Tivnan Michael Webb
3rd Annual
Poetry Challenge
Deadline to submit your poetry for the 2025 Challenge: March 14th, 2025
Who Was Tiv?
Tivnan Michael Webb was known and respected by more people than he could have imagined. He was a bright, contemplative, funny, caring, complex, multi-dimensional boy and man. He always had a backpack full of books, walking with a book in one hand and a writing pad in the other. From a young age, he announced he was going to be a writer, saying he didn’t know how he’d make a living since writers didn’t make much money.
He wrote poetry every chance possible, everywhere there was a blank slate, including on his jeans and the walls of his bedroom. In spite of his drive and ability, he found it difficult to meet deadlines. One night at 11 pm he announced he had to submit a poem for a contest by 8 am the next morning and he’d fail the class if he didn’t. He wrote the poem quickly and delivered it in time. In spite of a cover letter where he noted the poem wasn’t good enough, he was awarded the top prize!
Tivnan did what he wanted and what he believed was important. He was strong-willed and headstrong. He cared about our country passionately and was a progressive liberal, always looking after and fighting for the oppressed, marginalized person. He abhorred systemic racism and believed in equality and equity across the racial and sexual diversity spectrum.
His deep heart and old soul positioned him for an immense love for music. His connection to “music that has a soul” resulted in him belting out heartfelt melodies in the shower. Tiv inherited a number of life challenges, ranging from scoliosis, resulting in a full spinal fusion at the age of 14, and the genetic predispositions for alcoholism, anxiety, and depression.
Tiv died on July 27, 2022, surrounded by family and friends.
Tiv emitted a cool intelligence and was wise beyond his years. The connections he made with others were from the heart and ran deep. One thing that we have learned from Tiv is that deep friendships last a lifetime. You can do immensely difficult things with strength and gentleness, and those things may be a little easier with the support of people who love you.
The Challenge was created to honor and spread Tiv’s love of the written word, and to inspire more young people to use the medium of poetry to express their hearts.
Rules of the Challenge
Poets must be between the ages of 13 and 18.
Poem can be no more than 37 lines.
Deadline for submission is 11:59pm on March 14, 2025.
No more than 2 entries per person.
Poem must include one of the following phrases from Tiv's high school poetry:
in dusty shafts of November
wind sweeps the corridors
bending the night into itself
rain is a love poem
silent as deserted night
a raven soaring above my hair
the weight of ashes
slept with fragile shadows
like seeds after a fire
Where have you gone America?
Challenge Cash Prizes
First Prize $750
Second Prize $450
Third Prize $200
Honorable Mention (7) $100
Each winner also receives a published book of all the winning poems.
Tiv with the first-place winnings from a poetry contest he almost forgot to enter.
We Want More Young Poets
Share the contest with your friends, teachers, colleagues, students, and family.
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Donate in Tiv's Honor
Help spread Tiv’s love of poetry and reward young people for their creativity and hard work.
Donations are used exclusively for cash prizes for Challenge winners. Donations can be made using the secure link below or by check
Please note, a donation via check ensures that all of your donation goes to the Challenge; 3% of the donation made using the link below goes to the payment processors. To donate with a check please email tivnanwebbpoetrychallenge@gmail.com.