Wood Buffalo Regional Library is announcing the winners of the Words in Motion Poetry competition.

The annual contest celebrates the art of poetry in the RMWB as part of National Poetry Month.

Local scribes submitted over 200 poems from October to January.

A panel of judges featuring Travis Hoyles, Dawn Booth, and Alisha Rajpura narrowed the field down to 50 poems for inclusion in the 2023 Words in Motion Poetry Booklet and selected the top poem in each category.

“Each year, I am impressed by the artistry demonstrated by the Words in Motion poets,” says WBRL Director, Melissa Flett.

“It is wonderful to see community members of all ages come together at the celebration event to share their words and connect over their love of poetry.”

At a celebration hosted at the Library on Wednesday, Cadence Irmen, Sadie Rayne Antoine, and Juliet Manship were awarded the top poems in the elementary, high school, and public categories respectively.

The event invited the 50 poets and their families to celebrate National Poetry Month and the culmination of the 2023 Words in Motion season.

Readings of the three top poems and others from the booklet followed a speech from Acting Mayor Funky Banjoko.