By Blakely Kriegler
5th grade, Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences, WA
With lines from “Millions of Chinese Kids Are Parenting Themselves” by Max Duncan, a Pulitzer Center reporting project
The world is a hurricane
When the wind howls that loud
The mountain is a storm
Eye of the storm
Eye of the hurricane
She is warmth
The ground of the misty mountains
Has been cared for by the family
She sows but doesn't reap
She leaves the ground in peace
She cares for two
Her siblings are children
Baba
She is
Mama
She may cry under that sunny sky
That stretches oh so wide
She may learn under the very roof
That she’s strong enough to never sigh
She cannot read the words on paper
But she can write speeches in fire
She loves them
Like her own
Strength
She is
Power
Tender words so delicate, float from her lips
She keeps going because she is not alone
She will kick and scream till she can’t breathe
To protect those she loves
She will fight in the name of honor
She is a subtle empress
She will not stop, she will stand tall
Because she is greatness
Hello, my name is Blakely. I'm 11 and since I’ve been able to talk I've been a little person with a lot to say. I attend Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences. I live in Seattle, Washington with my brother, parents, and amazing dog Frannie. In my free time I like to read, write poetry, create art, and listen to music until my ears hurt. This is the first contest I’ve entered, so being a finalist is phenomenal, and is probably one of the best things that has happened to me. If you're reading this, you most likely are entering this poetry contest, if not others. So I hope my poem helped you with yours, and good luck!
Read more winning entries from the 2022 Fighting Words Poetry Contest.