2024 Contest - Poetry Winners
2024 River of Words® Poetry Winners and Finalists
We were pleased to receive over 1,800 poetry submissions for the 2024 competition year. After extremely difficult judging decisions, the ROW team would like to present the following 12 Category Winners, 7 Special Prize Winners, and 63 Finalists for poetry!
Category I Winners
Kindergarten-Grade 2
Grand Prize
"" by Nitara G., Grade 2, India
First Runner Up
"" by Rishvi J., Grade 2, India
Second Runner Up
"" by Mei W., Kindergarten, California
Category II Winners
Grades 3-5
Grand Prize
"" by Emerson R., Grade 5, Georgia
First Runner Up
"" by Ishveer S., Grade 4, California
Second Runner Up
"" by Emily L., Grade 5, Georgia
Category III Winners
Grades 6-8
Grand Prize
"" by Kareem A., Grade 7, Georgia
First Runner Up
"" by Riddhima D., Grade 8, Washington
Second Runner Up
"" by Louisa T., Grade 6, Switzerland
Category IV Winners
Grades 9-12
Grand Prize Winner
"" by Elise R., Grade 11, Louisiana
First Runner Up
"" by Tane K., Grade 11, New York
Second Runner Up
"" by Renee S., Grade 9, Virginia
Special Prize Winners
Monkey’s Raincoat Prize
This award celebrates River of Words' founder Robert Haas, who has enjoyed a lifelong study and fascination of the form. Awarded to short poems in the tradition of the Japanese haiku.
"" by Danielle C., Grade 9, Maryland
"" by Louisa T., Grade 6, Switzerland
"" by Tue Minh T., Grade 11, Vietnam
On Writing Prize
This category of poems features narratives that reflect on the writing process and the speaker's connection to writing.
"" by Tue Minh T., Grade 11, Vietnam
One Square Block Prize Winner
Awarded to art or poetry that examines city-scapes and the interaction between the manmade and the natural world.
"" by Mai P., Grade 11, California
Shasta Bioregion Prize
Awarded to one entry, either art or poetry, honoring a Northern California watershed.
"" by Lauren K., Grade 10, California
International Poetry Prize Winner
Awarded to international entries, either art or poetry, in any age category.
"" by Charlotte Somin J., Grade 9, Canada
Poetry Finalists
"A Bear" by Jewell-Bellamy M., Grade 4, Georgia
"A Corner of Nature" by Saman A., Grade 3, California
"A Turtle's Tear" by Aspen K., Grade 4, Georgia
"Aspects of Water" Sameer S., Grade 4, New Jersey
"Fall" by Claire L., Grade 4, Texas
"Four Ducks on a Pond" by Anna S., Grade 3, Georgia
"Mangrove Tree" by Tarini Rahul S., Grade 5, India
"My World" by Francesca T., Grade 3, Indiana
"NATURE IN SUMMER" by Shambhavi C., Grade 3, India
"Regrowth" by Margot S., Grade 4, Georgia
"Stop and smell the flowers" by Tarini Rahul S., Grade 5, India
"The lifecycle of a tree (with humans)" by Sarah S., Grade 5, North Carolina
"The River of Wisdom: A Found Poem" by Jack R., Grade 4, Georgia
River of Words®
Attn: River of Words
Filippi Academic Hall (FAH 200), 2nd Flr.
1928 St. Mary's Rd., PMB #4350
Moraga, CA 94575-4350, U.S.A.
rowinfo@stmarys-ca.edu