A Squirrel, a Poem, and a First Win
It took a squirrel, Plath, and many years of trying.
Hi, everyone,
I have some exciting news to share: my poem “The Squirrel Made His Way” has been selected as the WINNER of the 2026 Central Avenue Poetry Prize! It’ll appear in the upcoming anthology alongside the shortlisted and runner-up poems. What an honor!
But that’s not really why I’m writing this. Not to brag, but to be honest.
I’ve been writing since I was 8 years old, and publishing essays and poetry publicly since 2012. And this is the first time an individual piece of my writing has ever won something. That might sound surprising to some. Over the years, I’ve been shortlisted. I’ve received honorable mentions. I’ve placed second. I’ve even placed ninth. But never first. And honestly? I submit work all the time. To journals. To magazines and newspapers. To anthologies. To contests.
While I’ve had a handful of acceptances (including The New York Times after about TEN YEARS of trying for that one lol) and now this first win, rejection has been a far more familiar outcome than acceptance over the years. It’s part of the process, and makes a YES feel even more awesome and earned.
Still, I keep AT IT.
Because I believe in the work I am doing, I believe in the quiet act of creating something. And I believe that sometimes a piece will land in the right hands at the right time. That happened with “The Squirrel Made His Way.” And after more than a decade of sharing my words with the world, I can finally say: this poem won!
Right now, I have about 15 other submissions out there, awaiting review. Most, if not all, of them will be rejected.
And I am still excited to see the outcome and keep writing new work. If you’re someone who’s in the thick of creating, submitting, and waiting, I hope this serves as encouragement. Rejections come more frequently than acceptances. Losses outnumber wins. But what matters is that we keep writing, keep experimenting, and keep going.
With gratitude,
Alicia
Even more fun: “The Squirrel Made His Way” is a departure from my usual style (hint: I was reading a LOT of Sylvia Plath at the time and thought, whimsically, “I could do this.”). Shout out to the squirrel who made his way into my house in May of 2024, you are the most precious muse I’ve ever had.
Congratulations, Alicia!!!!
Congratulations!! I’m very thankful that you kept going!