2024 River of Words Poetry
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
Category II Winners
Grades 3-5
Category III Winners
Grades 6-8
Category IV Winners
Grades 9-12
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.
"Golden Illusion" by Danielle C., Grade 9, Maryland
"Moon Stones" by Louisa T., Grade 6, Switzerland
"Whispers of Spring" 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.
"Inked Tendrils of the Soul" 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.
"At the Window Sill" by Mai P., Grade 11, California
Shasta Bioregion Prize
Awarded to one entry, either art or poetry, honoring a Northern California watershed.
"The Great Worm Migration" by Lauren K., Grade 10, California
International Poetry Prize Winner
Awarded to international entries, either art or poetry, in any age category.
"Whispers of Change" 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
"Across the Ocean" by Shaowei L., Grade 5, New York
"Aspects of Water" Sameer S., Grade 4, New Jersey
"Can you hear the wind?" by Aurora F., Grade 5, Canada
"Dragon, Ganges" by Tarini Rahul S Grade 5, India
"Fall" by Claire L., Grade 4, Texas
"Four Ducks on a Pond" by Anna S., Grade 3, Georgia
"Holding our Heads Up High" by Enilea B., Grade 5, Maine
"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
"Night" by Shaowei L., Grade 5, New York
"Regrowth" by Margot S., Grade 4, Georgia
"River" by Nora M., Grade 5, Canada
"Stars" by Sophie L., Grade 5, Canada
"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
"This is Home" by Jordan W., Grade 5, Georgia
"We have to do something" by Eva D., Grade 4, Georgia
"Wooden Boardwalk In Black Pine Forest" by Shaowei L., Grade 5, New York
"A Mighty Gust" by Chase M., Grade 7, Florida
"Georgia's Nature" by Ayan B., Grade 7, Georgia
"Glitch" by Fina R., Grade 7, Maine
"Grass" by Aayan K., Grade 7, Georgia
"My Secret Fish Farm" by Natalie C., Grade 7, California
"Spring Bloom" by Zachary L., Grade 7, Canada
"The Amazon" by Blake O., Grade 7, Georgia
"A New England Autumn" by Kennedy S., Grade 12, Rhode Island
"Amatsubu ga ochiru" by Mieko A., Grade 9, California
"An Ode to an Ugly Tree" by Marissa N., Grade 10, Michigan
"Bitter Sweetness" by Hanyi Z., Grade 9, China
"Charred" by Sally C., Grade 9, California
"Elegy for a Rock in the Cache la Poudre" by Vivian F., Grade 9, Virginia
"Fall leaves fall" by Zeyi Z., Grade 11, China
"Falling" by Addison L., Grade 11, California
"High Up on the Mountains" by Addison L., Grade 11, California
"How Could We Just Appear?" by Tane K., Grade 11, New York
"Ignorant Inefficacies" by Haley F., Grade 11, New York
"In the Watershed" by Benny C., Grade 9, Georgia
"indifference & avarice, upending: an ode to Mother Nature" by Saanavi S., Grade 10, Texas
"Nature" by Ishaan R., Grade 9, New Jersey
"Nature is Art" by Deul C., Grade 11, California
"Paradise" by Italia G., Grade 11, California
"Rain" by Kayla K., Grade 9, California
"Redwood Creek Realm" by Emily H., Grade 9, California
"Sunrise" by Addie D., Grade 9, Georgia
"Suppressing the Nature" by Ricardo Gonzalez A., Grade 9, Georgia
"Sycamore Tree" by Alana S., Grade 9, Louisiana
"Thank you" by Naomi J., Grade 10, New York
"The 4 Seasons" by Negash N., Grade 9, Georgia
"The Cycle" by Yu-An C., Grade 9, Virginia
"The First Day of Summer" by Harper U., Grade 10, Virginia
"The Lonely Cactus" by Penny M., Grade 9, Georgia
"The Most Endangered Species" by Lauren Y., Grade 10, California
"The Red Beneath the Blue" by Tue Minh T., Grade 11, Vietnam
"The Taste of Green" by Eric W., Grade 9, Washington
"what are you waiting for?" by Matthew W., Grade 10, 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.