# Help!! Short story from 9th grade, poem from a long time ago: Can you identify them?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-short-story-from-9th-grade-poem-from-a-long-time-ago-can-you-identify-them/75494>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 8, 2001, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-short-story-from-9th-grade-poem-from-a-long-time-ago-can-you-identify-them/75494 "2001-08-08T20:16:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-short-story-from-9th-grade-poem-from-a-long-time-ago-can-you-identify-them/75494/21 "2003-01-03T09:01:23Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Scott Dickerson \*  
> \*\*Joe,  
> Mightn’t the Library of the school you attended still have a copy of the book with the story in it?
> 
> The Librarian might be able to help you.
> 
> Or if it was in a state reading textbook, the Department of Education may have the info.
> 
> Good luck! \*\*

No good… it was a photocopied handout, and I read it about 15 years ago and 2000 miles away. 🙂

Any ideas on the paper bag poem/prose? I remember the feelings and imagery that I got from it vividly, but nothing more about it than what I wrote in the OP.

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**Author:** ![Ravi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Ravi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravi)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-short-story-from-9th-grade-poem-from-a-long-time-ago-can-you-identify-them/75494/22 "2003-01-03T13:35:37Z")

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That would be  
A DAY AT THE LOTTERY FAIR  
by Frederik Pohl (I think that the title)

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**Author:** ![NetPhilosopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8dc957/32.png) [@NetPhilosopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetPhilosopher)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-short-story-from-9th-grade-poem-from-a-long-time-ago-can-you-identify-them/75494/23 "2010-03-28T15:49:38Z")

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The answer to the poster’s original question about the amusement park for population control is

“The Carnival” by Michael Fedo.

reference: [The Carnival (short story) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Carnival_(short_story))  
similar to Pohl’s “A Day at the Lottery Fair” but different stories.

Cheers.

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-short-story-from-9th-grade-poem-from-a-long-time-ago-can-you-identify-them/75494/24 "2010-03-29T00:22:58Z")

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And it only had to wait until the OP was banned. wonder if he’ll ever read it.

BTW, since the question has finally been answered, I’ll report the thread to get it closed.

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2010, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-short-story-from-9th-grade-poem-from-a-long-time-ago-can-you-identify-them/75494/25 "2010-03-29T10:39:34Z")

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> [@BigT](#):
>
> And it only had to wait until the OP was banned. wonder if he’ll ever read it.
> 
> BTW, since the question has finally been answered, I’ll report the thread to get it closed.

Done. Although now I’m wondering about that poem. Maybe someone will find an answer in another nine years.

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