2024 Performance Winners | NE Poetry Society

2024 Performance Poetry Contest Winners

We'd like to thank everyone who entered our second PERFORMANCE POETRY contest and to give special thanks to our guest judge, Benjamin Gardea!

Congratulations to all the winners and honorable mentions. We're so proud to support you in your creative endeavors!

First Place:

Javon Rustin

"About Bars"

Javon Rustin is a poet, performer, and programmer. He ranked 5th in the 2023 National Blackberry Peach Poetry Slam and 3rd at the 2024 Southern Fried Poetry Slam. He recently published a collection of poetry entitled “Always Been Most High”. He loves helping others heal and laugh.

Second Place:

Jean Cully

"A New Person"

Jean Cully has been writing for the last 60 years of her life and has recently fallen in love with writing poetry. Jean draws from her experiences living on a farm, getting her master's degree in counseling, and many years observing life from both an artist's and a therapist's perspective.

Third Place:

Irisa Teng

"A Robot Is Just a Human Corpse"

Irisa Teng loves a good physics metaphor. A young poet from Washington state, their work appears or is forthcoming in The Cloudscent Journal, Sophon Lit, Frighten the Horses, Evanescent Magazine, and others. Beyond writing, they can be found reading Wikipedia, playing devil’s advocate, and musing about the ever-expanding universe.

Honorable Mentions:

in no particular order

Jason Lalli

"The Phoenix"

Lalli, the President of Decisive Life, LLC, Founder/Host of Infuse Open Mic has dedicated his life to making a positive impact on others. As an accomplished author, spoken word artist, and motivational speaker, he has touched the lives of countless individuals with his powerful words and inspiring presence.

Jennifer Lentfer

"Noticing a Problematic Matriarch"

Jennifer Lentfer is a poet and collagist living in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A. Her work is focused on rebuilding culture, as well as honoring lineage and community. She first realized she was a poet when her cousins asked her to write about their grandpa’s hands, to be read at his funeral.

Sylvia Marie

"What Do You See"

Sylvia Marie is a 24-year-old disabled poet living in York, UK. Sylvia believes poetry should be accessible to everyone and works to achieve this throughout her performances around the UK. She came 2nd for Say Out's Slam 2022.

Daniel Moreschi

"Monarch March"

Daniel Moreschi has been acclaimed by over 80 poetry competitions and published in anthologies of prize-winning poetry, as well as by Lunar Codex, The Lyric, Society of Classical Poets, WestWard Quarterly, The Chained Muse, Reach, The Dawntreader, Formal Verse, 14 Magazine, Wishbone Words, Every Writer Resource, and many other publications.

Mckendy Fils-Aimé

"The Haitian Lougarou Discusses the First French Werewolf"

Mckendy Fils-Aimé is a New England-based Haitian-American poet, organizer, and educator. He is a former artist in residence for MassLEAP and the AANH. Mckendy has received fellowships from Callaloo and Cave Canem. His work is forthcoming in American Literary Review, Bellingham Review, The Shore, The Rumpus, and elsewhere.

Phillip Marshall aka: Lyric

"Something Different"

Self-published poetry author, slam poet, railroader and husband to a loving supportive partner.

Rose Menyon

"Death A Wishlist"

Rose Menyon Heflin has had over 200 poems published in outlets spanning five continents. Her poetry has won state and national awards, and one of her poems was performed by a dance troupe. In 2024, she had 22 poems exhibited in an art show at Chengdu, China’s A4 Art Museum.

Coral Jewel

"The Song That Plays When I Think Of You"

From Omaha, Nebraska, “Jules Coral” Wuestewald is an aspiring poet with the hopes of inspiring many. Jules’s pieces are derived from his personal experiences as a transgender man. Jules won the overall grand prize in the 2021 MLK Living the Dream competition and took first place in the #BEKIND&BRAVE category.

John Petelle

"Dear John In The Moment"

John Petelle (he/him/his) is a Desert Storm veteran (disabled) of the Marine Corps. His career includes time as a newspaper editor, elementary school instructor, technology entrepreneur and veteran’s service officer. A full-time writer, John bakes & distributes fresh bread to bookstores, coffee shop baristas, and other poets in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Thomas Pate

"Those Thinking Nights"

Thomas L. Pate is a poet from Omaha, Nebraska. His works have been featured by Beyond Queer Words, Red Weather Magazine, Nebraska Writers Collective, Poet’s Choice, and several other places. In 2024, Thomas was a finalist in the Blackberry Peach National Haiku Slam, taking second place in Atlanta, Georgia.

Kristin Leonard

"After The Blaze"

Kristin is a Maine-based writer who is passionate about music, trees, and gardening. On most mornings, she can be found typing away at the kitchen table, still struggling to find the right word. Follow her at kristinjleonard.com.

Amelia Cotter

"It's Elementary"

Amelia Cotter is a storyteller and award-winning poet. Her books include apparitions (Highland Park Poetry Press, 2022), and her poetry has appeared in many journals. In 2023, apparitions was shortlisted for the Haiku Foundation’s 2022 Touchstone Awards for Distinguished Books. Amelia is a member of the Society of Midland Authors.