Georgia river of words : 2001/2002 winning art & poetry journal

Georgia
RIVER OF WORDS2002w1NNINGART & POETRYJOURNAL
Tbepreparationolthisjoumalwasfinancedinpart th roughagranllromtheU.S.Environmenlal Protection Agencyunder provisionsolSection319(h)ofthefedera1CleanWaterActol1987,asamended.
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W1NNING aRT & POETRY JOURNAL

RiVERoF~

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WiNNING aRT & POETRY JOURNAL

2002

A program coordinated by Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division Project WET
Georgia Center for the Book
lundodlnparl byagrantlrom ThaS t ,buc-QFounda Uon

River of Words (ROW) is an international poetry and art project designed to nurture respect and
understanding of the natural world. Students are encouraged to learn their "ecological address" by honing their observation skills and describing their "place In space" through poetry and art.

River of Words is a K-12th grade watershed study sparked by the former U.S. Poet Laureate, Robert Hass, and writer/director Pamela Michael. Student poetry and art are entered in the National River of Words competition (Deadline: February 15 - www.riverolwords.org). Winners are announced in April. All students who enter receive a certificate from ROW. National Grand Prize Winners (8 students annually) receive a trip to Washington, O.C. and are recognized at the Library of Congress. National winners and finalists have been selected from Georgia every year since 1997!

The Georgia River of Words Project is coordinated through Georgia Project WET (Water Education for

Teachers) Program and the Georgia Center for the Book. ROW Teacher's Guides and Journals are provided

free of charge to educators. When students' original poetry and art are returned from the National

competition, they are entered in the State competition. National and State winners are recognized by

Georgia Project WET and the Georgia Center for the Book at an Awards Ceremony. Poetry and art are on

display in the Georgia River of Words Exhibition for one year. The Exhibition travels to schools, nature

centers, conferences, water festivals, libraries, parks, and state buildings.

For more information contact

--WET
Emironmenbl Protection 0mslon 42201rrtemmon.lPrtway,Suitl!101
Albnta,Georgia30354 (4041675-1638

GeorgiaCentet"fortheBook DeblbCountyPublicUbraiy
215S)'camoreSt. ~tur,Georgu,30030
1404137~50

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Abele, El l o f ' Y - - - - - -~ ........................... 9 Assini,Nicole AsSini,Tyler _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~ - - - 9 , 1 0

Baker, Travis

8

Berger,Rus s e l l ~ - - - - - - - - - - ll Brasher.Zack _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 12

Center, Nicole

11

Conner, Adam

10

Degroot, Meghan

18

Dennis, Alexis

16

Dreggers, Nathan

12

Fennell, Han nah _ _ __ _ _ __ _ __

Floyd, LaKeehia

14

Ford, Madison Emma

15

Foreyth, Michae J _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ __

Greathouse, Brea na

13

Greenwell, Aaron

... 16

Harding, Isabel

15

Hill, Elisha.Vontrell Kate

13

Irvin, Kayla

....... 12

Latner,Scott _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Lim, Chaneereyeratna _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Marschall, Wythe _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Mohamed, Riyad

15

Nev.rell, Alexander Grey

17

Nowling, Meredith

15

Paparelli, Nicholas

........... to

Peace.Madison _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Polhemus, Jason

13

Powers.Madison-----------

Qualey,Jenniter - - - -- -- - - - Rothwell.Aya _ __ _ _ _ __ _ __

Salehi.Shiva _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ __

Siebels, Lindsay _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ 14

Skinner, Michelle

6

Smith. Elizabeth Sheridan _ _ _ __ _ _ ,.,......... 4

Tanner. Corinne

17

Tezza, Trey

8

Tsuji, Koichiro

18

Westby,Elizabeth _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Wilson ill, Randy

18

Yanez, Amanda E.

17

Cover Artwork by: Jennifer Qualey

NATiONAL
GRaND *
PRiZE *
+- WiNNErS


ElltabethSherldanSmllh 12th Grade
Druid HlllsHJghSchool Atlanta
Teacher:EllzabelhEp!H!S NatlonalGra nd Prila Wlnne r

the simple life

The crossroads to heaven make you feel like stones. The roots of your ashes are like mountains.

--

The d irty c ountry road makes the sky ahead look yellow.

The kingdom of green blooms in a special red way .



The fog upon the pond is in silence unknown only two people know the stairs to roses.

My father floats In the atr traveling like steel makmg echoes that are getting closer



. . . .- - - -~-~- ,. * ..J~ ...... The crickets make way to stars, the starsareliketraffic onan old silvery, ramy day, and

~;-;:,**~* *~*


"WINTER WARBLER" Michael Forsyth 8th Grade Entered individually Peachtree City

ThE Eclat o! sunlight
in jaNuary
5.c,rv.e,.f.;.......,s I sfe.QI Q look ;..,fo fke. _r..-de...,
Jus} <>1.1fs;de. ""J }Qll double.-w:ndows
Wke...-c. be.yoPO'ld s}~ ,l-t.,e, ,:;.;};e,s W1d ,l-t.,e, }..-c.es

At"ld I ,:;.a,..,'f }e,U U...c. d;ffc...-e.nc.e. E..xc::.e.pf fo 1-,e,Q,.. U...e. f,,.;..,}e,s} ,:.,..;e,s f,.."' fke. fo,.........,,..
Arid Sme-11 #le. fGll'l3y sap of fke. !QH&..-

At"ld Q pe...fc.c..f }e,Q,.. of ,..Q;rl fQIIS ;r1fo -fi..lc. ,:...-C,QSe. of my <>1.1fsf..-e.f,:.l,,e,d palm
AS U...e. QUSfe...-e. 51<:,;e,5 ~ ; } GI ,:..le,,..;,::.,,.\ e...-..-o..-
To ;MQ3;..-.e. I 1-,Qve, ..-oofs o..- ,::.;sfc.o,-w,,.ns
!'/ At"ld J ,:;.<i ~...... fee.I ff.le f..-c.rnble.
of Q 1-,ut"ld..-e.d b;n;on yc:\Ss-blGlde.5 pu.st.:r13 To sf..-.,.},:.!,, Ql'IO#le....- m;U;me.fe...- ,:.lose...- }o SW1
At"ld Q b...e.e.z..e. =,..,..;e,s """'Y +-s U....-<>1.1,r U..e. w:ndows w....au.:r+ w;U.. - .1 4ys mQy\Y ~'/1-L,.,,,,s
All -k-.e, Qr1G;e.r1f 310..-y of de.ad s}Q..-5

At"ld I le.a,.., bad<. :r1 my fQf Q,..md,Q;,.. AS I ;m<:i3;r1e mQYly oU..e...- ,:;...-e.Qh,..-e.s do ;.., #\e,;,..5
Sorv,e,hme.s ;r1 fke. QOc...-l"IOOrlS of w;r1fe...-


AyaRothwell ChambleeH!ghSchool Teacher:KlmberlyLanders

Wythe Marschall ChambleeHlghSchool Teacher:LynnFarmer

Hall...aeteUoftheleeveslnmyyard ..endbounceonlheLilly pads Clouds.. .listentoellofmycommands .enddencewlththeblrds Bogs...slngforall of your friends . end harmonlte with the frogs Pond... bikelothetopolthemountaln
Sleet...teste my moms new soup .andlhenspendthenlght Sewer...teUmewhatyoudoforaliving
Snow.. .march In your own band

.. ChansereyeratnaLlm 12th Grade Avondale High School Avondale Estates Teacher: PamelaSegers

... a n d l ' l l s h o w y o u m y h a m s t e r .

Fog...rollellovertheMlsalsslppl River ...andplaytagwiththe paddle boats.



Raln...dreamall about your favorite things

Mlchel!eSklnner 3rd Grade Tritt Elementary Schoo!

Rl\leRBA"K SO"G
Skipping rocks on the Ohio Thinking of lots of things Like lheriver Bigger than me
I was e leven With three friends I like lo call my brothers and slsler Watching the glittering up and down And two friends I like lo call my pa rents Reading from a history brochure
Standing upon the very same bank Where a young entrepreneur named Abe (At the age I am now, not then) Began a ferry business I remember his boat passing by in the setting sun And there was his silhouette And there were his wobbly legs and there I was his friend With tangly hair In the almost-Midwestern wind And a smooth rock In one hand
And at the age he was then and I am now I stood in the morning mist with those same friends And watched Eliza and her baby emerge from the thick river fog Barefoot on blocks of Ice To freedom on the other aide Which was where I was waiting One hundred and fifty years later Breathing breath hot and wet againsl my scarf
Elizabeth Westby 12th Grade Chamblee High Schoo!
Teacher:LynnFanner

.&,

oN TITLED"

le rmlferQualey

Casa Montessori School Marietta
Teacher: Hedw!gD'Brlen

AT THe Ri\leR
GRASS SHRIMP JllMPl"G OllT Of "eTS
HIGH MARSH SPeeDl"G BOATS
ZOOMl"G AU O\'eR
o, IN THe MIDDle THe DAY
11ULTURH RYINO O\!eR ~
3rd Grade Isle ol Hope Elementary
Savannah Teacher: DawnlqueStee!
National Finalist

1'J\ 'I

-eac~'lj\F-d

vc.~;: , c,/t, Lf L~ .-,tj
9 ..n--~s.~r;r.,..,.d ;,, Slf~~

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,-lt>W "'" !. 1,ot>W /

I. F~ l-1- :r,f,I . Trav!s Baker

3rd Grade Lewis Elementary School
Kennesaw Teacher: SharleCraven

TreyTeiza 6thGrade Casa Montessori Schoo! Marietta

National Fin alist T

--.,....

-

.,-. '. ~:.L.<-J

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.a\. "NEAR !~i~;~~l:~;
10th Grade Avondale High Schoo!
Decatur Teacher: Pamela Segers
Madison Peace 5th Grade
Blue Ridge Elementary Teacher: Gai!Reed State Winner

ElloryAbell 7th Grade Tho Cott1111 SChool
""'"' Teacher TaraNIU:iche


I am a river flowing awlftly along the bank. I am a river smooth and calm.
I am a river with the smallest waves . I am a river that people play in.
I am a river where baby fish live. I am a river with beautiful water.
I am a river with many rocks.

.THETIDE. TylorA111lni 4!hGrodo Cll.!laMontonor!School Mar!ol1a ToochorThcroaaOoan
StateWlnner 'f'

NlcoleAssini 2nd Grade
casaMontessor!School Martena
Teacher: Caro!Mentonelll Stat e Winner

~---~ ' ,_ -

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~ ~

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-9

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Nichola Paparelli -?"',('~ ho;:t./i
2nd Grado Cni;n MOn!ei;aorl School M11rlot111 Tcochor: Cynd11 Hunnlcun Sta te W lnna r

"UNTITLED" Adam Conner
5th Grade Walker Park Elcmeniary school
Monroe Toachor Dana ertseoe

"SUNSEl Tylor AHinl
4th Grode Casa Montessori School
Marlena Teaeher:Theresa Dean
'f' StataW\nner
10

"DU CK POND" RussellBerge r "lllh Grade Dru!d HUlsH!ghSchool Atlanta Teache r: Ellzabeth Eppes
Lewis Elementary School Teacher :Faye Davenpon
11

"STILLREFLECTlDNS" Nathan Dreggers l 2!hGrade
Clarkston High School
Teacher: Brand!Sanford Sta te Winne r

"SLEEPT!Cl HT FR EDD! E FISH"

Nico le Center

2ndGrade

Lewis Elementary School

Kennesaw

Teacher: StephanleMaynard

T

State Winner

ARiVeR

A river is like a dragonfly sunrise people barefoot in the fog

walking in the dew

geese gliding across the water.

Like an owl on the moon when the stars are gleamjng

and the lazy turtles are floating on a log.

When I look up and I can hear in the breeze

the willow dropping its leaves

and I can see shadows of the crickets

as l float across the water I look up and see a cardinal

. . when I look back down I see crystals on the river.



Wh-.+ is 6e-.v+y?
A. :JVl+ly (/o>vi"!J river, A. ,_vie+ ,.,.or'1i"!J +o ~r&e.J-F,
Oe>v &+ill o,i +he 3r.tS& ,
A. l,,e.,v+ifvl ,.,.e.,.d'o>v fvll of f/o>vers,
T>,~+ is k~v+y .
Kayla Irvin
JCBooth Mlddle School Peacht ree City


0
12

Tt< e Ri,ve r Roe,(<
I:. f,u,/ ;;.,, ra/!i,,,9 rl.,,.,r IJpo,, ,..,., "" ""!:} /;,.,.,,,,;1,. S"Al,,;,,!J back. I.f'r ta.,,11,,,,.!I OS" d pla!J' ,, f1,.., s.,.,,.,, AS" I:. lo,,k o,p Fr,,,., fl<,,., ri.w.r floor I.S"r,"ft.i.s-rot/i,,9 r,.,,.,r, Tl<iS" da..e-,.,,9 ba/for,,,p, Pir,,..r,H;,,,9 -l-t.ro.,,1t. ft,.,., S"/c!:J I.fS" S"wirl.,,9 !Jt>ldr,,, S:C,Dn,t/J" Bt.ck,,,. ,.,., fo ds; s.,rfau
J:. su, f1,. ., !V"af 9r""" ,gras,s; 1,1,,..,i,.,1 aro,.,.d 5 o I. 9rasp a .9o/dr,,, S"carf A,,d "'!:J baller," f"'lls ,.,., "'f
A C.hWi rla,,1:fr fJ.r,re. 1,,,.1,:,,,., af ,.,.,
A,,d hl!i' face. li!JAf, "'f ..,;.,,,, ;.,, S"e,:,s ,.,,,_ .z: da..e,., wi:fl, fl,.,, rivr,r ,,_ larl ;;,.,., F,. I. a,-,"" I :gt.r a,-;_.,.,,- r<>e./<,
tJ.,f Ct.i.ltfs f ;,"tl f rear..r r,
Breana Greathouse 4th Grade Lamar County Elementary School Barnesvllle Teacher: JaneMilcheU
13

"WATl!R LOOK TO Ml!" El!ahaVontrellKe teHlll
Clay Elementary School Mobleton Teacher Heidi Hunt

Fromtren,totren; Lu.vu off.alien wrappers, Andtrnnksofdiscardeditems Adorn our env'ronmentw'th
Un nat ural foliage P laced not by any cosmic creato r,
Butbyman;aynthetic Trees growing rapidly, Notw'th1unnorran, Butwithcardenneu,
And not in roil, butoomouna:os; Mountainsgrowingwiththetreu. What'atostopthem? Nobulldozer,nocranc, Only Willing Hands
Anda basket, Onlyitwillcomeback Likcavirus,aueevirus.
From tree, to tree. This poem may one day
Bea leafagain W ho knows? W hocarcs?
Jason Polhemus 12th Grade
Chamble High School

Teacher: Lynn Farmer State Winner

.& "THE STREAM" LaXeshla Floyd 9th Grad e
Avondale High School Avondale Estates
Teacher Pamela Segers
14


Isabel Harding Enrer ed lnd!vldually

rainy season
llisfunwhentheralncom&B II takea me beck, remembering what l have been through. Once upon II time, when I was !n Oromla, I uaed to play ln the rain. Aflartheralnstopa.everyonohltaeachotherwltllmud,
My!rlendandlwouldrunlntheralnandplayaoccerlalllngonthedlrt We' drollaround!nthemud Nowallofthatlspaased Sinca l!eftmyhome andwenttotoomanycountrles, I still remember what I used do when I was a kid. Allollheskywasverydarkandthethundermadeano!se Tharalnbowahowedltscolorfularcacroulhehor!ion Whenitstartedralnlng,mylltUecoUJ1!nranlhroughlheraln Then,tharlverandthelakesweresobeaullful Also,thera!n!sperlectlorplantlng I dreamed about the RedSeanowlngtolheMadlterraneanSea When I wn In Oromla, every time I looked outside through the window, lwasvary happy when lsawpeoplaplaylngandhavlnglun Rainmakes merellectuponmychildhood
Riyad Mohamed
Clar kstonHlgh School

THE RZ\IER
The ri ver ls frlendly, the river Is kind,
all kinds. The riv er Is wond erful , the river 's
unique, the r\Verlsone of Earth's wonders
we have to keep.
MeredlthNow llng BlueRldgeElememarySchool Evans Teacher: Ga!lReed
' PICNIC AT THE CREEK' Madison Emma Ford Kindergarten
LewlsElemen1arySchoo!
1' StateWlnner

15

MoRnjng by The StrEam

Calm, Peaceful morning.
Light, fluffy clouds Cotton ball like In form Play games with the sun To paint ghastly shadows And gemlike reflections In the canvasy bottom Of the sparkling stream.
Playful, young otters Spllsh-splash In the cool, refreshing water While rejoicing birds Introduce the new day By tweeting their joyous song.

The damp, hilly earth Rocky and ridged But sometimes soft, Sometimes cool, Relaxes in the warmth Of the shimmering sun.
All awakened By happy, gleeful laughter Carried by the wind Brought by children in the distance Playing In the canvasy bottom Of the sparkling stream.
Ale~is Dennis 7th Grade Hightower Trail Middle School

Beautiful, budding flowers With their sweetsmelJJng scent Stretch Into the glistening sunlight Welcoming the brightness Of the morning While dancing In the breeiy wind

"MY REFLECTIONS !N THE POND" Aaron Greenwell 4th Grade
TTlttE!ementarySchoo!
Teachers, TameraNeal& Wendy Limerick
1' StaleWlnner

16

"REFRESHMENT"' A. Corinne Tanner 5th Grade MaUldaHarrls ElementarySchool Kingsland Teacher: AngeeBlounl

"DEFORMATION' Amanda E. Yanez
12th Grade DruidHlllsffighSchool
Atlanta Teacher:EllzabethEppes
T StateWinner

A Trickle of Rdin .. Goes down The Drdin

I foll To EorTh from o cloud,

As I lor-J on o murk:y shroud .

0
We rc

noc.rins

~

o

..,er-y

-shOt"T

sTreom,

Tr,To The oc.e0r1 ,,..;Th ~fesTe.em!

As 0r1 ocean ploriT Tr0r1-spires me., T e...,oporoTe. To o cloud 1,,1ir\, !l\e.e! Yer o,on I foll O'S ro;n, To o sTre.om 1,,1;ThovT o srro;r,\

As o -sTre.om ci,o;r, iT-se.e.rns, I roll do,'l'.h;n inTo some. ro..ines! Ar The. oce0r1s bi!! ,,,..;de; coosT, &os'!. Tror,-spire.'5 rne. M~e. o 3\..osT.
tJp Too cloud, ~ o s sno1,,1
Ono rnounToir, in one .90.
lkn I sook inTo The ,c-ovod, \.t.ThouT one be..90TTe.n 'SOl..>nd.

8vT The.r, ci,oLr, os Cl plonT, "vp To The cloud\" iT cloe.s c.hor,T.
As I .90 I -see The shroud \..l'ke.re I ro;ned from Cl cloud.
AJel(anderGreyNewell 4th Grade
w.c. Britt Elementary School

17

DROPLET
Wat er
R

and

0
Water hisses when it turns to steam Water crunches when it is ice.

j. "NATURE'S GOLDEN WIN DOW" Ko i c h lr o T su ]I
Atlanta Country Day School Alpharetta
Teacher:DavldCampbeH

W at er rushes In a stream.

Water CLANGS as an iceberg in the ocean.

Wat er gLUMPS in the bathtub

B

B

u B

e S

songs from the sea

lslc.c.p~&a~lofsla,-s,
do.fa",.,..... .,...., I """ ~ebo,,,, .,<><:J. _,,,, al

,,..1, I walcJ. ~ #,de. ~oH

a.-.:1 I !>od<

;,.~Goolwal-as;#skN,IJu"""f'5bacl<.;.,,_

.:.oa,,- I Weak. lo ~ ..i._r{- of k,c,. l,,,c.a<~ waves,

.,...., I 1,;dr,. k-.e Sf<'$/;.:. s,..,d e.-ab5 ..,;tt,. '""1 ~ ,

r...,,.,~s.

Water bubbles up out of the ground.
Water makes all kinds of sounds.
RandyWilllon lll 8th Grade The Cottage School Roswell Teacher: Mary Shaw State Winner

l """a - ~ o f ~ sea, a f.-;-.:1 o f 11.c. w;ldl;f,.,,
.......,,S .,...., a f - ;'J ,_,..,b,c,.,- of ~ SQ"ld
I_, oVe.-!}"c,,,,,,,, "(fnal, . , . . . . , ~ f e lJ . . , / ~ b j i . u . - t . a . . . d s
J - k-.e ~ wt.a ,w;l,es ~ ,..,.,,s.,.s lt.af _..,, .,.1,._~,IQIIJ ~-de.d w;k,;,. ~ sp,~al sf.-...:.#u,,e .,J a f"";c.eless ~ l l
Meghan DeGroot 12th Grade
Chamblee High School
'l'eacher: Lynn farmer

18