2012 MONTGOMERY COUNTY
YOUTH POETRY CONTEST

4-6 GRADE RUNNER UP

Hana Kenworthy
Fort Washington Elementary

The Garden

When I was lost
I escaped to the garden.
The birds fed their hatchlings with squirming worms
Butterflies fluttered from flower to flower
Leaves whispered in the wind.
Flora of red, blue, purple, pink, orange and countless colors waved to the sky
Bees lazily buzzed
Squirrels merrily chewed on berries
Snakes lounged in the golden sun.
This was my place.
No one could hurt me here.
One day, snow came.
I ran to the garden. It was covered in glittering snow.
Nothing moved. The flowers were black.
In fall, leaves of gold, fire red, brown and bright orange had fallen.
Nuts were littered on the ground.
Now it was dark and cold.
I shivered. I was alone.
That winter, blizzards blew.
Finally, spring came.
The soil was brown
Buds grew on the trees
New shoots poked up, reaching for the pale sun.
Squirrels twitched, waking up
Birds came in clouds of brown and red.
The garden was mine again.
Spring was here.