After school, Bennie and Candy were both when they found their sister. "Hey, Ron," Candy said. "What are you doing with that letter?"

"It's my British pen pal Harper," Ronnie explained. "After reading a beautiful love poem, I thought I could enter the Poem Off this year."

"I thought you weren't going to enter it due to your art club," added Candy.

"I did," Ronnie replied. "But a girl can change her mind. Plus my poem needs to be perfect."

Bennie and Candy decided to let it slide because she wanted to impress Harper. "Didn't he like the paintings you made for him about a mountain top with flowers?" asked Bennie.

"'Mountaining Flowers'?" Veronica said. "Oh, he did, but I think entering a competition would be good too. It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside, though he's not one of those who can easily hide."

XxoxX

By the time they got home, they saw Aunt Davina doing a lap pillow nap on Aunt Devina. "Look at those cuddle bugs," smiled Candy. "They are so cute."

This inspired Ronnie to come up with a line in her poem.

In their bedroom, Candy found one of her latest paintings. "Is this one of your little commune?" she asked.

"That it is - 'How Many Folks in the Commune Today'," Ronnie replied.

"I've got a few things that will give you ideas for your poems," Bennie said as he got out a view knick-knacks from his duffle, which he normally used for his Latin dance classes.

"Are these bird and bug props from last year's play production of 'The Lion King'?" asked Ronnie.

"They are," answered Bennie. "Maybe some of those could give you ideas."

One by one, Ronnie looked at the bird and bug props from "The Lion King" production but got nothing. That's when Candy got the idea to use her imagination to help solve Ronnie's problem. The area changed to a 1960s-themed backyard. All three of them were wearing hippie apparel and Candy shook her red hair loose.

XxoxX

Bennie looked around to see thousands of giant fruits and veggies around the place. "I know some people grow their own vegetables," he said, "but this is out of whack."

"Make love, not war," declared a dragonfly in hippie apparel. "A little birdy told me that Ronnie, like, needed inspiration for her poem at the Poem Off."

"I must warn you," Bennie said, "I'm not a fond of bugs. I remember when Ronnie accidentally placed her bug collection in my room and it took us the whole day to round up the bugs."

"It was an accident, Bennie," replied Ronnie. "One of the teachers paid me to pet-sit their dog and I couldn't let it destroy my bug box."

"Don't fret, man," the dragonfly said. "You're a free spirit."

"I dig your wings?" asked Bernie.

Around the place, they saw numerous bugs. Ladybugs played hackeysack, bumblebees were in a drum circle, and butterflies were making tie-dye shirts. "Aunt Davina would've loved one of these," said Candy.

A group of grasshoppers came out while doing Latin dancing. This got the Cherry siblings in the groove. They grooved so hard that they accidentally knocked over a case.

XxoxX

In the real world, bugs crawled everywhere. "Not again," Bennie replied. "I hate bugs."

Then Candy got an idea. She rushed into the kitchen, got into a white cookie jar, grabbed a sugar cookie, and ran upstairs to give to the bugs. "Hey, bugs," Candy said as she got out a sugar cookie, "can you help give my sister ideas? I'll give you this cookie if you help."

The bugs looked at each other and agreed to help Candy. This gave Ronnie a bunch of inspiration for her new poem. She said, "Looks like you're a real friend to bugs and other kids."

By the door, Aunt Regina glared at them while Aunt Davina stood behind her. "Has Cadet Candy been sneaking her hands in the cookie jar again?" asked Aunt Regina.

"Yes," Davina replied, "but at least she helps Evretin Nice get her bugs together without Little Spice."

"That's good," Aunt Regina agreed, "because we don't want to deal with the exterminator."

XxoxX

On the night of the Poem Off, Mr. Otto was the announcer. "Now for our next contestant," he shouted, "Veronica Cherry!"

Ronnie took a deep breath and walked onto the stage with her poem. "Oh, I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do," she said. "My gift is my poem."

Bennie played his guitar while Ronnie starts reciting her poem.

Flowers on the mountain paint a colorful hill.

Mother Nature is going to make a spring spill.

Bumblebees and butterflies without any feet.

Cuddling bugs mambo to the salsa beat.

Children in a commune call it a home.

With grub and fruit with all to roam.

Salsa, merengue, rumba, cha-cha-cha,

Dance of the Latin, even the Bachata.

Cookie on the ground, it ain't no fun.

Except when the bugs, get the crumbs and run.

The Jar of the sneaking, dinner could be spoiled.

And the hard work parents made is going to toil.

And I wouldn't make everyone's mind blow.

If I was a sculptor or a woman who makes potions in a traveling show.

Everyone applauded for Ronnie for her wonderful poem. Candy, Ronnie, and Bennie started applauding for all their hard work. Mr. Otto came up on stage with a letter in his hand. "And this year's winner is..." he said as he opened the letter, "...Paisley Hodson for her poem on dolphin rescues."

Everyone cheered as a nerdy 11-year-old comes up and takes the blue ribbon. "I know her," recalled Candy. "She's in my music history class."

The Cherry kids were surprised that Paisley won the contest, but that was okay. Mr. Otto gave Ronnie a second-place ribbon for doing her best.

XxoxX

The next day during her art history, Ronnie got an email from Harper. Unfortunately, she had to wait till the end of class, or else it was detention for texting in class.

As she got out of class, she read the email.

Dear Ronnie,

I caught your poem on the RDA Facetube channel.

It was amazing that you got the idea from your little sister's overactive imagination.

And your brother playing his guitar while you recite your poem.

I especially like the part where you mention kids in a commune.

Because my parents use to live in one back in college.

Anyway, I hope I get to hear another poem of yours.

Love, Harper.

Bennie and Candy came up to her to see what was going on. "Harper loves me," Ronnie said, "Harper loves me not. Harper loves me, Harper loves me not. "

"You won second place," Bennie said to his sister. "That's not so bad. Besides, you know how wonderful life is while you're in the world."

"And you can tell everybody this is your song," Candy said. "It may be quite simple, but now that it's done..."

"I just hope that Harper feels the same way about me," Ronnie said.

The End