Elma poet and writer Rex Valentine has once again brought international poetry accolades back to his hometown.

In late July, he attended the 25th annual World Congress of Poets conference in Bangkok, Thailand, and won several awards.

Hundreds of poets flew in from 22 countries to participate in the conference and the related competition. All entries had to be written in English or translated into it.

Valentine won the two top awards in the Free Verse category. His first-place poem, “Hidden Good,” tells the story of a boy going through hard times. His second-place entry, “Barns,” emphasizes nostalgic and whimsical images associated with visiting a barn.

He also received two honorable mentions, for “Hair-ways, the Hair-pecked Husband” and “On the Level.”

The conference is organized by United Poets Laureate International, which works to promote poetry writing and appreciation in different languages. Valentine, a regional director of the group, has published seven books of poetry and short stories.

For more information, visit rexbvalentine.com.