A COOL SHARK CAR

The Arkansas Writers In The Schools Anthology

1991 The Arkansas Writers in the Schools Program is a project of the Arkansas Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. The program is staffed by members of the University's Programs in Creative Writing and Translation.

Co-Directors: J'laine Robnolt and Robert M. Wallace Project Coordinator: Michael Heffernan

We wish to thank all of the students, educators, and administrators who participated in WITS during the 1990-1991 school year and supported the program with donations and enthusiasm. We also wish to express our deep appreciation to the following people who make WITS possible: Sharon Pyka of Research Accounting; Dr. Keneth Kinnamon, Chairman of the Department of English; Dr. Leo Van Scyoc, Associate Chairman and Director of Composition; Rhonda Benish, Office Manager of the English Department; English Department secretaries Shelly Efird and Elizabeth Sutton; Dr. Don Ousterhout, Director of Research and Sponsored Programs; Dr. John Stokes, Assistant Director of Research and Sponsored Programs; and the members of the staff of Printing Services, who have given generously of their time each year.

This year's anthology title is based on a drawing received by Richard Matthews from a student at Baldwin Elementary in Paragould. PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

Anderson Elementary, Crossett Baldwin Elementary, Paragould Beebe Elementary, Beebe Biggers-Reyno Elementary and High School, Biggers and Reyno Booneville High School, Booneville Dumas High School, Dumas Farmington Elementary, Farmington Fordyce Middle School, Fordyce Fountain Lake Elementary, Hot Springs Greenbriar Elementary and Middle School, Greenbriar Horatio High School, Horatio Hot Springs Middle School, Hot Springs John Tyson Elementary, Springdale Lockesburg Elementary and Junior High School, Lockesburg Lonoke Elementary, Lonoke Marvell Primary, Marvell Our Lady of the Holy Souls, Little Rock Parkin Elementary, Parkin Pea Ridge Elementary and High School, Pea Ridge Prairie Grove Upper Elementary, Junior High, and High School, Prairie Grove Ringgold Elementary, Benton Rose Bud Elementary, Rose Bud Sheridan Junior High School, Sheridan Springdale High School, Springdale St. Theresa' s School, Little Rock Van Buren Junior High School, Van Buren Van-Cove Elementary, Cove Vilonia Elementary, Vilonia Vilonia Junior High School, Vilonia West Elementary, Paragould Wickes Gifted and Talented Program, Wickes Wynne High School, Wynne VISITING WRITERS

Brad Barkley Patty Commerford Heather Doyal Lee Durkee Jhon Emery Andy Fox James Frank Charles Freeland Kathryn Gessner Kris Kirk Graham Lewis James Lovel Richard Matthews Ian Morris Susan Perabo David Pratt Jay Prefontaine Sonya Reeves J'laine Robnolt Kenneth Smedley Dan Smolla Randolph Thomas John Thompson Grant Vecera Robert M. Wallace David West Steve Yates Bob Zordani THE ARKANSAS WRITERS IN THE SCHOOLS ANTHOLOGY 1991

ART DIRECTOR: JOHANNAH BOMSTER

COMPUTER CONSULTANT: ANDY FOX

EDITOR: J'LAINE ROBNOLT ANDERSON ELEMENTARY CROSSETT, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Mary Jane Bell Manning Visiting Writers: Richard Matthews and Ian Morris

December in Crossett My Room

December in Crossett smells My room dirty like pine straw My room trashy from Christmas trees. My room big It looks like white shaving My room junky cream on the ground. Douglas, 4th Grade It feels like cold cold ice in your hand. The Base ball It sounds like people singing carols. I am a base ball It tastes like sweet candy. flyin' through the air Jenny Donaldson I feel the bat hitting me, I Am an Earring sending me flying through despair. I dangle off someone's ear, But I cannot hear. I taste the bitterness Sometimes I'm an animal. of the glove at the end I could be a shape, of my journey. Or I could be an ape. Roy Langstaff I could be a flower, Or the Eiffel Tower. I Am a Rattlesnake I am bright and pretty colors, And I have many brothers. I hear my tail rattling, Stella Schueller I feel mosquitos sucking my blood, Wind I smell the dirt getting in my eyes, The wind is a cool breeze I taste the grass getting on my flying through the air. tongue, I go in places everywhere. I see a lawnmower coming at I am not afraid of anyone me. because I am only air. Jason Hughes Kelly Gray

1 The Ghost I Am a Frog

I see shaking shudders. I taste the bugs in my mouth. I hear the door beating in the I smell their guts being crushed wind and the hooting owls. between my teeth. I smell the fresh fish on the I see their wings flapping shore. as I try to catch them. I taste the stickiness of the I hear the crickets chirping. cobwebs. Joey Fletcher I feel the coolness of the night and the moon coming up. Nancy Gresham

I Am a Football

I see players charging at me, I hear helmets crashing by me, I feel like I'm going to throw up, I smell sweat and hot popcorn, I taste dirt flying in my face. Danny Schueth

I Am a Small Kitten

I smell my mother trying To bathe me as I run away. I feel her rough tongue licking my face. I hear my brothers and sisters meowing at my mother. I taste the milk from my mother. But I can•t see a thing. Jamie Willis

2 BALDWIN ELEMENTARY PARAGOULD, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Christy Blackshear Visiting Writers: James Lovel and Richard Matthews

Arkansas Acrostic So Much Depends

Arkansas is where I live So much depends upon Rice, wheat, and com are foods A red Killing living deer is a hobby Car Anybody that wants to come, do Racing with the clear Nobody can only come once Wind Say, what state are you from? Beside a brick Arkansas is where to live-­ Wall. Seriously, please come. Dawn Beasley Rachel Wood Love I Am a White Flower Love smells like a flower I am a white flower. And tastes like a warm When it rains, I take a shower. summer's shower. I smell fresh fall days. Love looks like a person smiling When it's winter, I smell them And sounds like a dog barking. Different ways. It feels so warm that every time I taste the grass. You touch it you would probably I eat it fast. Squirm about. Sometimes I eat cheese Karina Gurnsey And I see the trees. I look up at the sky I Am a Dictionary And then I die. Kimberly Steele I smell paper I taste chocolatey fingers The Pumpkin roaming through my pages. I see words. I am a pumpkin. I hear people reading my words. I feel people cutting me. I feel thick. I smell them bake me Wendy Jones to make a pie. I hear them laugh-- I taste some of the wax from a candle. I see them put me outside. Mike Kington

3 Babies, Boo for Boys

Babies, send them to the Navies. Boys are disgusting. I can't take them anymore. Girls are truly thoughtful. I will kick them out the door. Boys will knock your books Daniel Stafford down when you're walking in the hall. How Will You Know? Girls will grow up And will not get married. How will you know Crystal Gurnsey If the earthquake is coming? How will you know? I Am a Flower The floor starts to move. The ceiling will fall. I hear bees buzzing all around The bricks will fall. me. How will you know? I taste sour pollen. Chris Jackson I feel strong winds blowing. I see seeds flying in the wind. Nikki Pillow

4 BEEBE ELEMENTARY BEEBE, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Jean Harvey Visiting Writers: Charles Freeland and David West

The Bass Fisherman Speaks How to Know for Sure of the Lake at Dawn You're on the Moon

The lake is so calm and foggy. First you would not see There's nothing like catching anything. a big bass Then you couldn't stay on the On a quiet lake at dawn. ground. You can smell fish as you glide You would just have to float through the lake. around. You can feel the cool water When you come back to the As you reach down to get spaceship, that big fish. You would float there too. Chris Roper It's hard to stay in place When you're in this place. The Astronomer Talks Malinda Herring About Being Alone with the Telescope The Aging Athlete Remembers I would say that I love His Last Victory to be with my telescope And to look at my stars and I was in the ring, planets. The smell of sweat And the flashing of lights I talk to my telescope just like from cameras. a person The bell rang, the champ And I tell it what I see swung, And sometimes my telescope I ducked by reflex. Will even answer me back. I remembered the champ Tonya Woolsey had a glass jaw. I swung with all my might. If Fingers were Headlights Boom, it hit. He fell to the ground. Seeing would be sliding your As he staggered up, I swung hand a gam. Out the window That swing was the last. To see who's there. He was down for good. Charlie Willard Josh Jeffery

5 The Truck Driver The 7-11 Manager Tells About 3 A.M. When he speaks of the road, He thinks of miles of open He said, 4 green things country. walk in and grab 4 bags of When he's on the road talking chips, on the CB, 4 sodas, and 8 candy bars. "Come over," And then three Goons come m. He's listening to the radio. 2 of them had guns But the bad part is smelling and 1 had a metal suit on-­ the pigs. and War broke loose between Corey Simmons these 4 green things and those 3 Goons. Scared Then a guy in a ski mask walks in with a hockey stick It is in the middle of the night and starts swinging. And the cat jumps in front of It was just a mess. you and says meow. Nick Howe You're asleep. You wake up Waitress on Friday Night And the dog is lying right Shift beside you And you touch it The Friday night shift And you don't know what it 1s Is always a doosey. And it scares you. I always have to work late Malina Stovall When I should be out cruising. All the tables are taken, The Evening Weatherman That's when I start shaking, Complains About Good Because everyone is hungry. Weather Besides most of the guys are ugly. "We haven't had rain all Being a waitress isn't easy at month," all, Said the grouchy weatherman. Especially waiting on those He is losing his audience. human hogs! "When the sun shines, Angie Armstrong My tonsils hurt," Said the grouchy weatherman. Greg Soell

6 BIGGERS-REYNO SCHOOLS BIGGERS AND REYNO, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: John Edington, III Visiting Writers: Richard Matthews and Jay Prefontaine

Autumn Pine Cones

The brightly colored leaves Pine cones in Fall to the ground The trees-­ Like feathers, Green, brown, Floating softly all around. And black-­ Though you The frosty air bites Are no At my nose Use to Like a puppy Me you Nipping at my toes. Look like Bridget Rush A Christmas Tree Cripple U.F .0. Sends S.O.S. Daniel Hurst to Earth The Train When the aliens from Zarax Were cruisin' in space, I live by the tracks. The evil Lord Gwar The train goes and comes Shot 'em outta their place. By my house day after day. They called for help But to no avail; It goes, "Toot, toot," The S.O.S. to Earth And then whips on by. Ended in fail. When you are asleep again, They hit the ground-- It's like a great big brother. Blood squirted like ketchup. And they screamed: I'VE He goes by and he FALLEN, Tells me it's time AND I CAN'T GET UP! To go to school. Steve Godwin But on Saturday I stay in bed. So Much Depends D. Zachary Williams

So much depends upon A yellow dog Running with Big Birds Beside Pink Elephants Teddy

7 Granny Gets an Eyeful

It was sweet, soft, nice, and hot. We were being very sneaky me and him Down in the basement at Granny's house. Everything was going smooth, We were almost done. The door opens. We stop and hide-­ Here comes granny And catches me and My brother eating The last of her chocolate p1e. Jennifer Hagood

Dog, Dog, Dog

I went home one night, And turned on the light. I went in the kitchen, And found my brothers itch in'; They were scratching their heads 'Cause in the refrigerator My dog was dead.

He was very nice Although he had lice; He stunk like burned spinach; It made me mad. I called my dad, And he was oh so sad, But the stink was just right And brought my dog back to life. If you don't believe my story Just ask my wife! Jay Malone

8 BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL BOONEVILLE, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Lana Hampton Visiting Writers: Bob Zordani and David Pratt

Spokane, Washington If a Pom-Pom Were a Piece of Paper Looking out of the house's windows, You would write on purple gold I see electricity. white plastic strips. Fluorescent pink and blue You would carry them under Blinking on and off. your arms or in a bag The sound of horns beeping And the writing would And buzzing comes through the probably rub off. open window. You would grab them in the Each car making its own noise. middle of a pep rally Stepping outside, the smell of And would be crumbling up exhaust overwhelms me, And shaking your homework And yet it smells clean And yelling--Go Cats! From the day's rain. You would lose your homework Letting out a sigh, Among all of them I can almost taste food And then get a demerit. From the fast food joints. Rene Puls As I reach over to pull up some grass Mad The earth feels warm and soft And yet rocky cold like As a sixteen year old blonde concrete. Cruised town in her red Ferrari Shelly Makus Ruthless, frantic, pursued, Like a heroine in an Edgar Old Mexico Allen Poe story. Suddenly her car belched like If I could go, the things I'd see: A bullfrog as she slammed on Not the cities or the lights of her brakes. She had town, flattened a cop. But the small places forgotten. And her love for her car wilted Language the Mexican would Like a rose at summer's end. Ride off among mountains Third Hour Group Poem And the setting sun. Denise McKinney

9 The Wind Booneville

As the day goes by and the When I look at you, I see earth grows older, A compacted little This big gust of wind comes Compartment. through It' s like a suitcase with And things grow colder. Everything in a perfect place. It comes by and gushes through trees; Your air is filled with It quietly picks up The aroma of And rustles the leaves. Freshly grilled hamburgers, When you're standing around, Or french fries burnt It gently blows through your To a crisp. hair. It flies around prettily If I could reach out and With nothing to spare. Touch you, you would feel It blows through the water, Rough and worn down Calmly with no time to spend. Because of your old age. As you listen closely You can hear it blow. Your streets are filled with It's always around The joyous sounds of students Even during snow, Late on Friday night cruising When you walk outside Through town after another Without a care Bearcat victory. And do not see it Even though it's there. These are the reasons why Kelly Webb I am fascinated by Booneville. Booneville Night Anony mo us

After the lights go down We all drive through The single stop light That marks the center of town. We weave memories To bind us through The years. Anna Salzer

10 DUMAS HIGH SCHOOL DUMAS, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Gloria Lay Visiting Writers: Jhon Emery and Jay Prefontaine

The Retiring Teacher Says Life Goes On Goodbye I sit here--thinking, Leaving the job that he loves, About how funny life is. The retiring teacher walks About boys and girls away slowly, And their very first kiss. Like an airplane that is leveling off into the sky. How babies and infants He looks back as if he were a Grow up way too fast. rabbit Grow into toddlers, Being chased by a hunter; his Whose friendships will last. voice shattered Like a broken window when he I think of adolescents, speaks. Whom puberty will hit soon, He drives off weaving like a And turn into teenagers, madman at 2 mph. Who demand their own room. He waves one last goodbye As if trapped on an island, And into adults these teenagers Flagging for help. Will mature, Michael Meadows Maturing by living Through heartaches with no The Preacher's Wife Thinks cure. to Herself on Sunday Morning And these adults will marry And have them a kid, She thinks to herself on Sunday Then we '11 go through this morning process While sitting in Sunday School All over again. On the hard wooden benches Karen Cooper What a relief it would be to Stand up in her new blue dress Woman's Breast Implants That was sticking to her Explode at High Altitude Like paint to a house. Then the bell rang. She stood What a better bust Up and the blue dress began to tremendous bigger, Peel. The women looked pnce for a Ashamed, the men amazed. to pay Shantel Livingston Joy Bowles

1 1 Looking For Mr. Right-­ Twilight Zone Woman Married 21 Times Welcome to the Twilight Zone Married 21 times and I've still Where all of your nightmares not found my sunset or come true my deep blue ribbons. Where the victims are regular I'm the type of gal people who doesn't get discouraged. But the ones who come back I give all my moves like Bo sane are few. Jackson and I can't find that guy with You never know quite what to the serious action. expect I know I look good When this journey to hell and I think I'm fine, begins. the way I'll get a guy to marry It's all evil versus you. me And you '11 never know who'll just one more time. wm. As I've grown into adulthood I've tried all these guys The planets all start rotating who are certainly no good. around, They're like an earthquake Gaining speed as they go. shakin' and sayin' "Mine, mine, Rains pour down, lightning mine." They'll take you strikes. for your last nickle or dime. Winds begin to howl. So if you're going to get married Your head starts spinning don't you dare do it twice sound because love is like your last And blackness slowly creeps m dollar Until suddenly you're jolted when you're shooting some dice awake or a barefooted man standing To face the worst kinds of sin. on tee. Frankie Ricks All the evil forces Join in the tortuous games High School Student Kills Laughing and screeching while Teacher Over a "B" Dancing around the blue flames. Bang. Karen Cooper and Julie Nichols Jason Bronson

12 FARMUNGTONELEMENTARY FARMINGTON, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Margaret Miller Visiting Writers: Brad Barkley and Robert M. Wallace

Heavy Meadow

Heavy sounds like ten p1anos A meadow at night would Falling from the Sears Tower. sound Jason Morgan Like millions of whispers. Or like a babbling brook, Lazy Or a fan on low speed. Maybe it would sound like Lazy looks like a person Low, rumbling thunder. Sleeping on a couch. Or a fire crackling in the hearth. Lazy sounds like a dog Or something like a wind Howling in the day wind. Rustling in the trees. Melissa Swift Lazy tastes like an apple Rotting on a tree. Sun

Lazy smells like women The sun might sound like Smoking in the street, The whistling of the wind, Into the breeze. Like rushing water, Beth Lewis Like lots of people screaming. Mia Barker January If Planets Were Televisions January looks like icicles Forming on your nose. If planets were televisions, We would watch the January sounds like someone darkness of space Yelling GOT YOU! As Martians fly by. After hitting you smack If planets were televisions, In the face with a snowball. The screen would be dust, It would sound dusty and dry. January tasts like hot If planets were televisions, chocolate We would watch our favorite Right from the microwave. show Tilly Louise Brinacombe With a telescope. Laura Hampton

13 Clouds What Would Happen if Carrots Were Rocking Clouds might sound like an Chairs orchestra Playing through the spring air, You would have to eat Like a crisp breeze in the Carrots that rock. middle of winter, Like a rumbling train. If rocking chairs were carrots, Cathy Runkles Rabbits would always be At your house. Cloud Melody Wagner

A cloud sounds like Fast a slow breeze blowing the clothes Fast looks like on the clothes line. a racecar zooming Or soft velvet down a track. rubbing together. It might sound like a bird Fast sounds like fluffing its feathers, a jet plane when or somebody softly it's firing to take off. brushing her hair. Rebecca Capper Fast tastes dry and dusty How to Know For Sure That like dirt or rocks. You Are in My Bedroom Fast smells like My bedroom is white dust or dirt As snow. on a windy day. My bedroom smells Like sweet cookies being Fast feels like baked. a breeze My bedroom sounds like on a nice, cool day. Deer in the meadow. Benjamin Glenn Casey Dawn Fail

14 FORDYCE NODDLE SCHOOL FORDYCE, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Pat Woodson Visiting Writers: Dan Smolla and Randolph Thomas

The Flying Squirrel Menu for an Enemy

A flying squirrel Poisoned potatoes Is the strangest thing! Diced livers He hasn' t a feather. Fried hearts He hasn't a wing. Baked chicken eyes Yet through the air Intestines with blood He skims and scoots. Cold sewage He doesn't fly. Terry Z. He parachutes. Steven McDaniel The Bleached Shirt

This Is Just To Say This is just to say I bleached your shirt. This is just to say It was a mistake I drove the truck around the The bleach lasted on there. block. You were probably I didn't know. wanting to use it. So forgive Forgive me. me, I had fun driving. It's a rainbow now. I was going to come home, Takishia Edwards but I figured I was going to get a whipping, Hearing Fordyce so I might as well go on and have fun . To me Fordyce is like So I went down another block Hearing a pin drop from the doing 50 mph. sky. I had ten dollars with me, If you were on a huge tower so I went to the gas station You could see half of it. and filled her up. It's so quiet it sounds Then, I went home to get it Like eating a piece of bread, over with--my rna met me And it's so small on the porch with my brother. It feels like touching My grandma looked worried, Leaves of a tree. but my rna, you couldn't see Rondell Peevey the whites of her eyes until I told her I had filled it up. Brian Bouman

1 5 Fordyce Money Town

Fordyce is small like an acorn. This is the place Little yet very young. people pay their debts-­ It sounds like the quiet in the place Growth of a tree. money grows on trees. No one here is poor; Fordyce smells like coffee. everyone has at least Bitter and bleak. three trees. I see Fordyce as These trees are really A hummingbird evergreen. Without a beak. so they grow all year. The way you get there If I could touch Fordyce is through your dreams. It would feel like a grindstone. But you have to buy a ticket Rough and gray. or never make it. So if you want a ticket If I could taste Fordyce send $5.00 It would taste like medicine. to the address below. Bitter and nasty. Tyson Parham

I believe Fordyce will sprout Fordyce Up from an acorn to a tree. It can be done as you will see. You can hear the train leave It will be done by me. town Renee Thompson And come right on time. You can see the kids Passing By the Junkyard Playing in the park. You can smell Georgia Pacific Heaps of headlights All times of the day. Stare at me. You can taste the food Radiators. wheels. Uptown in the stores. And fan-belts smile. Wesley Larnus And a thousand More parts rusty and new Seem to say They •d all like to go On a car ride again. Steven McDaniel

I 6 FOUNTAIN LAKE ELEMENTARY HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Donnice Cowart Visiting Writers: Patricia A. Commerford and Sonya Reeves

The Garden Field Day

My Grandpa is plowing the Blotches of children jumping in garden. Grandpa's field, riding horses, He feels the vibration of the "Ice, Ice Baby," pounding on my tractor, and smells fresh dirt boom box, I rip open a frozen getting plowed. Snickers. The wrapper He hears the motor of the crinkling entices me. tractor. I ravish it, He sees the dirt getting plowed Tranquilized by an Appaloosa up. Foal in the distance. He works like a beaver building Mrs. Luman's Class Poem a dam. He is thinking of the fruit he Mom can grow in the garden. Brian Gibson My mom, driving the bus, Feels spit wads hitting her Anxiety in the back of her head. She smells sweat Patty is chewing her fingers. And hears with her ears She's shaking like a drier, And sees ugly kids. Shaking and screeching like a She feels like going home. car She is thinking about lying That wants to stop but can't. down. Her mouth is full of lemon pits Josh Hendrix (And passes through the X-ray machine of her mind). She smells smoke in the dark Snaking under the door. Mrs. Killingworth' s Class Poem

1 7 Loving Day Fear of Paddling

I stare intently at the blotches I've signed the box of people talking and for the fourth time. Laughing on Grandpa's freshly I'll choose a paddling. cut grass; It will sound like a screen- While in Grandma's kitchen, door slamming. My aunt bakes It will feel like having Her special cookies your hand slammed in a door. And puts them in the basket It would taste like rusty metal. Lined with soft red silk. It would smell like burning Christine Bailey books. But I do not know what it Right Before the Play would look like because I would be bent over. your hands are sweaty All of this crossed my mind And your throat is dry as I go to put my card m you also feel butterflies the box. In your stomach Jessie Malone you forget all your lines But as soon as your part comes Fishing you know every word And butterflies leave your My brother IS entering a fishing stomach contest. Mike Marshall He sees a 30 lb. catfish. He feels excited about the fish. He smells some rotten shrimp. Shelly He hears the sound to start. He's paddling as fast as a My cousin is primping-­ dolphin. She feels friendly He is thinking of winning She smells like perfume the $3000. She hears her brother Jarrod Breshears screaming She tastes the hairspray falling from the air She sees herself in the mirror She looks like a clown putting on make-up She's thinking about how she's going to look. Jennifer Vaughn

1 8 GREENBRIAR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL GREENBRIAR, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Janice Jones Visiting Writers: Patricia A. Commerford and Kris Kirk

Life of a Pencil That's What T.J. Is Like

Being born in a branch of a He has big brown eyes tree, then being chopped off and short brown hair and shaped That's what T.J. is like into a round hollow tube, He has short fingernails a thin black rod shoved and white skin through my middle, That's what T.J. is like a silver hat placed on my head, I like T.J. and T.J. likes me words and numbers printed That's what T.J. is like on my side, and shipped off He likes to play soccer and with my brothers and sisters to baseball too, sometimes turtles a faraway shore, That's what T.J. is like placed on a shelf waiting to be He don' t play football or bought by a kid for school. checkers I am sharpened to a fine tip That's what T.J. is like and used to mark words on Jered Farrar paper till I am dull and need to be sharpened again. Soft Sky Finally I am too small to sharpen; then am tossed into a Shy Cheyenne lived in plastic container-- Italy with her sis. Every noon never to be used again. She would look at the soft sky. Josh Odom Cheyenne Graddy Hartwick

The Experiences of a Fork A Boy Named Japer

I am a rusty, flakey fork, Japer I get pushed into a pile of Always muddy dirt. Sang I'm poked into a dark, endless Outside at tunnel. Noon Then I get dunked in a soapy, Jason Johnson wet sea. I then get put on a pile of cold steel And wish for mornmg. Leah Turney

1 9 Noisey J Birds Death of a Pen

J Birds untate I hate being a pen-- Everybody, even Teachers rub me over paper Rats, And make my blood pour out. Even our When I'm outta blood Mom They throw me away You are mean, J Birds Into a cold metal coffin Jeremy Bird With a mask that covers my face Sandy Sam Never to see daylight again. Chad Martin Sandy Sam Ate a Life of a Watch Map of ARKANSAS every I stretch out on the counter Night. and wait, Then Oh what a boring job. He had I'm always really glad A tummy ache. When he wraps me around his Samantha Floro arm.

Michael Like pictures in a viewmaster, Marching in a row, Michael Scott is my name The faces stare at me intently, I'm in the hall of fame But always look away. Catchers are scared of me because I'll break their gloves I wish they would speak to me, Hitting the ball so far above the But no one ever does. Atlantic Ocean, here it comes The rain is my only friend, Ending a little far away Stroking my lonely face. Landing in Africa on hay. Scott Johnson Ooh!! That hurts, please, please, stop. Jessica Dillard He's twisting my arms again, Turning them around. Just beware He does this every day. Every body because Amy Sims Someone Special Is Coming Again

20 HORATIO HIGH SCHOOL HORATIO, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Sherry Hodges Visiting Writers: Andy Fox and David West

A Hardware Store The Waitress Speaks of the Friday Shift The hammers hung on their coils like steel eyes looking on I come in every day, while the old man in the back The same time, the same dress. poured nails into their bin. The dress is quite short, and It was a musty and stale smell Draws whistles from the guys. like the whole place I don't like it, but it's part of was in a cardboard box. my job. The electric drills looked Each night is the same routine. dignified, like army colonels. I wait the tables and The whole place frighteningly Get the tips. Most of the time, dark. It's the same old people. Laramie F ant People coming to drown out Their problems with wine. The Retiring Teacher Says Nothing ever happens. Good-bye But it's all I got to keep me Alive. I was used to going to Tonya Lindsey Assembly, but not my own. I would be hearing speeches Korean Restaurant And all that stuff. But it would be for my rettnng, Language and laughter fill the After 21 years of teaching, room I had to retire to be with JSL's, As the men drink from their For I was an important person. cups. I was the Starman. Their eyes squint closed at I was a hero to all children. every tiny grin. Anthony Murchison How I wish I knew what they were saymg, A View of a Junkyard For they all stare When I enter I imagine old cars and beat up Their laughter hushes, trucks and an old shack and a And their grins salesman in an old suit and a Turn to critical frowns. parking lot, dirty and beat up Rachelle Jones with holes in it. Scott Higgins

21 A Police Station The Astronomer Discusses the Telescope Bare yellow bulbs Cast a sallow underglow The telescope could be a scary On all the surroundings thing. Dough-faced men in crisp blue I looked through the tiny, Question long-legged girls narrow passage In garish war paint. Through which you can see all Scents of old coffee the heavens. And something darker You can see many stars, bright Prevail here. Stars, peering at you wickedly, It is a place for the people Daring you to peek at them. Of twilight. Margueritte Gidean lana Lovell An Empty Playground The 7-11 Manager Speaks of 3 A.M. I saw the monkey-bars, The swings, the slides, 3 a.m. is the craziest hour. The seesaws, and the sand box. This is the time of the night I was just standing there When people come in with Staring at the play things, curlers, Wishing I were young again. Barefoot and unashamed. A bird flew overhead, Or when the hip-hop homies I looked up, and it reminded From Broad Street Me of when I was little. Come in with their wacked-out I saw my friends falling hairdos Off the seesaws, To buy light beer and Trying to balance themselves, Bubble gum. Trying to see who lana Lovell Could go highest on the swings. I was playing in the sandbox, Slinging dirt everywhere. I heard a bird, looked up, And something was coming at me. Then I realized, I was all alone. Carmita Kelly

22 HOT SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Julie Grant Visiting Writers: Ian Morris and Robert M. Wallace

You Know You're in My The Life of a Skier House When ... Riding the waves, You walk in the door Feeling the breeze. And see a Shar-pei Electrical machines That is jumping up and down Pulling you down. Trying to get you to play. Flipping in the air. Tumbling over You look down and see Each little drop. A carpet of shag; Feeling excitement! It looks like a piece of cloth Never, ever stop. Cut off from a rag. Ashlye Keaton

If you come in, Colors You won't see us grooving, But you might see a lot of boxes Colors are how you feel. Because we're moving! Red is when your feelings are Staci M. Wilson Hot Orange is when you just feel Snowflake Acrostic ????? Yellow is when you're just Snowflake, snowflake-­ Happy, delighted, joyful. No Green is also when One knows You're W here you will ????? Float to next. You are Blue is when you're Like Just d A 0 Kite drifting in the air; w then when you come, it's like n Entering a world of white. Violet just Katrina Beaty Mixed up Colors ... Tomeka Witherspoon

23 Night Sounds at My House How to Know for Sure You're At night I hear many different in Hot Springs sounds. My hamster is running on its There's a lot of sights in Hot wheel, Springs. And it sounds like someone is You really ought to see 'em. scratching on the wall. Go down and see what's I hear my little brother start At Mid-American Museum. crying for my mom. Then slowly it starts getting It's really cool in Hot Springs. quieter You should really come and Until all I hear is the bubbling visit. Of the fish tank and the wind Come and stay at the Park Outside my open window. Hilton. Katrina Beaty Please, you really shouldn't miss it. Dance Ed Howard

Soaring through the air My Room like a swan, Whispering to my feet, You know you' re in my room I accomplished a grande jette. When you trip over clothes at I leaped into my partner's arms my door, And circled in the biosphere. Which I wore two weeks ago. Landing on my toes, When you find candy wrappers I pirouetted across stuffed in my drawer and The barren wooden surface Others that landed on the floor. As I finished the piece, Then you hear my mother I took a bow and silently saying, Breathed heavily. "Clean your room. Get the Ashlye Keaton vacuum and throw that junk away." I say, "Okay," My Hip Hop Day But I don't do it anyway. I like my room that way. Rolling down the strip m my Sonya Blackmon hoopty Girls all around--can't you see? Patrick Trice

24 JOHN TYSON ELEMENTARY SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Carolyn J. Brooks Visiting Writers: Brad Barkley and Robert M. Wallace

Clouds If Planets Were Old Socks

Clouds sound like cotton If planets were old socks, rattling in a bag, We'd have laundromats Or a huge white snowball As big as the sun. rolling down a hill. If planets were old socks, Carie Adkins Everyone would have to wear shoes Rage The size of the earth. Andrew Lankford Rage looks like my big brother When he doesn't get his way. If Volcanoes Were Desks Rage smells like a hot sidewalk On a summer day. If volcanoes were desks, Rage tastes like rotten milk. You would be writing Rage feels like torn silk. On a piece of lava rock, Rage sounds like a broken tape And desks would erupt Or a teacher screaming because Scissors, crayons, paper, and you're late. books. Charles Apple Chris Hendrix

If Pumpkins Were Wheels Jupiter

If pumpkins were wheels Jupiter would sound And wheels were pumpkins, Like my sister crying We would grow wheels in the In the middle of the night, garden. Or like someone breathing. At Thanksgiving, we would eat Randy wheel pie. When we got older, we would What an Island Would want a set of pumpkins. Sound Like When it came time for Halloween, An island would sound We would carve our wheels. Like a house Dana Adams Full of the deep blue sea. Brandy

25 Loneliness The Moon Would Feel. ..

Loneliness looks like an empty Rough graveyard. Like an armadillo's shell. Loneliness feels like cold air Layne Skelton coming at your face. Loneliness smells like Joy sauerkraut and steak in the pan. Joy looks like children ripping Loneliness tastes like blood open presents after a tooth is pulled. At Christmas. Loneliness sounds like a piece Joy feels like a soft kitten of dust landing on a desk. On a cold winter day. Lindy Bryant Joy tastes like my grandmother's carrot cake. My Grandmother's Kitchen Joy sounds like church bells nngmg If you were in my On Easter Sunday. grandmother's kitchen, Sarahbeth Lehman You would see an old man griping. You would smell all kinds of fruit. You would taste instant mashed potatoes. Michelle Kilpatrick

Where I Live

Where I live The grass is as green As a lima bean. The water is as clear As a crystal ball Rolling down A limestone stream. The clouds blow gently Across the sky, And the birds sing Up in the sky. Jared Hallam

26 LOCKESBURG ELEMENTARY AND JUNIOR HIGH LOCKESBURG, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Dewanna Adcock Visiting Writers: Andy Fox and David West

Music Poem: "Little Beggar The Bass Fisherman Speaks Man" of the Lake at Dawn

Two old men sitting on a porch Just another peaceful perfect in rocking chairs day to fish. Played a banjo and violin It's always quiet, calm--just While the wind was blowing, perfect. Leaves rustling and storm I'm ready for a change, Coming in from the north. A mistake maybe. Talking about the fun It seems to me it's not fair to They had in the old days, the fish, Wishing it was still that way. A little wind, maybe some rain. John Hubbard Just something to even the odds. Homeless People Chris Sanders

Homeless people are not all Work bad, But sad of what happened Work feels like tendonitis. in their lives. It smells like hot metal in a blacksmith's shop. As children they wanted Work looks like digging To become a doctor or a lawyer, postholes But only became bums for a fence. Like some people call them. Chris Turner

They sit in alleys, beg for food What Would a Gas Station And look through trash. Taste Like? Worrying of what might happen to them, Diesel coming out of a big truck Saying what might happen Going fifty miles an hour, If they die in those cold wet Burning rubber on Interstate alleys. 20. Abbie Hall Chayne Wilson

27 An Old Attic How to Know For Sure You're Meeting My Father Imagine the smells of old, musty boots that should be First, you look for a big man thrown out, With a bald head. but the people didn't want to He will invite you in fool with it. And talk to you Seeing all the dust, almost About painting cars sneezing--but holding it back. And his shop. The old trunks that Daddy has Anthony Green told so many boring war stories about. Trying to see yourself in a reflection of a dusty mirror. The cobwebs surrounding an ordinary rocking chair that used to be Grandma's. The sticky feeling when you dust them away. Stacy Gibson

Shadow

A shadow would feel like a marble, Brand new, just out of the bag A shadow would feel like wet glass. Anthony Green

28 LONOKE ELEMENTARY LONOKE, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Liz Smith Visiting Writers: Richard Matthews and David Pratt

My Room Cool

You know you are in my room Cool smells like a leather jacket, when you see 52 posters. Aquavelva, and Crest. You know you are in my room It sounds like a revving when you see a Utah Jazz trash motorcycle, and feels like a can. When you see a desk, one warm engine and leather window, a bed, and a peace seat. sign painted on the wall--that's It looks like a passing Corvette. when you know you •re in my It tastes like the wind. room. You see something white Mrs. Elam' s 4th Grade Class like whipped cream and Poem something black like chocolate syrup on my bed--that's my cat I Am a Clown and my dog. When you see clothes overflowing from the I hear the children fighting dresser--that's my room. over me. Joe Schafer I see myself holding balloons. I feel the cold ice when I skate. The Coat I smell the women•s cologne. I taste the paint on my face I am a coat hanging on a rack. when I lick my lips. I can feel people slipping their Kristen Wilson cold arms into mine. I see people slipping money The Race Car into my pockets. I smell candy bars that people I can feel myself overheat put in my pockets. And I can hear the screams I taste sweat on people•s hands. Of people cheering the cars on. Anonymous I can see the finish line as I get closer and closer. Rain Acrostic It smells like popcorn and pickles. Rain is falling, I can taste the air And it is not That is fighting me. In the South. It is m the Josh Aukes North. Richard Kethley

29 The Ugly Monster in My Closet My Closet

There was a monster in my When I see you closet long, long ago. In my closet I used to be afraid, With my mask But one night I fought that On, I scream monster. But know His breath smelled like throw­ You can't up; Scare me and I felt like I was going to die. You know My mom tells me his name is You are in Mr. Boogey Man; My closet. He makes a big sound: Amanda Marquita Walker Bam Err, Carr, Sarr... Boy, it is awful. Bam I don't know what he tastes like, but I don't want to I Am know. Can You Guess? He feels like slime gushing A Puppet between your fingers. Worst of all, he looks like I hear the ugliest, stupidest, grossest The children laughing at me, Thing in the whole world. Saying I am a dummy. Crystal Anditon It doesn't really bother me But I do feel Plane to Distant Places Kind of hurt Being switched to I feel the passengers get Another hand. aboard me. Lindsie B. Temple I hear the stewardess saying, "Buckle your seatbelts, please." Michael And when my jets take off I smell the peanuts people eat. Many Intelligent things I will taste the mud on people's Can have gone in his shoes, Head See the stewardess serving the And sometimes his mom says passengers Eat your egg, and he says I While they put their luggage m don't the cabinet above the Like them. window. Michael Bridges Shane Matthews

30 I Am a Poetry Book

I am a book That is filled with feeling. People tell me The things they like. I like to reread the poems That they type in me. There are things That I don't like. I don't like it when people Throw me down On the desk tops And I don't like it when My pages are torn out. Crystal Anditon

My Nickels

I can see my nickles Sitting on the table Waiting to be spent. I can feel them While picking them up. And I can hear them Jingling in my pocket While runnmg through Fields of grass. Sonya Brown

3 1 MARVELL PRIMARY MARVELL, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Dr. Susan Clark Visiting Writers: Andy Fox and Kenneth Smedley

If Fingers Were Baby Dolls Summer

If fingers were baby dolls Beautiful sun that on the How could you touch? Horizon shines so bright Your blood couldn't run Sweet smell of dewy grass m Through a baby doll clutch. The morning and night If fingers were baby dolls Sweet juicy watermelons that How could you eat? just riped Your fingers couldn't move Hot as a stove in a desert house With baby doll feet. Hear water rustling in the hills Marcus Robinson so light. Nathan Lang Gray How to Know for Sure That You're Meeting My Helpless Grandfather A boy who can't walk without He sounds like a dog falling down When he's asleep A doctor's office that smells And he talks like a girl Like medicine in town And when you see him It tastes like lime jello when He will say hey baby you're sick What are you doing today It feels like a big pond of Baby quicksand Joy Densmore The sound of an ambulance racing down the road Lazy Real quick. Nathan Gray Lazy is when you Are very still The Stranger And someone tells you To do something I will be outside in the yard. And you do what you feel. And he will come by. John Carruth But I do not know him. Dale Brewster

32 My Woman The Poem I knew this woman, she's all I love my mommy mine. And my mommy loves me. I say she's beautiful, she say My mommy cooks me rice. I'm fine. My mommy cooks me fish. I love her so much, no matter I love my mommy what she do, And my mommy loves me. I have a woman, how about Johnette Prowell you. I gave her twenty-one children, How to Know For Sure That almost twenty-two, You're Meeting a Ghost She have so many, she don't know what to do, He will say whoo I'm beginning to sound like the All down your house. old woman in the shoe. You will be frightened Tynisha Davenport As a little mouse. You will see him How to Know for Sure That Up on a chair. You're in My Closet Combing his long, Black, ugly hair. My closet is like a shoe store, He smells like But one shoe is the left way Toothpaste And the other is the right way. Crawling on his face. My clothes are on the rack all But he's cooking wrong. A little black fish on a And I have a long rope in my Boxing ring. closet, Pamlir Ivy So don't try any tricks Because I know Kung Fu How to Know For Sure Just for you. You're Tashanderlyn Nekor in My Front Yard

You will see a basketball goal, Large, smelly chickens, Baked beans and pork chops, And my sister in her swimming pool Having a bowl of peas. Twain Owens

33 OURLADYOFTHEHOLYSOULS LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Gretchen Gowan Visiting Writers: Andy Fox, Kathryn Gessner, James Lovel, Ian Morris, Susan Perabo, and J'laine Robnolt

If Pianos Were Chewing My Monster Gum (Spelling left intact) (Spelling left intact) My momster' s name IS If penos were chewn gum So and So. I wud say, "Wowi, It is a half girl and half boy-­ this is totoley osmm, she and he. this is rad kol-- She is green, yellow, purple; totoley ." he is pink, red, blue. Matthew, 1st Grade It is all difrit colors. Rachel, 1st Grade My Monster (Spelling left intact) My Monster (Spelling left intact) A scelikin is hiz hed and a kaktis is hiz tel My mostr is a dragn. he has a gieit pizza for hiz bote, It flys like a bird and tree iebols, and six feet bat cilits (collects) coke cans and wengs. string He has a sabrtoh (sabertooth) and bodls of fizz and socks with and likes spinning. hols, and my mostr is cool Josh, 1st Grade becose he sktebords and likes pizza. My Monster Steve Aday, 1st Grade (Spelling left intact) My Monster He has ers lik a coke botl (Spelling left intact) he has a tal lik a snak and fangs lik a tigr She is skiny and fet lik a allagatr She is wite and a nek lik a tufpik She has a chriangl nose and a nos lik a ber Hir name is Allisin and he is as tol as She has a red swetchrt on the mpirstatbidn (Empire State She eats candy Building). Crystal, 1st Grade Andrew Garrison, 1st Grade

34 If Alligators Were Race Aunt Eater Cars Today I bought an Aunt Eater, If alligators were race cars, But my uncles are mad because We wouldn't ride long. All they can see of their wives The Indy 500 would be the Are hats and shoes. Gator 500 and not many people Laura Schulte could come along. We would ride amphibious Valentine's Day Recipe vehicles that would need refueling every ten minutes. 2 tablespoons of hearts The refueling is ... YOU! 1 1/2 cups of love GULP... 3 cups of happiness Ben Jansen 1 tablespoon of Valentine cards 2 cups of I Love You's If Planets Were Teddy 4 cups Be My Valentine's Bears Kerri Proctor

You could take a nap on the If Alligators Were TV's ground With your favorite slumber pal, If alligators were televisions, And President Roosevelt would you wouldn't get too close. rule the land. You would have to punch its Dragons would be puffing eye to turn it on. On top of animal stuffing, You would punch its teeth to go And jumping to the ground to a different channel. From the Empire State Building David Aday Would be like jumping onto a cushion of air. The Mechanic Speaks In school, "B "' s would be the Grade standing for Bears. The engine is a wondrous thing Christine Cash That's filled with oil, pipes, And all sorts of gears If Chickens Were Race Cars That dumb people break And come crying to me saying, We would get eggs from race "Fix my engine (sob, sob)." cars. They would have to refuel So I fix the thing and the at Roadrunner. You would have Person comes back and says, chicken feed for the prize; and "Oh, thank you, Mister you would race around Mechanic." So that's most of Kentucky Fried Chicken parking My life and all I have to show lots. Is greasy hands. Jonathan Kelley Christian Cash

35 A Shadow If Sisters Were Pencils

A shadow would sound like If sisters were pencils, I could A soft wind going across a Sharpen my sister's head. meadow. I could also break it off. A shadow would smell like a Lian Nguyen cold day. A shadow would taste like December A raw carrot three years old. A shadow would feel like a December feels like freezing smooth rock. snow, crawling in your boots. Laura Schulte It looks white as a sheep's wool bleached a zillion times. The Country It would taste like an ice cube that's been in Antarctica, Cruising down the dirt road it smells like water, in a small car. and sounds like feathers Listening to the music falling on a bed. and looking out the tiny window But even with all of this Into the tall fields of corn and I play hide and seek wheat, smelling the fresh air. with my rabbit, It seems like they're slowly and I'm outside all day. dancing in the light, quiet Charles Enderlin wind. Melanie Manzo A Golf Ball

Months "Fore." Off went a golf ball Toward a chicken soup factory. The months of the year The ball went through the Are wonderful to hear window, Like in June the birds singing And sounded like a shattering In August the children vase. swinging The ball bounced the wall And in July fireworks in the And hit a worker in the back sky of the neck. Like bombing lights all over. At that instant Megan Southern He spit out his cherry bubblegum. What a sight, I say. Just a wonderful sight. Elizabeth Westerman

36 The Story Poem On a Farm

I was making some dinner Leaves flying for my mom, and rain on the tin roof. She was nervous about it, On a farm, but I was calm, On a farm. I went outside to get a leaf-- In the field, It started to fly the corn in peat moss to my disbelief. and hot chili peppers I gathered some peat moss On a farm, to put in my stew, On a farm. And to my surprise Joey A. Cantis the peat moss flew too! When my dinner was ready, Before Me (A Music Poem) my mom ate a lot-- She flew out of the house Down in Oklahoma, in 1848, just like a shot. people came from all over to Evie O'Brien settle the Great Plains. Three men sat by the blazing My Room fire, slowly eating the little racoon meat they had. In my room at night The men sang a sad song. I hear rain on my roof In the break of morning the And the smell of peat moss fills men quickly leaped on their The air outside my window. horses to set out for another The taste of chili peppers hard, rough day, Still taunts my mouth as they ventured farther than And my hand still grasps ever before. The leaf that my grandfather Jenny Holt Had given me In my room. Old Hicks (A Music Poem) Patrick Laughlin It reminds me The Flag of old hicks, when people would The flag is freedom. sit on a porch The flag is pride. and say, Martin Luther King, Jr. "Why in tarnation Had a dream about did you Black freedom. burn dinner?" Beau Bradburn Sarah Graham

37 Can You Imagine Blue Wishing Well

Can you imagine a blue Wishing Well and purple-striped tree with Wishing Well, oh, Wishing Well, an orange and green bumble Grant a wish bee? I wish you could. How about an upside-down A penny I'll drop rainbow If you'll stop with coin pots hanging low? And grant me what you should. Or even clouds that talk Jason Westerman With eyes that can stalk? War Can you imagine? Sarah Broderick War looks like a time bomb ready to explode. Growing Up It sounds like a whistle blowing m your ear. When you are nine It smells like sulfur and playing ball just taken out of the ground. with the neighborhood kids It tastes like spoiled and you fall mayonnaise the humiliation rushes over on your salami sandwich. you in waves It feels like oil and you begin to feel that won't get off your finger. the hurt knee and they laugh. Mike Santamaria The tears are there, and proudly you bite your lip and blink them back victorious for big girls don't cry. Then, years later, an angry look from someone or a song that touches your heart can make you break down in tears and they call it growmg up. Erica Troppoli

38 The Gift Losing a Basketball Game

I got a gift the other day, Losing a basketball game From my mom, Is like falling out of a tree. Who's miles away. It is like having to get up It wasn't shoes In the morning and go to It wasn't socks school. It wasn't candy It is like when your foot It wasn't a box Gets stuck in very thick mud It was just a note from my And when you fall in the Mom middle To me Of a race you were winning. A note that was special It is like when a balloon Just because it was Blows up in your face. A note Mike Santamaria A note just for me. Robyn Cord

Things My Mother Never Told Me Not To Do

To suck on the part of a pen that you write with

To walk across a pool cover

To go down a slide with a dress on

To cut my brother's hair

To throw grapes off a balcony

To dress my brother up as a girl then show him to my dad. Anonymous

39 PARKIN ELEMENTARY PARKIN, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Louise Webb Visiting Writers: Graham Lewis and Jay Prefontaine

If Candles Were Oranges If Ants Were Peanut Butter

If candles were oranges If we tried to eat a peanut when the lights went out butter sandwich you would have to light Ants would crawl on our oranges with a banana and the tongues. orange and the banana would And if we spilled peanut butter melt and then you would have on the ground to try apple. Probably people We would be setting the ants might get sick of this and tell free. the light man to put real lights You would get your feet all and candles and the light man messy would change the oranges back If you tried to step on the ants. to candles and all people would Then if you still wanted to eat be happy. the peanut butter Dermecial M eachell Pounds You would have to go to the doctor. Who Am I? Paige West

I have the colors of black and If Rabbits Were Scissors white and I wiggle when I walk. I am a funny little bird We would have 219 screaming in a tuxedo. Rabbits in our scissor box. I lost my ability to fly We would use the rabbits' feet But I am really cute. for handles You can find me So his ears could cut paper. Along the coast of Alaska The scissors would live in a Or maybe at the North Pole. field Feguna Fenay Harmon And eat all the onion, cotton, carrot, and tomato crops. Who Am I? And the fields would be a mess. Ms. Webb' s 3rd Grade Class I am green all over Poem And I live in the sewer With my master Who is a rat. (Ninja Turtle) Scotty Hodger

40 The Bad Easter Bunny Our Kitchen

She tastes like spinach and Our kitchen feels like a hard, vinegar juice and growls like rough bump. a combine. It is quiet like a mouse. She has scissor ears and looks It tastes like a chicken like Godzilla. The Bad Easter sandwich, Bunny smells like a pig pen And looks like a big field of covered with rotten eggs and flowers. Outside, diesel fuel. She feels like the It smells like a strawberry yellow brick wall bush. in the classroom. Then I hear a bird in the wind. Don't Follow Her! It smells the fresh air. Ms . Webb's 3rd Grade Class Then I touch the bird and I Poem know I am in our kitchen. What Am I? Elliot Davis

I am wide not thin The Wolf And a combine helps me begin. What is in me tastes It has many sharp teeth Good on a cob. That could poke through your You can eat it if you cook it. Jeans. When it is dry it can rustle The wolf smells like garlic. Through your fingers. He tastes like a piece of If you look closely Kentucky Fried Chicken. You can see my ears. He is noisy when he growls What am I? But he feels soft. (A corn field) Joseph Janes Kendrice Davis

41 PEA RIDGE ELEMENTARY AND IDGH SCHOOL PEA RIDGE, ARKANSAS Faculty Contacts: Bobbi Branham and Gail Johnson Visiting Writers: Andy Fox and David West

The Sun The Mechanic

The sun would sound like a As I look at the chrome engine jackhammer All covered with my greasy Trying to break a diamond. hands And it's squirting out with If you could hear the sun, fluids that I've never seen. It would sound like a garbage The silver color trying to shine truck in the morning. through my greasy hands Tommy D. Miller and colored liquids.

Boredom Then I hear the roar of the beautiful chrome engine. Boredom is like down in Chris Balster dumps. Boredom looks like watching The Chicken Farmer my brother swat flies. Worries About Cold Boredom sounds like the New Weather Kids. Boredom smells like going into a fish market. Will they die? (P.S. Don't go there.) Will I starve? Boredom feels like you have Will my children go hungry? your brother paid 0 chickens please live, to wrestle you. For we live for each other. Shane Harris Brian Easley

How to Know for Sure You're in My Closet

In my closet, I see clothes, Shoes, hats, and dresses. In my closet, there are messes That I don't even want to clean, And all the fashions of a high model teen. Breanna Rae Clanton

42 If Grasshoppers Were T­ Gas Stations Shirts If you ever sampled a gas Their legs would tickle you and station, scratch you all up. You would know that it tastes If you put your T-shirts in a like windex, dresser, And goodies from behind the It would hop away. And if you counter. wash them, You would have a stomach All the grasshoppers would problem from all the gas you drown. drank. You would tell the Jerold Glover attendant you would give Him a break and have him last, Helpless For dessert. Jamie Root Helplessly lost in the deep dark woods, having a big brown How to Know for Sure bear chasing you You're Up a big tall tree and the bear in My Living Room shaking The tree, and you're helpless You'll know for sure When you hit the ground, By the drop-dead odor of cows You're helpless when the bear And by my slob of a sister is attacking you Reading And tearing you to shreds Or watching T.V. And eating you for breakfast. Everything's noisy till a Shawn Spencer Massive 6 ft., 200-and-something­ How to Know for Sure Pound figure walks in. You're We hide behind furniture in My Bedroom And things that smell. Denise Parker If you want to be sure you're m my bedroom, Just come on in, watch your step. I see you found the trash can. Now let me help you get it off your foot. Now, help pull. Oops! You fell into the clothes pile. Jason Wright

43 How to Know for Sure Departure Lounge at an You're Airport on the Moon Big fat man drops his suitcase You would fall m all those The suitcase falls open, craters that there are. Everything falls out. You would meet Armstrong and all the other astronauts A blind man walking with a That have landed. cane You would have Martians Begging for lots of money. coming and trying to offer you cheese, A room full of people To which hopefully you would All filled with smoke politely say, "No." That smells of hotdogs and Jamie Root popcorn. You hear planes taking off. A Space Under a Sink In an People laughing. Abandoned House Children crying. Annie Gillean A dark and smelly place under the sink. The Antique Store The smell of mildew is strong. Spider webs are thick in Dust collects in every nook and corners. cranny, It is too thick to sweep away. The smell of furniture polish Amy Worley clings to the air. The darkness of the store A Packed Bus backgrounds the lively talk and sales pitches, People talking and s1ttmg. Most people walk away with a Listening to the movement of cracked and worn item. the packed bus. Everything is old. But one little boy sitting by the Older than you. window, not talking or Older than me. listening, just Julie Womack Blocking out all the people but wanting to sit and be alone. Not knowing what to do. For life is still a minute at a time. Sonja Renee Thomasson

44 An Empty Playground

The playground's empty. The empty swings blow in the wind. The merry-go-round goes for an empty whirl. It's not like it used to be--it's too lonely. It smells like emptiness. That's the way it should be, It's not the way it used to be, It's too lonely for me. Chris Block

45 PRAIRIE GROVE UPPER ELEMENTARY, JUNIOR HIGH, AND HIGH SCHOOL PRAIRIE GROVE, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Ada Wax Visiting Writers: Kathryn Gessner and Susan Perabo

The Miss America Pageant Giant Bats Sucked My Blood Was a Dog It seemed a harmless cave, The Miss America Pageant was Safety was my goal. Like a newborn puppy-­ Disasters everywhere. I groped and I crawled The contestants were so old Through the damp, musty hole. And wrinkled, like shar-peis. Dresses so long they reminded There appeared all of a sudden The crowd of sheepdogs. A dim red light; As the shar-pei contestants did As I pushed myself toward it their few talents, I saw the most horrible sight. Some resembled drunken, lame poodles dancing Like history's great armies they And others of a group of Swarmed all around. Hounds tracking a racoon No direction could I run, As they attempted to sing. No escape to be found. In the swimsuit contest, they resembled bloodhounds I only remember Mixed with St. Bernards. Their red, beady eyes; For the most important The feel of their bodies, Question, "What do you want No different than mice. Most out of life?" They Answered, politely as possible, When they left me alone, "A can of Bolo. I'm hungry!" Pale and lifeless, Kara Bartholomew They left me a memo: You should eat more October Feeling Vegetables. Sarah Evans In October I always camp, When it's dry or when it's damp. When the leaves turn, My campfire starts to burn. On a chilly, October day. Scott E. Cummings

46 Like My Father Was Princess Murdered 3,000 Years Ago Is Back For For years I yearned Revenge For Mr. Right-- He had to be perfect Three thousand years ago Like my father was. in a land far away, A lady married a man, Then one day, in a castle they did stay. I met a man. It was a night, He was much older, all dark and gloom, But everything I wanted. That a man in black charged in her room. He was tall and broad, He killed her there, Like my father was. away from all sight, We talked; he was exactly And ran far away, Like my father was. before the light. After many thousand years, We married in the spring the castle stands. Like my father did. The ownership was taken, The wedding was beautiful by the killer's hands. Just like my father was. On a dark and cloudy night, He had a wallet, a stalking figure crept. Just like my father had. It moved up the stairs, To my horror, his real name, and all quiet was kept. Was just like my father's was. The murky lady stopped, Sis Rath at the door she used to know; She took a look around, If Cars Were Jell-0 there was no light that showed. She crept into the door, If cars were jell-o, and steadied her blade. Then you would go riding in She took a look around, the country and there the man laid. Going slishety-slush She surged with her knife, Feeling all sticky inside. into his side did it run. There the dead man lay, You'd roll down a hill the killer's greatest grandson. Going splishety-splush. Wesley Hart Yes, it would be awful if cars Were squishety-pishety jell-o. Cortney M. Hides

47 Mighty Maybelline Come the Dawn

They called her Mighty I watch the moon Maybelline Against the black-velvet She always had such strength Sky of night. One day she took her child to the zoo But then my face turns toward Her child flipped quite a length The rising sun. She was leaning over the croc' s area For dawn has come. When she saw some bacteria Down she went, with a splat The first sounds of day, Landing on the croc' s welcome Like far-off bells, mat Softly ringing in the wind. As the croc came closer Mighty Maybelline jumped But dawn turns to day, over And day to night. She took the old crock by the tail And once again, And with a swing it went a sail The world turns round. Mighty Maybelline made the Tai T. Estopy headlines Now a trophy on the mantle shines. Melanie Kelgere

48 RINGGOLD ELEMENTARY BENTON, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Cindy Hogue Visiting Writers: James Lovel and David Pratt

Rabbits Under the Moon What Santa Does in July

I like to see Santa takes a trip to Bermuda rabbits under in July. the moon, He flies up high in the sky. dancing in winter, dancing When he gets there, in June. He goes to his motel. But most of the time Santa just can't find a hotel! I have to go to bed too soon. Santa wears flowery shirts and So I can't see shorts that are big. rabbits under He is famous in Bermuda for the moon. dancing the jig! Kristen Carter Sarah Austin

How to Know When My Camera Baby Brother is Walking Some people don't like me Because I almost blind them, How to know when Because of my bright light. My baby brother is walking Is an easy thing to do. I laugh when people say All ya hafta do is listen Funny things and smile. And listen some more. You push my button, and Then you hear a bump! On the floor. Two weeks later you see Then you hear a Waa, Waa, On your wall W aa, and then you hear a Something I made. Shhhhhhh! Aaron Crowe And then he starts Walking again. J essaca Smart

49 Things My Mother Didn't If Lamps Were Whales Tell Me Lamps would be diving My mother never told me And floating over the ocean. Not to wash the dishes The ocean would glow In the bathtub, And fish could see where So I did. They were going.

My mother never told me The ocean would sound Not to climb Like clicks going on and off. In the window, The ocean water would taste So I did. Salty and hot.

My mother never told me It would feel like the sun I couldn't jump On your hands. On my bed, Niki Heffington So I did. How to Know When You're My mother never told me at the Ballpark I couldn't put shampoo In the freezer, You go out on the ball field So I did. and you see the other team. You hear the crack of the bat. But my mother did tell me You touch your glove with both Not to ride my bike hands. You can smell In the neighbor's yard. the hot dogs But I did anyway. and cigarette smoke go by. Stacie Seal You can taste the nachos as the ball whizzes by. I Am a Spaceshuttle And you catch it. Anonymous I am in the shape Of a crayon. How to Know You're Dead I fly high in the sky. I know where we are now. You feel very uncomfortable. I sound like an explosion You kind of feel some fright. When I leave. You know your heart's not The planets like me. beating Lorie Blace So then you know you're dead. J essaca Smart

50 War

The war goes on with a sudden fright, The war goes on all day and night. Ant those who live there will be few. Who meant so much to me and you, With cemeteries filled with grave stones The lining of graves and seeing the bones. I just can't wait until it's all over. But for now I can just wish on a clover. Stacie Seals

How to Know My Brother

My brother always has a ring around his mouth. The boy up the street never has a ring around his mouth. My brother always plays army. The boy up the street never plays army. How come my brother is so unusual? Renaye Wilson

51 ROSE BUD ELEMENTARY ROSE BUD, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Doug Langston Visiting Writers: Lee Durkee, James Frank, John Thompson, and Grant Vecera

The Room With a 1000 Poison Rock Colors I can strike you My room has 1000 colors And make you bleed. ifs full of mostly red I can eat worms. blue black and green I can swim in water. it has a bunch of junk in it But I blend in with the stones. but thafs why I don,t clean Josh Elliott my room. I keep throwing raspberry jelly Buses under the bed because I like the color red My dad builds and if you come to my room yellow gray green please bring different colors blue buses because my room has 5 to 15 buses a day. a 1000 colors. But when he gets home, Shawn Gorham my dad has still got to go and check on our cows. Factory Heath Mote

My dad works in a factory My Mom at Matthews. He always works with heavy cement machines. My mom They feel like concrete goes to and smell like burnt rubber. work every day Tan with black sand all in it, but she does the factory would taste terrible. not have to He comes away sweaty and go very far. tired. My mom He always wants a cold glass of gathers eggs tea. out of a chicken house. While he, s at work, She has to gather I worry about a machine lots of eggs. falling on him and hurting him. My mom gets All you hear is loud machines. very sleepy. Bridget Hendrickson Brandy Foster

52 My Dad My Dad

My dad is his own boss. My dad has very little hair He spends his time working and he's a little wild. on cars. He comes home at He brings so much candy home night at 10:00 p.m. and it's like he gets trains of eats popcorn and watches TV. elephants Sometimes I go help him. to give to the zoo. I pick up some tools When I get up he says, and sometimes help put a "Good morning how are you." motor in. His work is he fixes Coke I have a good time and candy machines. because I am He doesn't like to get up early. with him. I don't either. Tom Ross Caleb Powell

Love is Love My Shadow

Love is love My shadow smells like the last That is that stalk of com in an empty But everything cornfield. Is the same My shadow tastes like a But my life rattle snake skin. Is great my My shadow sounds like a Life is good barn door creaking. My life is fun My shadow feels like the inside My life is nice of a scarecrow's hat. And the best My shadow looks like a Thing about skeleton School is work waiting in a dark closet to And the jump out and grab you. Worst thing Class Poem About school Is PE and Recess. Christina Marie Turner

53 All About Holidays The Title Is Scared

August is hot dry rainy I' m scared and time to cut hay. when people I don't know Halloween comes and you stuff come when I'm by myself. hay inside a scarecrow And I'm scared when and go out trick or treating. somebody knocks on the door When November comes, and I don't know this man start cooking turkey and he has a gun. And he said and celebrate Thanksgiving. gimmy When Christmas comes, all your money be sure to celebrate. I see people standing Dan Foster at the door. And they are robbers. My Mom's Bedroom They robbed the bank awhile ago. And I'm scared My mom's bedroom uses when there's something all the white there is. under my bed. And I'm scared But if I could repaint when something is a monster. my mom's bedroom, Katrina Armstrong I would soak the curtains red with green dots The Day I Was Bored and paint the book pages yellow. When I was bored, I'd splash the bed with I touched just about hot greens. Everything in my house. Ryan Hawley It tasted like buttermilk. It smelled like my wet dog. Moms You could hear the wind blowing. Some have long hair Some You could see a picture have blond hair Some smell in my mind. nice Some smell like mice Some Kristie Baldridge Poutry look like waterfalls Some look like cattails. Michelle Anderson

54 ST. THERESA'S SCHOOL LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Alice Pfeiffer Visiting Writers: Heather Doyal, Kathryn Gessner, and Sonya Reeves

Ballpark In the Library

One of my favorite places is the You know you're in the library ballpark-- because it is quiet. The smell of the grass, the feel The only thing you can hear is of the dirt The hard or soft books opemng Red clay so dense you can or shutting. Hardly dig your cleats out It sounds like a soft thunder. Digging into the batter' s box to You can smell the fresh ink. where your feet are two You can see and taste the dust inches in the dirt. in the air. The old books feel like Standing on the pitcher's sandpaper. mound waiting for the call, The new books feel like baby's Looking into the stands as you skin. See all your friends and family. That's how you know you're in The smell of the food, the hot the library. dogs, and the nachos, Jessica Kronberg Nervousness and excitement is the whole game summed up. Hot Sauce

The thrill of standing at the The hot sauce is like lava plate, waiting for the All bottled up pitcher's fastest. And ready to explode. Stepping into the dirt, swinging When used, the food becomes the bat, and watching that A small village ball fly-- Being demolished by the hot You say to yourself, I've never molten lava. seen a ball fly that far. If one took a bite of it, People in the stands, in the One would be like the people dugout all cheering you on as In the village, runmng you round the bases. And screaming for help. Holly Hankins This is the ballpark. Adam Cheupsk

55 How to Know for Sure My Street You're in D.C. You hear the sounds of the The streets are busy bulldozer moving everywhere, and the kids playing on the People on the bus are paying street. their fares. You smell the axle grease on The subway is zooming the concrete. underground, You see people come and go All the other people are and taste the bitterness walking around. of the rubber tires screeching from the car. The Washington Monument And you feel the sticky grass stands high in the air, as hard as a brick after you fall The Lincoln Memorial is down from playing football. crowded like a fair. Dustin Roberson Ford's Theater is showing a play, Junk Yard I think they show one every day. Chevies piled up like prisoners Locked in prison tightly On the way home there's a packed. traffic jam, The sound of barking German Two cars hit each other and it Shepherds, went KABLAM! Like broken records. When you finally get home Cars looking like innocent you're really tired. people ready to plead guilty. During the trip the van broke Rusty colors on cars looking down and the warranty is Like someone scraped away expired. Your soul. Rick Gunther August Ort

56 New Year's Day Rules for Taking a Bath

Sounds like bottle rockets Rule Number 1: Get your crackling, people yelling, the brother or sister, older or thump of kids running. younger; run the bath water, New Year's Day looks like sink her under. fireworks sparkling in the sky, Rule Number 2: If you see Children playing games, mold on the tub, make her Pink balloons floating in the scrub it off with your mom's sky. new rug. Tastes like wine or beer, Carrot cakes or cherry pie, Rule Number 3: Get your Chocolate covered cherries, mom's new china, and break it Peanut butter brittle. on the tub. Then sweep it Smells like chocolate chip underneath the dirty rug. cookies baking in the oven, People's perfume or cologne. Rule Number 4: Shut the Feels like sweat pouring down new door so hard it falls on the my head, floor. Other children running into me And knocking me down. Rule Number 5: Drain out Arrash Amani the water, or your sister might tell that you sank her under. Clarissa Maida Airplane Frustrated An airplane is like a sleek hawk, Frustrated is when you buy a Floating tn the marshmallow farm sky, And then you find out it's not Looking down at the earth rich in soil With its gleaming eyes. But rich in ocean water. It lands like a feather When you're sleepwalking Gliding gently down to earth. You try to get a drink of milk Brian Cia And you miss the cup. When Duck Tales are supposed to be on TV And instead it's Oprah Winfrey. When you capture a leprechaun And you find out he's out of gold. Jonathan Strei

57 Cemetery of the Capuchino Witch Doctor's Hut

In this Roman tomb The witch doctor's hut IS darker Lie the remains of old human than death. Skulls shaped like a honeycomb A candle in the comer is the With bones for a border Only sign of movement or life. Masks, voodoo dolls, and big Crosses and skeletons Black pots scattered around. Beaming right at you With a wicked old smile I can almost taste the water On their ancient faces In the hot humid air. Then the floor squeaks Smaller bones dance As I take another step. In patterns on the ceiling A deep wicked laugh surrounds Shadows of bones my body Plastered forever And a light flashes behind my On the far wall back. Nathan Hamilton I jump and turn m less than a Walking Stick second. There he stood with a big If my sister Jennifer wooden mask. were a walking stick His mask and his grass skirt I would put her in a jar. shake all around. I could hear from her a talking He is mixing something in one like little beeps coming from of these pots. her; I could feel her sitting on my arm when she's walking on A big puff of smoke it; I could feel her sting on my Leaps out of his pot... back; I could smell the stink of He is gone and a soft light the jar after I got her out of the Slowly fills the room. jar. I couldn't taste her unless Nathan Hamilton I ate her and I could see green dots on her. I could not see one speck of fur on her. If I saw her dead from no air in the jar, my mom, dad, brother and everyone else would kill me. Jimmy Lee Parker

58 Christmas ...

Sounds like crinkling Santa Claus wrapping paper, the clink clink of coins in the Salvation Army bucket, and the hinging of cash registers.

Looks like powdered sugar on funnel cakes, a Lite Brite, scoops of vanilla tee cream flying through the air. Tastes like the aluminum foil star on top of the tree. Feels like dry ice burning taste buds. Smells like burning candles. 7th Grade Class Poem

Lady in the White Dress

She walks through the cold, wet, tall grass alone, in thought, as the wind struggles to pull her hat off. She stops on top of a hill looking down she sees the tiny town where she lives and in the distance is the glow of God's furnace setting off the pink color in the clouds. Leslie Bakosky

59 SHERIDAN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL SHERIDAN, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Melinda McDonald Visiting Writers: Sonya Reeves and Kathryn Gessner

The Cereal Surprise Remains Found of Prehistoric Reptile Tribe I am quite hungry. That Roamed Earth Long I go and get some cereal. Before Man Existed! I open the box. The remains were found of a From there, I see it! prehistoric reptile long before I really don't know what it is. man existed today. It looks like a bone. The people gather around, excited as a little bluebird I look on the box. beginning to fly. It says "Great Halloween They wanted to see what has Surprise." I call for my mom. happened in the world. They want to see the big bones It smells of horrid, of the huge reptile. drives my brain to its utmost They want to feel the hard point. I have not moved yet. bones, as if they were the biggest brick I hear a slow beat. found. It appears to come from the They want to hear the chip, chip bone. It grabs me with fear. of the hammer, chipping away the muddy I call Mom again. brown dirt. She appears to not have heard They want to taste the wet, me. I feel my heart stop. moist air as the bones enter Frank Summers their new world. They want to see what roamed Boy Has 3 Arms earth before man. Mari Williams A three-armed boy smells like blood, looks like an alien, sounds like machinery. He hears laughter. He sees the world's astonishment. Candice Thurmond

60 Poem How to Know For Sure You're in Sheridan 1 as the motor ran the Harley guns As you drive down 167 we race along highway, into the sun you •11 come upon a large, red barn 2 as we pass a house with a faded old billboard an electric guitar jams on the roof. and kids run by and a door slams A school will let you know for sure-- 3 I wished I were And large crowds of going towards long haired teens that electric sound smoking their cigs playing the chords and drag racing their cars in front of City Hall at night. 4 Just then a sound ran out You •11 also notice a group of music exploded into the night trucks we turn around that look as if their load is too and see a sight large so their tires are flat. 5 our feet scrape the sidewalk Then you •u know you •re in as we stop to look around Sheridan. as we turn Sandy Lowry we hear another sound

6 breaking glass, shattering glass, the music•s gone the sound is ringing the song is gone Sandy Lowry

6 1 The Looks That Make Gals Go Ga-ga

He wore a hard, hand-chiseled face like a statue, the perfect beaming smile like shining sun at morning break. His teeth were as white as fresh pearls out of a clam. He had thick, lavishing black hair to let your fingers roll through. His rugged looks make the girls go wild. His lips were like freshly opened rose petals, his eyes as blue as the Pacific, his nose as cute as a button, his hands as soft as a babe's behind, his fragrance lingering in the morning air. His breath smelled of freshly roasted chestnuts with a tint of mint, his chest as firm as a full grown stud, his skin as dark as a fresh­ baked bun. His jeans fit as tight as the peeling of an apple. As we walked in the morning sun, his lips pressed against mine. Becky Shellnut

62 SPRINGDALE HIGH SCHOOL SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Paul Clark Visiting Writers: James Frank and Lee Durkee

The Farmer Explains Life Untitled

I reckin this world is kinda big. The dim sun rays shine Where I live there's through cracked windows a lot of chickens that go lighting up the dust peck'n round the yard and being swept in circles lay their eggs on the wet by the calm warm wind green grass. The cows just walk around real slow The freshly cut hay is chewing on the big 'ol weeds placed in neat golden and sleeping under them big stacks in the dark loft 'ol trees. The horses run It waits patiently for the free in the field above the cold winds of winter to come big 'ol mountain. And good 'ol Don, my dog, just lays on The tall ladder rests against front porch with his eyes a wall leading to nowhere closed and his tongue a han gin' but to a rusted bucket holding out. on to an old bent nail Dee Ann Wolfe The cows and chickens join A Birth in chorus filling the dung-stained air with The building stands alone; hollow sounds. to walk in is to smell the Thayla Painter oil that is used on leather. The mother has been in labor Untitled for hours now and she is getting tired. The colt The boy walked away from the comes out, its color is house,his mother standing far the color of the sun's behind. Sight of her vanished first shine in the morning. when he walked The colt goes to the mother Through the towering pines. to feed but she has died; He came to a lake there is no movement of the With black rocks surrounding him. ribs to show the He was upset at this point in time. drawing in of breath. Did not know what to do. Robert Langley Or perhaps he did. Toby Cranston

63 Holiness? Untitled

We were supposed to be at The rusted hinges on the army confession. foot locker But we are holy enough, right? Pried open by his grandson's So we set out to find the infamous hands "Scary Tree." Displayed in disarray You know the one with the pink Citation, medals, photos, and bunny on it that says "Burn in uniform, Hell." So we got lost; I know where Never framed, never displayed. it is. So I turned around, we set out to find it again. I promise I On the dusty walls, didn't see the semi. Really, I Where his purple heart could didn't. "If you don't shut up I will have hung, kill us all," I yelled. Finally I Was precariously preserved a found a place to turn off Home made Father's day card and and got both the semi and the 5 children's drawings. other people in the car off my Although he'd received a gold back. The next Sunday I went to watch confession and told him what I For his retirement did. "One Hail Mary," he said. It was the toys we brought him And it has never been brought up That he treasured. again. Denise Pel/in And on that last hunt He brought down the greatest Doctor's Dream buck in the woods And slipped quietly Yes, I am a 100% certified medical into eternity doctor. Before we could brag With spare time, my colleagues on his skill. enjoy a game of golf. At the But that was just like Pop, country club, of course. The joy was in the knowing. We all make the money. It's all Gabe Bowery one fine life. No. Not for this doctor. In my spare time, I like to Life on a Ninja 750 head over to my friend's car shop. I like to get my hands greasy and You feel the air seeping through dirty, to feel the soreness in my your Guess jeans, arm after struggling with a as the asphalt grazes your feet. header bolt that wouldn't come The mosquitos are brave, loose, to have sweat drip from my as they dodge your head. forehead. Now that's a job. Aaron King Jason Lourie

64 The Worth of Glory

Walking down from the dust-covered old stage, sweat dripping from all parts of her body. You can still see the sides of her tired face quivering from the leftover smile. Her knees are shaking as she removes the broken-in black tap shoes from her feet. All the hours of practice for a 3 minute spark of glory. I look down at my own hands red from clapping. I think to myself how I wish to be like her. Then leaving the auditorium I see her climb into a car beaten with time, and wonder what is glory worth? lana Wray

65 VAN BUREN JUNIOR HIGH VAN BUREN, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Mrs. Chotard Visiting Writers: David Pratt and Bob Zordani

Transition Great Aunt Ruby

This town has been a soggy ink You can smell the perfume blot on the ledger book of my life. as you walk near here. My cool, calm, calculated life The wrinkling of her skin has been jerked upside down has the texture of a prune. by hillbilly ways. Her body shape resembles I long for simple city life that of a toothpick. with choking smog and noisy The breathing machine rambles streets. as you enter the room. Steve Ponder You can taste her loneliness in the air as the memories Starfish of her late husband fade. Starfish were never here Amy McGuire until the first meteor shower. A bunch of young, rebellious stars My Father clung to a meteor. It fell into the ocean, I hear the agony of each breath; and they went with it. His weary smile still shows the Their mothers found out pain. and grounded them to the ocean The room is filled with medicine for life. bottles; J. Muehe None really seem to lead the way. His face is slim and pale with Frustration illness; He's like a ghost slipping out of Frustration is a short story sight. you forgot was due. I move closer, studying each small Frustration is the jar detail. that won't come unscrewed. And peer into his broad mind. Frustration is a morning I see the small demons growing you're really late for school. endlessly Frustration is when you don't look through his body, mind, and soul. good, but you really want to They steal the hopes for future be days; cool. I know that he will have to go. Tiffany Yates Julie Steel

66 Starfish A Man

Zeus had been with one of his girls I see a man lying lifeless And was afraid of going home in a hospital bed with machines to Hera, hooked up to every part of his So he drank a little too much body. nectar. Hopping on the stepping stones There are machines feeding him up to Olympus, medicines, He lost his balance medicines of every kind. And fell off. There are machines keeping up Some stars held him up until he with the slow rhythm of his heart, rose beeping with every beat. But they had to shine so hard to do it The antisceptic can be smelled They burned out. down the hall.

Zeus, feeling in debt Finally all the beeping stops Let the stars fall to earth and everything is quiet. And live in the warmth of the sea. Mary Spears All you can hear is the weeping of his wife lying on his shoulder. I Turned My Cheatin' Hubby Into This man is my grandfather. A Pooch Becky Barnett

My husband was whining Tipsy Official Tinkled on Jet again last night. He•s been Passengers, Say Cops doing that a lot since I changed him. He •11 never When the man got on the plane cheat on another woman He should have used the bathroom again. He is now a cocker spaniel. then. He always had big ears anyway. Instead he waited up until You couldn •t really blame him-­ He drank three bottles of straight who would want a wife gtn. with green skin and a Pinnochio He couldn •t hold it any longer. nose. In the aisle he stood and went, Angela Grymer And became one unlucky, lonely gent. Julie Steel

67 VAN-COVE ELEMENTARY WICKES GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM VANDERVOORT AND WICKES, ARKANSAS Faculty Contacts: Betty Walker, Linda O'Connor, and Martha Cathey Visiting Writers: J'laine Robnolt and Heather Doyal

My Dad the Pine-Chip Hauler Suppose Your Grandpa Were a Cedar Tree My dad is hauling chips: crisp crunchy pine chips, You would have a tasty, smelly, and thick-­ lot of needles paper-making pine chips. you would not cut down Anonymous Christmas trees for fire wood. You would The Ghosts in the Apple take all the presents Orchard out there and put them under Bobby is picking and eating him. apples, Jimmy Morris Grasshoppers clinging to his legs, Butterflies floating around his Suppose Your Sister Were a head, Refrigerator Bees buzzing like a telephone receiver. How my imaginary sister had a The ghosts hover around him short life: she was a pig. She was Wishing they could smell big, and fat, and white (because The fresh apples and cut grass. she never went outside). Bobby picks a hard, smooth apple Whenever you bought groceries, A sweet and sour, juicy Granny give her twenty minutes Smith. and the food would all be gone. The ghosts wonder if they If you ever went to get something Will ever taste the apple. to eat, she would close the door 6th grade class poem, Van-Cove and lock you up. If you were nice, she would give you a piece of pizza for the whole family to share. Vivi Dees and Dessie Gagnon

68 Six Ways to Look at a Book Lost Girl Makes a Confession

Old and worn out, In the middle of the night, my like an old pair of jeans. crazy friends and me went to the Pages curl Jiff-E Mart and stuffed toilet like waves in the sea. paper in our trench coats. In our Faded "trick-r-treat" bags, we had all the like sun-bleached hair necessary supplies--eggs, soap, Coffee stains shoe polish--to do the town up from an overflowing cup right for Halloween. Principal Torn and tattered Wilson's was first--eggs decorated from years of handling the windshield of his chevy rather Pen marks nicely. Then on to the school for a from a baby's scribbles. little more window-dressing with Jennifer Billings and Missy snow-white polish, slippery yolks, Watkins and streamers of toilet paper.

Earliest Memories I kicked my feet up once home after our long hours of labor and My sister was jealous because of put my bottle of Kiwi under the her little sister. bed as a trophy. I slept like a So she tried to act big, but it didn't baby and felt good that my civic work. She tried to take care of the work was done. baby. She tried to put powder on Class poem, Wickes her, but she came down the stairs covered from head to toe with An Emergency Room baby powder. She left little white footprints In an emergency room there is and clear spots from tears. at leastone nurse who is very Tony old and very slow and doctors who look as if they A Ditch in a Field haven't been home in about two days. Acres of golden wheat, Even though there are kids crying, a ditch of red clay an people talking, and doctors and rocks, so small you can nurses moving about, it is a silent barely see them. place. It's dark and gloomy Samantha Wilson with towers of tall wheat hovering over it like a father bent over his new born child. Jennifer Billings

69 A Full Campground

It would be full of people. It would smell like rotten food people threw in the river and on the ground. It would smell like burnt wood and you could hear the sweet birds singing and the bothering crickets creaking and hear the children splashing in the river below the mountain. You could feel the heat hitting you on your legs and arms. You could taste the sweet sound of the sweet water in the rivers. Mandy Dickson and Jennifer Bell

70 VILONIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VILONIA, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Jeff Holland Visiting Writers: Steve Yates, James Frank, Randolph Thomas, and Brad Barkley

Stars Thunder

Stars taste like marshmallow Thunder smells like an old car Stars feel like a pound of dirt Riding over a dirt road. Stars look like diamonds Chris Richards Stars sleep like pigs in a car. Joshua Ferris No One Cares

States The green tree Always has green hair. I have to learn the states Hot cool I don't know all of them Is where you'll find it. Oh, help! Please! But be sure to look behind it I can't go to the sixth grade Where no one cares. If I don't know the STATES! Cheryl Murphy Oh, I have to know the states! Ashley Pruett This is Just to Say

How to Know For Sure You're This is just to say in I did not feed the rabbit Vilonia because I forgot. I did not sweep the carpet The old Tom Hill store is by the because it was too hot. church. I did not fold the clothes Teenagers hang around by the because I was bored. drive-in. So I strangled my brother People get groceries at More's with a 53 inch cord. Food Store. I did wreck the car The schools are as big as three and blew up the dog. oceans. But don't worry, Danielle Teasdale I did not go far. Christy Stars

Stars feel like ghosts, Slipping through your fingers. Leah Shannon

7 1 Forgive Me Wrigley Field

This is just to say Where people root for the Cubs, I don't want to lay Running around everywhere dead in my bed you go, or locked in a shed In and out of the stadium, or hit me on the head Getting to blow money 'cause of a PHONE Bll..L. and liking it. Jennifer Wade Letting people take advantage of you. Heart Everywhere you go You have to hold onto your purse The Heart sits in the sky Or you '11 find it running twinkling above the city down the street It always stays in the In someone else's arm. same place. Everyone is buying tickets, But in the morning Littering the ground. it disappears and the star Don't forget your camera. is a valentine Jacki Romine for you. Andrea Matchett Thunder

Farm Pond Thunder would taste like biting a fork Farm pond is where cattle drink. and putting it in a wall socket and A farm pond is a place to catch then flying a kite with a string in fish: redeye, bass, bluegill, and your mouth in a thunderstorm, channel catfish. And the drinking of water My belly is not quite full. When a blow dryer fell in it. Anonymous Please pass the bass, onions and potatoes. Star Nothing tastes as good as fresh fish A star would feel like pouring a done golden brown. big barrel of hot coffee John Rickett on your hand then trying to cool it off, you run Streetlight to a pot of water, which Granny used A streetlight tastes like for warming her feet up and stick raw fish fresh from your hand in it. the lake. Jason Pitts Candice Schrock

72 An Apple Chicago

An apple would sound like a pig, Chicago is like a cub. cow, horse, dog, cat, rat, deer, wolf, How hard the wind roars. fox, person, bee, bear, chicken, Is everybody friendly? kangaroo, buffalo, bird, elephant, Cubs Live at Wrigley Field. giraffe, lion, monkey, donkey, Americans in Chicago wear sox. and a big opera singer. Green lights are never on, it Lared Lowe seems. On the streets live helpless people. This is Just to Say Brent Lee

I did not clean the house. I watched MTV and played video games. I ate the chips for Dad's lunch and had a few friends over. We had a water fight and made up numbers to call and bad things to say. I did not do my homework. We threw rocks at the dog and we even called 911. I'm so sorry, but it was so fun and it's all really true. Clayton Heslep

73 Tammy jenkins Grade 6 Vilonia Elementary

Cats

Cats Are soft. white and fluffy or scummy dingy or dirty but are pets in someways or alley cats in a dingy way. They run. They lay in the sun as they dance in the alley like a runaway raccoon in a slow mood . dancing in the night.

I

74 I:ite and the Bird 0

A bird is like a kite;

It looks over me with keen eye­ sight.

Then is takes its dramatic flight,

And it flip flops Through the night

jennifer Waymack Grade 6 Vilonia Elementary

75 Are like flutes. They whistle high And whistle low. They can imitate. So can flutes. Let me know If you hear a flute Outside in the cold. It's a mockingbird so I'm told.

Brent Lee Grade 6 Vilonia Elementary

76 Sunshine

The sunshine comes tn on shining rays and hovers, waiting over my house and then plunges in on shining bolts of light.

john Rickett Grade 6 Vilonia Elementary

77 The Snow Flakes

Snow flakes are so different from the flakes in your hair.

They sit on the ground just so bare.

They never move till the wind . blows. But the flakes in your hair need a water hose.

Kimber Grundy Grade 6 Vilonia Elementary

78 VILONIA JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL VILONIA, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: Jeff Holland Visiting Writers: Robert M. Wallace, Ian Morris, Jhon Emery, and Jay Prefontaine

Love Jealousy

Love is like a rollercoaster. Jealousy is like a dog. It turns your life upside down It follows you around everywhere. and when you get off you do it It won't ever leave. It stays agam. with you as if it were guarding Kim Hargues you, when actually it's biting If Coach Barnes' Gluteus and scratching you. Maximus Were Jello Jackie Frederick

He would flop around. If Sneakers Were Wigs Bill Cosby would always have room for him. If sneakers were wigs After he ran track, he would still You would get athlete's head. be wriggling an hour after he ran. You would have to cut your And if this were true, shoelaces. Kids would like it too! The crowd at a basketball game Lori Green Would look like a shoestore People would wear The Ocean Nike hair. Erin Wright The light blue ocean Gushes in toward you The Way She Looks As seagulls fly above. The sand dollars as thick My sister is brushing her hair. As mud on a rainy day. She smells the hairspray as it Gay/a Kidd dampens her hair. She blushes like a child at Backyard Poem Christmas. She is thinking about her Dark Brown it is boyfriend with a blackbird and his wallet. in a huge sycamore tree. Clint Watson Kerry Koone

79 Untitled If the Past Were the Future

The black cat scampers We would all know if God were out the door. real. The weary robin rests its little We'd be able to fly before legs. we could fly a kite. Our mischevious cat stalks We'd know that Hitler would kill Up to the old oak tree. millions of people. He waits, he waits. . We'd be learning to read Then, like a flash of lightning after we got into space. He races up the tree To receive his prey. If the future is the past, and the Laura Boyd past is the future, War where is the present? The obvious? War is like a star. To us it looks bright and glorious. If I knew my dad before I was But to the soldiers out in space born It's just a big ball of gas I would know my grandson before Waiting to burn out. I knew my reason for being here. Choioe I'd be living while my children were dying. How to Know For Sure You're In Vilonia If the future is the past and the past The sign will read population 736 is the future, even though there are more. where am I? Houses scatter the edge of Tony Pecinousky Highway 64 You come to the center, no red Hate light to see. There is a small shopping center Hate is like and a small diner, the "Ice Cream A gun to your head; Shoppe." It's easy to do Across from it, there's the service But hard to get over. station Brian Williams with cars around and men and boys, gathering together to talk the hour away. Samantha Sowell

80 Grandfather Soaring Above

My grandfather is preaching My brother is working up a thousand words. on the helicopter. He feels like a spray Sitting in the air base, of flowers, freshly picked. he feels the grease He smells like an old wooden on the metal parts. stove My brother sees the blades burning. turning. He preaches like a cricket He smells the high-density that chirps on and on. fuel burning. He is thinking of all his family, He imagines that he's soaring, great and small. soaring high above. Heather Harper My borther is thinking about gliding gracefully, If Guys Were Dirt weaving in and out of the clouds in the dark night sky. If guys were dirt Sam Langley We would see them everywhere we walked. My Backyard If guys were dirt I would step on every inch of As the cedar trees sway, their bodies. We lay in our hammocks. I would pick up a handful of guys A red bird flies by. and throw them back down. The sky is the color of water. If guys were dirt Samantha Turner I would get a bulldozer And dump them in the ocean And watch them fall to the bottom. There are so many things I could do to them. If guys were dirt. Bekkie Brown

8 1 WEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARAGOULD, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: John Ballard Visiting Writers: James Frank and Grant Vecera

Rules For Trapping Fear My Very Strange Backyard

Turn off the lights and pretend My backyard is a very strange you are asleep. Listen to it creep. place. It has grass like sweaty When it comes into sweat socks. It is a place where the room, hit it on the head tomorrow is today with a broom. and later is now. When it falls to the floor, The bugs look like little pieces of throw it out the kitchen door. diamonds. And it smells like When it is out of your sight, pizza. The dirt tastes like crayons. have no fear, tum on the light. And the air is real cold. Elizabeth White The flowers bloom books, and it rains snow. My Purple Cat The clovers grow red, and the crab grass grows blue. My purple cat flies when she IS The turtles sing and dance, happy. and the snakes jump from tree to She is probably flying about, tree. Bigfoot digs underground, Thinking of eating spinach. and my dog swims underwater. I can hear her purring now. Jacob Adams She loves to feel the wind in her face, My Dad And to eat spinach. Crystal Beasley My dad is vacuuming the house. He is playing with my slingshot My Perfect Backyard while he is making my dog cook dinner. He is making my purple My perfect backyard would cat with a six foot long tail do have a big giant elephant exercises. He is running up a tree with a saddle. I would have right now and jumping off it like a a Burger King where I could get hyena into my grandma's pond. burgers for free. I would have a He is meeting the Little Mermaid cage for mean parents, a jungle in the ice-cold ocean. with lots of snakes like a Boa He is eating a hot dog at the Constrictor and Pythons to eat all library of arcade games. the people I don't like. Jack Ellis Or I could just have a big pool. Jed Lambert

82 My Neighbor's Backyard My Very Strange Backyard

Across the street right next door My very strange backyard New People just moved in. has twenty purple I saw their house and I said monkeys WOW! This looks weird. I They talk Mexican. Walked around back and to my Very early in the morning surprise, I saw they eat frogs. A fish carved out of soap, Very late at night they A man that looks like a giant sing bedtime songs. Potato, a swimming Pool filled with jello, My very strange backyard A 6 ft. high poster of has bright red money trees. An ice cream cone They give all the nice people A bottle of Pepsi 2 ft. high. money. What strange neighbors. At 12:00 sharp they sing Nicole Green to the dogs in French.

Rules In my very strange backyard I have 1. Don't jump on ancient uncles. pink ballet slippers dancing 2. Don't yell at average mice. around. 3. Don't wear a broom to They speak Spanish breakfast. If they hear music they 4. Don't ask for a snake's advice. begin to dance. 5. Don't bathe in chocolate pudding. In my very strange backyard 6. Don't talk to bearded bears. I have blue peanut butter 7. Don't smoke cigars on the sofa. sandwiches. 8. Don't dance on velvet chairs. They speak Australian 9. Don't take a whale to visit At dinner time they Russel's mother's cousin. give me twelve sandwiches. 10. And whatever else you do, it is better you don't. In my very strange backyard Jefferey Beck I would have myself. Amy Pettit

83 WYNNE HIGH SCHOOL WYNNE, ARKANSAS Faculty Contact: George Anne Draper Visiting Writers: Sonya Reeves and J'laine Robnolt

Untitled How to Have a Nightmare

The bright city lights watered Waiting long hours, my eyes, you know it's coming. The city traffic slowed my pace, It's been stalking you Winding hills once again for many days and nights. Changed my speed. If you open your eyes, A short cut to Birmingham it might go away, Was under construction, but it'll always be there ... And the bumpy road yesterday, diseases Caused a tire malfunction. with open sores A hitchhiker named Joe and gushing blood, Helped me out. and today, nuclear bombs I was on my way to killing the children Birmingham of the future. One day late. And I've seen it before, Jeff Caubble many and many times before. Can you prepare for it? Irritation If it comes, will it be relieving? Stephen Robinson You doze on the couch swatting away the buzzing fly; How to Go to Heaven Your cat' s sand papery tongue licks your face; Walk in a graceful way, The taste in your mouth IS Talk in a forgiving manner, thick like hot chocolate Touch in a way as to heal, sediment; Take everything in as Water pings on the pans Happiness, see the world as in the sink. A place to make better. You realize the silence Chris Boger between drops makes you sweat. Class Poem, Brawner JJH

84 Anger Mad Monk Perched on Pillar 42 Years A husband and wife screaming over burnt toast A monk mistook himself while standing with bare feet for a giant parrot, on hot, broken glass. Thinking his baggy suit Class Poem, Draper and Ross was a set of wings. JOH and 12H He climbed high atop a pillar where he rested. Ways of Looking at a Every night for 42 years Basketball A lound squack rang through the town. A globe with every gnppmg Although no valleys were dot representing a different present, place. Everything said was echoed. The monk realized what was A map with lines to lead you to going on, and entered a your destination. psychiatric hospital. Jamie Sims James Barron

Suppose How to Fall in Love

If your mother were a river, Go to a local singles' bar. you'd crave gentle caresses Try the largest church. like a stream flows over Get fixed up with a blind date. softened rocks. Go cruising on a Friday night. The river enlarges Date your boss. and becomes very deep Steal your best friend's carrying ships at night. boyfriend. But at times during a storm Meet a total stranger. it becomes violent and raging; Do your grocery shopping then the storm blows over late at night. leaving the river calm again. Take out an ad in the personals. So you dive in and the water Have dinner with Mrs. Tilda's encompasses you while a drop nephew. trickles down your brow and Play it safe and stay at home. kisses your nose and specks of Relax and let nature take her dirt are swept from the eyes by course, the translucent fibers of the Until you meet your handsome water gliding across the land, prince. widening, bending, Kimberley Hand never-ending. Leslie Proctor

85 Suppose Your Husband How to Be Superman Were a Pillow As you throw your coat His soft, downy feathers would over a puddle Mold to your preference. for a beautiful woman, And when your temper flared splash her with it. You could bury your small fist In his center without hurting When you're standing m line him. at the bank But as the crater from your fist and a man walks in with a gun, Stared reprovingly into your run quickly to the men's room: Downcast eyes, maybe he won' t see you. Slow, regretful tears Would begin to fall. Next time you have a flat, And as the anger began to melt wait for a nice police officer away, to come by and change it You would cuddle up close, and be sure to thank her. And he would accept you once again-- Step quickly into a phonebooth, Just as he always does. while you wait for that strange Anonymous man who has been following you Try It If You Dare to go on by.

Take a crisp January day And as you walk home from Running out into the air work, Where breath is visible pick up that skinny puppy Tiptoeing barefoot over from the alley. The frozen puddles. Take him home Go to a hospital and give him a bowl of Sipping out of the cups leftovers. From the people who are Tracy Adkisson Lying there, switching Through channels. Catch a traveling virus Ducking in front of Coughing people around you. If you aren't half-dead by now Do what most do Fake it and miss a few days of school. Chris Haire

86 13 Ways of Looking at a Bomb

A sphere holding man's anger.

The bomb hits-- a rock hitting the surface of a pond.

Too much information-­ the brain explodes.

Silent ticking-- the baby in the cradle is not afraid.

After the tearless funeral the heart breaks suddenly.

A crumpled coke can among meadow flowers.

Destruction--Negative Energy-­ jealousy destroying self esteem.

Binging after a week-long fast, the bomb splurges.

Like an angry phone message it can't be taken back.

God's wrath for the murderer.

Unexploded, it is a pacifier, a peace weapon, a peace maker.

It brings death to brotherly love.

The nots destroy the silence. The silence is slow to return. Mrs. Jenkins Creative Writing Class Poem

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