Five Students Honored in GCC Annual Poetry Contest

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12th Annual Student Poetry Contest winners from left: Klarisa Loft, Heidi Grolemund, Laura Neri, Leanne Serrato, Micah Brill

BATAVIA, NY (04/29/2013)(readMedia)-- Genesee Community College celebrates National Poetry Month with awards for five student writers in the 12th Annual Student Poetry Contest sponsored by the Alfred C. O'Connell Library. All five were recognized at a reception and poetry reading in the library on Thursday, April 25, 2013.

Micah Brill, a Business Administration major from LeRoy, received the Body of Work prize for his poems "Trains" and "Honestly." Micah stated that he writes "because I feel the desire, as everyone does, to turn my brain inside out and share myself with the world. I use the blank page as my stage." First place went to Klarisa Loft of Attica, NY for her poem entitled "Angel." The Liberal Arts student enjoys reading, music, movies, and TV. "I've always dreamed of writing, but have taken awhile to build up the courage to pursue it," Loft said. Emotions, events, pictures, dreams, all inspire her. Her winning poem was inspired by an idea she had for a character. Loft plans to continue her education at SUNY Geneseo, where she will major in English.

Criminal Justice graduate Heidi Grolemund of Churchville garnered second place for "The Train." A 2000 graduate of GCC, Heidi continues to take classes for enrichment. Accounting major Laura Neri's poem "The Dao of Dali" inspired by the Salvador Dali painting "The Persistence of Memory" won third prize. Nursing student Leanne Serrato of Albion earned honorable mention for "The Joys of Motherhood."

Each poet received a certificate, a journal to continue their writing, and a gift card.

A total of 56 poems were submitted by 26 students. A six-member panel of judges selected the winners. All of the winning poems can be found on the library's website http://www.genesee.edu/library/about-the-library/poetry-contests/.

For more information, contact Cindy Hagelberger, Reference Services Librarian (585) 343-0055 ext. 6231 or via email: CSHagelberger@genesee.edu.

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Editor's Note:

A photo of the winners is available here:

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/gcc_poetry_winners_2013.jpg

From left: Klarisa Loft, Heidi Grolemund, Laura Neri, Leanne Serrato, Micah Brill

Below is the first-place-winning poem:

"Angel"

By Klarisa Loft

Love is for storybooks

Not for chain smoking men

Who never asked for it

Never wanted it

There was no first sight

That theory's bizarre

Lust, definitely

Not love

Love is a seed or a child

It grows

Love is glass

It's fragile, and often breaks

Love is medication

It can save your life, or completely destroy it

An Angel taught me that

River eyes

Flaxen strands

Shadow lines

Wicked humor

Secret tenderness

This is Angel

Angel is here

Even as I sit on this couch

She is here

She makes a joke

More of a sarcastic remark

It's crude, yet it draws me to her

They just don't see her the way I do

Memories though

Vague memories...

...metallic taste...

...panicked gaze...

.....a needle on the floor......

.......

But Angel is here

Clear as the day

They won't tell me different

I've had enough of this couch, this talk

I have to take her home

My Angel needs to go home...