March Madness
Ed DeCaria at Think Kid, Think! has once again organized a crazy poetry tournament. Competitors have 36 hours to write kids’ poems using ridiculous words given to them by Ed. Outcomes are determined by those who visit the website and vote. Winners advance to the next round (like the March Madness basketball tournament). The whole tournament takes a few weeks.
My first-round word was hubris. (My opponent’s word was chisel.) I wrote two poems. You can find the first at the tournament website.
Here is the second:
The Girl in the Hole
There once was a girl with great hubris,
Who exclaimed without shame, “I can do this!”
When she came to a hole,
She leaped (like a mole)
And found that she’d been quite amiss.
(c) Elizabeth Steinglass, 2013
When you have a free moment, visit the tournament, read some great poetry, and vote!
For more Poetry Friday, visit Check It Out.
Fun image! I think you made the right call, though, about which poem to send over to MM. Love the voice and thoughtfulness of the Salk one…! Thanks for sharing both.
Cute! But I agree with Robyn that you chose the right one for the tournament. It’s been fun reading some of the poems left on the cutting room floor though.
Interestingly, all the boys/men in my life preferred the limerick, while all the girls/women, including myself, preferred the Jonas Salk poem.
I liked this one, too, but I’m voting with the girls. Looks like your match will go down to the wire….hope you’re up for more madness!
Hi, Liz. I’m glad I’m not the only one who wrote multiple poems and blogged the abandoned ones! Thanks for sharing your extra hubris poem. I agree — you chose the right one for MMP.
Interesting. I prefer the Salk poem, too. I’ll have to ask my husband which he likes more…
Fascinating. I prefer the Salk poem, too. I wonder which my husband would prefer?
Both poems are very strong – just like YOU for throwing your hat into the ring in this tournament. =)
I’m proud of you for going against the diddly dee grain of the competition with your Jonas Salk poem–and you won! Although I gotta say I liked what your opponent did with chisel a lot, too. Congratulations.
Interesting how the gender lines were drawn! I like them both!!
I like both of your hubris poems. Congratulations on winning!
Is it hubris to say that I’m a 15-year-old male and I prefer the Salk poem?
It can impact you strongly, which can benefit the minds of 20,000 every year.
It can isolate thoughts of impossibilities, crush ’em, and throw ’em out the window
To purge low-self esteem from the earth.
Was it hubris?
Or was it a really inspiring poem?
p.s. May I know which poem you wrote first? Just curious 🙂
Gloson,
Thanks for your words of appreciation and for pointing out that boys can, of course, like serious poems.
I wrote the Salk first. I think I felt some pressure to write a light, funny poem.
In the second round I submitted a funny one but maybe I should have gone with something more serious?
All the best,
Liz
You’re most welcome! Or maybe those boys like to see girls falling into holes like moles. Haha. =P
Ahh, I see. To me, the poem you wrote in Round 2 was 70% serious, 30% funny. Hitting snooze buttons is serious business! Good job! All the best! =)
Subscribed to this blog and am looking forward to reading future poems!
p.s. Please delete the extra comment I made. I thought my comment didn’t go through and retyped it. Thanks!