Kiley Wicker never expected her "five-minute poem" to be read by others, let alone be published in The America Library of Poetry's national student poetry collection, this year titled "Eloquence."

Wicker, a 17-year-old junior at Delta High School, was writing in her free time during class one day when her teacher asked if she wanted to submit a piece to a national poetry contest.

In the spring, she offered up the poem she was working on for submission and began to wait.

Upon coming back from working a summer job, she received a letter telling her the judging was not yet complete, but her piece had been chosen to be published in a collection of other standout poems.

Only the top 20 percent of all submissions nationwide were selected to be published in the annual collection.

Wicker said she only likes to write occasionally, but she uses it as a creative outlet to work through stressful or hurtful situations and hopes her words can serve a dual purpose and help others going through difficult situations.

"I always tell my friends that you don't have to have somebody else there for you, or in my case, you don't always have to have a guy figure there for you," she said. "I feel like friendship is always there for you, but even whenever it's not there, you still need to find somewhere else to put it, because a lot of people want to turn to anger or drugs, other stuff. It's better to turn to, in my case, a pen and a piece of paper, or to have somebody there for me."

With the release of writing comes a better understanding of the world around her and a clearer mind to work through the issues she's facing.

Kiley Wicker shows her poem, "Love Is Like a Firework," that was published in a book. (Fred Lynch)

"I like writing just because you can express anything in writing," Wicker said.

"If you're feeling something, there's words that can be put to it. Even if nobody else knows what you mean, it's still something that can be personal to you."

She came up with the idea for her poem, titled "Love Is Like a Firework," through a revelation she had about her experiences with past relationships.

"I think at that time I had just got done with a talk with my mom about relationships with boys and why they suck -- that boys suck.

"And while we were talking, it got on my mind that I don't see why people get so hurt about it, even though I was sitting there still thinking, 'Well, I'm hurt about it.' But I feel like every single person has a spark, and they give it to each other. ... I felt like, 'Well, if this is just a thing, then I don't feel I should keep getting hurt by it; just know that and be prepared for it to happen,'" she said.

Further inspiration comes from her mother, Priscilla Hornbuckle.

"She's taught me that being independent is one of the biggest things that I have; that when it comes down to it, the last person that will stand for me and what I believe in is me," she said.

On top of finding success through her poetry, Wicker is an honor student and is involved in many organizations at school, from science club to pep club to basketball, softball and track. She also works with a team of five other students to portray the school's mascot, Bobby the Bobcat, at as many sporting events as possible.

"If it's in school, then I'm in it," she said with a laugh.

She said she enjoys being involved because school activities help keep her busy and also keep her out of trouble.

Wicker said she plans to submit poetry for next year's competition as well, but she plans to put a little more time and effort in beforehand in hopes of winning a top prize.

In the future, she wants to become a game warden, she said, because she loves animals and would like to help conserve nature and the wildlife that inhabits it.

lyoung@semissourian.com

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