The talent this year has been astounding. Thank you to every high school student who participated. You are the future of literature and are leading the way in rebuilding our civilization on the foundation of time-honored traditions, particularly excellent poetry. Keep up the splendid work!
—Evan Mantyk, Judge
First Place ($100 Prize)
Alexandra Guo, 10th grade, School of the Arts Singapore
“Humility” “Satire: The Rake’s Argument” “Gratia Plena“
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Second Place
Alex Rubstein, 11th grade, Homeschooled, Canton Aargau, Switzerland
“Washington’s Grief”
Lynn Kong, 11th grade student, Cary Christian School, North Carolina
“Perfectionist Inclined”
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Third Place
Anna-Marie Ahn, 12th grade, Westside Christian High School, Portland, Oregon
“Anchises”
John Freeborn, 9th grade, Homeschooled, Kansas
“Night”
Stephen Ramsek, 12th grade, God’s Grace Academy, Kentucky
“Coats”
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The following Fourth Place winners and Honorable Mentions have been published here.
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Fourth Place
Abigail Gilman, 11th grade at Steubenville High School
“A Poem for Someone I Didn’t Know”
Kinlie Gililland, 11th grade, Texas
“Cui Lamentati Sumus”
Grace Folkers, 9th grade, Liberty Common High School, Colorado
“Moonless Night at South Side Cemetery”
Niva Cohen, 10th grade, Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy, Pennsylvania
“The Consolation of Despair — an English Sonnet”.
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Honorable Mention
Alyssa Horng, 11th grade, The Nueva School, California
“As the Wind Blows (A Ghazal)”
Austin Ruan, 9th grade, Wayne Hills High School, New Jersey
“New Dawn”
Grace Folkers9th grade) at Liberty Common High School, Colorado
“Moonless Night at South Side Cemetery”
Shayna Faul, 11th grade, Kang Chiao International School, Taiwan
“To Reap and to Sew”
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How can we read the fourth place poems mentioned above? The link goes to different ones.
Congratulations to Alexandra Guo and all the talented poets on this page! Well done!
For evidence that we are living in curious times, one need look no further than when the output of teenagers is:
1) better than that of the most recent poet laureates in Britain or America
2) better than the published verse of most people with expensive MFAs and PhDs
3) better than recent Pulitzer winners, national book award winners, etc.
Congrats to all the winners and honorable mentions! As Mr. Mantyk says above, you are the future of literature. It will be up to you to help take back the culture!
We’re worshiping at Alexandra’s feet –
her iambs, too, and meter none could beat.
This year through which our orb’s been roughly hurled
Has brought to light her talent to the world.
Congrats too, to all you young winners and honourable mentions – the torch is yours.
Mr. Freeman, I’m honoured to be the subject of your lovely quatrain. Thank you, and my congratulations to the other winners as well!