Today, we are pleased to announce the contest winner—Siearra at Del Valle Middle School, whose poem “Tiger Mama,” hits on one mother’s toughness, verve, bite, and beauty. Siearra’s poem will be distributed in restaurants across the city, so if you’re taking mom to brunch on Sunday, you may find this beautiful poem—an ode to mothers everywhere—tucked inside your check.

Tiger Mama

She’s like a grasshopper,
hopping in the streets of Hynoon,
eating the guts of insects,
saying, “Clean your room, Siearra!”
She’s like Air Jordans—fresh and tight.
She’s tough as a tiger biker,
always yelling, “Yield!” in the strangest places, like the grocery store.
She’s the Himalayas—courageous and extraordinary, the mountain of wisdom.
She’s always asking me, “How much do you love me, McShorty?”
She loves the taste of dark chocolate.
She’s like poison ivy—contagious in so many ways.

Siearra, seventh grade, Del Valle Middle School

Original artwork by Sarah Meraz.

Today we present one of our finalists, a poem from Adonis at Hornsby-Dunlap Elementary School. With great honesty and humor, it celebrates the unconditional love mothers wield, and stern protection that flares up when we ask for too much. Congratulations, Adonis!

Motorcycle Mom

My mom always sticks with me.
I can always say I had the best birthday.
With her smooth hands, she pats me
___on the back when I can’t sleep.
I can remember her saying, “You, my son,
___you can be anything you want to be.”
I asked her, “Can I be a singer?” Yes!
“Can I own a motorcycle?”
She looked at me. “Are you serious?
___Come on. You want a motorcycle?
___Over my dead body.”

Adonis, third grade, Hornsby-Dunlap Elementary School

Today we present one of our finalists, a poem from Luna at Del Valle Middle School. We were stunned by its depiction of a mother who seems to both obey the rules but defy expectations; she seems to even teeter on invincibility. Congratulations, Luna!

Converse Mum

She’s like a fly,
Always running up and down Dearbonne Drive,
Eating the leftover raw meat.
You better love her.
She loves wearing Converse.
She’s cool, like hot rocks.
She always stops at stop signs.
She’s pretty as a lovely river falling over smooth pebbles.
The way she talks makes me think she was born in the Country of Sarcasm.
Do you love her yet?
She loves the ripe, watery taste of watermelon.
She is a redwood tree.

Luna, seventh grade, Del Valle Middle School

Lo negro de los muertos—
Sin duda a suceder.
Las tumbas se han de
Romper, es lo seguro.
Lo cierto del negro obscuro.

Lo negro de noche oscura,
Naranja de amanecer—
Sus poderes harán tristezas.
Ya la casa estará segura.

English translation:

It is the end of summer
And the harvest is over.
It is the soul and the spirit
That dream.

The black of the dead­—
It will surely happen.
The tombs must
Break, it is certain.

The certainty of dark black.
The black of dark night,
The orange dawn—
Their powers will make sorrows.
The house will already be safe.

Veronica, fourth grade, Barrington Elementary School

Original artwork by Sarah Meraz © 2009. Thanks Sarah!

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Every fall and spring, Badgerdog solicits and publishes occasional poems from its students. This poem by Veronica was the winner of our Halloween poem contest. Congratulations, Veronica!

Fall leaves whirled with the flow of music
like fish in a pond or birds in a flock.

The October vines
keep me trapped like spider webs.

How the color orange covers
the pumpkin is how the feeling covered
my body
like scarecrows covered by black-winged birds.

Tell me, how will I look at you
when morning comes?

Collaborative poem from Del Valle Opportunity Center

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Every fall and spring, Badgerdog solicits and publishes occasional poems from its students. This poem by the students at Del Valle Opportunity Center was one of our Halloween favorites. Congratulations!

Stay tuned for the winning poem on Friday.

Chuy, fourth grade, Hillcrest Elementary School

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Every fall and spring, Badgerdog solicits and publishes occasional poems from its students. This poem by Chuy was one of our Halloween favorites. Congratulations, Chuy!

Stay tuned for more Halloween Contest Honorable Mentions throughout the week and the winning poem on Friday.

Ryan

Every spring and fall, Badgerdog solicits and publishes occasional poems from its students. This poem by Ryan was one of our Valentine’s Day favorites. Congratulations, Ryan!

Stay tuned for more Valentine’s Day Contest Honorable Mentions throughout the week and the winning poem on Saturday.

Original artwork by former Badgerdog student Izzy Lawlor.

Kat

Every spring and fall, Badgerdog solicits and publishes occasional poems from its students. This poem by Kat was one of our Valentine’s Day favorites. Congratulations, Kat!

Stay tuned for more Valentine’s Day Contest Honorable Mentions throughout the week and the winning poem on Saturday.

Dear Bearretta,

I love the way you hug me,
I like the way you look.
It’s funny when you bake a cake,
like a little cook.
I like it when you’re laughing,
a high-pitched giggle.
But I like it most when you are
just plain old rittle.

Love Bearemy

Kevin

Every spring and fall, Badgerdog solicits and publishes occasional poems from its students. This poem by Kevin was one of our Valentine’s Day favorites. Congratulations, Kevin!

Stay tuned for more Valentine’s Day Contest Honorable Mentions throughout the week and the winning poem on Saturday.

Mac

Every spring and fall, Badgerdog solicits and publishes occasional poems from its students. This poem by Mac was one of our Valentine’s Day favorites. Mac wrote the poem in response to a prompt asking him to imagine a love letter between two inanimate objects. Congratulations, Mac!

Stay tuned for more Valentine’s Day Contest Honorable Mentions throughout the week and the winning poem on Saturday.