This is my poem called "Shell" and I got 4th place out of 87 people in my 8th grade year. I am now in 9th grade.

Shell:

It's like I'll disappear as soon as I close my eyes
I feel like I've turned into someone that even I don't recognize
Sadly, I've become so small
I vomited up my loneliness, and just lay there, measuring it all up

Amidst this drop of time gone dry
My heart is drowning and writhing
These lies that make me dizzy
I took them and tore them up
And with that,
I became lost
In a world of thin darkness

For the sake of those whom I should trust
I chose to come here, a cage into which I've locked myself and now...
There's no escape
Deep inside my parched throat
Lies the reason for this growing impermanence
Scared of the approaching tomorrow
I cower and collapse
But it seeks me out and whispers to me

Amidst this drop of time gone dry
My heart is drowning and writhing
These lies that make me dizzy

I took them and tore them up and with that, I became lost
In a world of thin darkness