Tuesday night, The Black Box Theatre played host to 166 students, faculty, and staff as Utah Robertson, a freshman theatre major from Wichita Falls, Texas, fought off stiff competition to win the second episode of "Project Poet!" season seven.
This week’s challenge was to pick a figure from myth, history, or popular culture and to depict that figure in an unusual and revealing situation. Every single poet brought their best to the delight of the audience and judges, but Robertson’s poem depicting Ozarks President, Dr. Rick Niece as a professional wrestler was simply too good to beat.
Along with Robertson, who wins immunity for next week, ten other poets stay in print for week three, which promises to test the competitor’s skill even further with a two-part challenge, one poem about a color and another about a lullaby.
The final poet who remains in print after the final challenge will be awarded the coveted title of Poet Laureate of the Spadra Valley, along with $750 in prize money. The top five finishers will all receive prize money, generously donated by University president Dr. Rick Niece and first-lady Sherée.
"Project Poet" began in 2006 as the brainchild of Ozarks’ professor of English, Dr. David Strain and his former colleague, Dr. Kendrick Prewitt. The competition challenges students to draw on their creative writing skills and their wit, and is open to students from any program on campus.
For more information about the competition, including details about each challenge and a list of the winning poets for each week, see http://students.ozarks.edu/studentlife/events/projectpoet/.
"You Can’t Keep a Good Niece Down"
He’s down for the count, but not for long.
Old Ricky gets pretty angry when someone challenges one of his kids.
But not to worry, his wife Sheree voices her pride,
Her pride for her husband in this ill-fated moment in the ring, "Give him the chair! Give him the chair!"
Dr. Niece never was one to disobey his wife, or to let his students down.
But just as the cold metal of the chair makes contact with his fingertips
His opponent makes his move.
The full nelson, a classic!
But a faulty choice on his part.
You see, years of going round and round with students has prepared the Doc for just this situation.
He breaks free, but in doing so his weakness is revealed.
Those super stylish, super stretchy, super sexy suspenders.
A must for any professional wrestler/ president/ doctor of Curriculum & Instruction with a minor in English/ husband/ true friend to all.
The Hulking Terminator, a fitting name for an opponent of skill, makes quick use of these clothing accessories that make Liberace envious.
It’s no use lying to you . . . . Dr. Niece did fall.
His opponent pinned him,
And the ref started his count.
Our hero, our mentor, our friend
Struggled to get up, but it was no use.
"One!"
He turned to the left.
"Two!"
He wrenched to the right.
"Thr . . . "
Niece makes the tag to his partner
And Dr. Taddie comes to the rescue!
Taddie makes quick work of The Hulking Terminator, after all Provost means "Beast,"
And the fight . . . is over.
Dr. Niece rises to the sound of cheers and applause.
Walking right over to his fallen nemesis, who lies dormant on the floor,
A smile appears on Dr. Niece’s face.
He rolls up his pant legs and the crowd goes silent.
They know what’s coming, his signature move!
The Terminator rouses slightly, Dr. Niece looks him square in the eye,
And like at all orientations prior to this moment he asks . . .
"What’s my name?"
Copyright 2012 By Utah Robertson
Topics: Student Events