Our Dear partner in poetry, Brad Richard, has something to tell you about one of the 2020 Vision+Voice Poetry Contest winners. Listen up:
By name!
Start and end each line of your poem with a letter of your name. I’m Matthew, so here we go:
Matthew has an idiom
A sane person calls anathema.
There’s noting in it.
That’s what he thought—
Having a fascination with
Each word’s worldly line:
What must a syllable know?
2020 Vision+Voice Winners!
It wasn’t easy because there were so many great poems to choose from, but our team of judges did an excellent job of picking the best poems for recognition. Congratulations to this year’s winning poets!
More big announcements are coming soon – STAY TUNED!
For now, here are the winning poems of the 2020 Vision+Voice Poetry Contest, broken down by grade and featuring our new award category: Comadres’ Choice Award.
Happy reading!
COMADRES’ CHOICE AWARD
Una Noche Buena en México by Ines G.
Ridgetop Elementary, Sarah Ruttan
Lo que pasa en otras casas by Eduardo T.
Popham Elementary, Alessandra Abraham
Las campanas de alegría by Maliena M.
Popham Elementary, Alessandra Abraham
KINDERGARTEN
The World of Kindness by Camille R.
Ridgetop Elementary, Angela LaFuente
FIRST GRADE
Rainbow Fight by Ezra G.
Dawson Elementary, Amelia Crawford
SECOND GRADE
Bees by Isla J.
Ridgetop Elementary, Alexis Zehner
Flitter and Flutter by Evaline H.
Brentwood Elementary, Theresa Wood
I Dream by Ahan G.
Cactus Ranch Elementary, Mrs. Dwyer
THIRD GRADE
Clouds by Daniel C.
Boone Elementary, Christina Tapia
Black by Reagan M.
Chandler Oaks Elementary, Andrea Hutlock
Pool or School by Maple W.
Highland Park Elementary, Alyssa Absher
FOURTH GRADE
The Grand Canyon by Anishka K.
Cactus Ranch Elementary, Eva Brazle
Poetry by Jennifer S.
Fern Bluff Elementary, Shelly Wooldridge
FIFTH GRADE
Peace by Zoe M.
Spicewood Elementary, Carl Alman
Trees are the Real Heroes by Asvini T.
Brushy Creek Elementary, Kelly Williams
Gift of Water by Nihar B.
Pasty Sommer Elementary, Corianna Gagliardi
SIXTH GRADE
Ballad of the Dove by Beatrix L.
Lively Middle School, Cassidy Rhodes
What to do When You’re Invincible by Maya G.
Lively Middle School, Minnie Fisher
SEVENTH GRADE
Dyslexia by Harrison
Gorzycki Middle School, Carie Juettner
My Sorrows, My Surety, My Star by Megan T.
Gorzycki Middle School, Veronica Carter
Check Up by Collin J.
Gorzycki Middle School, Carie Juettner
Silent Night by Izzy B.
Gorzycki Middle School, Carie Juettner
Sakura Leaves by Daniel A.
Gorzycki Middle School, Carie Juettner
EIGHTH GRADE
Resistance by Ella C.
Pearson Ranch Middle School, Vicki Caldwell
Fencing by Issa D.
Murchison Middle School, Sara Brennan
Inspiration by Joaquin B.
Murchison Middle School, Susan Worob
NINTH GRADE
Letter to the Past by Grey N.
Rouse High School, Amy Hicks
The End of Time by Katelyn O.
Cedar Park High School, Nancy Steele
TENTH GRADE
Rot by Lily P.
Rouse High School, Rob Bass
Sky Myths by Bev S.
Rouse High School, Nicole Porter
The Movie Around Me by Nashitha A.
Westwood High School, Brooke Parks
ELEVENTH GRADE
Hydroplane by Ava M.
Liberal Arts and Science Academy, Christina Swan
Rest Away, Not Away by Kuba B.
Cedar Park High School, Kristin Burke
To Fly by Triambika D.
Westwood High School , Courtney Hulsey
TWELFTH GRADE
De Seizoenen by Rebecca D.
Rouse High School, Cynthia Acevedo
Perfect Spiral by Thiago L.
Westwood High School, Missy Martinez
Growing Up by Judy Z.
James Bowie High School, Bree Rolfe
The Nest by Isabella G.
James Bowie High School, Bree Rolfe
Football Elation
I walk to my home.
Sit on my couch
And play in the superdome
while I am slouched
I throw the ball 50 yards
For my receiver to catch
As my guards
Protect me while I get some food from a batch.
I run the ball
My men leave gaps
The ref makes a call.
T
O
U
C
H
D
O
W
N
! He says, while I collapse.
The Texans win!
I am like a puppy I am so excited.
This ends the Superbowl in Berlin.
I leave my room enlightened.
The Prelude
Three hours away, the bus arrives at the meet.
I try to think of anything but the race.
Two hours away, runners that have finished, all of them elite,
Walk around with triumph on their face.
One hour away, it’s time for me to prepare.
Off go the long pants and slippers covered in morning dews,
A tried and true process starting, that ends with a prayer.
And on go the tank-top, the shorts, and the familiar shoes.
Ten minutes away, my blood running cold, I walk to the start.
My teammates, with similar grave expressions, are all preparing;
Stretching, jogging, trying to keep our will from falling apart.
Preparing both mentally and physically, for the hardship vastly approaching.
A man appears with a firearm in his hand, signaling for us to step up to the line.
“Runners on your mark!”
I shake off a chill that runs down my spine.
A quick wish is uttered for safety and haste on the journey about to embark.
*POP*
The gunshot pierces the blank silence, now torn
Disrupting the blissful calm before the storm.
*BRING*
The electronic chime of my watch starting
Its owner leaving the line and quickly departing
*ROAR*
The crowd, last to react, roars and engulfs my fears
Thundered over only by my heartbeat, which is pounding in my ears.
Love
Hearts are like carts,
They bump and thump,
They aren’t round,
But they make sound,
They help you live,
So you can give.
Toys
Toys toys
Everywhere
A toy you want in
Every window
you ask for the price
You say perfect but
You
remember
You
Have
No
Money!
Life in the Clouds
When you are little
Just born anew,
You try to lift your wings.
But when in doubt of a misstep,
You cry,
But start again.
You stay under
Your mother’s safe wing,
Until your learn
To stay afloat.
When you finally
Lift your wings
And fly
You are off on your greatest
Adventure!
Soon in your flight,
You bump a storm
That keeps you from the clouds.
But soon enough,
You wait and see,
Your wings are dry once more.
You’ll lift your wings,
Into the sun.
And you’re off!
To fulfill your destiny.
A Fairy tale Nightmare
Where am I?
What is this place?
Am I dreaming?
I woke up and I was in another land far different from mine.
There was snow, white as clouds and d-dwarfs?
Dwarfs as small as mice.
I was different as well, I had black hair like the night and I had
the lightest skin, lighter than snow.
My dress?
It-it was different, it had yellow fabric up to my waist an-and
Beautiful bright bice blue drapery on my chest.
I-It was amazing, but it wasn’t my fairy tale.
My family?
My family wasn’t dwarfs, they were birds, and mice and deer
and my color was light blue not bright.
My fairytale was back home with my evil step sisters and stepmother.
I wasn’t the fairest of them all,
i-it wasn’t me.
I am the kindest of them all.
Take me back,
back to my fairytale.
Greetings from Poetryland!

We are thrilled to announce that this year’s Vision+Voice Poetry Contest has had more submissions than any other year in our 7 year history.
WAY TO GO, POETS!
Our judges will now begin carefully going through all 750+ poems to select the very best for recognition.
Winners will be announced on February 15 – stay tuned for the big announcement!