2015-2016 Poems

2015-2016 poets were selected anonymously by judges from outside the Mankato area.

Up to 3rd Grade

  • First Place: Happiness – Rachel Smith
  • Second Place: Crystal Waters – Lottie Holz
  • Third Place: Sad Mad Glad – Macey Carlson (29b)
  • Star Star – Victoria Damman (23)
  • Ice Cream – Ava Schneider
  • Spring – Lottie Holz (37)
  • Oh My! – Jayden Hopkins
  • Ketchup – Claire Duncan

Grades 4-7

  • First Place: Spring Bud – Gretl Holz
  • Second Place: Three Trees – Hannah Leraas
  • Third Place: The Sleepy Monster – Muskan Waseem
  • Morning – Gretl Holz
  • The Last Day of My Life – Muskan Waseem
  • Fruit Salad – Quinn Mackie

Grades 8-12

  • First Place: Old Pictures – Syke Kirby
  • Second Place: Some Words Have No Meaning – Samantha Burt (21)
  • Third Place: Curiosity – Jacqui McGregor  (1)
  • I Watch – Mackenzie Donovan (30b)
  • Silk Butterflies – Jacqui McGregor (35)
  • Struggling to Escape – Samantha Holz
  • The Beauty of the Moon – Farrell Haley
  • 11:11 – Farrell Halley

Adult – Humor

  • First Place: Fair Trade Coffee – Ed Brekke-Kramer
  • Second Place: Convergence – Henry Panowitsch
  • Third Place: On the Fence – Meredith Cooke
  • It Shouldn’t Take Long – John Just
  • Oh, To Be Late – Ed Brekke-Kramer
  • Da Europe o’ da Midwest, donchaknow! – Yvonne Cariveau (41)
  • Cousins (many times removed) – Derek Liebertz

Adult – Serious

  • First Place: Sole Exception – Meredith Cooke
  • Second Place: The Cold of January – Jana Bouma
  • Third Place: The Chase – Ed Brekke-Kramer
  • Dessert First – Henry Panowitsch
  • never enuf sleep – Laura K. Murray (36b)
  • Caesura – Jana Bouma
  • Under A Frozen Moon She Left- Henry Panowitsch
  • Juicy Communion – Meredith Cooke

Notable Poets

  • Rex MacBeth
  • Bill Holm
  • Barbara Stevens (39)