Overwhelming student interest in a Student Association-sponsored poetry contest forced a delay in the contest’s running.

SA Minority Relations Adviser Nolen Hendreson said he received a terrific amount of responses expressing interest in the first annual “Write Your Word” poetry contest.

The contest invites all students, faculty and staff to create a maximum 21-line poem for judging, Hendreson said. The Minority Relations Committee, university departments and local businesses are promoting the contest.

Hendreson said the original deadline was set for Nov. 29. However, a high amount of response forced a deadline change because the judges wouldn’t have enough time to review the large number of poems.

English instructor Joseph Gastiger and his Poetry Writing I class will judge the poems. Hendreson said they will conduct their evaluations according to specific criteria established by the National Poet Society.

The poems should be written for a particular theme that will be released as soon as the new submission deadline is set. Hendreson said it is being withheld because the committee wants to limit the time to write the poems to three to four weeks.

“Poetry is an expression of the self,” Hendreson said. “It will give people a chance to be heard.”

Hendreson anticipates the deadline to be re-scheduled for January and the winners announced in February. The winners will receive recognition certificates and various certificates from local sponsors.