my first time winning an award

Nature has always been something I’ve always loved and resonated with, and I’ve always wanted to write a piece expressing that. A couple months ago, we had to write a poem to submit to a writing competition and the first thing that came my mind was to write a sonnet about nature. As I started writing, my intention wasn’t to even make it something everyone else would like (which is what I usually aim for), but instead to write my admiration for the beauty I imagined when I wrote my poem, “A Beautiful Circle of Life” :

The wind sways the trees and carries its leaves

To the rushing river that welcomes its gifts. 

The water carries the leaves down the stream

And to the colorful and happy fish. 

 

Fish smile at the beauty the leaves bring

Spreading admiration far through the stream.

And as other animals come to drink,

They taste the joy touching their tongues with peace.

 

Spreading that same peace through their home with pride

And as it reaches to the birds, they sing.

They sing pure joy that soothes the ears outside, 

Outside their home, into the world they bring. 

 

The cycle of nature connects with joy

Spilling to the world for all to enjoy.

 

I was proud of this poem, not because I thought it would win anything; but because I felt like it came from me and it was different from what I usually write. My mom always told me I should try to write more positive things, but I never seemed to find inspiration to do so. After looking inside myself and finding that I have such a deep appreciation for nature, I decided I should write about that. After completing it, It gave me such a sense of accomplishment to go back and read it because sonnets are kinda hard to write (lol), and I challenged myself to write about something I thought I never could. After a couple months of turning it in to the competition, I completely forgot that I submitted it in the first place until I got an email from my teacher, Mrs Sibley:) To my surprise, my poem placed 3rd in the competition! I was so shocked and exited that I had actually won something in my writing and am still so thankful for the recognition it received. It has really caused me to look at my experience as a student at MSA and see how much I’ve truly grown in my writing.

Thank you guys for all the support you have given me and I hope you all have a great week!