Happy National Poetry Month!
This year, Poudre Libraries and Front Range Community College (FRCC) hosted the Howl of the Hearts poetry contest to kick off National Poetry Month and celebrate the community’s creativity. Teen and adult poets competed for the chance to win gift card prizes for first, second, and third place. There were a combined 83 submissions of teen and adult poems. Finalists were invited to read their poems aloud at a poetry reading on April 4 at the Long Peaks Student Center at FRCC.
We’re excited to share the winning poems with you. If you’d like to read more submissions, be sure to check out our digital chapbook (PDF).
Adult Category Winners
1st place: Ally Eden, Pantoum for when I last saw you
2nd place: Janna Madsen, Anchored
3rd place: Kelly Vande Plasse, The Oldest Human Footprints in North America
Pantoum for when I last saw you
by Ally Eden
Putting us back the way they found us —
sweet song all around you,
the chance to dream it all again.
We pause at the hedge of peonies,
sweet song all around. You,
lifted from the valley by morning light
pause at the hedge of peonies,
a cloud burrowing down to sleep.
Lifted from the valley by morning light
I name stars for you in the planetarium,
clouds. Burrowing down to sleep,
sutured to the present,
I name a star for you. In the planetarium
putting you back the way I found you —
sutured to the present.
The chance to dream it all again.
Teen Category Winners
1st place: Ryan Eisert, Dusk Till Dawn
2nd place: Adrianna Steffen, I Am Sad
3rd place: Maddy Winokur, Not-So-Beautiful Salad Bowl
Dusk Till Dawn
by Ryan Eisert
Howl of the Hearts Bios and More
Read more about the winners and their poems in the PDF below.