Read the finalist poems from our 2024 poetry contest

Photo by Pixabay via Pexels

This month, we ran a poetry contest to celebrate National Poetry Month . We challenged our readers to craft a poem using only the words that appeared in one of our newsletters (here are the original contest guidelines if you want to give it a try).

While prose is our newsletter’s bread and butter, it turns out that you all certainly aren’t op-prose-d to verse; we received several creative, intriguing, and beautiful poems that we narrowed down to our top three finalists.

Give them a read below, then vote on your favorite + we’ll announce the winner next week.

“I think of you everyday” by Dahlia S.

Real heart swallows you
a handmade blackhole
At home it’s dark
monday to monday is black
An exhibition of you is pink
perfect
total confection
keeping your eye as a keepsake
to travel on

“Like, Love, Fadeaway” by Phoenix S.

They’re on the hunt for a heart
Using words with no direction
To ditch intention for a season of guessing
To play games where rules are rejected.
You’re their favorite until it changes
Soon, promises turn into perhaps
All to keep their options open
Then they leave.
Some say this is the process
The journey
That we must keep up the performance
Messaging on and on and on
Until it’s easier
To expect the end.

“The House That Bobby Will Build” by Boyd B.

No downtown ballpark soon.
For now, with Big Red and the Chiefs,
Truman Complex fireworks.

Folly to expect renew of leases.
Teams to consider options.
Johnson County?

We’ll come to a crossroads.
For now, enjoy
classic stadium tradition.

Buck O’Neil would play in any barn,
in starlight, with style, originality,….

like this current franchise,
heart-pounding hits, each quality pitch.

Beloved Royals:
float new versions!
We can’t wait to see Witt
in the Kauffman Center skyline!