Cassidy Topps is the new Poet Laureate of the Spadra Valley.
Topps, a sophomore psychology and biology major, took home the top prize at the 10th annual Project Poet competition on Wednesday evening. A record 28 students took part in this year’s six-week creative poetry event.
Topps won the $1,000 grand prize following Wednesday’s season finale. Ariana Lujan took second place, Jeremy Jacobs finished third, Utah Robertson was fourth and Kelli Palmer rounded out the top five.
Cassidy Topps (center) is congratulated by fellow contestants Jeremy Jacobs and Ariana Lujan after winning the 10th annual Project Poet on Wednesday night. Lujan finished second and Jacobs third in the annual poetry competition.
Topps’ winning poetry included:
Ozone
Copyright 2015 Cassidy Topps
Up above from the ceiling it hangs
Full and beautiful reflecting
Protecting me
During the day full waves of blues understatedly named
Creamy whites sometimes stain inside the spherical pane
Even so like a room in the night
This mirror is engulfed with nothing bright
But only mini night lights
To soothe the inner child hidden in from the fright
Or to spotlight a couple held within each other’s arms so tight
Some say this mirror will shatter and the world will shudder
Bringing about a new order
Bad luck for us all
I pray this layer never fall
For the day that those beautiful rays burn away the bays
Will be the day everyone will be able to look at their own impurities
& burn from every wrong they are not ready to see
The Hardest Thought
Copyright 2015 Cassidy Topps
On occasion
I find myself
Crippled and saddened
Scared and confused
Hurt and betrayed
By myself
The thought had run across my mind
What if he isn’t
What if we are mistaken
A hard wave of petrified tsunamis drenches my cranium
Drowning my heart
Killing my soul
My biggest fear,
That the one person I believe in
Is only an imaginary friend created by my dreams
Meant to protect me from life’s struggles unseen
I guess that’s why this world is constantly destroying me
Like a child laying in her bed
I foolishly repeat "If I pray, all this pain will leave me be"
I ask him to reveal himself
A figure shows but I can’t tell
Whether it is real or my mind playing tricks on me
Topics: Student Events