Pieces of a window
Missing
Like the sun during the winter
Battered glass
Scattered like a puzzle
Hopeless.

Powerful lines like these are what you can expect from the talented students at South Middle School in Eau Claire. Recently, four South students were proud to have the chance to stand out among their peers in the Junior Division of the prestigious annual Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets Student Contest. They included eighth-grader Danielle Pathos, whose poem “Blueberries in August” won first place, as well as eighth-grader Ali Benson (honorable mention for “Paradise”), eighth-grader Nathan Mongerson (third place for “A Fall Night”), and seventh-grader Luis Nunez (honorable mention for “Lost,” which is quoted above).
“Poetry is fun for me because I love telling stories,” Mongerson explained. “I like making people laugh through my writing.”

Benson said the honor was not only exciting for her and her family but also provided motivation to continue writing in high school and beyond. All four students have aspirations to grow as writers and hope to keep poetry a part of their lives for years to come. To see a full list of winners and to read the winning poems, go to wfop.org/contests.html.