An entry for Susanna Leonard Hill's Second Annual Valentiny Writing Contest

Susanna Leonard Hill (see link below) is an author who offers encouragement and opportunities for wannabe children's authors like myself. In this particular contest the requirements are:

• Write a Valentine's story or poem
• For children (aged 12 and under)
• 214 words or less (this is exactly 214 words excluding the title)
• In which someone is confused.

Here is my entry (which earned me a tie for seventh place!):

Sebastian, Say Something

Nell held in her hands three Valentine’s cards

She made in her class during Art.

Miss Polly, her teacher, had helped her to trace,

Then carefully cut out each heart.

Nell glued them on paper she’d folded in half.

Miss Polly had said they looked good.

She wrote on each inside, “I love you so much!”

As well as an eight-year old could.

But now as she held them, while perched on the bed

She slept in the end of each week,

Nell said to Sebastian, her step-mother’s cat,

“Sebastian, I wish you could speak!”

“I know I have known you for only two years.

And clearly, at first I was mad.

I wanted my parents to stay as they were,

But your mommy married my dad.

“I hated to come here; I hated you all.

Leaving my mother was hard,

But your mommy, Susan’s, been ever so nice.

Now, I want to give her this card.

“Sebastian, the problem’s my mother still cries.

I’m worried what harm I might do

By giving to Susan this Valentine’s card

And telling her I love her too.

“So, give me some signal, a simple meow

Or purr to convince me I’m right,

But hurry Sebastian; she’s coming in soon
To hug me and kiss me goodnight!”

https://susannahill.com/2017/02/10/pop-goes-my-heart-the-second-annual-valentiny-writing-contest-is-here/