Thank you to all the students who wrote conclusions to "The Pirate's Life For Me", a story that was featured in READ Magazine (Issue Date April 27, 2007).

Just wanted to let you know that, yes! we got them! And we'll be posting the best of them next week, right here on WORD. But that's not all...

We have also received many "1,000 Words" interpretations concerning a certain turtle that escaped from a picture frame! This image, of course, was in the April/May issue of Writing magazine and we will be posting the best of those next week as well!

Next week's shaping up to be big in the world of student writing! You're not gonna want to miss this!

So come on back! Every day next week, starting Monday, May 7 all the way through to Friday, May 11! It's pirates and turtles week here at WORD!

Who loves, ya baby?*

*Editor's Note: Please don't sue us, Telly Savalas.

The next time you're in Cumbria... wait... where's Cumbria? It's all the way over in jolly ol' England, on the northwest tip of the country. They call it the Lake District and it's one of the most beautiful places to be inspired.

William Wordsworth was one of many poets who wrote about lovely Cumberland (as Cumbria was called in his time). He captured the glory of his home in a poem called, I wandered lonely as a cloud. And now, 200 years after Wordsworth's time, there's a new generation in town.

Read William Wordsworth's poem and then, check out the video below it. It's an updated version, to say the very least.

That was the old school version. Pretty wasn't it?

Heh. Word.

Which do you prefer? William Wordsworth's poem or the video rap? Why? Post your comment below. 

AND... to learn more about silly squirrels that may or may not rap, click here, here, here, or here.

-by Alex Graves

I climb onto the small
yellow back of a dragon.
Its wings stroke through
thick air as we take off.
We glide weightlessly
over the lake.
When a gust of wind flips us over,
I fall into warm water.
Underneath,
I release from the dragon's embrace.
I swim upside down
and break through the surface.
I breathe,
grab hold of its wings,
and climb back on.

Editor's Note: Alex's poem, Kayak, was one of six winners in this year's Ann Arlys Bowler poetry contest. It was published in issue 17 of READ magazine, however, we regrettably printed an error in the poem. Here, on WORD, we present Kayak in its true form. Once again, sorry Alex.

Really? That's too bad. Why?

We are currently putting together an issue of Writing magazine and we need your help. If you are one of those students who absolutely hates to write, we want to hear from you! Only, you're going to have to write to us. Kind of a Catch 22, huh?

Send us an email at word@weeklyreader.com. Put "I Hate Writing" in the subject line and tell us all about it. What is it about writing that you dislike so much? Is it too hard? Is it boring? Let us know. We want to publish your thoughts in our magazine but more importantly, we want to help you. We want, more than anything, to crush this plague of hatred. We want to pound it into oblivion and make great writers out of the unwilling. Can we do it? Heh. Honestly, I don't know. We're certainly going to try though.

Write to us now. Feel free to vent.

-Poem by Taylor Doaty, Grade 8

As I stroll down the park,
I see an abandoned riverbank.
As I approach it,
I decide to slow down.
The shadows from the trees
make the bank look more filthy and dark.
Through the dirt and filth,
I can see the history of the riverbank.
Through the empty bottles and smashed glass,
I see people fishing and laughing
and smiling.
Without notice,
I bend down, pick up the trash
and put it in its proper place.
Soon, another lady comes to help.
Before you know it,
the riverbank is trash-free and clean.

Yesterday was Earth Day. Everyone continue to do your part. After all, this is home.