[img align=left]http://i.imgur.com/I1gMO5a.png[/img]Hello, students! Nice to meet all of you. My name is Finnick William Lawrence. Everyone calls me Finn. You’ve probably already seen me around, possibly putting books away in the library or near the pitch filling out a sudoku puzzle. I’m the Librarian here at Ilvermorny.

I have a new writing challenge for you today. This week’s writing challenge is a poetry challenge. Write a poem about your school. It could be about the founders, your school’s history or location, your school’s mascot or house mascot, about a famous alumnus/alumna (you can make one up) or one of your champions. It can be a fun cheer, chant or haiku.

Some rules for this challenge: 1.) Poems must be at least 3 lines long. 2.) The topic of the poem should be about the school you’re assigned.

Each member may only submit one poem, and each poem to successfully adhere to the rules will receive 10 Tournament Points.

Bonus points will be awarded to poems that are particularly creative!

This challenge will end on Thursday, July 27th at 11:59PM.

Ebele meandered in the classroom and took out a piece of parchment and a purple ink pen. After listening to Finn give the instructions for the assignment, she put her pen to the paper but didn't move to write anything yet. Eventually, she scrawled her name atop the paper and started brainstorming ideas. She had never read or written poetry before, being that she was only 11, but wanted to give it a try.

She scrawled '4A' in large letters on the side margin. "Yes, that is a good title," she proclaimed quietly while nodding.

Suddenly her mind felt blank, and her eyes wandered around the room until they rested on the window. She began staring out the window, through the beautifully clear glass panes. She wasn't really thinking of anything in particular. However, seeing the nature outside made her happy and homesick at the same time. The semester had only begun a few shorts weeks ago but the adjustment to this life had proven quite difficult for the young witch.

A thought hit her, so she wrote it down. That led to another and another. Eventually she had several lines of what might pass as a poem written out. Pulling out a new piece of paper, Ebele started her final draft of the poem.

Ebele Nia Zuberi - The Alexandrian Academy for the Arcane Arts

4A A far away country A warm ocean breeze A new school A strange fondness for feasting A kind room full of smiles A bedroom with a window A new discovery every day A new home A new me

Ebele looked at her work and decided that it was good. She didn't have any poetry from which to compare, thus she felt nothing lacking when she turned in her masterpiece. With a satisfied smile she walked with a light bobbing step back to her seat and continued to stare, daydreaming, out the nearby window.

Wild cats frolic in the trees Our cloaks will flow in the breeze I will fight to defend my school I am key I vow to be strong that is my cree

Wampus - Kat

River frowned. Poetry was not her forte. She scrawled down several words trying to find the best way to make it work but finally she just started writing.

I go to Alexandrian Academy for the Arcane Arts It might be a mouthful, but it wins many people’s hearts. A poem about my school you say? It was founded 2300 years ago give or take a day. It resides in the desert with the camels and sands Some of us are now learning nonverbal commands. We have pyramids and mummies and lots to discover Grab a tool kit and see what you can uncover. This is the magical land of the pharaohs like Tutankhamun, And is something other schools don’t have in common. We learn of curses and find a bandaged mummy, So come along and with the other students become chummy. Novice, Intermediate, Practiced, Skilled and Expert, Are the ranks you’ll strive to become in this school of the desert. My name is River Alcott and I’m a school champion And I’ll try to win with all my passion!

River Alcott, 4A

Carlos did the infamous double-facepalm after hearing about the writing challenge. "Just when I thought it couldn't come worse..." he lamented behind his hands, then he sighed deeply. A poem! Out of all possible things on earth they had to write a poem. "I can only hope that they aren't going to make us read them aloud in front of the others" he thought "otherwise I should start digging my own grave right after finishing this lyrical outpour..." With a face already blushed with shame he grabbed his quill and started writing.

After finishing the last line of his "haiku" Carlos hastily folded the paper and handed it over to Finn. "Sorry" he mumbled honestly embarrassed before he went back to his desk where he began to closely examine his own fingers in order to prevent eye contact with anyone. "Please, let this lesson be over soon, I have to find my shovel..."

Niamh stared at the blank sheet of parchment in front of her. Normally she would be keen to write something, but it just seemed so crazy to be sitting in a completely different country, where the weather was totally different to what she was used to, that her mind was totally blank. Realising that she had better just write something, she started by putting her name and school at the base of the sheet. Thinking about 4A, the school mascot came to mind, finally giving her some inspiration for her poem:

Sun, sand, snake slithers Golden robes and sashes bright 4A Champ to win!

Niamh Doyle, 4A (the slithering snake is the Horned Viper 4A school mascot ;))

Rain sighed, she wasn't the best creative writer. At least she could write about her house's mascot, and she did love the thunderbird. After writing her name, school, and house on her paper, she decided that a haiku would be the easiest.

Rain Stormwing Ilvermorny Thunderbird

Corvus took some time to think about the task. He started with a haiku, but then crossed his ideas again. These weren't his thing. Sighing, he sat there and waited for inspiration when it dawned upon him. Some students of Hogwarts had mentioned that they have a singing sorting hat that tells about the school and the houses before the sorting ceremoy starts. Motivated, he dipped his quill into the ink and started writing again.

It took him a while and a bunch of pergament, but he was finally done. He wrote his poem down once again, this time in perfect and neat handwriting.

[img align=left]https://sapi.subeta.net/shared/263871.png[/img]To be completely honest, Nathaniel hadn't set foot in the library since he'd arrived at Ilvermorny and it was for this reason that he'd also never seen Finn before this class. The librarian set the challenge and Nathaniel thought it best to prepare a chant. How better to support the female champions for Hogwarts than with a cheer for the both of them! ( hope you don't mind!)

Semira Tasnim, Alexandria

I come from a place in the Middle East Where the sun shines bright at the sand's feet. Alexandria may not be where I was born, But it has surely become a place I call home. With robes of gold and a snake to welcome, The sands of Egypt call us all friend.

Terry got nervous, she was not good at poetry but she had to try get points to her school, she nervously scribbled over and over until she decides to keep this poorly written piece.

((OOC: I don't mind =3 ))

[img align=left]https://sapi.subeta.net/shared/277498.png[/img]

Finn is serving Domhnall Gleeson vibes. 😍

A place to call home, The four houses united, Go Ilvermorny!

This is a chant/haiku.

Faye Robinson - Ilvermorny

The hieroglyphs on the walls, they tell a well-hidden tale. If Muggles could decipher them at all, The magical world would be unveiled.

The corridors and chambers whispers secrets, Of ancient sorcerers and sorceress, Tales of powerful mages that once ruled Egypt, Who now lay buried at guarded coordinates.

But at the Alexandian Academy of Arcane Arts, The staff and students remember their legacies. We engrave their stories into our hearts, And we keep them forever in our memories.

• Kai Musa, 4A

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry They even have a murderous big tree A big black lake with Merpeople in it Hogsmeade´s butterbeer is the biggest hit

They even have a singing hat A lot of people turned out dead It´s big, dangerous and fun Be sure to get your homework done.

Zachary Thane Underwood/Slytherin

Haiku Ode to Hogwarts

enchanted castle moving portraits and staircases secrets to reveal

-Charlotte Rose, Hogwarts

Lenore was excited to be writing poetry. Writing and wandwork were the two things that came the most easily to her. She reached into her bag and pulled out a journal to write rough drafts in then had to dig a little for her quill. Finally fishing it out along with her signature green-black ink, she sat down at her desk. She shifted a bit in her seat. How can people write like this? she wondered to herself. She needed somewhere where she could think properly. Getting up quietly, she moved toward the back of the classroom, nearly tripping over another student who was reaching into his bag on the floor. Finally she sat down against the back wall under a window where she could feel the breeze. This is better. It was the memory of the Sorting Hat songs at Hogwarts that inspired her poem. She loved them and wanted to write a version of her own.

She opened her book and began to scribble down lines, pausing occasionally and tapping her quill against her pursed lips as she thought.

When she was done crossing out and re-writing, she gave a satisfied smile and copied down the finished poem neatly onto fresh parchment.

((I think that's awesome!))

Naiad chewed on her quill for quite a while before scribbling the first line on her parchment. She wasn't big on whimsical writing, but she thought a Limerick would be fitting for the Irish founder of her school. Once she was finished she gave a satisfied nod to herself. It wasn't amazing, but it would do.

Zala hadn't written poems before. She knew there was supposed to be some structure she could use, but she didn't know of any. Perhaps she should have paid more attention to her language studies. However she had always found working outside much more fun. Reading books was something she liked too, but poetry wasn't something she had seen in her library. She must have skipped over those shelves. Zala put her quill to the parchment and just started to scribble her thoughts down. Perhaps those would turn into something poetic.

Journey

Going to the desert Open space all around For many years you must stay Opportunity to learn it all Under their tutelage your world grows Remember your time here As you leave the desert behind

Zala giggled softly to the little cheer for her school she had hidden in the poem. At least it looked somewhat like a poem with all the open space on her parchment. It also told something about the journey from starting the school to graduation so she figured it would be within the instructions given. Satisfied she went up to the librarian and handed in her work.

• Zala - 4A -

Seb stared blankly down at the empty page sprawling on the desk in front of him. Tentatively he dipped his quill into some ink, but soon began doodling small swirls at the top of the page instead of words. Poetry wasn’t something he'd ever really thought about. Sure he had read a few books here and there. But poetry, like writing, was a bit of a daunting task. Personally Seb would have much rather acted out an interpretive dance... The thought of actually doing an interpretive dance made him snicker but he was quickly shhh-hushed by the girl who sat beside him. Taking a deep calming breath, Seb began scribbling down a few words that came to mind when he thought of the Academy. Eventually, after he had sat there for long enough, he had formulated something he considered “good enough” and turned in the assignment.