We get a lot of strange reader mail here at EW — letters from rabid fans, prisoners, etc. — but one piece in particular made us stop in our tracks: A Oscar-themed poem by 16-year-old Sam Carruthers from McHenry, Ill. (see his poem below). In fact, we were so impressed with Sam’s rhyming skillz that we decided to launch our own Oscar poetry contest. So log onto ew.com/oscarpoetry to submit your awe-inspiring verse about slumdogs, Jokers, or Mickey Rourke’s pet chihuahuas.
I have something to say and here is the reason,
Deep breath, drum roll, It’s Oscar season!
Realized on the way to see Kate and Leo
Amid "A Milli" and tracks by Ne-Yo,
My car radio spouted a message thankfully not tardy,
"This year, what are you doing for your Oscar party?"
Hit by a certain rush, almost wanted to jeer,
How is it already this time of year?!
The question gets to me and I ponder this
Then I think about this year’s flicks and reminisce.
Wondering about what and who I would crown,
Check through my head, a quick rundown.
Sean Penn and Josh Brolin really carried Milk,
A film comparable to a pie of chocolate silk,
And with that treat how about sips of vino
I tip my glass with cheers going to Gran Torino.
Ugh. My computer stalled and now I’m fixin’
Trying to Fandango tickets for Frost/Nixon.
Sorry I couldn’t see it. The fault is all mine.
Shouldn’t have gone to see My Bloody Valentine…
But back to the great and groundbreaking, stuff like Fantasia,
Slumdog made my friend Erin want to fly to South Asia.
Dev Patel deserves a nod, make sure to write that down,
But the real winner is the one who looks like a clown.
Even if he doesn’t win the statue, it’s no factor,
Mr. Heath Ledger, Best Supporting Actor.
In other areas I am a fan of Rourke and Cruz
A toss-up for director, wish I had an oracle to use,
And despite the fact it isn’t a nominee,
Let us all profess our love for Marley and Me.
Now I’m off to see the other films I still can.
(They apparently changed the script to Liar, Liar and named it Yes Man)
To every actor and film, great, terrible, or fine,
Hollywood…good luck in ’09.
addCredit(“Penn: Phil Bray; Langella: Ralph Nelson”)
Oscars are gold, and the Sag is grey/You cheated The Dark Knight so your ratings will tank!
That’s just awesome. Props from me!
I’m sorry, how do we submit our poem? I don’t understand. When you say to go to that link, I go there, and this exact page comes up.
nice.. aroundhouse.com
Great poem!!
GREAT POEM!
Ah, that’s so cool it’s up here.
Thanks Entertainment Weekly
What Sean said (five days ago)!
How do you submit the Oscar Poem?
What link
One Starry Night in LA
People’s Choice, Golden Globes and SAG Awards enthrall
But the Oscars are the industry’s grand-daddy of them all.
Since ’28 the statue prized by Hollywood elite
Has become the symbol without which careers are incomplete.
When you have won BEST ACTOR your income tends to soar
Even ho-hum roles can bring ten million bucks or more.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR’s not exactly yesterday’s chopped liver
Just recall the great performance last year’s nominees delivered.
Mickey Rourke and Frank Langella, Penn and Pitt compete
Wrestler Mickey needs this one to get back on his feet
Don’t count out pert Ms.Winslet, she’s proved her acting chops
But my vote is going to Meryl Streep the night the Oscar drops.
I haven’t seen a one of these so do I really care?
If it’s BENNY BUTTON, READER, MILK or SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE?
What I think is more exciting are Red Carpet interviews
When the stars are in Versace and …Manolo Blahnik shoes.
How do you post poems?
good poem
OSCARS 2009….a poem
There is always DOUBT,
DEFIANCE too, for this is always a test; a REVOULTIONARY ROAD, of sorts.
This VISITOR glides down the red carpet,
heart racing like a ghostly GRAN TORINO.
THE READER becomes the actor,
becomes the man, becomes the woman.
VICKY CHRISTINA BARCELONA?….who knows.
Like a BOLT, the WRESTLER appears,
so HAPPY GO LUCKY, but
inside a FROZEN RIVER.
The CHANGELING arrives,
and in the land of MILK and honey.
A fire burns, and TROPIC THUNDER
in the dreramtime of AUSTRALIA slithers in.
Like RACHEL GETTING MARRIED we see
THE DUCHESS and WALL-E, an item, but
their Hollywood marriage will end.
Smile PINKI!
As the DARK KNIGHT leers, we see
THE CURIOUS “CASE” OF BENJAMIN BUTTON,
and inside this “case” glitters an IRON MAN, in gold.
A shrine to gilt, to the SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.
Winners will smile, but there’s a BETRAYAL,
for only one can win in a FROST/NIXON world.
Some grasp the gold ring. but others,
JUST SMILE AS THE WORLD ENDS.
Sam Carruthers really did an excellent job. Quite quaint!
I still don’t understand how to submit a poem. Where is the link?