SOUTH POINT — Fairland Middle School student, Micayla Booten, took first place in the Briggs Lawrence Library poetry slam contest at the South Point branch Tuesday.

Booten, a seventh grader at Fairland, won with her free verse entry about a rose entitled “Among the Thorns.”

“I think I have been scribbling since I could write,” Booten said.

Taking second place was Nick Stevens, an 11th grader at Russell High School, who offered his original work about lost love, “Fireflies.”

“I like anything that has a good rhyming scheme,” Stevens said.

Taking third place was Jessica Keaton, an eighth grader at Russell Middle School, who presented her poem, “Oh, Lights.”

Keaton has been writing poetry for the past three years.

“It actually helps me express my feelings,” she said.

The entries were judged by Beth Gilbert, Meghan Sexton, Mandy Layne and Haley Stewart, members of the Briggs Lawrence Library Teen Advisory Board.

Poems were judged on originality, difficulty, powerful emotions, creative theme, facial expressions and overall impact of performance.

Winners received $15, $10 and $5 gift cards from Walmart.