Love or myth. Why decide?
Rylie Marshall, 11, of Peterborough, avidly reads her Cricket Magazine, a children’s magazine that features art and writings of various types by and for children, and hold monthly contests where kids can show off their skills.
In February, aspiring poets had two themes to choose from: love, in honor of February and Valentine’s Day, or a poem about your favorite myth or mythological creature. Marshall’s submission took the second place prize for the over 11 age category.
Marshall decided to combine the two themes to write about Odysseus, from Homer’s “The Odyssey.”
“Odysseus is my favorite myth,” said Marshall. “And it’s a story about him trying to get back to his wife, so there’s that element too.”
The tale has a convenient love story built in, as Odysseus travels through various adventures to get back home to his wife and son in Ithaca. Meanwhile, believing Odysseus to be dead, suitors come crawling out of the woodwork to woo his wife – but no matter how many come, Odysseus’ wife Penelope remains faithful, believing staunchly that he will return.
Here is Marshall’s poem:
While Odysseus sailed the ocean blue,
His wife stayed ever true,
Though suitors asked,
Her son was tasked
To find his father,
And while the suitors were a bother,
His father sailed home,
Through dangerous storms he sailed home
And finally made it to Ithaca!
But, alas, he is just a mythaca.
Marshall said she’s entered the magazine’s contests before, but this was the first time she’s been awarded a prize. “I waited and waited and finally got the news that I’d made it!” she said. “I got second place, and then I had to wait forever for the magazine to come out with my poem in it.”
Though Marshall aspires to be a marine biologist, she still likes to dip her toes in the literary waters. She prefers writing stories to poetry, despite her win she said.
“Poetry is fun, but it’s harder than writing stories. Usually my poems have to rhyme, like Dr. Suess.”
Currently, said Marshall, she’s writing a fictional sequal to one of her favorite books, “The Book Thief” by Marcus Zusak, about a German girl living through World War II.
“I had to look up a lot of German swearwords,” she admitted, sheepishly.
Marshall thanked her mother for her assistance in submitting the poem, and her grandmother, for purchasing her a subscription to Cricket Magazine.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com.