…and the winners are…

It’s always great to spread good news in the middle of a South Dakota winter, so please join me in congratulating the winners of our 2025 Poetry Contest.

Landscape Category:

First Place – Levi Warren of Hill City for “Stream Orchid”

Second Place – Eric Schulte of Sioux Falls for “Live from the Roadside Food and Fuel in Plankinton”

Third Place – Norma Wilson of Vermillion for “The Wood Duck’s Whistle”

Portrait Category:

First Place – Todd Williams of Rapid City for "At the Corner of 5th and Columbus"

Second Place – Bri Staton of Tea for “After, at the Eyemart Express”

Third Place – Carston Mertens of Rapid City for “None of This Feels Much Like Grieving”

We want to thank everyone who entered, and we want especially to thank our judges, Holly Moseley and Betty Beer, who had a challenging job selecting winners from among so many great poems—South Dakota has some truly gifted poets! Watch for the winning poems in the Spring 2026 Pasque Petals.