AHS Senior Wins Poetry Contest

arrowhead high school Senior

Sydney Van Dorf

poetry contest winner

Sydney Van Dorf
Pictured with other contest winners

Sydney Van Dorf (grade 12) was chosen as the grades 7-12 winner of the Delafield Public Library's Poetry Contest for her poem "La Vérité" ("The Truth").  Sydney received her award from Max Garland, Wisconsin's Poet Laureate, in a ceremony on Sunday, April 28th at the Delafield library.

Sydney Van Dorf
Pictured with poetry winners and
Max Garland, Wisconsin's Poet Laureate

Sydney's poem was written for Advanced Placement French class following a unit on Global Challenges: War and Peace.  Each student drew up a list of 20 words relating to the theme.  The students then received a classmate's list and had to write a poem using at least 8 words from the list that they received.  The poems were terrific and following a suggestion from Mr. Andy Freeburg, English teacher, the students in Ms. Ramona Armour's French class submitted their poems to the contest.  Students typed their poem in French and wrote an English translation of their poem for the contest.  

Congratulations to Sydney and her teacher Ms. Armour!!  

The following is Sydney's winning poem, first in French and then in English:

Sydney reads her poem
at the award event at the
Delafield Library

La Vérité

Il dit «Aie le courage.»

Il dit «Tu es soldat.

L’armée, la guerre

C’est ton travail.»

Il dit «Prends les armes.

Utilise les bombes, les pistolets.»

Mais il ne parle jamais de la mort.

Il ne dit rien du sang des camarades

Partout.

The Truth

He says, “Have courage.”

He says, “You’re a soldier.

The army, the war,

it’s your job.”

He says “Take up your arms,

Use bombs, pistols.”

But he never spoke of death.

He said nothing of the blood of my comarades

Everywhere.