Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Calling all OP friends - Contest Celebrating and Honoring Kennth Wooden; Today October 18th is his birthday, I wanted to give him a precious gift-a creative gift - what better gift than the gift of Orginal Poetry - to honor and celebrate the founder of 'Child Lures Prevention'! Ken is my Hero! He has spent and decidated his life protecting and advocating for children's safety world wide. Ken is a gentle spirited blue eyed Irishman with a golden heart; his passion and compassion for protecting children from child abuse/child sexual abuse gave birth to www.childluresprevention.com - Please visit his site to gain more knowledge about Ken and his amazing work.

A Contest - OP friends - write a poem to honor Ken - An Ode to Ken, A poem about child abuse, a victims view, a predator angle, about the work of Child Lures Prevention - two winners will be selected each receiving a prize amount of $150.00 - you may wish to work with another favorite OP friend in the same fashion - a combined effort - different styles and share the prize. I will forward Ken the poems and asked him to select his two favorites...since you all have wonderful unique styles and talents...I look forward to receiving wonderful crafted poetic art... the two that resonate with Ken - he selects as his favorites will win the prizes.

First I thought about an ode to Ken but I have received several great poems about child abuse that I thought it would be best to provide wider breath with respect for the unique styles and talent of the many wonderful OP poets!

If you have a poem you'd like to submit after you post it; please let me know...OP message, many thanks and the best of luck!

Too please take the time to visit www.childluresprevention.com to send birthday wishes; and please spread the word about the wonderful and necessary work of Child Lures Prevention; their most recent efforts www.teenluresprevention.com His beautiful daughters Jennifer and Rosemary have followed in their father's footsteps; they're amazing, their work is innovative and life-saving.

If you have any questions or want anymore background info in crafting your poem please contact. Please submit poems by Oct 24Th 2010.





Ken loves poetry! One of his books "Weeping In the Playtime of Others" was nominated for a Pulizer Prize. Within Weeping there are great poems written by abused children. Below is information about one of his books and additional information about Ken and more on his site.

Here's some info about the book:

“If this book disgusts and angers enough to inspire reform, [Kenneth Wooden] will have performed a valuable public service.” —New York Times Book Review

“A shocking investigation into the conditions at detention centers, reform schools—the homes of America’s incarcerated children. A Southern school uses bullwhips and leg irons to keep order, a Florida institution tries for the same thing with the use of mock burials . . . the list is frighteningly endless.” —Chicago Sun-Times

“There have been other accounts of the wretched treatment inflicted on children by the various courts and institutions created to help them, but never one which covered so much geography or revealed so clearly the economic reasons for the failure of attempts to improve the system.” —The Atlantic Monthly

From the summer of 1972 through 1975, Kenneth Wooden visited correctional facilities in thirty states where juveniles between the ages of five and sixteen were being held. During his research he uncovered an astoundingly high incidence of emotional and physical abuse, torture, and commercial exploitation of the children by their keepers, individuals who received public funds to care for them. After observing the brutal treatment of these youths, a significant number of whom were not criminals but runaways or mentally disabled, Wooden described the conditions in which these children lived in Weeping in the Playtime of Others.

Kenneth Wooden’s investigative reports have appeared on abc News 20/20, cbs 60 Minutes, and nbc News. An active advocate for children, he is founder of Child Lures Prevention, a fifteen-year-old firm dedicated to developing strategies for protecting children from sexual exploitation and abduction. Kathleen M. Heide is a professor of criminology at the University of South Florida.


Peace Light and Love

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

OK OP Friends I'm getting some wonderful Kenneth Wooden Birthday Contest Poems - keep them coming; some very creative ones! And thanks for doing your homework! Ken is going to be delighted! OK spread the word about Child Lures Prevention great work; it could same a life. Thanks I look forward to reading more Contest submissions. Cheers

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Is there a deadline?

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Sorry, just saw the 24th! Sorry. I'll get right on it!

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Yes the deadline is Oct 24Th at midnight.

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Look forward to your submission If anyone requires any further background information on Ken or Child Lures Prevention you can go to:

www.childluresprevention.com

Too I would welcome hearing from you. Please let your friends know; if you'd like to join efforts with another OP poet that's great too.

Just some additional reminders:

Remember to place your name/add the author's name with the poem.

Too Kenneth and Child Lures Prevention (CLP) has already expressed interest, with the poets expressed permission, to post/place the winning poems on their website. This is totally up the the poet winners with respect for their work/art property. It would be an additional way to showcase your talent.

If you visit CLPs website you'll find it's a wonderful site with helpful safety information for children/teens and adults. Their Safety Program is World Renown. You can also watch video clips of Ken and his daughters on various TV Programs, etc. Ex: Oprah, Inside Edition, CBS News, Good Morning America, etc.

The Woodens love poetry; they often recite it while doing presentations,

Ken and CLP have been enjoying the poems and OP; this contest has now made them aware of the wonderful talent of OP members.

For now I add, I decided to do this contest for the following reasons:

I love poetry

I wanted to be creative about celebrating Ken's birthday

What better gift than the gift of poetry; an orginal crafted poem; if someone
gave me such a gift it would be a cherished treasure - something orginal-hence OrginalPoetry.com

I love OP, the site and it's poets are enriching, some talented beautiful folks

I wanted to do something that I thought would also support and showcase the wonderful talent of OPs artists

Too I thought by doing the research for the writing of the poems, poets would find helpful safety information for themselves and to share with others

Too I hope as Maddy and John E move forward with the zine, in the future OP will have a link where poet lovers can go on and purchase a customized poem for a loved one or special occasions,etc. This would help to support the site and the poets - providing financial benefits for the poets and OP's site. Importantly it too provides an opportunity for poets to gain greater exposure and appreciation for their work/art.

I realize that $150.00 is not a large amount for each of the two winners; the work of poets is priceless and worth so much more, this is what my personal budget will afford this month. We realize that most of us do this out of a love and passion for poetry, with that said, I appreciate everyones efforts, time and interest!

Once the contest winners are selected, The winners names and poems will be posted on this forum and a private message will be sent, and the winners and all those who submitted poems will be notified. If John E and Maddy are willing perhaps they can do a special posting of the winners announcement.

The winners will be notified by Oct 26Th. Your prize money will be mailed within 7 business days via US mail.

In closing for now, I want add I have enjoyed meeting and getting to know many wonderful talented poets; Reading and sharing your work has been delightful and enriching - John E is correct - as I noticed a comment he left for a fellow poet - poetry is healing and save lifes...well he has that in common with Ken - following their passions to help make the world a better, safer, and brighter place where healing takes place and dreams do come true. What John E too has in common with Ken; their work is inspired by wonderful and talented loves of their lives...John E and Madelynn and Ken and Marty...It is said that behind every good man there a great woman, how true,I would add, she is, sometimes beside him-guiding him, she is, sometimes in front leading the way, she is, sometimes behind him, watching with eyes filled with pride - but she is forever within his heart!

I look forward to receiving more Ken Poems. Good Luck your all winners!

Too I look forward to enjoying more of OPs poetic art as I continue to grow in respect, skill, appreciation and understanding of the wonderful healing - enriching art of poetry.

As Always, I wish everyone who reads this Peace, Light and Love...let it be yours in abudance to give and share.

Kanicki

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Too please excuse the typo, long day at the zoo and on the road

RE: RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

[

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

LIVING THE ZOO


I am as I was in the beginning,
No worse nor even better.
What do you do now at the zoo,
Read poems to the apes,.
Or woo the tigress
To put the tiger to sleep?

I once fell in love with the cobra,
But a cocaktoo warned me ,
In exchange for peanuts and pepper,
To knot a bow on my finger
That some snakes have nectar in fangs.
And lions and tigers have religion..
Wolves no longer howl.
Lullabies they sweetly siinging.
With the big bad bear sound' sleeping;
The giraffe no longer pries,.


Said the pelican , green grass is really pink,
It is her favourite colour; .
Sky is truly green and on and so on,
In fact colours there are too many,
Like the skins of many oceans..
But the pelican is colour blind,.
She is good at mixing dyes.

.
All the stars will soon begin to fall.
They are all gleaming blue!
Having turned on the heat,]
The brown sun eats an orange;
And birds and beast kill to eat ,
But man is maliciously gravalicious
He hears not the purple tune.
He is not too sane, but sad and small;


The kangaroo now slowlly walks,
His has lost his leaps to the panther..
The elephant snorts and swears
That time now moves backwards
Painted red by the Great Pelican. .
Yet we kill each other ,
We heed not the warnings --
We love and rob ourselves..

"Gravalicious???" Ahemm! Not in the dictionary? [/b]

Last edited by cousinsoren 10-28-2010 at 09:42:53 AM

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RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Cousin remarkable amazing your talent - delicious are your well crafted words - the Gravalicious maliciousness of man; such imagery and metaphoric. Thanks to the cockatoo's warning; should we let them eat from the palm of our hands; too absorb the wisdom that wild beast are truer to their nature than are man? Should we not knot a bow on every finger; a constant reminder Whoops I just got mowed down in pink once green grass by the beast in the man The most killer beast are not found in zoo-land - their descendants of the the ape-man...two legged predators who walk earth-land - civilized not sure at times - I'll cogitate about this again and again as I meditate alongside with the pelican. "stimulative art"):

ty Peace, Light and Love. I love your poem!

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

BTW - I did work at a zoo while attending highschool; I loved it.

Peace

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Happy Birthday Ken!

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Hey where do we send or post our poems?.....Koolmom0

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

A big heartfelt thanks dear; I forwarded the message onto Ken. If you'd like you can visit www.childluresprevention.com and send a message too. ty Peace, Light and Love

I'll add 12 reasons why I am celebrating him:

Ken You're My Hero

The lives you have touched by your work and passion to protect and advocate for our youths

The Wars and Battles you have fought - protecting/advocating for youths - over 34 Years!

The money you have saved our country-millions and million by preventing crimes against children!

The lives you have saved by your innovative prevention educational programs and teaching

The children/teens/law enforcement you have protected with your innovative safety program-World Wide!

The investigative work you have done on abuses of our youths is Amazing and Courageous!

The papers and books you have authored - various titles - all in the name of protecting and saving children!

The brilliant testimonies you presented to our nation leaders and officials to shed the light where there is so much darkness to effect change; protecting - championing the civil rights of children!

The endless hours, days, months into a lifetime of years; you have spent on continuing to develop innovative safety strategies to protect children, teens, our service men and women from harm...embraced and use by law enforcement too

The endless hours you have spent visiting prisons interviewing convicted child molesters/rapist/murders of our youths in decoding their methods used to lure their victims to develop an innovative educational plan of prevention to protect youths-brilliant!

The hours of presentations, TV appearances, interviews to spread the word on the 'World Against Children' and how to protect them

The countries you have visited to educated the world-masses - fighting to protect youths, for their rights - keep them safe!

And Ken did most of this at his own expense...because he loves children!





Children are 20% of our population and a full 100% of our future...

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

OP Poets check this poem out:

http://www.originalpoetry.com/victimized

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Send your poems to Kanicki in a private message. ty

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Songs and Videos in different genres to help inspire, and inform on this...
PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE THE VIDEO POSTS:

Last edited by WordSlinger 10-21-2010 at 09:35:39 PM

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Child Abuse Caught On Tape:
PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE THE VIDEO POSTS:

Last edited by WordSlinger 10-25-2010 at 02:21:31 AM

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

John E. WordMaster - LOL. Very kind of you to take the time to post these video of the forum!!! I think they'll motivate OP poets for the contest - though hard to watch. I am familiar with all but one of the clips you posted; daily I'm emailed stories, videos, Headlines news on this topic - the epidemic of child abuse - HEART BREAKING!

I have been enjoying reading and forward on the wonderfully crafted poems by OP's talented poets; by the same token some are difficult to read -- they bring me to tears - it is overwhelming at times to realize that such abuse exists - it's epidemic!!! God help the innocent precious children/youths/those who are victims of bullies and abuse...Olan's Poem on bullies - his heartfelt well crafted chilling words on bullying - brought me to TEARS!

I'll post some similar links; not sure yet how to post the video; I'll take time to learn in the future - have my hands full with this labor of love for Ken with an appreciation for OP and the wonderful poets - many thanks.

As Halloween approaches - Now this is a scary and chilling topic - dark!

Thanks WordMaster and Madelynn for your wonderful work and support - OP's great!!

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

John E. I just watched the one - stylist from the hair salon - Lord have mercy!! Those parents are evil! Thank God those ladies in the salon took action and turned the parents to the authorties!

child predators and abusers - there's a parking space in hell reserved for them

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Hello OP Poets - Some reminders for the Kenneth Wooden Birthday Contest

1. Please add the authors name and copyright information at the end of your poem (Deadline Oct 24th midnight)

2. Send it to Kanicki in a private message with the subject heading: Submitting Kenneth Wooden Birthday Contest

3. Once you submit your poem please post it on your OP link and this Forum too

4. Please post your poems on the Forum page contest link, so others in the contest can view your work; too other poets can view/appreciate your work

5. If you like you can submit more than one poem; 2 winners will be selected; the poems will be from two poets; submitting more than one poem with give the poet more options to express their poetic art from different perspectives, an Ode to Ken, celebrating the work of Child Lures Prevention-(CLP) addressing child sexual abuse, bullying, addressing exploitation of children, the victim's view, sexual predators, the pain of child abuses, keeping children safe, healing from abuse,

6. Remember to take time to visit www.childluresprevention.com and the link on 'Weeping In The Playtime of Others' (there is helpful safety tips - life saving - please share the information with friends, family members, local school, etc.

7. Poem Commentary - they're appreciated but that's up to the poet

8. IMPORTANT - anything revealed in a private message concerning this subject matter which is revealed to me remains strictly private; there are thousands of poets on this site; the chances, according to stats, that someone has been a victim of abuse or knows someone who has are great; this is a very delicate and sensitive subject matter; all personal information must be protected with respect and integrity for others welfare and well-being...it's my Golden Rule...especially when someone has already be victimized...it's important to be gentle, tender and supportive of others feelings...confidentially is an important part. I STATE THIS BECAUSE SOME POETS EXPRESSED THEY WOULD LIKE TO WRITE A POEM BUT THE SUBJECT MATTER IS TOO PERSONAL; THIS IS UNDERSTANDABLE...SO ANY PRIVATE INFORMATION THAT IS EXPRESSED OTHER THAN THE POEM BEING SUBMITTED WILL REMAIN PRIVATE...IT'S AT THE POET'S DISCRETION TO REVEAL OR NOT REVEAL WHAT IS PERSONAL. (THIS IS TO SUPPORT THE VICTIMS HEALING PROCESS) (THIS APPLIES TO VICTIMS) - NOT PREDATORS/ABUSERS)! WE'RE ALL MORALLY OBLIGATED TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT!

9. We all understand just because someone writes a poem on this issue/TOPIC OF ABUSE; doesn't mean they're writing from personal experience, some folks write 'in another's voice'. Too some poets will write 'Confessional Poetry' - Poetry whose subject is intimate or private, many of us appreciate their courage. My hope is that all will be respectful with our comments and offter support! Poetry is healing; as fellow poets I hope we will join together as an instrumental part of healing process. THANK YOU!

10. Too from the bottom of my heart I wish all those who have been victims of child abuse of any kind healing! Understand that you are not to blame, you are precious -seek out the healing. By communicating openly about abuse we can take away the shame and blame that victims sometimes feel; the blame and shame is not the victims; it belongs to the ABUSERS/PREDATORS.

Peace Light and Love
Kanicki
Too I would like to share one of Ken's favorite poems about child abuse; from 'Les Miserables'

I Dreamed a Dream

There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Think first and stay safe


Think first and stay safe
Is their slogan of choice
Empowering our youth
With a much needed voice

It’s a priceless contribution
To American society
Teaching that bad people
Can come in any variety

The real dangers our kids face
Are not bound by geography
Not pointing that out
Is a common atrocity

They extended the program
To the tweens and high schoolers
Increasing the chance
They won’t fall prey to abusers

By providing the parents
With accurate information
Gives them the knowledge
To make keen observations

Thank you for creating this
Priceless publication
Opening a dialog
Addressing child exploitation

So lets give a shout out
To Child Lures Prevention
Protecting our kids
Is their only intention

Suzanna M Smith
AKA JadedJezzabel
copyright 10-19-2010

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

But An Innocent Child

shameful pain
being unwanted
will never go away
Inner blemishes
deepest .. darkest secrets

forever embedded within my frail heart
every single, unforgotten scar .. a separate story
silent, eternal disturbances are mine
special things I call my own
that'll never be taken away

hidden doubts shan't surface for all to view
life's complexities .. reluctantly, I accept
realizing they're impossible to outgrow
I'd received hate instead of love
needed .. desperately

my feelings won't show
I'll pretend everything Is fine
hoping people will leave me alone
saving their analysis for themselves
or perhaps some unfortunate soul

whilst I continue
searching ahead
never once looking back
forgetting .. for then I was
but an innocent child

Copyright © January 1987
StandingBear

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Many Winters Since Then

since the winters of my childhood
I discreetly observed people's strange ways
too naive to understand their wickedness
I was afraid to ask questions
keeping a silent vigil

my curious determination grew
towards solving their unstable behavior
I'd a desperate need to know the causes
pertaining to their weird characteristics

I wished to be different
not resentfully bitter .. hateful
every other breath
sadness overwhelmed me
with unwanted caresses
tears flowed from my eyes

I hid In the safe solitude of my closet
far .. far .. underneath my bed
from their unintentional destructiveness
I needed love .. didn't know where to go

I was too young to run away
the future looked bleak
alas .. I was only five
sanity was my only friend
I could depend on
though It couldn't speak

continuously I'd searched
for the clues to their mannerisms
deciding to never grow up
If what I'd experienced
was what life is about
many winters since then

Copyright © May 1986
StandingBea

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

For Cherrie


In this town of Leasureville
peaceful and serene, until
a darkness is revealed.

Drowning under countless tears.
Hidden for so many years.
Abduction is concealed.

Investigation incomplete...
The evidence was not concrete.
No clue found in the field.

Twenty years have passed and gone.
Tomorrow brings a brand new dawn.
With that dark wound unhealed.

Copywrite © 4/19/10
TA Smith (bandit1192)

Sadly, this is a true story of a young girl who disappeared without a trace while walking home from the school bus stop. She lived no more than one mile from my front door. I have never forgotten the fear I felt for my own children and the deep saddness I felt for her family.

RE: Celebrating Kenneth Wooden's Birthday Contest

Here's my contribution. Thank you so much to Kanicki for raising awareness for this wonderful cause of Ken's!

"Safety in Numbers"

Lambs laugh and frolic in fields at twilight
They've not enough sense to feel any fright
They can't see the wolf on the prowl in the trees
Their only concern is the chill on the breeze

The wolf circles slowly, his victim so fair
The edge of the forest provides his sweet lair
He listens intently to each of their songs
His chosen one smiles as she sings along

With ringlets of gold tied in bright yellow bows
This lamb in his sights has put on quite the show
She dances and twirls while the other lambs play
He waits in the shadows for his lamb to stray

But stray she does not, for her pack is her strength
"There's safety in numbers", the sheep always say
As day turns to night and the light starts to dim
The lambs flee the playground, together as friends...

And the wolf starts his hunt, all over again

� September 2010
MindNumbing