2020 DEC 5 ISSUE: WINNERS NAMED FOR CORRALES LIBRARY’S YOUTH POETRY CONTEST

The organizer of the Corrales Library “I Love to Write Poetry Contest” and Youth Services librarian Melisa Chandler recently announced the winners. High School. First Place: Analisa Ortiz; Second Place: Addison Fulton. Middle School. First Place: Hannah Opel; Second Place: Shane Yara. Distinguished Poets. Jayden Tode, Laurel Nash-Jarecki, Giovanna Almanzar.

According to Chandler, the last category was for those poets “recognized for their admirable work,” though they did not win the contest. Chandler also stated that “The Corrales Community Library would like to thank all of the participants in the 2020 ‘I Love to Write’ Poetry Contest. We recognize and appreciate the efforts each writer put forth. We look forward to more youth poetry contests with the Corrales Library in 2021.”

A Land of Enchantment
By Hannah Opel
Life in New Mexico is not life in Colorado
Life in New Mexico is not life in Arizona
Life in New Mexico is not life in California
Life in New Mexico is vigas sticking out of every other house
Life in New Mexico is pearly red ristras swinging in the breeze
Life in New Mexico is sipping a cold horchata under the hot summer sun
Life in New Mexico is the sound of the coyotes yipping and yowling through the star dotted night
Life in New Mexico is the spiky cacti lining the desert floor
Life in New Mexico is the comforting smell of spicy chiles being roasted nearby
Life in New Mexico is the morning sky dotted with colorful balloons
Life in New Mexico is not life in Utah
Life in New Mexico is not life in New York
Life in New Mexico is a life of Enchantment

Life in New Mexico is…
By Annalisa Ortiz
Brisk walks along the ditch.
Smelling roasting green Chile at the corner store.
The sounds of fire,
Lifting the colorful balloons off the ground.
Midnight quiet interrupted by trains.
Together as families we are so close,
Except when loteria is played and the cousins complain.
Rain on a sunny day,
Snowy mountains in April.
Today, tomorrow, and everyday
Life in New Mexico.