Book Bonanza poetry winners announced

The following are the poetry winners from the Book Bonanza, which was held last weekend at the Cottonwood Creek Mall.

Students and adults competed in poetry competitions, and numerous authors were on hand to sell their books and talk to people about the publishing industry.

(1st place,

children's division)

Fooling With Words

By Sophie Weipking-Brown

One day -- yesterday (I think),

my little brother came to me.

He said, "Sal, I learned the alphabet."

"Well, say it," I replied.

And to my horror and dismay,

"A" was after "J" and "K,"

"E" was after "I" followed by "Z" and Y."

He saw my horror, he saw my dismay,

but he kept on reciting it "T," "F," and "O."

Then eye started to cry out of one I,

yet he still kept on reciting, "D" after "P."

But then -- oh glory -- he came to a stop.

Bad news is, it ended with a "pop."

"Hey that's not a letter, please make me feel better.

Eye feel that eye must say it right if ever eye'll be better.

Oh help me get out of this fright."

So I said it: "B" after "A" and "Z" after "Y."

At last, I'm feeling all right.

(1st place, high school)

SWISH!

By Olivia Jarratt

It's like a slap in the face

A kick in the junk

Like finding out that despite pictures

We never really were on the moon.

A closet life!

Everyone has one

And everyone else wants to know it until they find out.

It's like finding out that the biggest goody-two shoes is actually

the biggest threat to the world as we know it.

Like that granny over there …

Walking along with that cane

and those extra huge blue hair glasses.

At first glance you would think, "poor poor grandma"

But don't be fooled,

For underneath that act is a secret agent who's trying to take over the world.

She wants to come into your home

and contaminate the minds of your family

making them think in all rhymes and onomatopoeias.

SNAP CRACKLE POP

TICK TOCK

PLOP PLOP FIZZ FIZZ

AHHHHHHHHHHHH

And on Monday she goes back to a granny

Walking with a cane

Talking with a twain

Until …

WOOSH comes the wind

And ZAP comes the bind

POP goes the tire

SNAP goes the wire

She becomes the lady

Who makes me afraidy

BOOM she's in my head

BANG she's in my bed

How do I get her gone?

Why is she a con?

WOH! Why is my mind thinking (and drinking)

In all rhymes and onomatopoeias?!

(Adult winner)

Bare Bear Facts

By Millie Spezialy

"Bear out!" a voice boomed, loud and clear,

As a shaggy brown bear did appear.

"Bear with!" screamed a man in terrible fright,

When the powerful bruin hugged him tight."

"Bear upon," came a low, frightened murmur,

As the bear sat down on Melvin Turner.

There was an awful "bearish sound,"

Then silence filled the sky and ground.

Melvin's family stood at the courtroom bench,

Demanding to know where Melvin went.

The missing persons report says right here,

That Melvin Turner has disappeared.

Can anyone "bear witness" to what happened that day,

When Melvin Turner slipped away?

"Yes," said the hiker with a somber face,

What I saw may "bear upon" this case.

Melvin entered "bear country" as I ambled out,

His pack full of tofu, granola and sprouts.

Whoops and hollers and bellows and roars,

Soon echoed across the valley floor.

When "bears out" to avoid become bear's stew,

Stay out of bear country. It's the smart thing to do.