9th Annual Poetry Contest Finalists

The 9th Annual Statewide Poetry Contest on Equality and Diversity

World Unity, Inc. and WROR Radio co-sponsored the 9th Annual Statewide Poetry Contest on “Equality and Diversity. These winners produced poems that best describe what equality and diversity means to them and were featured on 30 second spots for radio. The first, second, and third place winners and poems are featured in the panels above. The remaining winners are listed here along with their poems.

Sun and Moon

The sun and the moon shine on everyone
even if you’re short, tall, Spanish,
Haitian and American.
Don’t change be unique or original
Like the sun and the moon.
It doesn’t matter what you are.
It’s who you are that matters.
Again, don’t change
Shine like the sun
and the moon.
We are all unique!
Don’t discriminate.

First Place Winner
Patricia Soto
Grade 5
Beebe Elementary School
Malden, MA

No one is Perfect, Everyone is Different

Treat them like they are not different
Even if their eyes
their nose
their legs
their toes
are different
Treat them the same
Treat them just like they’re you
don’t talk behind their back
don’t stare when they’re not looking
because you know you’re different
maybe you can’t see it
but everyone is different
no one is perfect.

Second Place Winner
Victoria Cavallo
Grade 5
Happy Hollow School
63 Pequot Rd.
Wayland

Diversity

You and I are different
I am white and you are black
We eat different foods.
I am American and you are Indian.
We both act differently
and we both speak differently
It doesn’t matter if we
dress differently
Don’t change, be who you are
because everyone
In the world is unique
We both have a heart.
Our hearts need each other.
So let’s keep our friendship
beating just like our hearts.

Third Place Winner

Angela Truong
Grade 5
Beebe Elementary School

Malden, MA

Contrast of Colors

Black and White
the contrast of colors
to the eye is utmost true,
but to the soul we are all brothers,
each graced with a different hue.

The yin yang is proud,
Showing off its equal shades,
and throughout every crowd
the difference slowly fades.

When our bias has gone,
we are stripped of the judging eye,
our souls join as one
like the moon and the night sky.

Ella Miller
Grade 6
Chenery Middle School,
Belmont MA

Equality and Diversity

The world Is full of many faces
So many different people and different faces

The world has to hold us all
Yet we put up a wall

If we live together as one
Less harm would be done

Looking at what’s on the outside instead of in
Judging by the color of our skin

Inferring from the outside serves no common goal
This makes us part not whole

Nicholas Colantoni
Grade 8
Medway Middle School
Medway, MA

Colors of the Rainbow

Every color of the rainbow Has a great purpose
And is important Missing any one color
It is not a rainbow

Every color of the rainbow Is different than the last;
And unique
There is no such thing As a rainbow of one color

Every color of the rainbow Is special And beautiful;
Not more, Not less, Than any other shade

Every color of the rainbow works together
And lay beside each other One the blue
And form the colorful arch

Every color of the rainbow Contributes to its beauty
And captivates Those who watch In awe

Emily Ertman
Grade 8
Medway Middle School
Medway, MA

The New Millennium

In the new millennium,
melting pots are stews,
cultures keeping shapes,
dropped in the same broth
like continents on maps,
flavors seeping through
but not penetrating
the shells of the snow peas

in the new millennium,
its audacious to meld
russianlatinopacificislander,
haitianasiancaucasian
no bubble to fill for multiracial,
no black men loving white women
on our silver screens-
were we not meant to mix the paint,
but only to include all the colors?

In the new millennium
there’s still so far to go

Amanda G Shu

Grade 10

Melrose High School

Melrose, MA