Samuel Binns, a sophomore English major from Hot Springs, Ark., took top honors at the opening night of the ninth annual Project Poet, held Tuesday in the formal lounge of MacLean Residence Hall.
In front of a crowd of approximately 160 fellow students, Binns bested 17 other entrants in the memory and metaphor challenge with his poem, "Grandpa’s Emancipation of Complication."
With the victory, Binns advanced to the second round and won immunity in next week’s challenge. The other 12 entrants who advanced to the second round include, Cole Clementson, Sandra Davis, Daniel Garcia, Haley Gilliam, Emily Gorham, Jeremy Jacobs, Roger Marlow, Heather Neeley, Phoebe Randall, Utah Robertson, Amanda Rushing and Sarah Valentine.
"Grandpa’s Emancipation of Complication"
My grandpa is a president,
And I hold that truth to be self-evident.
He didn’t chop down a cherry tree.
instead he branched out our family tree.
As the commander in chief,
He will fight off any grief.
He formed a domestic democracy
despite my sister’s hypocrisy.
Grandpa’s White House is an emancipation of complication,
and he will immediately cease any inflation of exasperation,
unless he’s in his "oval office"
doing "his paperwork."
In 1997, we went to Mount Rushmore,
even though Grandpa wanted to rush less.
I looked up and saw heads, there were four.
I didn’t know who they were I confess.
I pointed to the last head in awe.
The three to the left were a mystery.
I said, "Look, it’s Grandpa!"
And the rest is history.
Topics: Student Events