GREENEVILLE – Two Tusculum University students recently earned honors, including first place, in the inaugural Tennessee Collegiate Poetry Contest.
Tate Haugen, left, and Kiersten Paxton celebrate their recognition in one of Tusculum University’s English classrooms.
Tate Haugen finished in first place, and Kiersten Paxton landed in third place in the competition, which the Poetry Society of Tennessee sponsored. The two, who are seniors pursuing bachelor’s degrees in English, with a concentration in creative writing, will have their poems published in Tennessee Voices Anthology 2024-2025.
“We are ecstatic to see these results from Tate and Kiersten and congratulate them on achieving this special honor,” said Dr. Josh Martin, assistant professor of English. “Both of them are talented writers with the potential for strong careers in this field as they continue to develop their craft. Their success and commitment to high-quality work continue Tusculum’s tradition of producing excellent creative writers who make their mark on the literary world.”
Haugen won for his poem “Still.”
“’Still’ is a poem about reflection on my past,” Haugen said. “It goes into nurture and what still means. I wrote this poem hoping to capture the beauty of stillness and why it was important to me.”
Linda Parsons, a poet and essayist, whose writings have appeared in multiple journals and anthologies, served as the contest judge. She had many positive comments about Haugen’s poem.
“’Still’ stands tall among the rest with its many surprises and mastery of craft,” Parsons said. “The conceit of stillness takes several shapes and turns and holds the reader to the end. I also admire the forbidding edges in this poem. These edges attract rather than repel, a fine balance.”
Paxton came in third for her poem “Thistle’s Crime,” which she said is about blame and those on whom someone places it. The poem delves into someone taking advantage of another person and then reacting negatively when the target stands up for himself or herself. She said one could view the poem as centering on abuse.
“My goal was to discuss the idea of the ‘perfect victim,’ or rather, that there isn’t one,” Paxton said. “Many people shake their heads at others for lashing out without considering the events that occurred prior to cause their anger. I’ve always been interested in people and their stories; I always try to understand the motivation behind the actions as someone who has been treated unfairly in the past. I wanted people to understand that there is always a bigger picture to look for.”
In her assessment of Paxton’s poem, Parsons said, “’Thistle’s Crime’ is a masterful use of rhyme and language in the Romantic tradition, with the well-constructed metaphor of thorns/vulnerability. The musicality here is wonderful.”
When he learned he was selected as the winner in this competition, Haugen said he jumped for joy. He considers this accomplishment to be a big step forward toward becoming a good writer and poet. Paxton said it was exciting to be chosen.
“When working creatively, there’s always a part of you that believes that you’d be the only one to like what you’re doing,” she said. “The opportunity to be published is a breathtaking experience. It’s anxiety-inducing but in the best ways possible. It feels like a panic attack occurring from excitement and happiness.”
Haugen, who is from Wisconsin, is interested in writing for an outdoor company or finding another outlet for his writing. An avid outdoorsman, he explores nature and what it means to be a hunter in his free time. He has served as assistant drama editor and assistant poetry editor for The Tusculum Review, the university’s international literary journal, and as one of the editors for Sit Lux, a journal overseen by students. Haugen received an honorable mention in the poetry category in the Curtis ’28 and Billie Owens Literary Prize competition this year. He has also been a member of the Tusculum’s student and community bands.
Paxton is from Bristol, and has used her time at Tusculum to serve as the assistant fiction editor for The Tusculum Review and as one of the lead editors of Sit Lux. She likes music, books and experimenting with writing styles and genres. She won the drama, fiction and nonfiction categories in the Owens competition this year. One of Paxton’s poems was published in Tennessee Voices Anthology 2022-2023. Her goal is become a full-time writer.
“We rejoice in seeing Tate and Kiersten receive this well-deserved acclaim for their skill and creativity,” said Kelsey Trom, associate professor of English. “They have demonstrated a passion for good writing and have consistently produced it during their Tusculum studies. We look forward to watching their careers in the writing field unfold and know their product will reflect well on themselves and our creative writing program.
“Tate and Kiersten have benefitted greatly from Dr. Martin’s tutelage. Dr. Martin publishes regularly and this year won the prestigious Pinch Literary Prize for Poetry for ‘Two Truths & A Meatball.’ Our students are lucky to work with an accomplished poet and selfless mentor. They’re looking forward to their intensive poetry workshop with him in the spring.”
Additional information about Tusculum’s English program is available at https://site.tusculum.edu/english-2/. To learn more about the university, please visit www.tusculum.edu.