RHYMING AWAY IS CHILD'S PLAY.

Byline: Teresa Jimenez Daily News Staff Writer

Andree Walper had no idea what to expect when she organized the city's first annual Youth Poetry Roundup for area students.

The contest was created at the suggestion of Mayor Jan Heidt to spark pride in Santa Clarita's heritage and get kids involved in the Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival in March.

``I was so excited when we had them all sent in. I called in and asked, Did we get any?'' Walper said. ``She said, `Oh, we got hundreds.' ''

Since then, Walper said she has read a lot of poems that mention a woman named Rita. After all, what else rhymes with Santa Clarita?

``It was all very interesting,'' Walper said. ``I was really impressed by the junior high poetry. They all tried to rhyme.''

Winners of awards for first, second and third places will be announced soon. There are five categories: fourth grade, fifth grade, sixth grade, junior high and high school.

Though the contest attracted students who pride themselves on their writing skills, it also pulled in students who had never before tried to write poetry. Some teachers, however, told them to do it as an assignment.

Even students who initially dreaded it apparently had fun putting together a tale about the Old West.

Eric Thomas, 12, said he got help with rhyming words from his 10-year-old sister. He wrote:

On a hazy old day

when horses ate hay

in the wild Old West

when cowboys wore vests.

``I'm not a bookworm or anything,'' Eric said. ``I don't know anything about poetry. I like it a little bit more now.''

Just as with Eric's rhyme, creativity flowed. Kathlee Kearn, an English teacher at Sierra Vista Junior High School, included the contest in her lesson on poetry, and students even watched a movie to get a feel for the Old West.

Zachary Hill, a seventh grader in Kearn's class, said he also had seen a documentary on Jesse James and had become interested in the bandit's life.

``I read a couple books on him and learned more about him,'' Zachary said. ``I first wrote a poem that didn't rhyme. Then I slowly added rhyming words. I like writing, so it was fun.''

The end product was a poem called ``The Legend,'' which reads in part:

Jesse James was the greatest bandit, next to Robin Hood 

And I bet he would not stop robbing, even if he could

He was a moral robber, never fought on the Sabbath day

And after every robbery, he would quickly hit the hay.

Zachary wrote more to his tale.

Rian Souleles, 14, said his poem came easily. He writes songs and has a band, so rhyming lines about cowboys wasn't too different, he said.

``It was really fun, actually. We got to use our imagination on a story,'' Rian said. ``I decided on the Pony Express because they're young, they travel long ways, and it seemed pretty neat.''

Rian wrote his poem as if he were a Pony Express rider, with a first stanza that says:

We are the fastest and the best

I am a messenger of the Pony Express

I am wise, brave and young.

Sure, I can also shoot a gun.

The moon is my lantern on my ride.

As my dusty saddle bag is by my side.

``We wanted the children to explore their own heritage and their creativity,'' Walper said. ``Some were very funny. Some were very violent. The poems were amazingly good.''

Walper said the poetry contest has been such a success that she is considering adding an art contest next year. And perhaps some of the writers will come to a Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival in the future to spin yarns about the old Santa Clarita.