Richmond Public Library Poetry Contest Entry

When I was in tenth grade, I won a prize from the Poetry Society of Virginia and was invited to read my piece in Richmond. My family was kind enough to drive me down from Arlington, not just so I could have the honor of reading my poem to an audience, but also so I could check out VCU. The Virginia Governor's Summer Language Academy for Japanese had just accepted me and I wanted to see the campus before I committed to three weeks of partial immersion in a foreign tongue. During our time in Richmond, we stopped by one of the branch libraries (I won't mention which one.) I noticed that they were holding a poetry contest so I submitted, "The Warbler's Nest," the poem that had just won a prize from the Poetry Society of Virginia. About two weeks later, the library called me to say that I had won first place. They wanted my address so they could mail me my check. When they discovered that I was not a Richmond resident, however, they became haughty. I explained that their rules never required contests to be Richmonders. They relented and eventually, a couple of months later, they mailed me my prize.

I should have learned my lesson. I should have steered clear of library poetry contests after that. But I don't always learn as quickly as I should. Besides, now that I live in Richmond, I can rightfully enter their contests with no complaints from them. In fact, today when I went to the Richmond City Public Library, I noticed their Poetry Month prompt: "Why My Library Books are Late." I couldn't resist. I immediately grabbed the entry form, found a table, and began writing. When I was finished, I walked up to the front desk and handed my submission over to the librarian. She seemed a little confused ("I'm not sure where to put this") but she assured me she would take it to its proper place. I thanked her and lingered around the front desk anyway, pretending that the flyers there interested me. I've had my submissions misplaced before. I felt better when I saw her taking the paper and wandering to the back of the library, though. I invested faith in humanity and left.

Here, if you care to read it, is the silly poem I submitted.

“Why My Library Books are Late”
By Christine Stoddard

There’s an angry goose roaming around Richmond, I swear!
Remember that fat bird from the Bubbleyum® wrappers—
the one sporting a ferocious Mohawk and spiked dog collar?
Well, I was walking not far from here when he gave me a scare.
I spotted his plump, Christmas dinner self ripe for oven-roasting,
his massive wings cutting through the clouds—those giant flappers.
At first, I thought it was an airplane flying low to save a dollar,
but as it zoomed closer, I realized it was a colossal bird coasting
along the April breeze that could only barely carry its weight.

[Read the rest here.]

Shop for merchandise designed by Christine at https://www.cafepress.com/cstoddard