Contest Winners
Every semester, we hold a writing challenge featuring student-generated prompts. The entries below stood out to the judges from the CSUP English department for their craft and artistry. We are proud to publish them here and to celebrate these writers' innovative responses to the prompts, their use of technique, and their discipline. Join us in celebrating our Spring 2025 Winners!
Always but Forgotten
Alex Macias
Prompt: In the genre of your choosing, write from the point of view of an inanimate object. What would this object say if it could? Who uses it and how is it used? What power - if any - does it have over its users?
The first time you put me on, you vowed to never take me off. You cried at the sight of me, a silver band wrapped around your finger with a diamond molded onto it; he promised to love you forever. You showed me off to anyone who would look and accepted any congratulations they sent your way. You took comfort in my presence, reaching for me when you were anxious, twisting me against your skin when you were bored. The one time you lost me, accidentally falling onto the bathroom floor after you took me off to shower. You freaked out. Losing me was like losing him and that terrified you. You cried, you tore the house apart searching for me, only to let out a tired laugh when you found me. When you slipped me back on you said, “I’ll never make that mistake again.”
But now I sit discarded in a box beside a broken watch and a necklace with a tangled chain you were never able to undo. I became a memory of someone you would rather forget. Every now and then you open the box looking for something else and when your eyes land on me, you wince. You grab what you need and let darkness consume me again. You let me slip out of your mind until the next time you open the box.
Alexandria Macias is a Senior at CSU- Pueblo Majoring in English with a minor in Creative Writing. In 2022, she won the Vivian Rich Memorial Award for her piece "Till Forever Falls Apart" and was published in Tempered Steel's 2024 edition with her short story "Kill Your Friends."
Celines
James Rice
Prompt: Write a love poem, leaving the reader clues to guess who your possible muse is. Or, write a letter in the point of view of someone whose love is unrequited.
I say you’re tough as nails.
You hate the nails,
But paint yours in patterns
of colors, of scars,
of dreams of a day where you’re mind
is only racing to the stars.
That gravity of knuckle-stained youth,
May lock you on an angled axis,
But when I spend a year
Counting days of dust turned starlight,
And float upon your rings,
Embracing every inch around you -
I’m glad I’m in your orbit.
James Rice hails from Southern Colorado by way of Texas and spends the vast majority of his life either sunk into English studies or perusing the great outdoors. His work, consisting of academic theory analysis and multi-genre creative writing, has most recently been featured in Tempered Steel and The Today Magazine.
James had this to say about participating in the writing challenge: "The writing challenge is always a blast for me because it brings fresh prompts to my mind when it's been oversaturated with outside noise. I appreciate the work the students and teachers do to make this available every year. And finally, thanks to the judges for selecting a poem near and dear to my heart."
Untitled
Tea'el Miller
Prompt: In the genre of your choosing, write from the point of view of an inanimate object. What would this object say if it could? Who uses it and how is it used? What power - if any - does it have over its users?
I sit on a dusty shelf, my wax dull, my wick untouched. Once, my flame danced in the dark, casting warmth against the cold. I was chosen in moments of need during storms, power outages, whispered confessions at midnight. But now, they pass me by, reaching instead for their electric lights, their screens that glow without effort. They forget that I was once their guide, their comfort when the world outside was uncertain. Still, I wait. Because one day, when the wires fail and the batteries drain, they will remember me. A single match, a breath of air, and I will live again—flickering, fragile, but powerful enough to push back the night.
Tea'el Miller was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. He grew up playing football, and the game taught him a lot about hard work, staying focused, and always pushing for more. Now, he's at Colorado State University Pueblo, grinding toward his degree and setting himself up for bigger things ahead. He's all about making moves not just for himself, but also for his family and the future he's building. He's working toward a career in business with plans to eventually start his own company and create something real he can be proud of. At the end of the day, he's just a laid back guy who believes in staying true to himself, learning from every experience, and keeping good energy around him. He's big on loyalty, chasing goals, and keeping it real, whether that's in school, business, or life in general.
In the Year 2925
Dave Howe
Prompt: Write about an apocalyse. What kind of apocalypse is it? What does the world look like? How do people in this world react to the dangers or events at hand?
How did I get so old? March 15, 1950 to March 15, 2925. I am 975 years old today. I beat Methuselah about six years ago. I say “about” because I do not know when Methuselah’s birthday was. Of course, “God’s Plan” would have had me leaving with everyone else eighteen years ago.
I was in prison for “heretical thought” when the evacuation order came and the authorities forgot about me. The asteroid 2896 BT 3 was discovered as the name suggests is in February of 2896 and I was already an anathema, locked away. As time went on the trajectory became more and more dire and the provisional designation became permanent. As time went on went on 2896BT3 was determined to be an “extinction event” a 95% chance of Earth collision on September 4, 2915. An evacuation order was issued on June 26, 2913.
By that time the projected population of Earth was going to be 308,007,457 give or take 4.5 million. The problem the space scientists faced was getting far enough away from the carnage which 2896BT3 would cause to the inner planets of the solar system. The authorities decided on Titan for the liquid hydrocarbon and sub-surface water. Space X had the contract to build 310 one million occupant rescue vehicles to be ready to fly by January 2, 2914. But the program met with difficulties.
The “Skyhook” transfer program successfully raised a million folks to the first orbiting occupant rescue vehicle. When everyone was strapped in their creches and sedated for the four-year trip, the nuclear fusion reactors were lit, the vehicle broke apart in a zillion pieces, and reentered the atmosphere. One million fatalities was the worst transportation “incident’ in history. Two more nearly identical failures spelled the end of the program, and there was no time to come up with anything else.
The leadership of World Hegemony, Donald, Elon, Vlad, Xi and 10,407 of their closest friends including the top leaders of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Atheism and other influencers got out okay on a much smaller vehicle and successfully landed on Titan. It may have been uncomfortable there. Reports indicated they did not like the environment; it was too cold, too windy, and living under ice with an 8x10 living space carved out of the ice was quite uncomfortable. But at least they were alive. Humanity would survive with the very best.
Of course, the very best would have to remember how to have sex to expand the species. They had been celibate for hundreds of years from heterosexual relations because sins of the flesh were considered immoral. You see, with the population of the world topping eight billion in the early 21st century many people began using birth control and abstinence, because children were expensive to raise and care for, too much trouble! Other humans, who were moved to sexual passion, chose to have same sex relationships. Those who were abstinent were abstinent, because they were indifferent. They did not conceive children.
In the Third World, people continued dying. The best of health was reserved for the extremely wealthy and influential. Naturally the best medical technology was reserved for the elite. From the elite point of view, since the abolition of slavery, what were the masses good for? But access to TV and Internet (thanks to Starlink), was universal, so Third World couples chose to limit their family size too. By the early 30th Century the world population had shrunk to such a manageable level that our leaders could claim to be able to evacuate everyone. Then, the occupant rescue vehicles blew up.
So, except for our World Leader Elite on Titan, humanity’s only option was prayer. The fervent prayers and the beautiful hymns were answered. From across the galaxy, The Gods of Genesis, The Almighty, the Sons of God and the Sons of Man, the Givers of Salvation arrived at greater than light speed back to the Earth they had nurtured thousands of years ago. They had high-capacity vehicles parked in orbit equipped with Star Trek style transporters to beam up humanity. There were a few conversations correcting some misconceptions of church doctrine such as non-poisonous dietary restrictions, and sinfulness of knowledge and snakes. As well, the returned Gods affirmed doctrines of loving others, loving God(s) and not killing, bearing false witness, stealing or committing adultery. With grace, the churches were forgiven for their sins of intolerance.
The Gods had someplace to take 304,997,045 humans, which happened to not be under 95% likelihood of asteroid strike. The new world was said to be even better than Earth, but it was 14 light years away. It would be Heaven. So, in 2907 they were all beamed up and the galactic travelers left at greater than light speed.
Myself? I was blessed. When the rest of humanity left, they turned off some of the power, deactivating the force field imprisoning me. I was there for having erotic thought left over from the late 20th Century.
I don’t know why I lived so long without aging. I had none of the advantages of the super-wealthy other than clean water. I was aware when I passed Methuselah’s record, but I must recognize some of those assholes on Titan are still older than me.
Asteroid 2896BT3? On September 4, 2915, I watched as it streaked across the evening sky from east to west, then disappeared over the western horizon. Improbably, 2896BT3 took it’s 5% chance and missed us. I mean, it missed me.
Dave Howe is recently retired after a long career is aviation. He is a life-long avid reader with occasional forays in writing. At CSU Pueblo, he is a Senior Guest auditing the Introduction to Creative Writing class of Professor Bitton. He lives in Colorado City with his wife and (her) two dogs.
About the writing challenge, Dave said, "I became aware of the writing challenge in my class and was immediately intrigued by the format. The challenge of writing something interesting and entertaining every day for a week was formidable. I tried to stay in the spirit of the competition by concluding every piece by the end of the specified day. It was quite a rewarding experience for me, and I would do it again.
