If Minnesota is going to have a state poem, we want it to be yours [CONTEST]

Wikimedia Commons and jodi0327 via Flickr

Our quarter and our flag.

Senator Bruce Anderson, a conservative Republican from Buffalo Township, introduced a bill in the Minnesota Senate this morning to officially designate a state poem, the AP reports.

We already have a state... everything, from a drink to a mushroom (milk and morels, of course). A poem would round out the mix nicely.

But here's the thing. Anderson's pick is the 1985 poem "Minnesota Blue," by Keith Haugen. For starters, that title brings to mind a cop show. It goes downhill from there.

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Even though Haugen shouts out Minnesota beer, he also does distracting things with meter and includes lines like, "Do they still follow the Golden Rule / And dress up each week for Sunday School" and "Do wolves still howl at your full moon / Is Viking Land still Mother Nature's dream."

We think Minnesota can do better. Actually, we think you can do better.

Here's your challenge: Send us your own, original submissions for a Minnesota state poem by next Friday, February 22 to dressingroom@citypages.com. Poems can be in and on whatever form/shape/size/subject inspires you. We'll run some of our favorites here at Dressing Room. There might be prizes.

Until then, go out and play some of Minnesota's state sport (hockey) while listening to the call of Minnesota's state bird (the loon) and eating some Minnesota state muffins (blueberry).