7 Ch7-The Worst Poem in the History of the World

Chapter 7 The Worst Poem in the History of the World Ms. Coco took me back to the G and T room. She didn't say a word as we walked down the hall. She must have been really mad. I knew I was in big trouble. Ms. Coco must have found out that I made up a poem about eating bunnies. She must

have known that I offered the kids candy to keep them quiet. But when we got to the G and T room, the most amazing thing in the history of the world happened. Ms. Coco put her arms around me and gave me a hug! A.J., she said, I think you're a genius! Huh? I've been looking over the poems you wrote for Miss Daisy's class, Ms. Coco said, and they are incredible! They moved me to tears! In all my years of teaching, I have never met a child with such raw talent! Huh? I said. Miss Daisy gave me this, said Ms.

Coco, handing me a sheet of paper. You wrote this, didn't you? Yeah, I guess so. It was one of those dumb poems I made up by throwing flash cards in the air. It's wonderful! Ms. Coco cried. I never thought someone so young could write such brilliant poetry! You need to share your gift with the world, A.J. You should become a poet when you grow up. I want to be a dirt bike racer, I said. You can be a dirt bike racer who writes poetry! said Ms. Coco. You are a young flower. I must water you and give you sunshine to help you grow and bloom.

Then she hugged me again and started to cry. Ugh! Gross! I thought I was gonna die. Ms. Coco was sure to tell everybody what a great poet I was. Do you know what that can do to a kid's reputation? If the guys started thinking I was a great poet, they wouldn't let me play football with them anymore. They wouldn't let me play roller hockey with them anymore. I wouldn't be cool A.J. anymore.

I'd be Arlo the Poet. There was only one thing I could do run away to Antarctica and live with the penguins. Penguins are cool, and they wouldn't care that I was a gifted and talented nerd who wrote poetry. But wait! That's when I got another great idea. If I could write really good poetry, then I could write really bad poetry too. I could write a poem that was so bad, Ms. Coco would change her mind about me. All I had to do was write the worst poem in the history of the world! That night I sat down at my desk and made a list of words and stuff that grown- ups hate. Then I put all the words

together into a poem. It was hard work. But finally I was finished: Butt cheeks and belly button lint, Fart burgers on toast. I like to eat toenail clippings And earwax the most. Dumbheads and idiots And morons I hate. Armpits and dog doo And snot on my plate. There were a few more verses like that, but you get the point. I did it! I had writ- ten the worst poem in the history of the world!