Frog Hollow Poetry Prize

Announcing the 2025 Frog Hollow Poetry Prize Winners

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1st Place

Ode to the Squirrel

By Winston Plummer, age 11

The squirrel, a tiny little Viking,
stealing hidden food stashes
and taking over bird feeders
like a criminal mastermind.
The squirrel,
a cute, tiny creature
with a tail like
a poofy pine tree
and eyes like an obsidian stone.
The squirrel,
a mini and hairy version of Tom Cruise,
jumping from tall trees
and always landing on their feet.
The squirrel,
a kind little creature
that I adore so much.

2nd Place

Something You Should Know…

By Vivaan K., age 12

I grew up reading books, thousands of books, millions on words, millions of worlds,
I watched words swim across the pages coming alive and dancing to to an unknown tune,
I am watching birds gracefully flit across the sky landing in the grateful bows of a maple tree to peck at the sod, looking for unknown bugs and worms.
Which makes me think
                                    about how small we are 
                                                                                   Grains of sand in the endless desert of life…
 Perhaps even that big maple tree is just a lump of sand…
And so am I putting words on this page, giving it life, giving it character, making something,
From nothing,  
perhaps that ant is too tirelessly toiling towards trees as tall as towers through bird infested grounds  
Even if we are all just grains of sand we can still make a dent in our part of the world 
A dent in life.

3rd Place

Echo of Absence

By Cora Clifford, age 11

In a world that sees right through me
I walk in silence, my presence free
Unseen by eyes, I drift and sway
Invisible in the light of day.
I do not talk or play or chat
With anyone but me
It’s lonely being invisible
I wish I could be seen.
But when I try to interact
With the world around me
All I get is blank-eyed stares
From the people that surround me.
Invisibility is not something you should wish for
It’s a curse, I assure you – one that I am under
I leave no footprints where I walk
My words are silent when I talk
This isn’t something that you want!
But then one chilly afternoon
I turn the corner
Much too soon
And bump into a kid about your age.
I started at what happened next
He turned around and dipped his hat
And as he stroked his furry cat
I swear, for just one moment,
He could see me.

Honorable Mentions:

Auditions

By Eowyn Lawrence, age 12

Walking into the gym
Sitting on the floor
As Mr. Eric asks
Who wants to go first?
The first volunteer hops up onto the stage
Sings a melody I cannot remember
Cheering and clapping
Fear dampens the sound
Crashes over and around me like a wave
Who wants to go next?
The next person climbs up
Meanwhile my heartbeat in my throat 
Is as quick as a frightened rabbit
My breath racing as fast as my heart
My limbs shake
Blood pounds through my head
Names fly by, faces, tunes
While I sit and wait, sit and wait
Microphone or no? lyrics or no?
These are what Mr. Eric asks each volunteer
It’s all a blur
It feels like shards of memories
Punctuated by wonder, dread, and more
My thoughts are like a tornado
Sucking up everything 
Shattering it in a whirlwind of anxiety
I raise my hand
I am shaking as I climb up onto the stage 
Accept the microphone
And deny lyrics
I remember opening my mouth
Words fly out 
Making a bold choice with each one
The adrenaline and fear shifts
Into something else entirely
Something that demands attention
Fills my whole body with something else

War Chant

By Niren Madhan, age 12

Sword! Spear! Axe and Shield!
Whip and Lasso, crack and fly!
War is a-coming,
the time is nigh!
For blood! For glory!
Slashing! Clashing! Lashing!
as battle cries rise,
we fight for ones we’ve lost,
we fight for what’s to gain,
at break of dawn, the battle is raging,
by sun or storm a war is a-waging.
So onwards soldiers!
Onwards we march!
We draw our blades, and onwards we fight!
We fight for day, and we fight for night!
Slash and hack!
Batter and sack!
Scatter and dash!
Swipe and smash!
We ready our weapons,
We fight for what’s right.
In the face of darkness
we raise our swords!
we battle Kings, Queens and Lords.
So heft your axes,
draw your daggers,
and never, ever let tyranny rise.
In the midst of death, deceit and lies,
we hurl our spears and stab our blades.
So rise my fighters!
Rise and fight,
fight for freedom, for justice and light!!!

Great Oak Tree

By Gwen Petzing, age 12

Eyes blue
Like she’s trying to
Give me a clue
To come closer to her
Using them like a lure
To get to know her better
To spend all our time together
To let our hands intertwine
Sit under a pine
To hold on tight
Throughout our fights
Her name, Violet
Her warm hug is like a blanket
Wraps around me
Like leaves on a tree
Her voice is as soft as rain
Her voice heals all my pain
Her smile lights me up like the sun
Except it’s always there for me when the day is done
Her voice, a melody so soft so sweet
It makes me feels whole and complete
She is an angel helping everyone in need
And planting a hopeful seed
That will one day, turn into a great oak tree
Where we will sit forever, gratefully

The Day Was Sunny

By Rory S., age 6

The day was sunny.
I saw a bunny.
I loved the bunny.
So I gave it honey.

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Rules:

Open to all poets ages 13 and under, writing in English, or with English translation alongside.

Poems must be the original work of the child. No adult, teen, or AI help allowed. (Proofreading help is fine.) Poems may be collaborations between children, if both children are named.

Submit one poem only — send us your favorite!

Deadline May 1st, 2025.

Frog Hollow students may either submit a poem or be a judge. Poems will be judged anonymously.

Please email your poem to froghollowpoetryprize@gmail.com. Put the title (or first line if untitled) in the subject line and the poem in the email body, along with your name and age.

Read the 2023 winners!

(Remember, our judges will be different students this year, and tastes may change!)

1st Place:

Ballad of Eli

By Eric Cisyk, age 11

All he does is sleep all day,
Why can't he get up once and play?
Oh Eli-the-Cat.

He should chase a mouse,
He should guard my house.
Oh Eli-the-Cat.

He's wasting his life doing nothing,
He could try doing a little something.
Oh Eli-the-Cat.

Oh how I wish
That he would catch a fish.
Oh Eli-the-Cat.

He is such a lazy beast,
He should prepare me a fancy feast.
Oh Eli-the-Cat.

"Feed me! Feed me!" Why-oh-why?
Does he constantly so loudly cry?
Oh Eli-the-Cat.

When I read my book at night,
He comes near and snuggles tight.
Oh Eli-the-Cat.

He eats my LEGO pieces,
And then they come out in his feces.
Oh-Eli-the-Cat.

In the middle of the night he cries,
But I hope that he never dies.
Oh Eli-the-Cat.

You are my best friend.

2nd Place:

Plastic Pirate

by Anushka Garg, age 11

I sail the Pacific Ocean,
Vanquishing my foes,
If you dare defy me,
Off the plank you go!

My days are filled with looting,
And nabbing jewels and gold,
We fight beastly sharks-and win,
Knocking them out cold.
 
We then sing songs and play music,
We tell stories a lot!
We eat dry bread and rum,
With the remaining teeth we’ve got.
 
I don’t use weapons-no spears for me,
I instead use a swordfish,
His name is Jaws, and we’re best buds,
Well, I wish.
 
I actually live in a house,
A boy plays with me,
I’ve never had these adventures for real,
I’m a toy, you see.

3rd Place:

The Prophecy of Rain

By Niren Madhan, age 11

Wind, fire, ash, rain
One shall end in grief and pain
Find the endless maze of Bones
Find the secret of the stones
Search through the deepest depths and highest heights
To find the orb of brightest lights
Death shall rise and Life shall fall
Unless they can end the eternal brawl 
Beware, a rival hidden from time
Beware, a bell waiting to chime
Watch out for a traitor hidden unseen
Watch out for a monster lurking in your dreams
Stop that if you can; if you can’t you will Fail
And out of the sky will fall the black Hail
One shall face the forgotten evil at last
If they survive their mystically monstrous past
Then victory shall rise and they will win 
But only if they can beat the cruel sharks fin

Honorable Mentions:

Unicorns in Distress

By Cassie Atwood, age 10

In a land far beyond the rainbow’s end 
Where magic always seems to mend
Lives many creatures pure as gold
Unicorns have a story to be told.
Twenty years ago, peace came
But the storm pierced them apart all the same.
Find the secret, recall this tale
Beware, unicorns will be hard to hail,
With manes rich as gold,
Hooves polished like diamonds, freezing cold.
With horns so fine,
The unicorns are looking for a sign
A sign of help, of persistence
They need friends and assistance
If the unicorns don’t thrive
They can’t survive.

Spring

By Cora Bolick, age 10

The frogs croak loudly, but not louder than the chirping birds.
The blanket I lay upon is soft and floofy.
Looking behind me, I see a spider climbing across its web, silent and beautiful.
The blue blanket of sky above me holds up the glistening sun, which keeps me warm, calm and protected.
The bright yellow dandelions stand out from all of the dull green grass.
Our broken woodshed still has wood inside it, wood long forgotten. There are few dandelions to make a wish upon, for it is only the start of spring.
The fire pit, overgrown with weeds, still stands strong and proud, unlike the beehives, which have fallen down.
A butterfly whizzes past, a reminder that summer is nearing.
I notice a helicopter flying past the moon, which has been out all afternoon. 
Laying at the bottom of the hill, I feel like a part of the earth itself; like my spirit has connected to the sky, the sea, the ground and the air.
The trees, standing still, like they always have, remember nothing different ever happening.
Everything is the same to them.
The sky is clear of clouds, and is a bright blue.
Against it, the birds swoop from tree to tree, graceful as they can be.
My pen glistens in the sunlight; this wonderful pen that allows me to write this poem; this wonderful poem that allows me to express my feelings; my wonderful feelings that allow me to love, to hate, to cry wonderful tears of joy and sadness, of fear, and just simple tears.
The tears that we have all wept, the tears we have all felt, and the tears we all fear, embrace, and need to be human.

The loop 
(the donut) 

By Ilha Grace Chen, age 10

An endless line, thicker than my thumb,
A sugary threat, filled with fun.
Scattered on it, small confetti,
Welp, here it goes! Get ready!
It enters the cave, giving it a sugary wonder,
And it's always perfect, no blunders.
You eat them to celebrate someone's raise. 
It can be dipped, covered or glazed!

In The Mirror

By Erin Han, age 11

In the mirror,
I see a girl.

Walking towards me,
As I
Walk towards her.

I smile; I laugh.
She smiles; she laughs.

We embrace.

Tears of happiness
Streak 
Down my cheeks.

We weep 
Together.

Finding 
Our true love. 
Who was there
With us
All along.

Even as others 
Broke our hearts,
Over,
And over,
Again.

I Come From

By Yolilizatl Olvera, age 10

I come from stardust.
	Magical being and
		Lore.
I come from music.

	Happy darkness,
		Lively shadows.

I come from mythology,
	Gods and goddesses.
		Deities and ghosts.

I come from the trees,
	The branches,
		The roots,
			The sky.

I come from adventuring, road trips, home cooking.
I come from Mexico and Europe.
I come from the farside and playin’ it rough.
I come from brain teasers and puzzles.
	Complications and results.
I come from bullying and family support.
I come from snow and sunny beachside resorts.
I come from epic. Fine detail coloring. Tryin’ not to rhyme, tryin’ not
to be ghetto.
I come from mic drops, smiles, and wondering what to do
Next because
	Now
	I
	Have
		Writers
			Block.
		(and i’m hungry)

My Day

By Charlee Worcester, age 13

Today I woke up late 
I bet you can relate
I drove to the market
To grab myself a plate 

Of all the food I love 
That you probably hate 
Then I went to the gym
And tried to lift some weight

It didn’t work out
So, I went to my friend Kate’s 
She only speaks Spanish 
So I used google translate

Then I went back home 
I took a nice nap 
And my cat gave me a slap 
Now my face is red

And without eating dinner
I went back to bed
And slept with my shoes on
And a bump on my head