Amani Festival 1996
Poetry Winners

Grades 1st-3rd

First Place--

Second Place--

It Doesn't Matter That We're Different

Eric is my friend-
He lives in a duplex
Where all the boys have at least one toy gun
Eric is funny.

Joshua is both our friends-
We played with him last summer in the pool
He said he lived in New York and he was mostly happy
He spoke Spanish to his aunt Melka.
My cousin Sasha is Russian-
We visit him in Florida every Christmas
while we visit out grandma.

Grandma and Grandpa's names
are Nagymama and Nagypapa
because they're Hungarian like my mom.

It doesn't really matter
that we're all different
because we get along
very well.

and everybody's realated to everybody else.

By Adam & Joy Baker

The Equator of Segregation

By William Charles Baker

Grades 4th-5th

When we all realize,
That this was meant to be,
We will all noitice,
How and why we are free.

In this world,
We are are different,
We need to stop pretending and find out,
Who we really are.

The children of the world are begging you, please don't fight.
It ruins our day and ruins our night.
Why we have to live in fear,
That peace on Earth will never be here,
Why can't we all just get along,
In a world of laughter and song?
Please don't fight it'll work out.
Then we, the children needn't sit and pout.
We cry because we're sad, we cry because we're scared.
We're scared of guns, knives, and drugs that will be shared.
So we, the children, of the world are on our knees,
Don't fight we're begging you, please!

By Julie Howell

Second Place--

With the Americans as alto saxophones,
Mexicans being deep baritones,
The French would be a trumpet, sweet,
The Africans, clarinets, beat by beat,
They would live in harmony.

The Australian posing as snare drums, keeping the beat,
Chinese oboes, reaching to others to meet,
The Polish as pianos loud and grand,
And the native timpani, a wonderful part of the band.
They would live in harmony.

The Dutch would be high-pitched flutes, playing the melody,
Spanish tenor saxophones would play harmony.
And the Germans as bassoons, big and tall.
They would live in harmony.

And now for the instruments low.
The bass clarinet played by the Swedish, no need for a bow,
The Irish tubas, loud and clear.
And of course, the bass drum, very important my dear.
They would live in harmony.

If we were more like a band,
Wouldn't that be grand!
If we could look past the races
Just look inside and not at faces,
We could live in harmony.

By Erin Harmon

So many streams flow into a river.
So many rivers join in the sea.
They become one, combined, together.
The sea is a mixture. The sea is me.

I am 5 different rivers, joined, united;
5 different roots, combined in a tree.
I am English, German, Polish, and Irish.
I'm Native American too. Yes, that's me.

So many streams flow into a river,
So many rivers join in the sea
and the sea is me.

By Moly Romberger

Second Place--

I look at my race.
Every day I am shown visions, but not of my own.
Handed to me with inviting palms.
Shielded from the truth.
Shown only what they want me to see.

A race of people,
Deteriorating like wood placed into a blazing fire.
Handed to me with open hands.
Ashes fall between the crevices of their fingers.
They laugh, for they have destroyed our foundation.

But don't reach out too fast.
Mistaken kindness,
Watch for these hands, because they are waiting for you.
They have a secret to withhold.
For our downfall will be their victory.

A set path of destruction.
We must rage against the negative together.
Our only hope,
Coming together as one powerful force.
My race.
I hope I live to see this day.

By Robyn Thomas

Ignorance Foreshadows Fear

This statement may leave a tear
In your eye
Because,
You know the truth
You taught it to your youth

Open your mind and
Listen
Knowledge and understanding are
Keys
To
Unity
Insert and Turn
They fit the door of peace

Fear Foreshadows Division
How to love what is not understood?
Many say
"I can not"
But isn't today
Around the right day
To say

Ignorance will not separate
Me
From peace and unity

By Charity Kates