A Thought for Today . . .

Today is the day you’ve all been waiting for: The day I announce the winner of the 2010 Poetry Challenge! Unlike last year, I found myself completely blank as to a new poem until I read some of your entries. Then I did come up with some poetic responses to a couple of them, which you’ll see later . . .

But first of all, here is the original poem by Robert Louis Stevenson (who wrote “A Child’s Garden of Verses” and “Treasure Island).

A THOUGHT
It is very nice to think
The world is full of meat and drink,
With little children saying grace
In every Christian kind of place.

And now, with the preliminaries out of the way, here are this year’s entries:

Tami’s:
It is very nice to get away;
from life and all the day to day.
Nothing beats a nice staycation,
except maybe a great vacation!

I totally agree with this sentiment!

Emily’s:
It’s very nice to be with you
While on a boat or on a slew
Our true love I know can weather
Anything if we’re together.

Emily's poem was my mom’s favorite, she being a romantic.

Kaylie’s:
It is very nice to love,
It's as gentle as a dove.
It is very rude to hate,
I would rather have a date!

Great, great job! I have an answer to this one:

It is very nice to see
That Kaylie’s writing poetry.
But, my dear, I have to state:
You’re much, much, much too young to date!
(Mom)

Bruce waxed very poetic and entered no less than three poems this year!

Bruce 1:
It is very nice to contemplate
the many puzzles in my old pate.
But when I stop and wonder why,
the thought remains: "Is there more pie?"

Funny—even if he is addle-pated.

Bruce 2:
It is very nice to watch you dress
and to see the way your clothes caress
your shoulder, your waist, your lovely breast!
"Dressing" or "Undressing"; who'd have guessed?

Oooooh! I’m blushing!

Bruce 3:
It is very nice to work for money
and bring it home to your Luvin' Honey!
But what's the use when she spends it all
on a pair of jeans from the shopping mall?

I say:
It is very nice to get the money
Laboriously earned by my sweet honey.
A little more and I’d have the means
To buy a dress, new shoes, and jeans!

Becky followed Bruce’s example and entered three poems as well.

Becky 1:
It is very nice to contemplate,
To ponder, to muse, or meditate.
Amazing how these mere thoughts of mine
Can enrich my life… and waste my time.

Funny! And another sentiment I empathize with.

Becky 2:
It is very nice to awake anew
To the simple sigh of a baby’s coo,
And know she is mine—she belongs to me,
My beautiful gift,
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOmy darling baby.

Very sweet. Can we guess that Becky dotes on her baby?

Becky 3:
It is very nice to make a rhyme
And make it flow in just the right time.
A witty thought and a clever line
Will make a beginner poet shine.

This year’s entries were all excellent and, I think, as good as Mr. Stevenson’s original. It was a tough choice; but I finally had to pick the one that made me smile most—even if the winner is accused of sleeping with the judge. And, this year, in an unprecedented move, I’m also going to announce a second-place winner. (Moms with little, blooming talents in their hands will understand this decision, I think.)

In second-place, and winner of a giant-size candy-bar, is Kaylie! I thought her poem was very clever, and I am truly pleased to see her enter my contest every year.

And now . . .

The moment you’ve all been waiting for . . .

the winner of the Loralee’s Fancy 2010 Poetry Challenge is . . .

. . . Bruce! (Wild applause here)

His winning poem is:

A THOUGHT
It is very nice to watch you dress
and to see the way your clothes caress
your shoulder, your waist, your lovely breast!
"Dressing" or "Undressing"; who'd have guessed?

(More wild applause here.) Yes, Bruce will receive a lovely certificate and his choice of dessert. And "A Thought," from me:

It is very nice to win a treatie
With rhymes made to amuse your sweetie.
Your best dessert I think I’ve guessed—
But . . . dressed, or undressed? Which is best?
Loralee

Thank you all for playing!