“Dreams of Blue” earned Daylen A. Nguyen of Tacoma first place in Highline College’s 2015 Student Poetry Contest. Nguyen was one of 43 writers who submitted 80 poems during the contest, which is a prelude to Highline’s third annual celebration of National Poetry Month in April.

“The judges were attracted to the poem’s strong imagery and concise language. Nguyen’s ability to investigate a mood — in this case one of forward-thinking nostalgia — impressed all of us,” said Susan Rich, who serves on the Poetry Month committee and is a Highline faculty member.

A lifelong resident of Tacoma, Nguyen is enrolled at Stadium High School and is in his second year at Highline College as a Running Start student. He plans on transferring to the University of Washington Tacoma in the fall to study computer science. Winning the contest earned Nguyen a $125 cash prize.

Second place, with a prize of $100, went to Linda Malnack of Normandy Park for her poem “Apple/Evening.” This is Malnack’s second time around at Highline. She earned her associate degree in 1978 and went on to the University of Washington, earning a bachelor’s degree in English. She’s back at Highline for an associate of science degree in administrative management.

Third place and $75 went to Anthony Constantino of Des Moines for his poem “Federal Way.”

“I sometimes live with my dad down in Federal Way, which is where the ideas for the poem came from,” said Constantino, who has been at Highline for the past three years.

Honorable mention, along with a cash prize of $25, went to seven students: Shari Douglass of Auburn for “The Question,” Keoni Giauque of Federal Way for “Gelastic Seizure,” Danielle Jordan for “The English Student’s Disclaimer,” Rebecca Judkins of Kent for “Winter Blossom,” Hector Rendon-Garcia of Kent for “The Woman with the Red Obi,” Kat Varela for “How Do You Tell Someone You’re Happy?” and Yanyun Yu of Federal Way for “Converse World.”

The winning poems will be turned into broadsides. Loosely defined as single sheets of paper printed on one side, broadsides were the most diverse form of brief, single-occasion publishing before the Civil War. Later, Harlem Renaissance, Concrete and Beat writers claimed the broadside as a below-the-radar way to get their words out onto the streets.

Highline will honor the winning poets with a reception and poetry reading at 1:30 p.m. on April 8 in the Library Exhibits and Art Gallery.