Poetry winners from left to right: Raquel Knight, Kelly O’Neil, Dylan Lu, Romalda Rhodes
By NATALIE SANDROCK
Student contributor
Valentine’s Day arrived at Cranberry High School with an annual poetry contest. Students were given two prompts, Valentine’s Day and Anti-Valentine’s Day. Poetry submissions were judged and winners in both junior high and senior high were selected.
First place for junior high went to Raquel Knight with her poem “Valentine’s Day” and first place for senior high went to Dylan Lu with his poem ”The Search for Oasis”.
Senior high’s second place went to Kelly O’Brian whose poem was titled “Remembering” and third place went to an anonymous student who called her poem “The Greatest Risk.”
Prizes for winning included a trophy, stickers, candy, and first place winners received a stuffed animal.
Here are the winning poems:
1st place – senior high
“The Search for Oasis” by Dylan Lu
Love is an ageless thing,
Like the rough desert sand,
Shifting and changing,
Dispersing through the land.
Some dunes seem timeless,
Others blow away,
Each built on moments of eternity,
Like when cherries blossoms in May.
From time to time, sand solidifies,
These moments formed into stone,
They can grow into cliff faces,
Or simply erode.
Brick by brick,
These moments amassed,
Can be laid into foundations,
Or pyramids built to last.
Though these monuments hold beauty,
And magnificent tales,
The flowing sands hold no mercy,
Nor do the bitter, brisk gales.
Despite this, the journey’s worth taking,
Within these grains is a way to feel whole,
Beyond these harsh winds and sandstorms,
May await the other half of your soul,
In an oasis out the desert’s toll.
2nd place – senior high
“Remembering” by Kelly O’Brien
Remember the leaves falling?
The gold ones, silver ones,
And a blood red leaf drifting, just like us.
Remember the crystal snowflakes?
Gently they floated,
just like the dress you wore years before this hell,
looking lovelier than a southern belle.
Remember the pictures we took?
You and me were caught in a spring scene,
with flower blossoms in your hair
and a smile brighter than the sun.
Remember our aimless walks
and meandering talks?
The world burned and turned,
all while life spiraled down, down.
Ash in the sky,
Bodies left to die.
The acid rain poured, sizzling and splashing.
As my last breath dies out,
I hope you remember.
3rd place – senior high
“The Greatest Risk” (anonymous)
You really can’t blame others
when love fades away
for we knew from the beginning
that it never promised to stay
you may end up with a broken heart
but remember this was what you signed up for
from the very first start
it’s just one of those things
where the stakes are high
because sometimes it’s forever
and sometimes it’s goodbye
there’s only so much that you can give
and if that isn’t enough
then you must continue to live
life doesn’t last long enough
to lock away your heart
just because it forced
two loving people apart
throw yourself into life
and never stall
for the greatest risk
is to risk nothing at all
so for now endure all of your pain
because if you want see the rainbow
you must wait for the rain
1st place – junior high
“Valentine’s Day” by Raquel Knight
Valentine’s Day is only 4 days away
Gather up for all loved ones
Just wait for the day
They love you tons
Singing and laughing
Chocolates and sweets
Asking and bragging
Then loved ones meet
I love you to the moon and back they say
You sit and listen
Hoping they won’t go away
Them asking for your permission
Then you say Happy Valentine’s Day
Natalie Sandrock is a student at Cranberry High School and a member of Cranberry Chronicles, the school’s journalism/publications class.
