Congratulations to the winners and finalists of our Poetry and Spoken Word Competition! In their poignant poetry, young writers harnessed language to convey local stories and powerful ideas, deeply moving Guest Judge Phil Kaye. “It's a poem crackling with emotion, strong characters, and a real sense of change over time,” he shared about the winning piece.
Read on to find out who won!
Please note: Winning and finalist pieces on the site are now publicly viewable!
“Cicada Season,” by fedora (United States)
There's a lot to love in this poem. It moves with an impressionistic quality, and yet doesn't lose the reader. I loved the movement between scenes, the pieces of dialogue interspersed. It's a poem crackling with emotion, strong characters, and a real sense of change over time. The metaphor of the cicadas works incredibly well, without being hit too hard. It's an impressive poem for a writer at any stage, let alone a young writer. Congratulations, and excited for your writing future!
“The Cherry Emoji,” by Hadley L (United States)
Well written and dynamically performed with precision and intent, this was an engaging and moving poem to watch. Thank you for sharing your experience and performing your work!
“Loss of Your Sanity,” reviewed by Selah Brown (United States)
This is a masterclass in giving feedback. Encouraging, constructive, and thorough. You strive to meet the writer where they're at and work to help them realize their vision for the poem, rather than your own. You come off as knowledgeable, caring, and authentically yourself — that helps build a relationship with the person who is lucky enough to receive your feedback. Great work!
“abecedarian for the immigrant children singing in front of unit 372,” by rh (United States)
It's hard to pull off an abecedarian that doesn't feel forced or awkward, and you did just that! It's a beautiful, impressive piece.
“Apologies in Translation,” by Yunzheng (China)
Extremely strong. You've clearly got a honed poetic impulse, and your ability to play with language while sticking tightly within a world is very impressive. You've got a great sense of pace, of beginnings and endings, and of nuance. Excited to see more of what is to come!
“crest,” by Gemma Hayes (United States)
This poem hit me in all the right ways! A beautiful tribute.
“It Rains Words,” by Shine Lee (South Korea)
A lovely poem — I loved the different extrapolations of the metaphor, well done!
“Lineage,” by Rebecca Yang (United States)
A very cool exploration. Both personal and grand in view — I enjoyed reading!
“my mother made pickles in the summer,” by Sophie Z. (United States)
A beautifully written poem that captures the essence of the small mundane moments with family that make us who we are. A thoughtful, well written, and subtle ending too. I loved hearing it live — thank you for sharing!
“Receipt for an Ordinary Day,” by Kuhai9801 (Philippines)
This is a great poem, with a strong command of language. I loved the movement between the scenes (the tangerine's three spirals!). Congrats on a great poem!
“Swollen Mouth of the Storm,” by JamieMichaelLam566 (Singapore)
A beautiful scene and exploration of a relationship through the metaphor of the monsoon — really strong work!
“The Dream,” by Anna Wang (United States)
I loved this poem. Concise, moving, and well constructed, I think it's very strong. Excited to see more of what you do.
“Hello yourself,” reviewed by Srini C. (United States)
A thoughtful and thorough set of feedback. Feedback is its own art and labor, and your time and energy here deserve to be recognized and applauded. Well done!