Recently author/poet Beth Kephart had a poetry contest on her blog and Jill Santopolo, senior editor at HarperTeen was the judge. To my surprise, I won! I thought I would repost the original poem here.
It was written when I began to work on my latest MG verse novel MTLB. I had stalled on that book for a while but now I find myself thinking about this character again and wanting to get to know him a little bit better.
Searching for the boy
I find him
not running
not hiding
but standing
up
for someone who is
not him
for someone who is
like him
for someone who
doesn’t know
how
to stand up for himself.
Not recognizing
their very sameness
he fights
for what
he
doesn’t want
to be.
© Susan Taylor Brown, 2009
Irene Latham has the round-up for this week’s Poetry Friday.
Congratulations, how very cool!
Thank you.
Very nice poem and very nice news. Congratulations, Susan!
Thanks it was a thrill for me.
Love it. Congratulations, Susan!!
Thanks, Jama.
Powerful poem – Congratulations for the win!
That’s a wonderful poem, Susan.
And wonderful affirmation.
You’re listening, right?
I’m trying to listen. Sometimes it’s a little hard to hear but I’m trying.
And thank you.
Oops, that last Anonymous was ‘Violet’
Congratulations, Susan! Love the poem, too!
Thanks so much.
Yay for you! See, you are a poet (you just didn’t know it). Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
Cute. And thanks!
Congratulations, and very nice work!
Thank you, Kelly.
Congratulations and thanks for sharing this.
Thanks for reading.
Oh! Fighting for what he doesn’t want to be… oh boy does that resonate! Keep going with this one!
Thank you, Irene. I am glad to get excited about this project again.
Brilliant!
Well done, great poem. is this the boy who was refusing to cooperate earlier?
I must get my head out of this holiday loll and start some real work again.
Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Keely
Re: Brilliant!
Thanks Keely. Nope, this is a different one. My head is filled with boys of late. :0