Entries and artist statements in the Literature category for the 2024 Reflections contest sponsored by Adams Middle School PTSA. The entry that receives the Award of Excellence advances to the next round. Click here to return to the 2024 Gallery main page.
"My poem is about accepting imperfections. It shows that chasing perfection is pointless and only brings disappointment. Instead, it encourages us to embrace our flaws and mistakes, recognizing that they're a natural part of being human. The poem conveys the message that real strength comes from accepting our imperfections and finding peace within ourselves."
I chose to write about colors having cracks to symbolize how people have their own “cracks” in themselves. Cracks symbolize our imperfections, and people hiding them represent how we try to hide our imperfections to seem “perfect” to others. Someone showing their cracks and getting bullied for it represents how we sometimes get bullied for being imperfect. But no one should be made fun of just because they’re not “perfect”. No one is perfect, and that's okay. Pretending to be perfect will just harm us. Admitting mistakes is what makes you a good person in my opinion.
L-MS-10.pdfMy story “The Mirror” is about facing your insecurities head-on, finally loving yourself for who you are, and learning to love your imperfections too. This story is very close to my heart because I have struggled with insecurity in recent years, and still to this day. This is a true story that is often untold. Many keep their struggles to themselves. Yet today, I will speak up for those who bottle it up. Because maybe, just maybe, I can help them speak up too. You, the reader, are helping them as well, just by reading my story. Thank you.
Imperfections are in everyone, but everyone tries so hard to hide it. In the song I’ve written, the girl that it is written from the view of is telling some mean kids that everyone is imperfect whether they like it or not, no matter how hard they try to appear that way. I was inspired to write this song because I know personally that everyone puts a barrier around how they really act and this is a song that helped me to begin taking down mine, because only when we take down the barriers, can we truly be ourselves.
"I used to dislike my imperfections, represented by the skin, wanting to change myself to be “perfect”. When I removed all of the things I disliked about myself, and covered my imperfections up, represented as cement walls, I realized that real beauty comes from accepting the true you, the one with all your messy and beautiful parts, which are represented by the dirt. Accepting myself has been difficult for me going into middle school, and I realized that trying to fit in just isn’t me. So I accepted who I was and am happier now that I love myself. "
I wrote this poem based on how you should accept all imperfections. I really tried to highlight how you should acknowledge that everyone carries a flaw and that is OK. Also I made sure to include that it is more of a representation of your personality and appearance which makes you unique. Your imperfection makes you YOU.
"I wrote this because I know that at times life is hard and you just want to fit in. Sometimes
people say rude things to people because of who they are and thats not okay. We need to speak up. I know thats hard but just because its hard doesn't mean it's not possible. I was inspired to write this to give courage to those who are struggling with imperfection. I hope this gives them the courage to stand up for themselves and others will follow. You are not alone."
There are mistakes all throughout nature’s world, whether it be the sunset on a beach, or the snow on a mountain, none of it is perfect. This is because no matter how beautiful something is there is always room for improvement that we don’t necessarily need. When we accept the beauty of the universe that was made through its mistakes, it will seem even more beautiful than before. I wrote this poem to show how nature has made beautiful mistakes, and if we try to fix them all, the world would lose all of its beauty.
A massive change in our lives happened a few years ago, and we were all waiting for it to end and go back to how it was before. When we came back from it though, it still wasn't the same as how it was. In this poem I tried to capture the moment I accepted that life might only get to an imperfect version of what it was before at best, but that I was also ready to face it, and treasure all the things that seemed insignificant before.
I wrote this poem about my everyday life as a middle-schooler. My poem shows the flaws and more problematic side of my everyday life. In this poem it shows imperfection as not being prepared or responsible enough, or procrastination. But at the end it shows a glimpse that I am also hopeful to fix these problems and eventually accepting my all of my perfect and imperfect flaws.
L-MS-11.pdfThe vase is cracked and it's OK, but the story on how it got cracked is still a fresh wound. The pain it suffered is a part of the vase. It's OK not to be perfect but don't try to hide it. You have to embrace it and let it run as the new perfect.
