Birmingham 7-Year-Old Is National Poetry Contest Winner

Birmingham, MI — Birmingham doesn’t have a poet laureate, but it could be Corinne Alrawi, a 7-year-old who just won a top national award for a poem about what makes the United States special.

Corinne’s entry was selected from 14,000 entries in the contest, sponsored by USA Gold pencils and Scholastic, held in conjunction with National Poetry Month.

• Get Birmingham headlines from Patch editor Beth Dalbey
• Like Birmingham Patch on Facebook

Corinne was the winner in the Grades 1-2 division with a poem titled, “What America Means to Me.”

Corinne won a $500 cash prize and $50 worth of No. 2 pencils with her poem:

What America Means to Me

By Corinne Alrawi

SPLENDID
America is pretty
There is the Painted Desert and Salton Sea
You can even see Vernal Falls in Yosemite!
LOVE
America has everything I adore
My family, friends, house, and park
Even a CUTE bunny that comes out when it’s dark!
OPPORTUNITY
America gives everyone a chance
You can grow up to be President or a dentist
I think I’ll be a ballet dancer and chemist!
DIVERSITY
America has people from every place on the map
I have friends from Russia, China, and France
There are lots of different foods and different types of dance.
BRAVERY
America was built by brave people
Our country depended on George Washington
And don’t forget our brave soldiers and Harriet Tubman!