This spring, the Poetry Society of Tennessee (PST) held a contest for East Tennessee State University creative writing students as part of a regional outreach initiative. The society’s northeast Tennessee regional representative, Fred Tudiver, coordinated the event. The contest served to introduce students to PST, to recognize their work, and to provide an opportunity to perform in a public venue.

Winners will receive cash prizes and have an opportunity to read their poetry at an upcoming event. PST is grateful to all of the contest entrants for their participation. Many thanks also to author Shuly Xóchitl Cawood, who served as contest judge.

PST is pleased to recognize the following poets and their poems:

• 1st: Emily Wilson for “après moi, le deluge”
• 2nd: Emma Sheedlo for “Shrine for a Sister”
• 3rd: TaKya Hughes for “riding four-wheelers in north Carolina”
• HM: Samantha Matney for “American Teenager”

In addition to a cash prize, the 1st place winner will have their poem published in a future edition of PST’s anthology,Tennessee Voices. They have also been invited to read their poem at PST’s 66th Annual Poetry Festival.