This month, we ran a poetry contest to celebrate National Poetry Month. We challenged our readers to craft a poem using only the words that appeared in one of our newsletters (here are the original contest guidelines if you want to give it a try).

While prose is our newsletter's bread and butter, it turns out that you all certainly aren't op-prose-d to verse; we received several creative, intriguing, and beautiful poems that we narrowed down to our top three finalists.

We closed voting at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24.

Winner: "Pexels and the Burg" by Ivelina K.

Pexels is a rock on the 255 Beach Dr. boardwalk. Her list of daily (not-at-all) fun: 1. Sunrise up 2. Watch the tides scoop and down 3. Storm 4. See a bird boy band 5. Sunset But the waterfront is a sound bath after five p.m. An Americana of apartment tower Kilowatts and wine bars full of dress pants eating tapas. Southern comfort looped in a beach tree canopy calling out this small buccaneer.

"An American Eclipse" by Andres L.

Bright eyes turn around, To Tampa Bay. Partake in this event No rules apply. Keep your eyes from your phones, Prepare as parties watch across the North, Heads up to a gorgeous event moon, For an American eclipse Prepare and watch.

"Hello Tampa Bay" by Barbara G.

Sunrise tides, low sunsets Calling every new subscriber This contest is open to all Turn our Newsletter into a poem Unlike any English word Simple rules to craft The Red Ambivalent Fungi! Throws you some fun ones Mix and match Style, originality, artistic quality, creativity We'll ask our readers to vote Art, Culture, Music Weather, Shows, Sports Development, Shop and Eat Want more local news? Tree giveaway Know it? Share the good news. Happy writing,