The English Department of LaPorte High School recently named the 2011 winners of the Christopher Iselman Writing Awards.

Iselman

Chris Iselman

   The LPHS English Department has awarded these honors every year since 1974. Christopher Iselman was a member of the LPHS Class of 1970. When Chris died during his senior year, his parents and teachers decided to honor his love of writing by establishing this contest.

   Students submit writing in four categories: poetry, essay, short story, and personal narrative, and the submissions are judged anonymously by LPHS English teachers. Each winner received a certificate and a plaque, and their names have been added to the large permanent plaque displayed in the English Office.

   This year’s winners are:

   — Poetry: Dylan Richardson

   — Essay: Brittany Belkiewitz

   — Short story: Zachary Whitacre

   — Personal narrative: Brittany Belkiewitz

   Below is Dylan’s winning poem. WNLP will showcase Brittany’s and Zachary’s winning works this Tuesday through Thursday on our main page, and all of the works will remain posted under WNLP’s Education and Arts & Music categories.

I Will Be, by Dylan Richardson 

Iselman dylan richardson

Dylan Richardson

         and the more I thought the more I lost.

There was a man on this hill

            only to meditate    if only to hear

When I had but the power of will

            he would lead my hand    to my heart

            Because I’ve always dreamed like Picasso

but I couldn’t understand

            if there was life beneath this land

            if I was worth all that they said.

I never was able

                        to muster

                                    a voice

 

                                                 my own

 

                                    but today

                     the fingers

stopped pointing the way.

                       There are cities calling

            and I’m stalling the moment

                                     to take a breath

                                                to weigh this out

Because I’ve never been someone

             or anyone

but a hollow empty shell

                                     and yet after today

                                                             I will be