Guidelines

Guidelines: (1) Include your name, the title of your original poem, and a brief comment about yourself; (2) Poems may be in any language (please include an English translation); (3) Poems may not violate Nicolet's Social Media Guidelines; (4) Original poems may be submitted anonymously; (5) Submit poems to Ocie Kilgus (okilgus@nicoletcollege.edu). Students who submit original poems are eligible for the Best Original Poem contest. The student with the best poem will be awarded the Ron Parkinson Poetry Matters Student Scholarship Award in the amount of $300. The community member with the best poem will receive dinner for two at Church Street Inn, Hazelhurst. Upon the closing of the Poetry Project, a faculty committee will select the winning poems. The winners of the contest will be recognized at Nicolet College's Award Ceremonies on May 10.

Friday, April 14, 2017

April 14, 2017

“Cheerful Dog”
By Jessica Garner

What a lovely dog he is. 
So playful and cheerful, running around. 
Friends are his favorite, playing and barking. 
The fun they have together, too bad you can't see the laughter. 
That would be silly. 
With the closeness they have together, the care will stick forever.

“This is a poem based on my dog who is always so happy and cheerful. I was born in Rhinelander, but graduated in Marinette.”

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“BRAMBLES & THORNS”
By Tazia Oxendine

we cut and kill flowers because we think they are beautiful
and yet we cut and kill ourselves because we think we are not.
we hurt and put down others because we think they are beautiful
and yet we hurt and put down the rest because we think they are not.

some flowers are considered unbeautiful.
weeds, if you may. 
some people aren't "worth it."
addicts to pain, per say. 

we are restricted to labels, I noticed.

some people, I've observed, are like flowers as well. 
some beautiful, yet poisonous. 
some horrendous, yet exhaling beauty through the less beautiful shell.

yet only the best are wildflowers.

they grow where they wish and spread where they please
some, although enticing, are poisonous as well.

like me.

yes, I may be beautiful, but as my flowers grow, the thorns encase you and destroy every inch of skin you have, because you attempted to break down my bramble walls and get a closer look at my angelic form. 

I fear for us, darling, as I may have scared you off and taken my chances at love away once more, with my negative sides
and my brambles and thorns. 

"This poem is my view on society and how we've changed and evolved. Like people, flowers come and go. Flowers have seasons, and people have reasons. I personally wrote this about some people who used to be very important to me but used me only for my supposed "popularity." Thinking like this, through poetic words, changed my perspective on the world and what it's like. In the eyes of a 12-year-old, it's hard. Now I think I understand."