Nebraska Students Find a Place in Poetry

Publication: Grand Island Independent
Date: May 2, 2008

Summary: Assigned to write poems as part of a class assignment sponsored by the Nebraska Writing Project, some student poets were selected to read their poetry at the state capitol.

Excerpt from Article

The students were assigned poems based on George Ella Lyon's poem "Where I'm From," which uses phrases like "I am from the dirt under the back porch" and "I'm from fudge and eyeglasses" to illustrate the poet's roots.

Kauffman and Janzen's poems were judged to be among the state's best student entries depicting rural Nebraska.

Kauffman's poem focused on her family and friends, with stanzas devoted to her mom and dad, siblings and extended family.

It's filled with sharp turns of phrase like, "I'm from made-up songs in made-up keys" and "I am from weekends planned by the radar. / From praising the rain but cursing the storm."

Read the Full Articles

Read Aurora Seniors Finding a Place in Poetry in the Grand Island Independent.

Read Westridge Seventh Grader Enters Poetry in Nebraska Writing Project in the Grand Island Independent.