Sing the words PDF W: COVER.2

Entries
from the
2017 Elaine
Wetterauer

Writing
Contest

1

"Sing the Words"

Student Writing from the 2017
Elaine Wetterauer Writing Contest

THE ELAINE WETTERAUER
WRITING CONTEST

Each year, Seattle Arts & Lectures’ Writers in the Schools
(WITS) program holds a writing contest open to all stu-
dents grades K-12 who attended a WITS partner school
in the 2016/17 school year.
Contestants submitted original poems, stories and comics
based on the title of SAL author Jesmyn Ward’s novel,
“Sing, Unburied, Sing.” The theme “Sing, _____, Sing”
allowed students to explore the subjects of yearning,
struggle and hope in relation to their personal experiences
and to reflect on the world around them. Students were
encouraged to fill the blank space with something that
they will call to “sing” through their poetry, prose pieces
or comics.
This year's winner is Madeline Lee, and our second
place finalists are Sophie Anderson and Vincent Ryser.
Our editors were struck by the profound range of wit and
wisdom reflected in this year's contest submisions, and col-
lected in this chapbook are other outstanding submissions
from student writers. We were moved and inspired by
these young writers' words, and we're excited to celebrate
these creative young minds collected in this book.

Cover Art and Poetry by Indra Ram-Greenberg, 8th grader at Hamil-
ton International Middle School.

Contest Winners

4

Sing, Mother, Sing

by Madeline Lee
Contest winner

Nathan Hale High School, 10th grade
sing, Mother, sing
sing to me
before you leave me
sing about your tears
puddling up in your eyes
sing the high notes
and
sing the low notes
sing I the dark, abandoned
streets of China
sing the chorus
of guilt and sorrow
sing about the life
I will have
sing to God, praying
someone will find me
sing about how I will
never know you
sing the words
I will never understand
sing with the hope
that I will forgive you
sing, Woman, sing

xx

5

Sing, Soul, Sing

by Sophie Anderson
Finalist

Blue Heron Middle School, 6th grade
My song is a shapeshifter.
At time my song is a lone tiger
blending into parched grass, unnoticed,
Invisible.
Then it stretches into an amber mustang,
prancing about in the tall swirling plain.
Blue sky. Warm wind whisking
its mane into the air.
Soaring. Wild. Free.
Then my song goes pitch black … nothing.
Out of darkness appears a glowing spark.
It crawls, wobbly, into the dark. Gone.
Foom!
My song erupts into a bright fire.
Licking the dark
with long greedy tongues
as if licorice.
A fizzing light in the darkness.
My song sprays sparks
Of hope to all … powerful.
Nothing can stop my song.

6

Sing, Nature, Sing

by Vincent Ryser
Finalist

Alki Elementary School, 5th grade
The eagle swoops
down from its tree.
One of few in sight.
It glides to the river
for a sip of water.
It is dirty, like a hunter’s destiny.
After the sip of water,
he turns towards the sky.
He swings his wings high up in the sky
blocking the sun’s orange rays,
as he claims the high ground.

7

Stand-out Contest Submissions

8

Sing, Black Girl, Sing

by Ruth Aramde
Nathan Hale High School, 10th grade
Sing, black girl, sing
Don’t let them tell you you’re singing to loud
Always remember talking right is not talking white
Never be afraid to show them you are proud
Sing, black girl, sing
Wear your hair out
And be cautious of those curious hands,
Be quick to escape those subtle fingers, intertwining in
your curls
But, girl you better not shout
Don’t be that angry black girl
That angry black girl they are waiting to see
Pushing every button, asking every question, waiting to for
you to be who they see on tv
But don’t let them get under your skin, your melanin
Because your smooth chocolate pigment is too sacred to
be poisoned
Sing, black girl, sing
Don’t let them doubt your intelligence
Although you gotta work twice as hard
To shine your black excellence
Sing, black girl, sing
Sing for your brothers and sisters that are no longer able
to sing for themselves
Sing for Sandra and sing for Trayvon

9

Because we don’t know what some of these cops be on
Supporting a system that’s broken
Not hearing our words that are spoken
Sing, black girl, sing
Sing your song that no one else can sing

10

Sing, little Nightingale, sing

by Kevin Myrtil
Hamilton International Middle School, 8th grade
Your voice is like music to my ears
The key that unlocks the new day that I’ve been looking
for, for all these years
Can you not here all of those Applause and cheers of
those who love you dear
Nor my cries and tears of losing you, which is my greatest
fear
I know you love me, care about me, and would had done
anything for me
Even if it would meant diving in the deep blue ocean, in
the middle of the sea
But my love for you will always be shining brighter than a
thousand stars in the middle of the night
Greater than millions of glowing light under the
moonlight
Stronger than of vicious dog’s bite
More powerful than the fairy godmothers Magic at the
end of midnight
Yes, I love you
Without your perfect plumage, what would I do
With a brain as big as mine, would it be true
Would you love me too
If it is,
Than sing,
Sing louder than the Tiger growl
Louder louder than Elephant trumpet

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Louder louder than Lion roar
Sing, little Nightingale, sing

12

Sing, Forest, Sing

by Veronica Colin
Hamilton International Middle School, 8th grade
There was a time the forest wasn’t filled with
fear. A time that remains only in our hearts when we
sing. Ever since I was a calf, a little baby elephant, I was
taught to help, taught to stand tall. With a forest so big,
its important not to forget you’re not the only one there.
As simple as it seems its remarkable how overlooked it
is that others are trying everyday to survive just like us.
Back then we were seen as not as a factory yet a puzzle
needing every piece, every animal in the rainforest to be
complete. We sang the history of our lives together and if
one animal was silent, one puzzle piece missing, it was a
silence so loud everyone could hear it.
When I grew up, I had to experience life as a
lonely battle. If it wasn’t for the unconditional love of the
rainforest I would have been lost a long time ago. A place
once loved, now a place feared. The animals, the ones
who are alive of course, only seem to look after themselves
now but I don’t blame them, I do the same. The silence is
deafening, everyone can hear it. I can see the loss in their
eyes that no else can. The same loss I share, the loss of
good times.
On the outside I’m just as elephant, small and
forgotten but what they don’t know is that when I cry, I
sing. I sing for my family, who taught me how to hunt and
now; how not be hunted. I sing for the forest that gave me
a home. I know I’m not the only one as long as there are
whispers in the air. Remembering the sweet harmony of
the rainforest reminds me of life’s purpose when I start to
question it.

13

When the days turned colder, and the birds
stopped chirping, the forest called out to me. When the
rivers dried up, when the trees fell down, my voice only
grew louder. I screamed for the rainforest, I cried for my
home but most importantly I sang for all those forgotten
souls. Passed on to the wind, just like how it was passed on
to me I gave the forest my best and the forest knew it.
The more time that passed by the louder I
became. Although I sing, I’m tired of being alone, I’m
tired of hearing the songs of others grow weaker. I’m
angry at the fires, I’m angry at the people who caused the
forest’s suffering. I was about to give up but then I heard
another one’s cry. I paused, confused. I’m not alone after
all.
How foolish of me to forget the one thing I was
taught to remember. I’ve never been alone, there’s always
been someone. Someone else crying when I was. How
could I not hear? When I find that lonely soul I will join
them in song and when it’s our turn to stop we’ll just smile
and leave. Bringing with us the whispers of our people
saying, sing forest sing.

14

Dear Reader

by Brooke Laur
Catharine Blaine, 6th grade
Dear reader,
I wish for you that you don’t
sit around
counting the days gone good bye.
I wish for you happy living,
and that each step you take is wise & well thought out.
I wish for you to smile under the glowing
stars, smiling & laughing until you sleep.
I wish that as a human you will try and
try to show kindness & follow the golden rule.
I wish for you to push what you think is
capable out the door, gone & good bye.
Remember the hands you used to hold
Remember the shoulders you used to cry on
Remember the times spent by the ones you love.
Remember your roots
and don’t drift far from home.
Know that you’re loved like no other
Know that you’re more important
than gold & diamonds
Know that you smell fine, just like
flowers
and that every taste you eat
is for you.
Please know that people care about
you & everything you say

15

The Singing For Today

by Vail Coots
Seattle Children's Hosptial, 4th grade
Sing when music is playing
In the car, on the way to run some errands.
Sing when a good song
On the movie you are watching comes on.
Sing, even if others do not think
You have talent.
Sing with the courage of a wolf,
Deep in the winter forest
Howling to its pack members.

xx

16

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by Ian Gunnell
Seattle Children's Hospital, 6th grade
Sing like you just got a new puppy.
Sing like you found your favorite gaming system, Xbox1.
Sing like you’re playing board games with your family,
Apples to Apples.
Sing when your family goes to Disneyland.
Sing when you see your first Seahawks football game.
Sing when you get to play Nerf Wars with your friends.
Sing with pride.
Sing with your family around Christmas time.
Sing with your siblings.
Sing because it makes you happy like a helium balloon.
Sing because it’s the right thing to do.
Sing because it’s the thing that brings us all together.

17

Life Will Go On

by Kate Herndon
Catharine Blaine, 6th grade
Another day
Another sweat
I go outside to see our yard
transformed into a giant puddle.
Our crops have flooded
our dog is wet
But life goes on.
We round up the cattle
we get out the boats
And life goes on.
We cross the puddle
like a little kid in rain-boots
jumping in a puddle
The day is done
all is well
Another day
Another sweat.

18

Sing, Voice, Sing

by Izzabella S.
Blue Heron School
My voice refuses.
But I push.
The voice wasn’t raspy;
It was anything but.
The voice shakes but
doesn’t fall.
The song is sturdy.
But it stops.
Silence.
The silence was listened to,
but not heard.
Birds.
Their song starts.
My voice continues.
They sing with my tune.
Rushing water sounded in
the background.
My speed increases.
So do the birds.
It was no longer a song,
but a poem.

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