Contest Winners 2022
A hearty congratulations to the winners of our Fourth Annual Robert Golden Poetry Contest, and our sincerest gratitude to all who entered their poems this year.
First, Second, and Third Place winners in both the Adult and Student categories received cash prizes.
Here’s what our judge, Jose Hernandez Diaz , had to say about the 2022 entries and the First, Second, and Third Place poems:
“The contest entries for the Nexus Poets Contests 2022 were engaging and fascinating and therefore challenging to narrow down to winners, finalists, and honorable mentions.
The adult entries had many quality submissions, folks experimenting with form, some favoring traditional forms, all with passion, intelligence, and keen attention to craft. It was suggested to me that an “honorable mention” category was optional, but after reading all of the entries it was clear that there were numerous qualified candidates for prizes. There is tremendous satisfaction and joy in discovering striking work as you read submissions, like opening presents on Christmas.
The process of reading the student entries was equally engaging and refreshing. It is a true privilege to read poetry from youthful, passionate writers. Some writers wrote about joy, others isolation, others created unique worlds with their experimental poems. This was my first time reading for a student contest so I was unsure what to expect. After judging this contest, I truly can’t wait for the next opportunity to judge a student contest.“
About “Bad Therapist Says” (First Place, Adult Category):
“Bad Therapist” cleverly satirizes the therapy experience imagining what it would be like if a therapist blatantly declared all the bad things ordinary people routinely tell us about dealing with problems and stress. Utilizing the prose poem and the forward slash, this innovative piece makes us laugh out loud with a dry sense of humor and at the same time provides caustic commentary on the general indifference we at times display to each other despite unusually hard times. This is a sharp, memorable poem on many levels!
About “Not this Poem” (Second Place, Adult Category):
“Not this Poem” juxtaposes the expectations on poets to write about the beauty of life when in fact reality can be all but charming. This poem hits on a visceral and visual level with fine attention to line break and form.
About “In Search of Exits” (Third Place, Adult Category )
“In Search of Exits” is an ode to the introverted. Importantly, this sense of isolation has become widespread during these manic Covid times. Unafraid to tackle vulnerable subject matter, “In Search of Exits” ploughs through the provocative in order to gain insight and agency into the muted self in an increasingly claustrophobic world.
About “Natural Comparison” (First Place, Student Category )
“Natural Comparison” offers a surreal and unique look at perspective and how expectations don’t always fit reality. This avant-garde, concrete poem has a tongue-and-cheek aesthetic with a mysterious alluring quality. “Natural Comparison” utilizes experimental approaches to language, form, and content.
About “worlds” (Second Place, Student Category)
“Worlds” is a touching tribute to a grandmother and to those who suffer from Alzheimer’s.
About “Don’t Open that Door” (Third Place, Student Category)
“Don’t Open that Door” creates a haunting and intense reality through the use of rhyme, repetition, and form.
Bravo to all of our participants! It was a true pleasure.—Jose Hernandez Diaz, author of “The Fire Eater” and “Bad Mexican, Bad American.”
WINNING POEMS AND POETS 2022
Adult Winners
First Place: “Bad Therapist Says” by Frances Klein
Second Place: “Not This Poem” by Jo Ann Hoffman
Third Place: “In Search of Exits” by Maureen Anne Sherbondy
Honorable Mention: “It’s So Very Hot” by Marty Pitcairn
Student Winners
First Place: “Natural Comparison” by Frank Hopkins (10th grade)
Second Place: “Worlds” by Kenna Zhang (9th grade)
Third Place: “Don’t Open the Door” by Madison Eborn (10th grade)
Honorable Mention: “My Eyez Opened to Hip Hop” by Auston Dunn (10th grade)
Honorable Mention: “Allspice” by Diamond Ford (10th grade)
Honorable Mention: “First Deer” by Cooper Bloomberg (10th grade)
Honorable Mention: “Brother I Am Sorry” by Aniston Hill (10th grade)
First Place, Adult Category:
“Bad Therapist Says” by Frances Klein
Bad Therapist Says
can I pray for you/you look so pretty today/I can see why everyone likes you/where did we leave off last week/I lost my notes/I don’t think you mentioned that before/I don’t think you mentioned that in every session/I’ll pray for you tonight/you’re too smart to be a teacher/a negative attitude is probably why the procedures aren’t working/I have a reputation for being able to speak to God/anxiety is all in the mind/none of it is real/none of it is realistic/why are you scared of a death not your own/aren’t we all striving for heaven/you are a serious case/you need to come every week/don’t forget your credit card/I pray for you every night/you should quit your job/don’t you think you could do more good elsewhere/like in the movies/or on tv/or have a podcast, your voice is so pleasing/I think you should stop the procedures/It doesn’t seem natural/God told me you would have twins/I’m thinking of starting a new career/wellness coaching, or life coaching, or maybe seeing the world/no one cares what you’re doing/if you’re going to work every day, then it’s not depression/I wasn’t excited enough for my own pregnancy/the baby died/birth defects/sometimes I wonder if it was me that did it/my attitude, I mean/do you think it was me/I’ll pray about it tonight, when I pray for you/who is that, that name you said/I didn’t know you were married/I didn’t know you had a son/I didn’t know you aren’t from around here/God brought you here for a reason/God does this to you for a reason/can you write a review for my website/a good one/that says how much I helped you
Second Place, Adult Category:
“Not This Poem” by Jo Ann Hoffman
Not This Poem
Third Place, Adult Category:
“In Search of Exits” by Maureen Anne Sherbondy
Honorable Mention, Adult Category:
“It’s So Very Hot” by Marty Pitcairn
First Place, Student Category:
“Natural Comparison” by Frank Hopkins
Natural Comparison
Second Place, Student Category:
“worlds” by Kenna Zhang
Third Place, Student Category:
“Don’t Open the Door” by Madison Eborn
In the car the voices panicked
Honorable Mention, Student Category:
“My Eyez Opened to Hip Hop” by Auston Dunn
I had gotten into my friends car,
He was listening to some rap.
I was never really into rap music,
But something about this song.
These lyrics were telling a story.
These lyrics were creating an image.
“I wont forget the weekends spent sleeping at your crib, thats the way I wish my family lived”.
I enjoy the story telling along with this image in my mind being created.
This image making me feel like I was in his shoes, living his life.
It was my first day of high school,
And of course, like most people I was nervous.
But this artist just made my day so much easier.
I went home and made a playlist of all the J. Cole songs I could find.
A few songs later,
I was instantly hooked.
The friend who drove me that day is the biggest J. Cole fan I have ever met,
I ask him to tell me everything about J. Cole.
Ever since that day I have never enjoyed listening to a rapper like that more than J. Cole.
Honorable Mention, Student Category:
“Allspice” by Diamond Ford
The joy I couldn’t ignore
The sweet aroma of ginger candles
The turkey in the oven
And the wind seething through the screen door
A blessing to see another day.
The oven dings as we all gather together
We all give each others gifts as we
Thank one another for the love and care.
Honorable Mention, Student Category:
“First Deer” by Cooper Bloomberg
I killed
a deer was a couple of years ago.
I killed it hunting with just me and my dad.
shoot it.
through the scope and
aimed at it and
Honorable Mention, Student Category:
“Brother I Am Sorry” by Aniston Hill
Is it because of me, you choose to hide away in the comfort of your own bed,
Is it because of me you begin to smile,
then turn away, fearing this feeling won’t last?
Is it because of me you put your hands over your face when you mess up?
I have caused you many nights of restless sleep, I can see that.
Brother, I am sorry.
Does it matter to them,
Me trying my damndest;
Through all my struggles,
to make them happy, when I’m tired?
Brother,
I will stay up once again..thinking how I want to say,