Bhooshanan named first-place poet by Huntsville Literary Association
Aparna Bhooshanan, a fifth-grader at Rainbow Elementary School, earned first place in poetry in the Young Writers Contest, sponsored by Huntsville Literary Association. (CONTRIBUTED)
MADISON – Aparna Bhooshanan, a fifth-grader at Rainbow Elementary School, was a first-place winner in the Young Writers Contest, sponsored by Huntsville Literary Association.
Bhooshanan was the top poet in the upper elementary section of contestants for her poem, “Celestial Grace.”
“I think poetry has its own life. It expresses the poet’s thoughts and feelings,” Bhooshanan said. “It can be quiet or loud.”
Poetry’s primary benefit is its mystery, she said. “I find poetry difficult to understand when there are too many thoughts to keep track of.” When composing “Celestial Grace,” Bhooshanan said, “The poem was just my thoughts spilling out on paper.”
In “Celestial Grace,” Bhooshanan wrote, “She gleamed her way into a window, curtains open, finding the face of a girl, A girl admiring the cratered visage, the orb of night.”
“And as she revered, the girl spoke: ‘O, Moon,’ she said, ‘Your full face gleams so brightly tonight, glimmering, awakening me from my slumber. Thank you for giving me light in the dark. Thank you for being there when I can’t sleep.'”
At Rainbow, Bhooshanan is enrolled in the gifted program and participates with the math team. She is a team member with Madison Swimming Association. She studies piano and takes vocal lessons for classical Indian music.
At the 2015 Madison County Spelling Bee Championship, Bhooshanan placed ninth. “I also placed ninth in the 50-meter breaststroke (10 and under) at the 2015 Southeastern Swim Championships in Knoxville, Tenn.,” she said.
As part of Rainbow’s enrichment program, Bhooshanan was elected fifth-grade president in mock elections. In 2014, she coined the winning slogan in Madison’s citywide contest for boosting interest in math.
“I love to read, write, swim, travel, play video games, draw comic books, ride my bike and volunteer at animal rescue shelters,” Bhooshanan said.
Her parents are Sri and Dr. Parvathy R. Bhooshanan. He works as an IT consultant with SAIC. She is an English professor at Calhoun Community College. Aparna’s sister, Meenu, is a freshman at Bob Jones High School.
