Support Us Button Widget

Read the finalist poems from our 2024 poetry contest

We’ve narrowed down our poetry contest to these finalists: read and vote for your favorite poem.

A top-down view of a laptop sitting on a table with an open notebook and pen sitting on top of it. Next to the laptop is a latte in a mug atop a white saucer. The latte has a foam heart on top.

Drumroll, please.

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 five finalists.

Check out the poems below, including the contest winner our readers voted for.

Winner: “The Forecast is Great” by Peter W.

Race to more knowledge, variety is fuel, Your abilities are unique, ‘know’ exception to the rule. Amazing, full of creativity, this Summer is for you, Libations, Food, Community...it’s all good news. The Forecast is Great, a tribute to you, Charleston Palms, location, and lifestyle, forget any Snafu. Are you ready?... The Happy Hour has come, be good, be friendly, be interesting, and please...have some fun.

Finalist: “The Tide Poet” by Cassell P.

In honor of The Tide Poet! We are simple at sunrise with the need to pull poems from precipitation. We’ve found feature in the forecast, form in the fungi, to forget Today’s poem only appears once– We do not have limitation. Calling all, anywhere: Be easier on yourself. We’ll recommend our favorite poetry process out by the tides– they’re open to all and today’s words are totally here for you.

Finalist: “Charleston is an Original” by Hellen G.

You will find style highlighting the originality. You can see the creativity in the poem we submit. CHStoday will feature our artistic quality. We’ll vote for our favorite. We’ll be ambivalent to some. Don’t forget to have fun! Your words are an exception. Your poems have happy words. YOU BE YOU! (Interesting… Red. Fungi.?)

Finalist: “Poetry” by Cathy F-H

Poetry is based on using words to celebrate creativity. It appears a simple craft – An open game with no rules. You play. You discover you will work. And, inspired, you courageously submit to a good process. Takes abilities to turn a collection of words Into a pretty show. You clarify. You mix and match. You use your unique style. You play with words. You are officially a poet.

Finalist: “Relationship” by Cathy P.

Sunrise, Sunset. Day, Evening. Low, High. You’re Ambivalent. Once mix and match, the dress pants are now impeccable. Like a variety of red wine or tequila, your style is the ultimate, an original. With all your friends you work, play, and swing, party, and celebrate. Honor? You do not know it. This weekend is building to a reckoning. You are invited to his death.

More from CHStoday
In addition to offering a plethora of books, the new independent bookstore Ladybird Books will host events, readings, and conversations.
To celebrate 20 years of serving seafood and southern favorites on the Charleston Harbor, Fleet Landing has released its first cookbook.
Make the most of good weather by taking your meals al fresco on one of Charleston’s many beautiful patios.
GrowFood Carolina, which now represents 80+ SC farmers, helps them put their produce in grocery stores and local restaurants.
No cash? No problem. Whether you are spending a day or a lifetime in Charleston, these are some of the best offerings that won’t break the bank.
Chef Daniel Humm and the pop-up restaurant will host its first guest on Thursday, Oct. 2. The restaurant will be housed at The Charleston Place.
We’ve rounded up local deals that’ll help you enjoy your lunch break without breaking the bank.
Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.
The Lowcountry isn’t a stranger to natural disasters, but the Charleston earthquake of 1886 shook the region to its core.
Choose an animal and the level of adoption you’d like to support the South Carolina Aquarium and the animal lover in your life.