Thank you to everyone who contributed to this year’s poetry competition. We received 167 entries across all age groups. The judges really enjoyed reading everyone’s entries and were impressed with the creativity shown. As the competition is aimed at inspiring amateur poets, the judges didn’t focus on technique or correct use of poetic devices. Rather it was the way language was used to evoke a feeling or create a vivid scene that our judges responded to.
Here are this year’s winning poems.
Adults
- Mother by Kim Lee
- Eclipse by Ronnie Hegedus
- How to Build a Trifle by Catherine Russ
Under 18
- Untitled poem by Juno Rainey
- Dragon by Wilson Wei
- I Am by Charlotte Vos
Highly Commended
- On behalf of Two Ducks, Several Gulls & An Oystercatcher Seen Near A Stormwater Outfall After Heavy Rain by Elizabeth Holland
- Sandcastle by Queenie Ho
- Legendary Library by Rosie Leech
- Horses by Alia Edwards
Adult - winning poems
Mother by Kim Lee
When you could not read,
and asked me to read your letters,
when you could not read,
and asked me to go to the bank for you,
when you could not read,
and could not help me with my homework,
I resented you.
But now, I cannot speak English.
I ask my children to read my letters.
I cannot speak English.
I ask my children to go to the bank for me.
I cannot speak English.
I cannot help my children with their homework.
I am ashamed, Mother.
Judges comment: Lovely controlled use of language and wonderful closing line.
Eclipse by Ronnie Hegedus
Eclipse hides the Sun,
cracked rock egg screens the bright burn.
The tall Moon grimly
suffers the stars at play.
Darkness sinks to your small bones.
Judges comment: Lovely metaphorical language, and is lyrically original
How to Build a Trifle by Catherine Russ
You must visit my grandmother.
She used to live at 351 Riccarton Road,
Opposite the Bush Inn Centre.
In the front yard she holds baby Margaret
Wrapped in finger lace drifts,
out back, a fruit tree – peach or nectarine
and next-door’s pet magpie speaks.
I’m not sure where you’ll find her now,
Probably floating on the air,
Beating eggs and sugar,
Ribbons falling,
From silver spoons.
On her dry breath,
Dry sherry rises,
Above her jammy perfume.
Judges comment: This would be an excellent performance piece, it really came alive when read aloud.
Under 18 - winning poems
Untitled by Juno Rainey
My mouth says goodbye while my eyes beg you to stay
attempting to convey all the words I couldn’t say
I begged myself to confess to you each and every day
But I couldn’t bear the thought of you not seeing me the same way
So now all we have is thoughts of hugs lasting too long
And all I know is that your hand in mine made me feel less wrong
And all those times we felt that only together did we belong
And maybe it would’ve worked if only we were more strong
But now isn’t the time for regrets or second chances
And now we’ve only memories of longing, stolen glances
And now the last song has played and we’ve danced all our dances
It’s now I wish we’d fallen in love in different circumstances
Dragon by Wilson Wei
Blurting through the blue while changing hues
Some huge and some acute.
Others small, the size of a beach ball.
Jaws and paws as sharp as a dart
All mighty and bitey.
Guaranteed to make you exclaim ‘hey, that’s buff stuff!’
Always munching and punching
Slit eyes lit and sly.
Some scales as giant as hay bales
Others extremely frail.
For a dragon is not made out of bacon,
if you believe that, you are seriously mistaken!
And finally, a dragon’s slogan is:
‘once you dive into an open ocean, you are finally ALIVE!’
I Am by Charlotte Vos
I am winter and there’s snowflakes
I see the frost and the snow on the ground
I hear silence as I watch the snowfall
I feel the cold breeze in the air
I wonder when it will snow at our house
I pretend I am making a snow man
I hope I see a carrot for my toy rabbit
I love to play with the ice
I am winter and it is fun
On behalf of Two Ducks, Several Gulls & An Oystercatcher Seen Near A Stormwater Outfall After Heavy Rain by Elizabeth Holland
The sign said:
HEALTH WARNING
THE DISCHARGE FROM THIS STORMWATER OUTFALL MAY BE POLLUTED
Swimming near the outfall is not recommended for 48 hours after heavy rain
Do not collect or eat shellfish from this area
KIA TUPATO
A’AFIA LOU SOIFUA MALOLOINA
but –
birds can’t read.
Sandcastle by Queenie Ho
The sandcastle beckons
a sharpened space
to scratch its walls.
Grazing against the surface,
too shallow to tumble the structure
built from another’s design.
Never choosing its own shape,
each scrape searching for what the mold hid.
Held only by its walls
with nothing beneath them.
A touch away from ruin.
And as if collapse were destined, the castle falls.
Carried by the wind,
scattered into waiting hands.
Hoping someone else
knows what to build.
Horses by Alia Edwards
Mane for braiding
Hooves for painting
Whisker tipped lips
Teasing carrots from your finger tips.
Tails for swishing
Nose for nuzzling
Weather-vane ears for broad-casting
Each mood and feeling.
Eves for admiring
Neck for hugging
A basketball sized heart
For a long life of loving you.
Legendary Library by Rosie Leech
Lovely readers wander
In the depths of fantasy novels
Bright book covers illuminate the room
Readers enter the home of imagination
Amazing books fill the shelves
Rows of books available for everyone
Year of writing in a book
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