OPEN-MIC RHYME, SLAM, OR SCRAWL

The Penn Foster Poetry Committee is pleased to announce My Soul Cries by Valerie Franklin as the winner of the Newsletter Poetry Competition. The runner up is Work Boots by Dana Blake. Congratulations to Valerie and Dana!

We received many entries that offered an array of experience, skill, and passion. Our judges were especially impressed by these two poems. Are you interested in submitting a poem? Here are the two winning poems.

My Soul Cries!

We all need to find a good sense of self
In this world primarily ruled by wealth
Cause all that glitters is not gold
And even gold can tarnish and fade
We decide to degrade our character
When all we see is green
It seems so obscene
When money is not clean or pure
It’s just the allure of the finer things
Do you know the power of what a kindhearted smile brings?
Or because I’m not flashy
are you just looking past me
Being so preoccupied
with where I reside in comparison to you
Ain’t it embarrassing for you?
That your wallet needs to speak
Because your mind cannot comprehend
The words that I say and the message that I send
Oh my soul cries out for you
Each and every one of you
Who let greed determine happiness
I feed on all this bitterness
For my opportunity to educate and teach
Hoping that together we can reach
Something more profound
Than the common ground
Of financial hardships and achievements
Let us use our education and intelligence
For the betterment of our generation
And the ones to follow
Why must we be so shallow
And not extend a hand to our youth, our future representatives
Because clearly our time here is tentative
Oh my soul cries out for you
Each and every one of you
Who decide to follow the lead
of the illusion of greed
And not God!

— Valerie Franklin

“I am Valerie Franklin of Westminster, MD. I am currently enrolled in the Associate Degree in Accounting Program and never thought I would enjoy school so much. I have been writing since I was age 13, and currently I am 28. I have once performed a poem in an Open Mic Night at a local club and thought I would share my words. Enjoy!”

Work Boots

These are my work boots;
Cowhide leather,
Rubber soles,
Two laces that don’t match.

The black dirt and grease are spread around just above the soles,
Creating a mosaic of darkening that only time could put there.
In the back there are the black pads;
That’s the part I like best.

How did these boots get this way?
With yard work, carpentry or trips to the dump?
Mostly yard work I think.
They’re still excellent for yard work.

Where have these boots carried me?
Across the block? To the mall? An open mic?
Not likely.
But they make me look tough even though I’m not.

How old are they now?
I’d say about three-and-a-half years.
My uncle gave them to me.
How much longer will they last?

They seem to be balanced just right;
And they’re easy when I work on my knees.
I wore them just yesterday
And I’ll wear them again today.

The tag says ‘Brahma Boots: The Name to Trust.’
No doubt these were the discount boots
With no steel toe
But I think they’re still golden

Although not in color;
At least not anymore.

— Dana Blake

“I am a recent graduate of the Penn Foster Home Remodeling and Repair Program. I would like to become a cabinetmaker soon. I am currently looking for work as well as completing projects around the house. Before I took an interest in remodeling, I was a writer. I first become interested in writing as a middle school student. I feel I think like a writer. I get a rush out of it.”

“I earned a B.A. degree from the University of New Hampshire, after which I moved to California to be with family. After struggling with paying the bills and trying to get noticed, I returned to my beloved New England. I play guitar, and I can sometimes be seen on stage at local coffee houses and lounges. I’m interested in developing my skills as a carpenter and in getting published.”

The Penn Foster Newsletter would like to feature your original poems in the student newsletter. Do you have a way with words and rhymes or perhaps Haiku? Please email your submissions to [email protected]. Please enter "Open Mic" in subject line. You must include your name, student number, and a short bio, including your city and state. Winners will be featured in the upcoming Student Newsletters!