BYU NewsNet - The Cat in the Hat Celebrates 50th Birthday With Poetry

A creative group of Dr. Seuss fans tackled the challenge of constructing a Seuss-like poem to compete for prizes in honor of The Cat in the Hat's 50th birthday.

Stephen Gardner, Laura Wald and Cynthia Hallen's winning poems were picked from about two dozen entries, some BYU-themed, a few weather related and others that mimicked Dr. Seuss' invention of made up creatures.

A few spoke of Seuss' ability to write innovative literature and some even professed love to hopeful sweethearts.

Each of the winners received a 50th anniversary edition of The Cat in the Hat, two movie tickets to a local theater and a certificate from the Daily Universe. Enjoy the three winning entries here and look at newsnet.byu.edu for all contest entries.

In the far-away campus of Whos that bleed blue,

Cosmo the Cougar rules Brigham Young U.

A wonderful school. It is clean. It is neat.

If you have Dining Plus there is plenty to eat.

Students attending are like angels from heaven.

There are twenty eight thousand, give or take seven.

They all love their mascot. A king of a cat.

The only thing missing? His head has no hat!

-- Stephen Gardner

I do not like it, Scam-I-am. I do not like your email Spam.

I would not like it large or small. I would not like it here at all.

I do not want it in my space. I do not want it in my face.

It makes me mad. It makes me grouse. I will not click it with my mouse.

I do not want it on my screen. I do not want it to be seen.

Not in a box. Not on a page. It makes me ill. It makes me rage.

I do not like your schemes and fads. I do not like your naughty ads.

I do not like it, Scam-I-am. I do not want your Spam, so Scram!

-- Cynthia L. Hallen

The Mink in the Sink

It was the mink in the sink that caused me to think

For why would a mink need that much to drink?

Yet I still heard that mink on the pipes tap 'tink-tink'

As I struggled to think of the mink-and-sink link.

Was his fur turning pink? Had his friends called him fink?

But then with a think and a blink came a stink!

With my nose on the brink came the mink-and-sink link

For no one would think to wear wet-sink mink stink!

-- Laura C. Wald

Chilly

The frigid air, it chills the skin and icicles form from off my chin

The snowfall brings a sense of dread and feeds the urge to stay in bed

The groundhog failed! The spring he portended was swept aside by winter extended

I'll just clutch the covers and wait it out, but wait, the sun is up and about...

...Tuition's paid, I need to pass, so I guess I better run to class

-- Michael Wong

The Mixed Up Zoo

Oh that pigs could fly, ostriches too.

Just think of the mess at the local town zoo.

No longer could fences cage them all in,

They just wouldn't be like the rest of their kin.

Then fish would get jealous with all of the flying,

And decide that swimming is just not satisfying.

The zoo is a mess, just what could they do?

The zookeepers at this mixed up zoo!

-- Natalie Smith

I Have a Little Brother

He doesn't go potty in normal locations.

Mom says he's not naughty, I still have frustrations,

because of his constant, untimely filtrations.

That boy should receive some kind of citation,

or at least be put on lengthy probation,

But Mom doesn't mind it (some crazy fixation),

she still doesn't mind

after nine months gestation.

-- Chad Howland

Now is time! Today is the day! It is finally time to fly far away!

To where do we fly? Now that is the guess. Where should we go on our wonderful quest?

Shall we fly to moon? Or sail 'cross the sea? Or travel to England for crumpets and tea?

So many choices, there's no time to waste. Let us be off to our magical place!

In a land far away we will venture to find, remarkable things that will boggle the mind.

How do we get there? What is the way? Come listen closely to what I will say:

Just imagine the place that you hope to see, make a wish in your heart, and there you will be!

For you see my dear friends, that's all you will need: just a wish in your heart, and you will succeed!

-- Kellianne Houston

Young Timmy sat there all alone in his room

Pacing around like he faced certain doom

He stared at the folder which held the results

Of the survey he gave to his crush, Megan Schultz

"Check (A) for 'I like you,' (B) for 'I love'"

But she had marked (C) none of the above.

-- Jeremy Warner

Dr. Seuss

Fuiste bueno al escribir

con tu juego de palabras

me he podido divertir

ense ando a mi hijo, Jason

la virtud del buen leer.

Repitiendo y repitiendo

tan variada colección

colección con la que aprendo

más palabras de inglés.

Tú no sabes, yo tampoco

si algún día pueda escribir

de manera tan fluida,

can la métrica y el ritmo

que al lector haga reir.

-- Angélica Hallock

Blue Kangaroo

Did you see it fly by, that blue kangaroo?

He flew by the flue, and right on cue, too!

His feathery wings were covered in dew.

Do you think that perhaps he escaped from the zoo?

I guess I know now there are blue kangaroos.

Who knew?

-- Lauren Hendry

My name's MD, some call me Doc

I'm neither shy, a nerd, nor jock

Instead I am a splendid mix

Of things I want, and things I fix.

It is no stretch to use each trait

To connect me with someone great

It's a swell thing, I cannot lose

With the same birthday as Dr. Seuss.

-- MaryDawn Christenson

The snowflakes were falling,

The sun was not out.

The BYU students

Could do nothing but pout.

All they could do was

Whine!

About parking and dress codes

And library fines.

Only one could relieve

All the whining and study

It's Cosmo the cat--

No hat--but our buddy.

Dedicated to cats (with and without hats) around the world.

-- Josh Campos

Forget Bronte and Milton

And Wordsworth's inventions

It's The Cat in the Hat

That deserves our attention

So put away Dickens

And leave Shakespeare behind

Let's bring out the Seuss--

He's one-of-a-kind!

Happy Birthday Cat in the Hat!

-- Hillary Campos

Have you ever ridden a zokapaulpeu?

Have you ever ridden a zokapaulpeu?

The most wonderful creature in all Zork-a-new!

His tail is all spotty, his whiskers so fuzzy,

He has several humps for me and Uncle Duzzy.

He flies with such grace, clear up in the sky,

Even making the planets wink as we zoom by,

We travel the world from Paree to Tuck-too.

Come along, the adventures we have could happen to you!

-- Amy Rosenvall

Say!I like BYU and Cosmo too!

I do! I like them, Blue I am

And I would only be a Cougar; never a Ute

And it would always be a hoot

I will only eat BYU ice cream.

In the shine. And in the rain.

And on tracks. And on main.

And in a dorm. And on a ski.

BYU is so good, so good, you see!

-- Jace Mattinson

We packed up our snow boots and puffulous coats,

looking forward to summer with cold root beer floats,

when we looked out the window and saw sun that was sunny...

But, then woke to big flakes laughing, "We're not done done-y!"

So, we went out to play, licking snow cones instead

while our parents stayed in, snuggling close in their bed.

We rolled up some snowballs and fought a fun fight,

then prayed that our Frosty would live through the night!

-- Christie Robins Watson

"Whatever shall I do, to find the right boy?"

Was the constant complain of Trudy McCoy.

For as she looked all about her, at her friends one by one,

Each had found the right boy, and truly had fun.

It's fortunate for her that Big Timmy came along,

Whistling away to a merry little song.

When he spotted to him what was the most beautiful thing,

And now we all know what happened, he gave her a ring.

-- Klysta Brooks

On an island removed in the middle of the sea,

Were stranded Tyler Muckwatters and his crush Emily.

Though he'd wanted to ask her, it never quite fit,

"Oh how can I do this," he'd say, "I'll get hit!"

But one fateful day on the shore he did find,

One diamond ring, it was one of a kind!

"Now she's bound to say yes, she has to, she must!"

And certainly she did, for it was love, never lust.

-- David Goodsell

Dr. Seuss is a classic, but what made him so?

Why are his books things kids want to know?

Seuss is witty, he's funny; what else could you want?

Maybe new creatures? A Spamoose or a Zont?

It's no wonder kids love to read such fun stuff.

They don't realize they're learning and enjoy the light fluff.

They like the light hearted they're constantly reading.

Parents like it too - it's intelligence feeding.

-- Angela Denton

Oh, the things that you'll see

If you only look up

And stop chasing your tail

Like a kaboozled pup

For every man who ever was

Was only something just because

Of all the deeds he did and does!

-- Michael Young

When the winter has ended and summer is here,

all the classes are over, no teachers to fear.

With no quizzes, or finals, it's mercifully done,

just forget all the cramming it's time to have fun!

-- Sheldon Mills

Oh, the things you can try

On this campus, the "Y"

Run to class or have a seat

At the library or Cougareat

Or be brave and take a chance

With some intramurals or dance

Who knows the joy that might be found

On this campus and all around?