2009 St. Johnsbury Athenaeum High School Poetry Contest Winners

For the second year the Athenaeum held a spring poetry contest for high school seniors and juniors from Vermont. Seventeen young poets sent in poems from Williamstown to Wells River and everywhere in-between. Poet Jody Gladding was our judge choosing one winner and three honorable mentions. The winning poem, reflection, by Springfield resident Sarah Carpenter will be read by its author at the beginning of our Summer Poetry Series on July 1, just before guest Poet Donald Hall reads.

First Prize Winner - Sarah Carpenter of Sprinfield, Rock Point School, Burlington

reflection

i'm smashing the mirror

picking pieces of glass

out of my hand

the little shards

show my face

in tiny

disbelief

Honorable Mention - Frances Cannon of St. Johnsbury, St. Johnsbury Academy

NAPKIN

She didn't bother to wipe the soup

From her upper lip

As she bubbled her maternal affection

Across the table.

When John called

She bellowed into the phone,

(Thinking his left ear a little dim),

And bragged of her back pain

Between sympathy seeking grunts:

It hurts to stand

She whimpers.

What she really means to say

Is come back, I love you.

She chews

On her soup

And flips the pages of her second hand novel

Large size print,

Empty metaphors,

I shudder to think of the plot.

And yet--

My nose is still feeble

From this afternoon,

Recovering from some

Adolescent sadness,

And I didn't bother

To wipe the sticky stream of tears

From my upper lip

To tell her

Thank you.

Anna Smith of North Ferrisburgh, Rice Memorial High School, North Ferrisburgh

The Book
An open book lying forgotten on the floor,
The pages ripped,
The corner torn,
The binding, once strong, chewed on by mice.
A fire starts,
The pages curl,
Black smoke rises.
Only Ruins now; Ashes
Ashes everywhere.
No one cares; The book meant nothing-
An ancient story, long forgotten;
Words so faded, none can read.
No one will miss it.
It is not needed. Let it feed the fire,
Let it burn.
Now destroyed
No evidence left
No mark made upon the surroundings.
Just Ash Ash blown away by the wind;
Scattered afar-With nothing left.

Sarah Bailey of Williamstown, Williamstown High School

Only Me

In the hay loft,
Feeling,
The pricks of hay,
The burning sun,
The warm summer air,
            I sit,
            I read,
            I relax,
I am who I will always be:
THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER!


Close this window and return to the Athenaeum's site. 2009 St. Johnsbury Athenaeum High School Poetry Contest Winners For the second year the Athenaeum held a spring poetry contest for high school seniors and juniors from Vermont. Seventeen young poets sent in poems from Williamstown to Wells River and everywhere in-between. Poet Jody Gladding was our judge choosing one winner and three honorable mentions. The winning poem, reflection, by Springfield resident Sarah Carpenter will be read by its author at the beginning of our Summer Poetry Series on July 1, just before guest Poet Donald Hall reads. First Prize Winner - Sarah Carpenter of Sprinfield, Rock Point School, Burlington reflection i'm smashing the mirror picking pieces of glass out of my hand the little shards show my face in tiny disbelief Honorable Mention - Frances Cannon of St. Johnsbury, St. Johnsbury Academy NAPKIN She didn't bother to wipe the soup From her upper lip As she bubbled her maternal affection Across the table. When John called She bellowed into the phone, (Thinking his left ear a little dim), And bragged of her back pain Between sympathy seeking grunts: It hurts to stand She whimpers. What she really means to say Is come back, I love you. She chews On her soup And flips the pages of her second hand novel Large size print, Empty metaphors, I shudder to think of the plot. And yet-- My nose is still feeble From this afternoon, Recovering from some Adolescent sadness, And I didn't bother To wipe the sticky stream of tears From my upper lip To tell her Thank you. Anna Smith of North Ferrisburgh, Rice Memorial High School, North Ferrisburgh The Book An open book lying forgotten on the floor, The pages ripped, The corner torn, The binding, once strong, chewed on by mice. A fire starts, The pages curl, Black smoke rises. Only Ruins now; Ashes Ashes everywhere. No one cares; The book meant nothing- An ancient story, long forgotten; Words so faded, none can read. No one will miss it. It is not needed. Let it feed the fire, Let it burn. Now destroyed No evidence left No mark made upon the surroundings. Just Ash Ash blown away by the wind; Scattered afar-With nothing left. Sarah Bailey of Williamstown, Williamstown High School Only Me In the hay loft, Feeling, The pricks of hay, The burning sun, The warm summer air, I sit, I read, I relax, I am who I will always be: THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER!

Close this window and return to the Athenaeum's site.