DEMOPOLIS-A local resident will be traveling to Philadelphia this August after receiving a nomination for the award of ‘Poet of the Year for 2004′ with the International Society of Poets. She will have the opportunity to read her award-winning poem “Back in the day” to the single largest gathering of poets in history.

Aleicia White, of Demopolis, has always had a love of making words rhyme and now she is finally being rewarded for that love. She said she was born in New York, New York, but was raised in Greene County.

“When I was 8-9 years old, I started writing and I liked to make things rhyme,” White said.

She said she quit writing poetry when she was young because she wanted to concentrate on school and her grades. She said it was only when one of her best friends’ mother died, that she got a chance to explore her dormant talent of writing poetry.

“She wanted me to write a poem for her dead mother, but I told her I hadn’t written a poem in years, but she had faith in me,” White said, “So, I sat down and wrote what I still consider to be one of the best poems ever.”

She has lived in Demopolis for the past seven years and has been married for the last two years to her husband Ronnie White. She said he is the reason why I’m doing this right now. She also said he saw me writing one day and after he read my poem, he said she had a gift.

“Ronnie and my children, Monicia&Stephanie are my biggest inspirations and I thank God for them everyday,” White said.

She said she sat down at her computer and decided to enter a poem to Poetry.com on the Internet. She also said after she sent the poem away, about three weeks later a plague and an award for Editor’s Choice arrived in the mail.

“I couldn’t believe I won the Editor’s Choice award because when I sat down and wrote the poem, I wasn’t even trying to make it good,” White said, “I was just writing.”

She said her favorite things to write poems about are people and the blessings they receive from God. She also said she can write about almost anything.

“Just give me 10 minutes and I can write you a poem,” White said.

She said she would be traveling to Philadelphia on August 13 for the 2004 International Society of Poets Summer Convention and Symposium. She also said she would be inducted into the International Poet Merit and Honored Member of the International Society of Poets for 2004-2005.

“This is a dream come true for me and my family,” White said.