Waxing poetic: our 2004 Poetry Contest winners.

OK, it's official: Early spring is my favorite time of year. Why? It marks the return of mellower weather and crocuses and even a bird or two to populate the greening trees. It also marks the arrival of the annual Instructor Poetry Contest, sponsored by Wendy's Deletree Conmigo. Kid-created poems flocked to our office door. On this, the contest's fifth anniversary, the more than 7,500 entries from far and wide--crafted in English and Spanish--didn't disappoint. Kids are writing better than ever! In fact, narrowing down our winners' circle was as challenging as choosing a handful of diamonds from a very active diamond mine. Still, with diligence and a sense of purpose, we managed to select three grand-prize winners and 15 dazzling runners-up.

Pablo Picasso famously remarked, "It took me my whole life to learn to draw like a child." That wise statement can be applied to the creation of poetry, too. There is something about the fresh, whole-hearted, absolutely fearless way that kids envision ladybugs, stars, friendship, even bagels and run-away lizards that made our souls sing. The excellent entries confirmed that children have the natural ability to breathe new life into familiar subjects. But that wasn't all. On closer inspection, we found poems brimming with skill and sophistication--a testament to the many teachers who make it their mission to teach the elements of poetic form. That's no small feat when school days are already chock-a-block with must-learn curriculum.

Why carve out time for poetry? With or without accolades, every poet is a winner. Writing poetry to the genre provides a safe place to explore important emotions and new ideas. It instills a lifelong appreciation for language. And, last but not least, it grooms students to become better writers across the board. The educators who served as mentors to this year's crop of honored young writers certainly concur. Melvin Spencer, director of the Na'au after-school writing program in Honolulu, Hawaii, reports, "We believe a strong foundation in poetry lays the groundwork for kids to write well in all areas." Magali Baro, a language-arts specialist at Jane S. Roberts K-8 Center, in Miami, Florida, shares, "Teaching poetry really improved the quality of the children's journals." And Renee Stevenson, an eighth-grade teacher at Hopewell Junior High School, in West Chester, Ohio, considers verse a cornerstone. "Each year, my poetry unit grows. By now, it's taken on a life of its own," she says, laughing. "I've got 19 more years to teach and poems will play a major role. The kids learn so much!"

No surprise that Renee's student, eighth grader Alie van Milligen, is one of our grand-prize winners for her stand-out poem entitled "What is Brown?" When reached for comment, Alie remarked, "Mrs. Sullivan was so excited about poetry, I couldn't help it, I got excited, too." What better way to spread the joyful contagion of poetry than by sharing the creations of exemplary junior poets?

TEACHING THE POEMS

"The Bright Moon Flies Near the Cool Water"

First grader Cyrus Maunakea's gorgeous poem is so specific it practically transports us to his lush homeland of Hawaii! The verse's flavor is largely derived from Cyrus's masterful use of language. It's full of precise images ("the rain listens") and arresting metaphors ("clouds bloom like the pikake"). It has beautiful Hawaiian words like pikake and puankenikeni (native flowers) and tutu (grandfather). Read the poem through, savoring each magical line. Then invite students to build comprehension skills by making thoughtful conjectures about the meaning of the unfamiliar Hawaiian words. Next, boost Internet research skills--and view some incredible island flowers--by employing a search engine, such as Yahoo!, to check out their guesses. Then use Cyrus's lovely piece as a springboard to inspire your students to write their own "special place" poems.

"What is Brown?"

Eighth grader Alie van Milligen gives readers a newfound appreciation for the color brown with her elegant homage. As Alie points out, brown is the color of fall leaves, oak trees, old books, even her beloved great grandfather's hands. Alie's amazing poem is all about observation. Whether describing a garden or a musty novel, she pushes deep into the subject matter, viewing objects with clarity.

Read the verse aloud with an eye toward examples of exacting imagery. Next, invite your class to brainstorm another item that is brown (such as a bear, a leather shoe, a baseball glove, or a candy bar). On chart paper, activate your students' senses by asking them to brainstorm how that item really looks, feels, sounds, smells, and--if appropriate--tastes. Then work together to write a brand-new verse to augment "Brown." Finally, challenge children to pay tribute to the color of their choice with original full-length poems.

"Mi Pequena Lagartija" (My Little Lizard)

Fifth grader Megan Rizo reminds readers that poetry can be lyrical--and amusing--in any language! If you have a Spanish speaker in your class, invite that child to help you read and properly pronounce each word in the poem. Point out the many rhyming and near-rhyming words (lagartija, fria, mochila, rendija) as well as the rich alliteration (fea, fea, fria, fria). How do these elements contribute to the musicality of the piece? Next, share the English version that tells the tale of a lost lizard. Do they have any stories to share about missing pets? To extend learning, create a bilingual picture-book version of the verse by asking volunteers to write each line on a separate sheet of oaktag (in both Spanish and English), then create illustrations. When the art is complete, bind the pages and stow the book in your classroom library for a delightful read-aloud that fosters an appreciation for poetry--and Spanish!

RELATED ARTICLE: Grand Prize Winners

Don't miss these three top poems, featured on one side of this month's Instructor poster!

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

* "Mi Pequena Lagartija" Megan Rizo

5th grade, Jane S. Roberts K-8 Center, Miami, FL

* "The Bright Moon Flies Near the Cool Water" Cyrus Maunakea

1st grade, Na'au School, Honolulu, HI

* "What is Brown?"

Alie van Milligen

8th grade, Hopewell Junior High, West Chester, OH

RELATED ARTICLE: 15 Dazzling Runners-Up

Read their work at www.scholastic.com/instructorwww.scholastic.com/instructor

* Alana Al-Hatlani

2nd grade, The Bush School, Seattle, WA

* Carlos Aguirre

2nd grade, Bijou Community School, South Lake Tahoe, CA

* Nanci Gonzales

2nd grade, Bijou Community School, South Lake Tahoe, CA

* Jeimy Hayden

3rd grade, Lafayette Elementary School, Mayo, FL

* Resy Kony

3rd grade, Na'au School, Honolulu, HI

* Genesis Mejia

3rd grade, Longfellow Elementary School, Pasco, WA

* Clea Nicaud

3rd grade, Awty International School, Houston, TX

* Carlos Juan Rivera

3rd grade, Colegio San Carlos, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

* Nancy Martinez

5th grade, Reed & Mock Elementary School, San Juan, TX

* Sabrina Sanfilippo

3rd grade, P.S. 28, Jersey City, NJ

* John Guastavino

5th grade, Albany Avenue Elementary School, North Massapequa, NY

* Alyssa Segura

5th grade, Travis Heights School, Austin, TX

* Jessica Myers

7th grade, Kent

Place School, Summit, NJ

* Ben Bagazinski

8th grade, St. Robert Bellarmine School, Redford, MI

* Christine Jang

8th grade, Louis M. Klein Middle School, Harrison, NY