By Kelly Wiley

A poetry competition at the Cats Den tonight will put students’ rhyming and writing to the test.

The annual Poetry Slam Qualifier, which will send four winners on a free trip to Virginia Tech for the next step in the Association of College Unions International competition, begins at 8 p.m. in the Cats Den. Admission is free. Anyone interested in participating should visit the Cats Den anytime before the event begins to sign up.

“It’s basically a competition for people interested in poetry,” said Cats Den coordinator Jeremy Ridgeway, a history and African-American studies sophomore. “You have a chance to win a free trip — you may as well compete.”

The Poetry Slam is a three-round contest. Ridgeway said participants should select three poems to perform, and that they will be judged on a one to 10 scale. Each contestant has three minutes to perform for a panel of judges, which will consist of five random members of the audience.

Last year there were around 10 to 12 competitors, Ridgeway said, but this year he says they are hoping for a bigger turnout.

“It’s about the opportunity, he said. “You have a chance to judge your poetry against others. It’s about spreading the word and telling a story.”