by Andrea Menjivar-Navarrete, 13
Every minute of every second
Once I enter Dunkin Donuts
That smile comes straight away.
You can smell the deliciousness
Of different kinds of donuts
Like strawberry, chocolate, glaze, jelly, plain.
Once I wait in line for my meal
My stomach gets butterflies
And get jovial feelings
Of ordering my drink.
I then get to say my favorite word
“Strawberry Dragonfruit Refresher
[With Lemonade], and a Strawberry round
Donut alongside sprinkles on top of it.”
I wait for my number order to come.
I jump up and down waiting for my order.
After they say my mobile number
I grab it quickly
Before they even tried to place it
On the top counter.
I poke out the straw out
And take a sip of my refresher
Then I start dissolving from the
Nice,
Cooled,
Refreshing drink.
A Dunkin a day keeps the attitude away.
Red Bank, New Jersey
This piece won HONORABLE MENTION in our 2026 Voice & Verse Writing Contest, poetry ages 12-14 category.
Judge’s Note: When I read this poem, it made me imagine myself in a bakery eating pastries and donuts. Who doesn’t love that?
Bridge Ink 