The River of Words Contest is a poetry and art competition for young people all over the world. It was created by Robert Hass, former poet laureate (1995-1997), and writer Pamela Michael to celebrate the environment and the way children relate to it. All poems entered in the contest must have some mention of water. In June each year a special reading and ceremony is held in Washington, D.C. to honor the young writers and to share their poetry with the public. The Grand Prize Winners win a trip to D.C. to read their poems in the Library of Congress. Finalists in the contest are encouraged to come but at their own expense. A beautiful book is published every year to showcase the winners and finalists in both poetry and art. Three years ago as a 13-year-old, I was the Grand Prize Winner in the 7th to 9th grade branch of the contest. Two years ago I was a finalist, and this year all five of the poems I entered were chosen as finalists. Because of this, my poems were given a special section in the book and an introductory paragraph. This is my own account of what the ceremony is like.
The first thing you notice about the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress-- after you get past the metal detectors and the good-humored security guards-- is how absolutely spectacular it is. The ceilings are incredibly high and wrought with detailed shimmering mosaics, the window arches are encrusted with leafed gold, and there is not a square foot of space in the whole building that could not be called a piece of delicate artwork. In the corners of the ceilings giant carvings of mermaids hold paintings and stained glass welcomes the light in through its many facets. I never thought I’d be back here. Young people from all over the world are the crowning jewel of the Library of Congress this morning: gathering in the entrance, holding sheets of poetry and art, to present them to the public for the annual River of Words Ceremony.
Through an equally bejeweled hallway we follow the signs that speak of this event. We arrive in a blue passageway with tall windows and low lamps with scenes painted right into the walls and ceiling. The floor is made up of more deep red and white mosaic. Along the hall, children’s artwork is set up on easels, and there’s a table which has all of the winning poetry displayed.
We enter the room where the reading is going to be held to find it a huge space held up by square, carved columns and a stage with a podium. The ceiling is pale blue squares burnished with gold surrounded by white. Fifty or so chairs are quickly filling up with librarians, parents, poets, civilians, children, adults and people from all walks of life. Finally, John Cole gets up to speak.
John Cole is the director for the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress. He welcomes everyone and introduces Pamela Michael and Robert Hass, co-founders of the River of Words Contest. The two of them speak a few words of congratulations, and call onto stage the first poetry finalist to read her poem. There are twelve finalists present, and I am one of them. I’ve spent the last hour or so choosing which of my five finalist poems to read when they call my name. When they finally do, I stand up and walk to the stage with my poem in my fist. There are a lot of people in the crowd.... it’s hard to appreciate the amount of friendly, eager faces until you’re standing behind the podium with a poem in your hands. After I sit down, I watch the other kids reading and know they are thinking the same thing.
After the Shasta Bioregion prize is issued (honoring a student from the San Francisco area) and Maggie LaRochelle, a student intimately involved with and writing a thesis paper on the River of Words project, speaks, the poetry Grand Prize Winners read one by one. There are four of them. Zak Bhe from Nobleboro, Maine, reads his poem, “The Bunny.” DiAnna Rowe from Colorado reads ” Heaven,” about her grandfather. “Garter Snake” is read by Julia Christensen. Finally Caroline Dean, the high school winner, reads “Snapping Turtles.” As the words hover above the audience, the teacher of the year gets up to speak. Her daughter, who is now also a teacher, was among the first River of Words winners, so the next speech (by the daughter) is about the contest coming full-circle.
The art winners are next. Four finalists come to the stage to talk about their work. After they are finished, the four Grand Prize Winners in art come up one by one and stand in front of their artwork. Pamela Michaels and Robert Hass ask them questions about their work, and after they sit down, closing remarks are issued.
It will only be a year before everyone gathers here again, with new artwork and poetry. It will only be a year before more young people meet here to discuss their watersheds and the fascination and respect they feel for them through poetry and art. In the meantime, everyone will return home and go back to living their lives: school will start up again, new friends will be made, chores will be done.... but the fact that they were involved in the River of Words Ceremony will remain an anchor to both the environment and to poetry. And that is the whole reason Robert Hass and Pamela Michaels started this contest back in 1995.