttery corn. The warm milky mashed potatoes. Until the
veggies started not coming as often. Just like that, the smells were gone. That's the way I last saw
my grandmother.
And the story goes on, I never forgot her. She looked out the window to see my beautiful
face coming out of the building, the way so many cars lined up on the curve. I wonder if she left
early just to be in the front of the line. I wouldn’t have to walk as far. Ruth. I have deserved it,
but I want to inherit the big red tomato.
At school they say it is big and annoying, but I love the bold color. But inside whenever I
see a big red color my name seems to make me feel proud. My name is made out of something
hard, like metal, not quite as soft as a cloud. Ellie who comes home and is still Ellie. But always
deep inside I feel a connection with Ruth.
Oblivion
Mia Watkins - 2024
I've always wondered where you go when you die,
Or how you know it's happening.
Christians have pearl and gold gateways
Muslims, a thriving green garden
Jews, the spiritual closeness to God
Buddhists and Hindus,
the transformation of souls into beautiful new beings
I don’t yet know if I believe in these colorfully woven tapestries
Death is unknown
Death is anonymous.
Death is an unfathomable concept
intended to occur unrehearsed
The Agave plant blossoms into a flower
Moments before death
We, unlike the Agave,
have no way of knowing when it will ensue
Or maybe we do
Terminal Lucidity
That last sign of hope
The last surge of expectation
That moment before the endless black,
a beautifully flourishing garden,
an everlasting life in the clouds,
or reincarnation
Death, our very own oblivion.
Mia Watkins - 2024
I've always wondered where you go when you die,
Or how you know it's happening.
Christians have pearl and gold gateways
Muslims, a thriving green garden
Jews, the spiritual closeness to God
Buddhists and Hindus,
the transformation of souls into beautiful new beings
I don’t yet know if I believe in these colorfully woven tapestries
Death is unknown
Death is anonymous.
Death is an unfathomable concept
intended to occur unrehearsed
The Agave plant blossoms into a flower
Moments before death
We, unlike the Agave,
have no way of knowing when it will ensue
Or maybe we do
Terminal Lucidity
That last sign of hope
The last surge of expectation
That moment before the endless black,
a beautifully flourishing garden,
an everlasting life in the clouds,
or reincarnation
Death, our very own oblivion.
“Blue Jeans”
Bowen Knight - 2024
In the bottom drawer
Blue jeans sit alone
They ponder on the
Months of hard work
Under the baking sun
In the oven of a summer day
Every night they sit in
The same drawer
Locked away with no escape
Awaiting winter’s prison cell
When I depart
The stains of paint
From the old black fence
Are just tears of sadness
And disappointment
As winter begins
Bowen Knight - 2024
In the bottom drawer
Blue jeans sit alone
They ponder on the
Months of hard work
Under the baking sun
In the oven of a summer day
Every night they sit in
The same drawer
Locked away with no escape
Awaiting winter’s prison cell
When I depart
The stains of paint
From the old black fence
Are just tears of sadness
And disappointment
As winter begins
America’s Biggest War
Cameron Walker - 2024
An army marches through the streets,
wielding weapons stronger than any gun.
Onlookers witness not
shots and blasts that move the body but
signs and chants that move the soul.
The soldiers push forward--
fighting for the freedom promised
a hundred years before this battle.
But a blue wall stands ready
with bats, guns, and gases
A blue wall stands ready
to stop the soldiers’ peaceful march.
But this army knows too well the reason
of their fight--
they hold their lives between the open jaws
of hate, unafraid that they might snap shut.
They fight to unite
their country and its people:
those of every race and religion.
They won the war,
and their struggle is finally over.
Or is it?
Cameron Walker - 2024
An army marches through the streets,
wielding weapons stronger than any gun.
Onlookers witness not
shots and blasts that move the body but
signs and chants that move the soul.
The soldiers push forward--
fighting for the freedom promised
a hundred years before this battle.
But a blue wall stands ready
with bats, guns, and gases
A blue wall stands ready
to stop the soldiers’ peaceful march.
But this army knows too well the reason
of their fight--
they hold their lives between the open jaws
of hate, unafraid that they might snap shut.
They fight to unite
their country and its people:
those of every race and religion.
They won the war,
and their struggle is finally over.
Or is it?