Poems from Young Poets Society
Gardening Kit
Find a dirt patch
that has never been used,
you should try this
you’ve got nothing to lose.
When you spend many hours
digging, working,
planting flowers.
If you are hit by an early frost
don’t give up, or
consider everything lost.
Go back to working in the ground,
remember at first,
there were no daisies to be found.
You might not consider the path of Zen,
a lonesome, rocky sand garden.
If your garden becomes full of rocks,
don’t let up,
just wear shoes and socks.
It wouldn’t be wise
to fill your garden with drugs and crime,
because you won’t be planting roses,
you’ll be doing time.
Stuck in sorrow and in jail,
while your tulips grow brown and frail,
Now that you know this little bit,
remember
life’s a garden,
dig it.
 by Guy Montgomery, eighth grade,
Eudora Middle School
Unity
I look at my room,
and I see letters
from my pen pal in Denmark.
That is unity.
I look at my house,
and I see people
from every corner of the world.
That is unity.
I look at my neighborhood,
and I see my brother
playing with the Native American girl
from across the street.
That is unity.
I look at my school,
and I see kids who don’t
care what religion their friend is.
That is unity.
I look at our city
and I see different races
working hand in hand.
That is unity.
I look at our country
and I see people joining together
to make harmony.
That is unity.
I look at our world
and I see no hatred
between people.
That is unity.
I look in my heart,
and I see,
that one day,
there will be unity.
 by Rebecca Beaulieu, eighth grade, Central Junior High School
Burning Fire
I smell a burning fire,
The fumes of death don’t breathe in.
The stench of highly toxic chemicals
Arose in the air
Surrounding me with fumes.
I see the smoke now,
Soaring high, up to the ceiling.
Climbing upwards,
Darkness all around,
I have no sight.
I am getting scared.
I felt the hot door handle,
Burning the back of my hand.
The heat warming my body with fright.
My hands and knees are burned from the carpet.
I hear the smoke alarm down the hall,
Screeching its high-pitched warning.
A warning I should have heard long before now.
I hear screaming and someone calling my name.
I can taste the sweat as it rolls down my face.
I’m almost paralyzed with fear.
I finally find my voice,
I scream and shout hoping to be heard.
I can’t think, see or feel.
I don’t know what to do,
So I lay on the floor,
And wait.
 by Kelly Forsyth, seventh grade,
South Junior High School
Pass Me By
The cold wind slammed into the frail body. Curved, disfigured by time, the body fell to the ground. The frequent wrinkles told of many hardships; the deep sunken eyes told of much sorrow.
Not able to speak, thoughts rolled through her mind;
Lord, so many have seen me cry
They’ve seen me suffer and wait to die.
And still too busy to change a life
They chose to pass me by.
Lord, if only they knew,
At one time, I was special too,
A mother, a daughter, a wife
Don’t know the reason why
But now my life has passed me by.
Lord, you gave me chances
And Lord, you gave me choices
I thought I had the time
But now time’s passed me by.
I’ve waited so long to find a place
Where I can see your smiling face
So Lord as now I wait to die
Please Lord, oh please,
Don’t pass me by.
 by Tiffany Baker, seventh grade, West Junior High School
Silence
The pain strikes hard,
Close my eyes so the tears don’t tumble,
They come anyway.
Words mean more than anything,
Anything can hurt.
Peaceful thoughts seem useless when
Hateful talk arises.
A little baby’s laughter
Is not heard above oppression.
Seems only words can tell
Where we are headed,
But truth is only at heart.
Thoughtful worries are honest,
But spiteful words are a shame.
One word can break a bond,
But deep down nothing can offend.
 by Emily Knight, eighth grade, Southwest Junior High School