My Humble Beginnings

I want to share my first ever writing submission to be selected for publication. It also just happened to be a first place winner. *nonchalantly buffs nails*

I was absurdly proud of my rhyming skills back at Valley View Elementary School, where I loved my third grade creative writing lessons. I submitted a poem for the school’s annual creative writing contest and publication. My competition included classmate Scott, who wrote a touching poem about asthma. (“I get asthma from the dust, I must get a drink, I must!”)

My winning poem was featured in the front pages of Creative Writers of Valley View. And that was no toss-away rag, I tell ya. The pages were of the finest Mimeograph quality, with a fat purple font, richly-hued and fragrant. The binding was exquisite: a full color cover handcrafted out of thick construction paper, bound to the interior pages by three thick brass brads.

I have no idea whatever happened to my copy of the book. No doubt my parents donated it to the Smithsonian and never told me about it, in order to nurture my gentle poet’s demeanor.

Without further ado, I give you, “Kitten”.

KITTEN

I found a little kitten
In my back yard one day
He looked just like a mitten
That was a very light gray

I wanted him to live at my house
But he went all over, looking for a mouse
He came back that day with a very big rat
The rat was as big as the kitten!
Now what do you think of that?

~ Lori Alden Jensen, Age Eight