Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 1, 1990 TAG: 9006290222
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV10 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: ROBERTA GREEN SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
First place went to James Heinemann, a junior at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, for "Vietnam." Third-place winner was Elena Geesey, a graduating senior at Monacan High school, Richmond, for "Photograph 1970."
The contest was started 12 years ago, said Joyce Smoot, its coordinator for the past five years.
"A faculty member at that time, Claude Smith, had an interest in writing for children, which extended to an interest in student poets. When he left in 1986, I took over as coordinator, and it's been rather fun. Actually, it's one of my favorite projects."
There were 704 poems submitted this year, up from 396 five years ago, she said.
The entries are screened by the Writing Center staff, which includes faculty members in the department. After the initial reading, 30 or 40 poems advance to the final judging.
"The money for the brochures and for the prizes comes from the department, but we would certainly welcome private sponsors. We'll continue the contest as long as we have funding and judges. It's a nice opportunity to publicize the humanities at Virginia Tech," said Smoot.
The judges have, with one exception, always been faculty members in the English department. This year's judge, David Rigsbee, is in the English Department, has written two collections of poems and has edited an anthology of poems, as well as a collection of critical essays on the poet Carolyn Kizer.
This year's winning poem, Heinemann said, has a personal basis if not a strictly factual one.
"Actually, it was my uncle who was in Vietnam. My father was gone for a while in the military in Japan, and I guess what I did was gather things and kind of cut and paste them together.
"I entered this contest once before, when I was in ninth grade," he said, "and was kind of cocky about my chances. I didn't win. This year I submitted this poem and said if it wins, OK. If it doesn't, OK. I write a lot and consider myself a poet. I like to write. I enjoy writing."
Swenson said she often writes "out of a strong emotion that can't otherwise be expressed. I write to clarify something. I've been writing since I can't remember when, and I've wanted to be a writer ever since fifth grade. The first poet I really admired was Samuel Taylor Coleridge. After that, I was more into contemporary poetry."
It is the second year one of Swenson's poems has placed. Her `Nightblooms" took second in 1989.
Third-prize winner Geesey cites her association with her writing teacher as one of the big determiners in her writing success.
"I've been writing since kindergarten, but I started writing seriously as a freshman. I wrote my first poem during algebra class. Of course, I flunked algebra, but I enjoyed writing.
"I was happy to place in this year's contest," said Geesey, who also was editor-in-chief of "Visions," her high school's award-winning literary and art magazine.
"All of the entries exhibited a high degree of creativity. I am glad to see that a serious, hands-on interest in poetry is thriving at this level in Virginia," said Rigsbee.
by CNB