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I and You

Poetry Competition! Write! Get published! Win tickets to this amazing play! Deadline: Thursday, March 31.
Vermont Stage and Young Writers Project invite all middle and high school writers to respond to one of the writing challenges below to accompany Vermont Stage's upcoming play, "I and You," April 20-May 8 at FlynnSpace in Burlington. The winning submission will be printed in the play's program and the top three writers will receive a pair of tickets to see "I and You,"
a play that focuses on unfamiliar classmates who must complete a school assignment on Walt Whitman’s "Leaves of Grass." (Find out more at www.vermontstage.org.)
The challenges:
1. Write a poem that includes this line from Walt Whitman: “I believe in you my soul.”
2. Interview/talk to someone who is different from you, in any way, and write a poem about the experience without identifying the person. What did you learn? What was interesting and surprising?
Click the "write" button below -- and submit. (If you don't have a YWP account, it's easy to sign up -- just click Join at the top right.)
Remember, submissions are due Thursday, March 31.

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Apr 06

ywp info 0 comments challenge: I and You

Reid

Winners of "I and You" Challenge!

I and You (Vermont Stage)

Read the winning submissions in the "I and You" Poetry Competition!
Congratulations to Ben Maksym of Grand Isle, Kaytlyn Ann Young of Shelburne and Peyton Cassel of Lancaster, PA!
Winners receive complimentary tickets to the Vermont Stage play, "I and You," at FlynnSpace in Burlington! Poems will also be displayed at the theater during the play's run, from April 20 to May 8.

Posted: 04.06.16

Mar 31

poem 0 comments challenge: I and You

flooded_lungs

You, Yet, and Hope.

Walt Whitman
they call him;
Uncle Walt if you so please.

Songs of himself and grass and leaves; O Captain! My Captain! into the dark abyss I call, into the dark abyss where you are.

You spoke of life in its fragrance, its magnificence, and in its oppressing doubt.
Yet, you said; yet. Life exists. We exist.

You insisted the urgency of existence,
Of the powerful play that like all, ends. As time toiled away, as nights lived and died, as you, indeed, watched and abandoned.

Am I wrong in associating you with ceaseless hope?

I believe in you my soul, you proclaimed.

I believe in you my soul.

To believe: that is hope, I think. Believing in the urgency of life, and to not mistake it. To become steadfast in an unwillingness to not live, and to not forget it.

You, yet, and hope; I will not forget it.

Posted: 03.31.16

Mar 31

poem 0 comments challenge: I and You

Kayty802

This is...

This is....

“You wish to think
You wish to be”

You wish to think of a time
When you knew everything was alright
When the clouds of hell didn’t roar under you
And when you could still hear the Angel’s
Bells above

You wish to be there
Back home with those you love
You wish to be held by your lover
The one who is now gone

You hide behind a mask so strong
Your safety, your guard
You dared not let anyone see
What lies beneath

You act like a soldier
A doll to be mimicked
With your buttoned eyes
Polished and glazed
To keep others from seeing in

Now your polish is wearing down
The makeup washing away
Your mask of steel rusting
And your shell cracking

It is now time for others to see who you are
And to hear your story
I believe in you
My soul
To see the man you call yourself

Posted: 03.31.16

Mar 31

poem 0 comments challenge: I and You

Mackenzie 101

I Believe In You

I believe in you my soul, tis you were flying in the cold,

Through the damp streets of old Rusty drive, their you were, flying high!

I watched as you flew down the street, passing meters, passing feet,

I believed in you my soul from the moment I met you until the moment we grew old,

I said I would always believe in you my soul but now we're old and I let you go

So now I watch you float down the street, me sitting there with bare feet,

I will always remember you my soul, until that moment we are too old.

Posted: 03.31.16

Mar 29

poem 0 comments challenge: I and You

KTorres

n

Posted: 03.29.16

Mar 29

poem 0 comments challenge: I and You

Maisie N

Life in Technicolor

Your mother never says it
But she loves you
And your father can't prove it
But he swears its true
And your brother doesn't know it
But he's turning blue
And you'll never be it
But we all know you want to.

And everything is grey
Your eyes, your clothes, your teeth
The color's trapped inside
You're tearing at the seams.
Paint squeezes from your eyes
And pours down your cheeks.
All the tears that you cried
Are coloring their dreams
You gave them everything
You didn't even think.

And everything turns blue
Your brother, the sky, the streets
And everything's open now
But what does that mean?
Families fall apart, people fall together
But nothing is as it seems

Posted: 03.29.16

Mar 24

poem 0 comments challenge: I and You

wondering about rain

I believe

I believe in rage.
But I do not believe in you.
I believe in human nature.
But I do not believe in you.
I believe in hate.
But I do not believe in you.
I believe in creativity.
But I do not belive in you.
I believe in selfishness.
Maybe I do believe in you.
I believe in terrible writing.
Maybe I do believe in you.
I believe in art.
It seems I believe in you.
I denied believing in you,
because thats all that I could do.
It seems that I cannot hide from you,
since I believe in all that makes you.
I believe in you my soul.

Posted: 03.24.16

Mar 24

poem 0 comments challenge: I and You

Ben Maksym

Lost and Found

When the days come, dark and brooding, over the treetops and waves that are only half frozen,
I believe in you, my soul, but I do not believe in myself.
I try to pull it all together, and to find you in the darkness, when I can,
But my physicality stops me, mortality chains me in, morality weighs on my consciense
like hot lead in the cold water.

And like steam, you escape.

Have to keep rhyming, to keep the right timing,
laughing and smiling, coughing and dialing,
down my enthusiasm when I see you within reach,
lest you flit and flutter away.

I am lost, and you are my way of being found.
I need you, that which I can never have, to be me, that who I always am.

And I hope that, when the days come, dark and brooding, over treetops and waves that are only half frozen,
You'll rise above it all to find me.
I believe in you, my soul, but I do not believe in myself.

Posted: 03.24.16

Mar 23

poem 0 comments challenge: I and You

Laura

One Patch of Land

One plot of land, free from the grasping hold of infostructure,

Away from the blinding lights, and the endless noise,

One patch of grass for everyone to roam,

No beast nor man may lay claim to this sanctuary, for it everyone's to behold.
One patch of land may not seem like much, but take it not for granted,

Look outside and see the trees, see the grass, the hills,

Take it in as one of the lucky ones who can.

Those other kids sit by their windows and see not the wild.

No, they see but asphalt, and looming buildings day after day,

Not even able to fathom what could be out there, what we see.

Open your eyes.
This plot of land, untouched by man is a thing of beauty.

One visionary of a man, such a long time ago, opened his eyes to this.

All around him things were changing, buildings sprouting up in all directions,

Posted: 03.23.16

Mar 23

fiction 0 comments challenge: I and You

Eclectic-Listener

broken promises broke her

I believe in you my soul
I trust you will not let me fall
Away, into the abyss below
Please hold me close
Don't let go

It only takes one mistake
Touch me the wrong way, I'll break
I swear, in you I have faith
Make sure it's not misplaced

Maybe the heavens are sending a sign
Maybe my lucky stars aligned
Perhaps the world is crashing down
And the ground is falling out
From underneath me
And I'm not breathing

You said you'd never let me go
But what do I know
Just keep me away
Just stay
Don't let me drown
Don't let me fall down
drown drown drown down

I believe in you my soul
But you let me go
Now I'm alone
And it's cold

Posted: 03.23.16

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