Together with the $10 Lizzy won last year for her first-place poem, she has now earned $11 for her poetry, which is probably more than she has earned in any other single activity yet in her life. Although we're grateful and it's good motivation for Lizzy, I question the economic system that this program models for the students. All these artistic kids are growing up with the impression that poetry and art are viable money making enterprises...
Anyway, after the ceremony, we perused some of the other entries in the contest, and I noticed that in his entry one boy (fourth grade, I think) had identified three things as being examples of beauty: books, video games, and TV. Further proof that beauty is in the eye of the beholder... and to a 9-year-old boy (or a 39-year-old boy, for that matter), what could be more beautiful than a glowing screen?
On our way home, the song "I Need You" by America was playing on the car stereo. I joked to Lizzy as we got out of the car that this is a song you sing after you hit someone with your knee while running around on a playing field: "I kneed you."
With barely a pause, Lizzy chimed in, "No, this is the song you sing when you're making bread: 'I knead you.'"
We had a good laugh and brought the CD in the house where we continued listening to the song and made up our own version of the chorus:
- I need you.
When I'm making yummy bread,
You know I knead you.
When I kick you in the head,
You know I kneed you.
I need you.
Anyway, enough of that. Here's Lizzy's beauty poem:
- Beauty Is a Springtime Flower
Beauty is a springtime flower,
beauty is a strong wind's power.
Beauty is a meadow green,
beauty is a mountain scene.
Here's what I'm saying so you can understand me,
Beauty is nature, you see!
And here's the music video for "I Need You," in case you need your 70s music fix after that allusion above...
The "kneady" version of that America song has been a running joke in my family for years - I'm glad we aren't the only ones who like to play with lyrics.
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