Rain

by Cameron Dubé
1st Place—Senior Division

It was raining, and it rained and rained and rained,
I did not believe it could ever rain so much,
Granny cried
Which looked to me like raindrops, but I just smiled.

The carpet in the basement was wet
"Squish, Squish"
When I took a step
I helped Granny wipe her tears with a wet towel.

Tiles were falling off of the roof, the rain pooled into the house
Collecting in buckets and all day, Granny cried and cried.
"Drip, drip, drip"
But I just smiled at the sound.

Money was tight at Granny's
But I can't say it made me sad.
Tommy threw me the football, it slid out of my hands
"Splash, splash, splash, splash"
And it continued to rain.

SOS

by Yvette Mejo M'Obam
2nd Place—Senior Division

Sos, I am reaching out to you
Sos as in International Distress Signal
Sos starts with an S like Saada
Saada could have been the name of a Kenyan student killed last Thursday
Sad, is a mere world to describe such a day
Serious very serious, terrorist attacks are more than serious
Saturday I ate an apple while a mother was crying for her daughter
Sunday, I went to church meanwhile a boy named Salim in Iraq went to a Mosque
S.B.D. is the abbreviation for Silent but deadly
Sarin is a dangerous gas that was used under
Saddam Hussein's regime
Soundlessly a smell sneaks up to you and there is neither warning nor chances to escape
"Sang" in French means blood, and as I read the news my blood hurtles through my veins
Safe, there's no such place anymore. Time is hurtling but there is no
Significant changes
Shootings are multiplied
Schools are supposed to be secure environments but
Since the firsts attacks things are no longer what they used to be
Saada didn't die for nothing,
Saada is a wakeup call, reminding us of a pivotal truth: it's time for
Striking revolutions, for visionary transformations
So vast that they can reach anyone, anywhere because it
Shouldn't matter that Salim and I don't go to the same spiritual places
Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish
We are Men and Woman
Meant for greatness
For much more than
Conflicts
I am reaching out to you
Dear Reader
Because the time has come
It is not okay to kill one another
It is not okay that terrorist actions like the school shooting in Garissa
Evaporates like an S.B.D. gas
The attack was deadly but it doesn't have to remain silent
Spread the SOS the World need to know that hope is coming Home

Turn Again

by Sydney Eliot-Wilson
1st Place—Junior Division

Like the fixed hands of an intermittent clock,
no change of course or difference in place;
an untouched key in an untouched lock.
Fastened to the thought of movement once again,
the glow of a dim desire for progression,
we will upon fortitude to ignite a motion
but in return: dull stillness and constant strain
A faded realm of promise that seems just too distant
all visions of confidence are lost,
the weight of defeat abundant on our shoulders,
perpetual roads already been crossed.
Yet we must grasp onto the wisdom of resilience
and recall how Rome was not built in one day,
the venture of self-worth must not be in haste,
endeavour to turn the stubborn hands of the faltering clock,
and turn again they may.

Conversations

by Bridget Overvelde
2nd Place—Junior Division

For the silent and bursting tears
The soccer ball that just narrowly missed
The art so life like that we were all brought to tears

For the races
The gym class tumbles
The long and tiring assignments
Math, Sky-unce (Science) or poetry
There are always haters
Just remember though, poetry haters
A dozen verses just for you.