I am from the worn out old couch in the middle of an empty room.
From nearly expired Cheezits and freshly picked avocados.
I am from a full and chaotic household,
And the loud and destructive noises.
I am from the tall oak tree in the back whose branches sway in the wind on an autumn day.
I am from a worn out old bear and the dust covered books,
From a Burbes and a Cantu.
I am from stubbornness and smarts,
And from strong and independent females.
I am from the holy Tritany.
I am from Craig Burbes and Marili Cantu.
From tamales and tortillas.
From the founding of a new world,
And from the gentle plush of old quilts.
I am from those moments of peace and chaos.
Where I’m from
I am from the rain that washed away my fears.
From a minny mouse dress to shorts and a T-shirt.
I am from a clean modern home that’s only black and white.
I am from a laundry room with thousands of unclean clothes.
I am from a garden with white and red flowers that dance with the wind.
I went from playing house all day to doing role-playing games with my best friends.
From mom to best friend. From boring dad to making me laugh all day.
I am from a non denomination church with no war and sadness where we love every soul.
I am from the shopkins that filled my playroom with imagination.
I am from hot summers with no wind in sight.
I am from a place of happiness dancing my heart out.
I am from a place where I am allowed to rest.
I know where I am from.
Where I’m From
I’m from the white couch in the family room that always has feathers poking out
From my dirty pink teddy bear and crown from a Renaissance fair
I am from the big faded red brick house
And a garage full of piles of junk
I am from the two tall, grand, and old oak trees sitting in the front yard
Whose branches are stretched out wide not caring what they hit
I am from the pictures of family members that I don’t even know and the golden A above my bed
I am from a loving family and Alison and Eric
And from the parents who always make life more
And from the fun we had on all the vacations and trips, we took almost daily
I am from the church that has a friendly commute and the donuts they gave out
I am from my Papa whom I was named after
From the burger and taco nights, we have
From the old house in a neighborhood of trees
And from the pink curtains in the room, I stay in with the flamingos on the shelves
I am from a great experience I will never forget.
Little Cat
The little cat on the street,
so silent and so sweet.
Today we will meet the little
cat on the street.
Ode to Cats
Cats are quick
Cats are sly
Cats are faster than the eye
Ocean
The way the waves crash is as calming as the rain
swaying from side to side day after day
2023 Vision+Voice Literary Festival
This will be a huge event to celebrate all the K-12 poets who participated in Vision+Voice. This year for the first time, we are combining the K-12 event with the other literary competitions that ACC runs. The festival will include food & refreshments, literary goodies, music, open mic, spoken word and several writers and educators from our community.
Friday, April 28
5:30-8pm
6101 Highland Campus Drive
5:30-7pm: food & refreshments, music, open mic, spoken word and several writers and educators from our community
7-8pm: formal award presentation
Please invite your friends, family, teachers, principals. Everyone is welcome to the party. We can’t wait to see you!
Here’s a short video on how to get from the parking garage to the Vision+Voice event space at ACC Highland.
And the Winners Are…
The judges have made their final decisions and we are thrilled to announce the winners in the 2023 Vision+Voice Poetry Contest.
As you you read these winning poems you will see that there is a lot of variety – some are funny, some are sad, some are mysterious, and some are beautifully simple. All of these poems succeed in presenting a vision or a feeling of the poet’s world in their own special way.
The poems are judged based on these 6 criteria:
Theme – Does the poem give readers a specific idea or perspective on a subject?
Originality – Does the poem offer a new or different way of thinking or feeling about that idea?
Language – Are the words precise and does their arrangement create a unified impression?
Imagery – Does the poem use figurative language (simile, metaphor) to create a vivid description and appeal to readers’ senses and imagination?
Impact – Does the poem evoke an emotional response from readers?
Technical Details – Are spelling and usage appropriate to the poem’s subject?
Judging poetry isn’t easy, and our judges take this task very seriously. There were hundreds of wonderful poems to choose from, and we are confident that these poems are a great representation of the best entries in this year’s contest.
Stay tuned for more information about the 2023 Vision+Voice Literary Festival coming up on April 28 – we’re planning a huge celebration for all the winners, and we hope you will join us!
THE 2023 VISION+VOICE WINNERS ARE:
1st Grade
I BIT MY BED by Lyric B. / Maplewood Elementary School
Fried Chicken by James B. / Homeschool
2nd Grade
Happy Days by Luna Y. / Boone Elementary School
Having Fun by Luna Y. / Boone Elementary School
3rd Grade
Thanksgiving by Everly L. / Boone Elementary School
Bubblelian by Sparrow D. / Boone Elementary School
4th Grade
I Am From These Moments by Owen M. / Brentwood Elementary School
Toledo Bend by Aida B. / Brentwood Elementary School
5th Grade
Anger by Brodie K. / Boone Elementary School
I Am by Mateo L. / Boone Elementary School
6th Grade
Paintings by Annika E. / Lamar Middle School
All Quiet by Days End / Katherine R. / Gorzycki Middle School
7th Grade
Gone by Delinah O. / Gorzycki Middle School
moments to memories by Aubrey L. / Gorzycki Middle School
8th Grade
Words by Alexandra S. / Murchison Middle School
Blue and Gray by Stella S. / Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders
9th Grade
My Grandfather’s Guitar by Ximena F. J. / Rouse High School
Car Crash in Cold Country by Josie B. / Liberal Arts & Science Academy
10th Grade
Sentimentos No encontrados by Jhoselin L. / Austin Achieve Public High School
The Power Of A Name by Victoria M. / Stephen F. Austin High School
11th Grade
Where I’m from by Caleb E. / Rouse High School
Chasing Birds by Ryan M. / Rouse High School
Only For a Season by Cicily H. / Stephen F. Austin High School
The Reality of Dreams by Claire D. / Stephen F. Austin High School
12th Grade
Ode to Dishes by Wallis B. / Stephen F. Austin High School
Dear Mother by Lani G. / Anderson High School
Congratulations to all the poets, their teachers, and their families!
Earth
Above the water
The clouds wave to the vast sky
and nature blossoms
Monkeys
Monkeys swinging in the trees,
Up high in the branches with the greatest of ease.
Their tails are long and their fur is brown,
They chatter and play as they move around.
They love to eat bananas, oh so sweet,
And they’ll swing and they’ll play until they’re beat.
They’re playful and curious, always on the go,
They’re the life of the party, don’t you know.
So let’s all give a cheer for the monkeys up high,
They bring joy and laughter to the sky.
They may be mischievous, but they’re full of fun,
They’re and delight to watch, one by one.