•December 21, 2016•

Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White announced that poets from St. Joseph, Harrisburg and Des Plaines are this year’s winners of the Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award in the twelfth annual Illinois Emerging Writers Competition.

Jeanne Genis of St. Joseph was awarded first place for her poem “Finch (For Brigit in Illinois).” Whittney Jones of Harrisburg received second place for her poem “The Price of Coal.” Rochelle Zappia of Des Plaines is the third place winner for her poem “Don’t Ever Let Them Sing.”

The winners read their poems and received their awards during a ceremony at the Illinois State Library.      Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.