Three Iowa State University students have been chosen to have their poetry featured in the Iowa Poetry Association publication, Lyrical Iowa. Out of 4,781 entries, nearly 300 were chosen for this years’ sesquicentennial celebration.

Scott Edens, a senior in English, secondary education, placed in his division which ranged from grade school to college. Edens’ poem entitled “Friends in Dusty Jackets,” beat out 72 other entries to take second.

Edens said writing could become his career choice, granted the pay is right. “If it’s where the money’s at, then, why not?” he said.

Junior Sari Cunningham entered her piece, “Strawberry” which she “hopes to have published” in a book of her own someday. Cunningham, who plans to enter the contest again next year, is a pre-veterinarian major who has been writing poetry since she was four.

Also featured was Vanessa Thompson, a senior biology major from Springville, who entered an untitled poem. Thompson said she writes poetry in her spare time “just for the fun of it.”

Geographical reperesentation was widespread with poets from 73 Iowa counties represented in Lyrical Iowa. It will be ready for distribution in late summer.

Along with the winners of this statewide competition, other high ranking poems will be featured.