Deklan B., won a regional Gold Key this year for his poetry collection at the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The Scholastic contest is a prestigious one, receiving over 350,000 entries. Only the top 5% of entries receive a Gold Key. Congratulations, Deklan! Here are his poems:
Disney is the new Jerusalem
My blue towers of fiberglass
and fireworks make memories last
I bring your family hope and love
more than any god above
For all that thought and time
is much more strenuous on the mind
It’s much simpler to pay your green
and be a happy child, grown, or teen.
The happiest place on earth
surrounding my great girth
My friends and I bring more joy
to every lucky girl and boy
Tan any place for which you may search
including that of the judgmental Church
I don’t need you to serve
or study a single word
You need not pray everyday
simply pack your things and pay
Then I will be your sanctuary
We’ll sing songs and be merry
and make everyone want to be us
Without all the stress of being pious.
Who am I?
“I am a woman!” said boy number one
“For I love to cook, I find it quite fun.”
“And I love babies, and reading, and clothes,”
“I also like watching girl’s tv shows.”
“And I am a man!” Shouted girl number four
“For I am strong and fast like a warrior!”
“I love to talk loud, and I always play rough,”
“I always get muddy ‘cuz I am so tough!”
Then they both nod, knowing all that is true
But what is there for these poor two to do?
Boy number one cannot help what he loves
And girl number four can’t change what she does
But because bodies and minds don’t agree
They must be acting unacceptably.
“But what if we weren’t?” asked girl number four
Boy number one sighed, “That’s a dream, for sure”
“Why does what we are say what we can do?”
Confused, neither knew why this was true
“What if I could cook, and still be a boy?”
Girl number four smiled, “That would be a joy!”
“What if you could get dirty as you pleased?”
“Then I wouldn’t feel like I am diseased!”
So both left from that place, much more at ease
They decided they could do as they please
Be what they are, without ever a thought
Because they were who they were and weren’t who they were not
Apple Tree
God planted an apple tree
here, in the ground, for you and me
He told us to tend it and love it with care
And when we were ready if we would share.
So we set out with our apples, round and red
enough to keep the whole world thoroughly fed
We had our mission from God above
to share our apples and all of His love.
But along the way, handing out fruit
A few recipients didn’t see loot
They thought they were drab,
our round apples red
and that they’d stick with their own fruit instead.
Then once again, on our path did we see
People who ate much differently
they ate open mouthed,
and not how we were told
Disgusted, we thought these people mold.
After this mishap,
We started to share
only with those whom we deemed fair
the ones who ate like us the same
belittling others caused us no shame.
But when we needed to check our box
Our spoiled apples seemed fit for those fox
We threw them our near-empty bag
With our rotten apples fit for a hag
We did what was easy
on our path swift and breezy
Only we were fit for Eternity
It’s righteousness, not taciturnity
We started to give less and less
we only shared with ‘the very best’
not from lack of apples
because they where much
But because we thought ourselves the only ones God should touch.
The Adoption Wing
In the appearance of array
a tidy room with a bed and tray.
It’s low lit and low breadth
as if the room itself is holding its breath.
There’s everything a baby could need;
Diapers for cleaning and bottles for feed
A rocker for nap-time
a blanket for play-time
All belonging to a single little one
what better place until your time is done?
Every need is met that is apparent
all except for this child’s parent.
Therefore comfort is none.
This child certainly hasn’t won.
Better is poverty in your home
then wealth being all alone.
