Participants in ALA Girls State programs learn more than just politics. They often discover more about themselves and increase their confidence. 2025 ALA Magnolia Girls State (Mississippi) attendee Madison Waters developed an appreciation for government, but she also honed her talent as a writer. 
 
Waters said she always wanted to write plays and still plans to pursue that dream, but at ALA Girls State, her writing took another direction. 
 
“ALA Girls State taught me how politics and advocacy can affect the world, so I’ve started to integrate more themes of social justice into my work,” said Waters. “I’ve started using my art as a tool to express my opinions instead of just creating something to be entertaining or good.”
 
While at ALA Magnolia Girls State, she wrote for the student-run newsletter that was all about the activities during the program. 
 
“I needed to write something. I knew that as far as journalism went, I didn’t really know how to put a spin on it,” said Waters. “I really like creative writing, so I decided to try poetry.” 
 
Learning more about veterans and the meaning behind the poppy inspired her to write a poem. 
 
“It got me thinking: I only really notice people talking about honoring veterans on Veterans Day, Independence Day, and other holidays. How come we don’t honor them every day? If they died for us, why do they only get a sliver of the spotlight? So, I decided to write a poem that discussed that.”
 
Waters said she was nervous because writing poetry is out of her comfort zone. However, she found support from others at ALA Girls State. 
 
“When I read Poppies on the Floor in front of the veterans on the last night of the program, I was a little bit nervous about how it would be received since I referred to poppies as ‘trash to be tossed,’” said Waters. “I was really happy when I saw that the veterans in the front row were smiling up at me. It was nice to know my work had an impact on them.”
 
Waters is in her senior year of high school and plans to attend college and double major in English and theater, while also studying playwriting.
 
 
Poppies on the Floor
When the war is done,
We think of all we’ve won,
The freedom we’ve earned,
The lessons we’ve learned,
We embrace our loved ones,
Fathers, brothers, sons,
We’re happy we have them home,
Tucked safely in our protective dome,
But some are stuck in despair,
With a pain that they struggle to bare,
They can’t embrace their loved ones,
Fathers, brothers, sons,
For them, we throw parties, parades,
To them, we dedicate whole holidays,
But then we stop our celebrations,
We return to our own situations,
We turn our backs and close the door,
We leave the poppies on the floor,
They were meant to represent our loss,
Now it’s trash and going to be tossed,
Why is it we let this happen?
They fought while we were napping,
Few enter the empty room,
And pray for the souls in the tomb,
They carry those poppies with pride,
In memory of those who died,
They remind us of sacrifices made,
The people who fought in times of aid,
Let’s pick up the poppy flowers,
And carry them in all the hours,
We owe them our freedom after all,
We owe them our future when we’re big and tall,
We thank those who fought in our wars,
By not leaving their poppies on the floor.
 
By Madison Waters