Grenke the (up and coming) Great

Grenke the (up and coming) Great

By, Donna M. Monnig

To paraphrase Shakespeare, some people are born great, some people achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. Wherefore then dost a young woman named Shannon Grenke fit into all of this?

Perhaps my title is misleading, for Shannon isn’t really ‘Grenke the Great’, at least not yet anyway. That doesn’t mean she wasn’t born with a little bit of greatness. Most kids like to play with toys, color in coloring books, and have lots of fun, Shannon was one such child. She was also a published poet at the age of seven.

While she was coloring away one day in her coloring book, Shannon, suddenly started writing a poem and next thing she knew her mother had entered “Camp Fire” into a poetry contest, where it won an Editor’s Choice Award and was published in Peaceful Journeys [2000].

-picture courtesy of Kathi from her post, Autumn Leaves with a Twist: Paraprosdokians

Camp Fire

As the fire burns,

We sing and read poems by the fire bright.

The day comes.

The fire is out of sight.

I hope it comes back tonight.

©Donna M. Monnig

Not too bad for a seven year old.

Excited by her first success, young Shannon put pen to paper and decided to try her hand at poetry once again; “I Like the Music” was the result of her labors. One Editor’s Choice Award later and Shannon found herself a twice published poet before the age of ten, her second poem nestled among the pages of Loveliness Unfurled (Letters from the Soul) [2002].

I Like the Music

I like the music in my ears.

When I hear it, I feel some pride.

Especially when it pleases God,

I often get all jumpy inside.

I never thought it would touch me so,

And besides, you’ll never know

What wonderful secrets are hidden inside,

Even when you’re on the go.

I like the music in my ears.

When I hear it, I feel some pride.

Especially when it pleases God,

I often get all jumpy inside.

While they are not Pulitzer’s, these poems are none-the-less remarkable considering the age of the child writing them. Child being the key word. There is a simplistic beauty to the lines reminding us that inside the minds of children there are “wonderful secrets… hidden inside”.

– picture courtesy of Kathi from her post, Autumn Day in Provincetown and Cape Cod National Seashore.

Surprisingly, despite her early success, Grenke never really wrote any more poetry. She has, however, written some short stories and she’s currently working on a fantasy novel. Currently attending a Community College, Shannon intends to major in Creative Writing and add published author to published poet on her list of accomplishments.

Shannon’s favorite author is Shannon Hale (though she swears that having the same first name has nothing to do with it).

Grenke says this of Hale, “She’s the kind of author that once you read one thing, it’s not enough, you want to read more, and more, and more. And that’s how I want people to read my books someday.”

“There is creative reading as well as creative writing.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Who knows, one day the name Shannon Grenke may be in the halls of greatness next to William Shakespeare, Mary Shelley, and C.S. Lewis. For those that dare to dream, anything is possible. Rhyme N Review wishes her the best of luck in the world of writing.