(COVINGTON, La.) The St. Paul’s School Creative Writing class held a school-wide poetry contest for National Poetry Day (Sept. 28). The event pitted Pack Time groups (small groups of students which meet bi-weekly) against each other and was organized by Pack Time leaders and Creative Writing teacher Robert Heap.

“We decided to write poems in Pack Time using certain words with certain rules to see who could get the most creative, who could get the most disciplined, and who could have the most fun with it,” Heap said.

The student groups were given a list of words which they were required to use (but could only use a maximum of twice) and had the task of creating a poem which was either 10 lines long or more than 50 words, and the theme of the poems was “America.”

Afterwards, the Creative Writing class, in association with the BeoWulves writing club, gathered and judged the entries. First place was awarded to Pack Time leader John Carambat’s Pack Time group, with Pack Time leaders Matthew Pinero’s and Josh Pereira’s Pack Time groups also placing.

Members of the Creative Writing class, such as senior Blake Franklin and junior Luke Vargas, said that aside from the three winners, there was a mixed level of skill in the poems.

“Once (the poems) were submitted, we poured through them,” Franklin said, “and, unfortunately, not all of the Pack Times were able to adhere to the rules completely. However, we did allow small variations to the rules.”

“The Student Council Pack Time (led by Pack Time leader Joanna Case) was absolutely fantastic,” Vargas said, “I don’t think that group made it to the second round of judging, though.”

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WINNING ENTRIES

FIRST PLACE: Carambat’s Pack Time (untitled)

Soldiers will cry and bleed for America and the land I love.

Celebrate pride + surrender to death

in the cry of death, I hear eternal voices singing like the

Haunting Death Bells of freedom

It haunts the land

The song by death

from the lips of soldiers broken

broken is the land blessed in blood

America’s flag stands strong

SECOND PLACE: Pinero’s Pack Time “The Price of Freedom”

Fear gives strength to men

Death feels like hunger

And surrender haunts men for eternity

Be proud, like a soldier

Freedom isn’t free

Remember the women and children

Remember to grieve, all the broken people of earth

I can give to people

I can fight for pride and love

The flag, untouched

Freedom, untouched

America bleeds

But America will shine

THIRD PLACE: Pereira’s Pack Time “Sacred Sorrow”

Bless America fight for freedom.

Does the strong soldier remember fear?

People shame this blessed flag,

Untouched beneath the brilliant freeze.

The women’s voice melts through the night.

Her throat bleeds hot songs through the dance.

Humans haunted by home.

The boy cries to deny death.

Surrender love to all the vast earth.

We grieve to celebrate.

Celebrate freedom this pride is concrete.