2 Burple Is a Word

2 Burple Is a Word For homework that night, every kid in our school had to write a poem. Ugh. The next morning, Ms. Coco came into our classroom to listen to our poems. "Who wants to go first?" she asked.

"I DO! I DO!" shouted Andrea Young. Of course. She was waving her hand in the air like she was trying to signal a plane from a desert island. Ms. Coco called on her, of course. Andrea skipped up to the front of the class like it was her birthday. She was holding a book in her hand. It said Andrea's Poetry Book on the front. She started to read. I'm a little caterpillar living in a tree. Up so high, so near the sky where no one bothers me. I'd like to play way down below where the river bends, with all the other animals. But alas, I have no friends.

I'm ugly, slimy, small, and slow, molting in my nest. I have twelve eyes and shed my skin. They think that I'm a pest. But then one day when I awoke, much to my surprise, I was a caterpillar no more. I'd become a butterfly! Now I'm pretty and colorful too, flitting and flying free. I'm happy I have lots of friends,

and everyone loves me. Everybody clapped for Andrea because that's what you are supposed to do whenever anybody finishes anything. Nobody knows why. Andrea was sure to win the poetry contest with that snoozer. "I feel like I'm going to cry," said Emily, wiping her eyes. "What a lovely poem, Andrea!" said Ms. Coco. "Thank you for sharing it with us. Now who would like to—" "May I read another one of my poems?" asked Andrea. "I wrote ten of them last night." "Well, we don't have a lot of time," Ms. Coco told her, "and we want to give everyone in the class a chance to recite a poem." I snickered, and Andrea made a mean face. When she sat down, Andrea's Poetry Book fell off her desk. Emily picked it up for her. I saw some writing on the first page. To Andrea, Fill these pages with your wonderful words, sweetheart.

May all your poetry dreams come true! Love, Mom and Dad Ms. Coco called on Ryan next. He came up to the front of the class with a piece of paper. "Is it okay if I sing my poem?" he asked. "Why not?" replied Ms. Coco. "People express their creativity in different ways. Go ahead, Ryan. Sing away!" Ryan sang a song to the tune of "My Favorite Things" from that old movie The Sound of Music. Sausage on pizza and ketchup on french fries, Hot dogs and burgers and ice cream on warm pies, Blueberry muffins when I'm in good moods, These are a few of my favorite foods. Peaches, bananas, or nice chocolate cake, Hot mashed potatoes that come with a steak, Gum to blow bubbles or maybe just chewed, These are a few of my favorite foods. Candy and cookies and cinnamon buns,

Egg rolls and wontons and roast pork chow fun, Ripe watermelon and ribs barbecued, These are a few of my favorite foods. When I'm hungry, When I'm starving, When we're out of fruit, I simply remember my favorite foods, And then I don't give... a hoot. Everybody clapped for Ryan.