High school poets nationwide were invited to participate in the fourth annual UB Poetry Contest that offers the allure of generous cash prizes as well as the opportunity to participate in a poetry workshop offered by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and UB writer-in-residence Carl Dennis.
Winners will also be invited to read their work at an awards ceremony on March 31 in the Center For the Arts.
Organizers say that the contest is held not only to encourage the creativity of young poets, but also to draw the attention of prospective students to UB and its commitment to the literary arts.
'It helps to get word out about the great poetry program here at UB. The response has been fabulous,' said Michelle Bewley, assistant to the dean in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Bewley has been working on the program since its inception four years ago, and has witnessed the growing interest in the contest.
'We receive about 1,500 entries a year,' she said. 'It has become international we just received an entry from Israel, and we also have had submissions from Canada, Korea and England.'
According to Bewley, seven more high schools were added to the list this year, hopefully further increasing awareness of the contest.
'It is amazing what you can get from students of this age,' Bewley said.
Common topics in the vast number of entries included family, heartbreak and current events. In the past, poems have tackled the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami and the war overseas.
'I have been impressed,' Dennis said. 'I always find interesting poetry.'
Thirty poems are selected by English graduate student Sarah Campbell, out of 1,500 entries. The final winners are chosen by Dennis.
The poet said one of the reasons he judges the contest is to meet the aspiring poets and their families, many of whom travel from various parts of the country to attend the ceremony.
'There is a social element. I like to meet these people,' Dennis said. 'I sit down and talk to their parents. Often they live in rural parts of the state, and their daughter or son has gotten interested in poetry. I enjoy it.'
The only requirements for entry are that the poems must be 25 lines or less and written in English. With few limitations, Dennis provided some insight on his criteria for judgment of poetry, as well as what makes a good poem.
'I look for poetry which shows engagement with the subject, passion,' he said. 'Poetry that shows discrimination, and does not sound as if they have not thought about the subject, or cannot anticipate objections to immediate response to things.'
Dennis also said that he looked for poems relating their immediate subjects to larger themes and topics, adding that language use, careful word choice and rhythm would be important factors.
For more tips on poetry writing, students are encouraged to attend Dennis' workshop, which will take place on March 31st following the awards ceremony.
Prizes range from $200 for first place, $100 for second place, $50 for third place and a gift certificate to Barnes & Noble or Chapters for fourth place. Awards will also be given out for honorable mentions. All winners will receive an autographed copy of 'Practical Gods,' Dennis' 2002 Pulitzer Prize winning poetry collection.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
