Winner of the Sherry Pruitt Prize – Renaissance Student Christina Polge
Christina Polge, a junior at Cary Academy in Cary, North Carolina, has been described as a renaissance student to which we now can add the title of award-winning poet. Her poem “Manifest Destiny” won first-place in the Sherry Pruitt Prize for 2021. Sponsored by the NC Poetry Society, the Sherry Pruitt Prize is the most prestigious student contest in the state and is open exclusively to North Carolina high school students and undergraduates.
Judge Leslie Rupracht, who selected the six finalists for the Sherry Pruitt Prize, wrote of Ms. Polge’s top entry: “Manifest Destiny”…could be a song that would make any singer-songwriter activist proud. Think Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Ani DiFranco. The poet creates a flowing lyric with strong imagery, colors to anchor each simile… it’s as much a testament to what people could/should do right as it is a caveat of what we do wrong… with dire consequences.
Later, Ms. Rupracht wrote: I’ve always thought the best poets are Renaissance Humans. I couldn’t be more impressed with [Christina’s] writing, maturity, passion, and exceptional level of community and cultural engagement.
With such accolades, I wrote to Christina with a series of questions, never realizing how well-rounded and exceptionally-grounded she is until I read her answers.
What was the inspiration for “Manifest Destiny?”
I am in a leadership-in-crisis class, which is a combination of Advanced American Literature and Advanced U.S. History, at my school right now. When we learned about the 1800s, we focused a lot on the negative impacts that westward expansion had on Native Americans. I was inspired by “manifest destiny” and used the material I’d learned in class, in addition to some more research, to write a poem. So, each stanza represents different parts of westward expansion in the 19th century. Specifically, my inspiration for the “woman with the golden hair” was the painting of American Progress by John Gast.
When did you decide on the form you chose for the poem?
I wanted to choose a structure that connected different historical imagery with a rhythmic and musical quality. When considering various options, I decided to go with a “there is” as the repeated phrase because it seemed simplistic in contrast to lines I wanted to be more complex. It’s in free verse because I didn’t want to be constrained to specific rhymes or syllable limits. Also, I chose a more musical flow so that it’s able to be performed.
How long did you work on this poem?
When writing poetry, I typically jot down specific line ideas first before coming up with a general structure and filling in the missing pieces. I originally wrote a first-draft of this poem to present to my class, which was over 32 lines, so I had to condense a final draft for submitting to the NCPS contest.
Why did you decide to submit to the NCPS student competition?
I decided to submit…because I love poetry. Writing is something I am extremely passionate about, and I was hopeful that others would enjoy reading my work as well. I’m so glad that I did, as I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be published and read my poem for the community.
What do you read? Do you read poetry? Who are your favorite authors?
Reading is honestly the greatest love of my life. I am actually on the teen board for Quail Ridge [in Raleigh], so I get to read advanced copies of books and provide my reviews for them, as well as write other reviews for the book store. A few of my favorites are I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Arile Saenz and The Henna Wars by Adiba Jagridar. I also love poetry, primarily spoken word [poetry]. Some of my favorite poets are Rudy Francisco, Richard Siken, Sarah Kay, Rupi Kaur and Nikita Gill.
When did you start writing poetry? Do you write in other genres? Do you engage in other forms of creative expression?
I started writing poetry when I was in 6th grade. I also write songs, short stories, plays and I’m working on a longer novel as well. While writing is my main creative medium, I also play the guitar and do theater.
Do you participate in school activities? Which ones?
I am a member of my speech and debate team, I’m on the stage management team for the extracurricular production at my school this year and in years past I’ve been a performer, I am the leader of Cary Academy’s GSA, a member of Cary Academy’s Tri M Music Honor Society, and in Delta Service Club, Cary Academy’s community service club.
What is your favorite subject? Any thoughts on what you would focus on in college?
My favorite subject right now is the leadership-in-crisis course I previously mentioned. It’s so cool to be able to look back at history with a social justice lens and have engaging discussions about very relevant topics. I’ve been thinking about college a lot since I am a junior, but right now all I know is that I want a future career to include writing, reading and some amount of history.
We offer a whole-hearted congratulations to Christina Polge on her award-winning poem as well as a heartfelt congratulations to all the student winners and entrants. This year’s judges are to be congratulated as well, as an exceptional number of original entries submitted to the NCPS Student Contest proved COVID 19 and the changing nature of class instruction could not dampen the creative spirit of our up-and-coming poets.
Christina will read “Manifest Destiny” at NCPS’s Sam Ragan Day, May 8, along with all the finalists (adults and students) in the NCPS contests this year. To be held virtually, please click on the link highlighted under Updates for access to the open, Zoom-based event.