Special:
A Poetic Tribute

Each January, the Auditorium Theatre presents Too Hot To Handel: The Jazz Gospel Messiahas a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This year, Chicago Public Schools students grades K- 8 were invited to participate in a poetry competition to celebrate African Americans and creativity as a positive force for change in America.

These are the winning entries. Congratulations young poets!

1st Place Winner
(3rd - 5th grade category)
Pretty Girl
By Alexis Glasper
Thomas Hoyne Elementary
3rd Grade
I'm a girl. A pretty girl. Girls want to know how I'm so pretty.
I say it's in the glow of my face, the shine of my beautiful black skin.
I may not be white but I feel ripe.
You might think I feel bad and probably hopping mad.
The thing is I don't have a problem with being prettier than white girls.
I feel like a new pack of pearls.
On Sunday morning mama takes me to church.
All the white girls stare and curse and roll their little eyes.
But I still keep my head held high, because I am pretty.
Pretty girl. That's me.
They can say what they want and they can want to fight.
But with all my might I will hold mama tight.
Because I'm a pretty girl, yes I am.

1st Place Winner
(6th - 8th grade category)
The Caged Bird's Revolution
By Mariah D. Gamble,
Nicholson Technology Academy
8th Grade
Through hardships and rain
The caged bird sang
She changed the world with a pencil
And her voice lifts off the page, still
Ever since that caged bird sang
Poetry never remained the same
Inspiration leaped from every word
The message from her to other caged birds
And now, it is no longer locked up, but free
Spreading word to birds like you and me
And to all spectators, this poem would not be made
If that caged bird hadn't reached out and sang

2nd Place Winner
(6th - 8th grade category)
Martin Luther King Jr.
By Keshira Roberson
Nicholson Technology Academy
8th Grade
Black vs. white was an alleged crime
But, Martin Luther King had a state of mind
He thought that colors could all come together
Through rain, hail or any type of weather
Through thick and thin, blood and water
All Martin Luther wanted was love and order
Hate around, no love near
After Martin Luther's speech
Love is now here.

3rd Place Winner
(6th - 8th grade category)
By Alejandra Barajas
Carpenter School
7th Grade
He had a dream but
his murder was our nightmare.
It's time to wake up.