Nature Poetry Contest
Poems are reflections of things we care about. Poetry is an opportunity to share what you observe, wonder about, or laugh over! Poems can be creative and clever. They can link together ideas in new ways. We can learn from poems, too.
Up to 20 poems (from poets of any age) may be submitted by the UF 4-H agent in each county. There is a limit of one entry per person. The FAMU coordinator may submit an additional 20 poems for FAMU 4-H’ers in each county. Each poem must be submitted on the submission form and postmarked by March 1.
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How to Participate in the Contest
How to Participate in the Contest
To enter the poetry contest, download and fill out the Contest Entry Form. The printed form must be returned by mail to the address provided. There is a limit of one entry per person. Entries will be accepted in three age categories. All entries must be postmarked by March 1.
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4-H Nature Poetry Contest Details
- When: Must be postmarked by March 1, 2024. Winners will be announced at the 2024 Forest Ecology Contest on March 30, 2024 and via email.
- Cost: No fee for poetry submissions.
- How to Submit: See the 4-H Nature Poetry Contest page for more information, and to complete the contest entry form.
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What Makes a Good Poem?
What Makes a Good Poem?
Good poems have one or more of the following characteristics:
- The subject of the poem is clear, easy to understand, and focused.
- The choice of words create power, convey an image, share a passion, breathe life, or share an experience with the reader. They come alive!
- Some poems have a standard rhythm or pattern. Some poems count syllables - as in a haiku. Some poems (like limericks) have a meter or beat.
- Some poems rhyme, and some 'almost' rhyme. Words that have the same ending sound (like cat/bat/that) are real rhymes. Words that almost rhyme (called assonance) might sound like a rhyme but aren’t, such as branches/fences or leaves/breathes.
- The beginning of words can also become a pattern, such as words that start with the same letter or sound: fancy footwork of falling foliage.
- Good poems often use metaphors, similes, and analogies to convey ideas. A metaphor defines something as a comparison: You are a breath of fresh air. A simile uses the words ‘like’ or ‘as’ to compare two things: Her eyes sparkled like diamonds when she found her favorite tree. An analogy defines a complex idea in simple, easy to translate, concrete terms: A sandhill crane – from wingtip to wingtip, is wider than I am tall.
- Good poems are grammatically and scientifically correct. Words are spelled correctly; animal and plant names are hyphenated properly. Prior to reprinting a winning poem, staff will request permission to make minor corrections if needed. If the author does not provide permission, the poem will not be posted on our website.
- The subject of the poem is clear, easy to understand, and focused.
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Read the Winning Poems
Read the Winning Poems
Click on the links below to read the winning poems for each age category.
2024 Junior Intermediate Senior 2023 Junior Intermediate Senior 2022 Junior Intermediate Senior 2021 Junior Intermediate Senior 2020 Junior Intermediate Senior 2019 Junior Intermediate Senior -
2024 Winners
Junior Division
- 1st Place: Luke O., Clay County, "Dear Tongass"
- 2nd Place: Benjamin B., Pinellas County, "The Live Oak Tree"
- 3rd Place: Annabel S., St. Lucie County, "Mystery Dancer"
- Honorable Mention: Knox M., St. Lucie County, "Alligator"
Intermediate Division
- 1st Place: Annebelle M., Duval County, "A Midnight Symphony"
- 2nd Place: Annika B., Sumter County, "Little Limpkin"
- 3rd Place: Forest D., Marion County, "Rhythm of the Forest"
- Honorable Mention: LillyGrace L., Pinellas County, "Rumpshushing"
Senior Division
Watch the 1st Place Senior poetry reading here: "Growing Old" by Jocelyn W.
- 1st Place: Jocelyn W., Pinellas County, "Growing Old"
- 2nd Place: Kassandra M., Polk County, "The Spoonbill's Portrait"
- 3rd Place: Emmerson R., Pinellas County, "Florida Nature Hike"
- Honorable Mention: Sophia M., St. Johns County, "A Symphony of Waves"
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2023 Winners
Junior Division
- 1st Place: Charles W., Pinellas County, Animal Groups
- 2nd Place: Ember B., Duval County, Waterfall
- 3rd Place: Rebelle G., Duval County, Nature Is...
Intermediate Division
- 1st Place: Annalise W., Pinellas County, Mangroves' Night
- 2nd Place: Katherine R., Duval County, The Florida Six
- 3rd Place: Victoria T., Pinellas County, Embers and Ashes
- Honorable Mention: Annika B., Sumter County, A Sonnet About Nature
Senior Division
- 1st Place: Jocelyn W., Pinellas County, The Infamous Forest Trail
- 2nd Place: Emmerson R., Pinellas County, The Forest is Out to Get Me
- 3rd Place: Skye B., Duval County, Patience and Resilience
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2022 Winners
Junior Division
- 1st Place: Emma H., Manatee County, A Bird's Florida Vacation
- 2nd Place: Margaret T., Pinellas County, Mangrove Wonderland
- 3rd Place: Amelia Z., Hillsborough County, The Boring Beetle
- Honorable Mention: Eden W., Sumter County, Beautiful Butterfly
Intermediate Division
- 1st Place: Skye B., Duval County, Rythym Recurring
- 2nd Place: Sienna B., Duval County, A plastic world
- 3rd Place: Anabelle Scarlett B., Okaloosa County, Crickets at night
- Honorable Mention: Katherine R., Duval County, Ecosystem Engineers
Senior Division
- 1st Place: Miriam W., Pinellas County, A Songbird's Lament
- 2nd Place: Zachary A., Pinellas County, Vulture Culture
- 3rd Place: Ryan C., Escambia County, Our Ancient Friend
- Honorable Mention: Hannah A., Palm Beach County, Water
- Honoroable Mention: Benjamin S., Leon County, Viridiation
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2021 Winners
Junior Division
- 1st Place: Sienna, Duval County, Protect the Manatee
- 2nd Place, Charlie, Pinellas County, Camping was a Loss
- 3rd Place: Charlotte, Pinellas County, Climbing Time
- Honorable Mention: Wensdy, Orange County, A Poem About Trees
- Honorable Mention: Kamdyn, St. Johns County, The Deep Blue
Intermediate Division
- 1st Place: Skye, Duval County, Nature's Symphony
- 2nd Place: Katherine (Katie), Duval County, A Mother's Devotion
- 3rd Place: Emmerson, Pinellas County, A Forest Reborn
Senior Division
- 1st Place: Miriam, Pinellas County, Balding eagle
- 2nd Place: Tupelo, Alachua County, Leaves and Love
- 3rd Place: Rachel, Pasco County, Symphony of the South
- Honorable Mention: Spencer, Duval County, My Morning Fishing Trip
- Honoroable Mention: Stephen, Leon County, Mosquito
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2020 Winners
Junior Division
- 1st Place: Victoria, Pinellas County, The Mangrove Habitat
- 2nd Place: Hayden, Pinellas County, Squirrels
- 3rd Place: Alex, Duval County, The Love of Trees
- Honorable Mention: Wesley, Pinellas County, Mangrove Forest
- Honorable Mention: Gabriella, Leon County, I Love the Woods
Intermediate Division
- 1st Place: Emmerson, Pinellas County, My Nature Hike
- 2nd Place: Skye, Duval County
- 3rd Place: Carolyn, Alachua County, Tropical Hammock Sonnet
- Honorable Mention: Gunnar, Pinellas County, Among the Mangroves
- Honorable Mention: Lyric, Highlands County, Pygmy Fringe Triolet (tree-o-lay)
Senior Division
- 1st Place: Miriam, Pinellas County, Pet Peeves
- 2nd Place: Benjamin, Alachua County, Swamp Sonnet
- 3rd Place: Ashton, Highlands County
- Lily, Clay County
- Brayden, Escambia County, Day By Day
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2019 Winners
Junior Division
- 1st Place: Wesley, Pinellas County, In the Florida Swamp
- 2nd Place: Sarah, Manatee County, St. Johns River
- 3rd Place: Skye, Duval County, NIGHT
- Honorable Mention: Kiri, Manatee County, Turtle's Life
Intermediate Division
- 1st Place: Edward, Pinellas County, Hunting for Spiders
- 2nd Place: Abigail, Volusia County, Sunrise In The Sunny State
- 3rd Place: Jocelyn, Pinellas County, Desert & Forest
- Honorable Mention: Ava, Pinellas County, CREATION
Senior Division
- 1st Place: Miriam, Pinellas County, Animals with Medical Problems
- 2nd Place: Robert, Duval County, Panther's Plight
- 3rd Place: Anastasia, Pinellas County, For all the things a tree has seen
- Honorable Mention: Michael, Pinellas County, My Creek