AUTUMN WALK

                                                                   The sun shone down on berries that

                                                                    made them look like jewels.

                                                                    Yellow, green and brown leaves

                                                                    hung in thorny hedges.

                                                                   A sienna-brown broken tree that

                                                                   crackled when touched.

                                                                   Birds with beautiful singing in

                                                                   the distance.

                                                                   Burgundy dead plants that

                                                                   were covered in seeds.

                                                                  A burst of smoke in the

                                                                  distance that waved in azure sky.

                                                                   A space where children and teachers

                                                                   once stood and stared ...

                JUDGES COMMENTS:

The piece which more than any other used words in a way which made me see the experience through the poet's eyes was  'Autumn Walk' The word-pictures are remarkably vivid and expressed with an economy of language which is quite staggering in such a young writer

                                                             IMAGINE A FOX AS BIG AS AN OX

                                                                   Imagine a fox as big as an ox,

                                                                   Imagine a flea as big as a tree,

                                                                   Imagine a mouse as big as a house,

                                                                   Imagine a bee as big as ME!

                                                                   Imagine a vole as big as a goal,

                                                                   Imagine a frog as big as a log,

                                                                   Imagine a bee as big as ME!

           JUDGES COMMENTS:

Whoever wrote this has not only the sort of  "daring of imagination" which takes poets 'somewhere else' but also a lovely instinctive feel for rhythm and indeed song-like rhyme. I like its youthful exuberance, too!

                                                        THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE

                                                                   When I found him

                                                                    Dead and gone

                                                                    I was scattered and flat

                                                                   It was such a blow

                                                                   Fell to my knees

                                                                   I could not believe it

                                                                   A nightmare

                                                                   That had come true

                                                                   Every day I think about him

                                                                  Through and through

                                                                   It’s a thing of the past

                                                                   I’ll have to get over it soon

                                                                   I remember him as a sweet

                                                                   Little thing all shiny bright

                                                                   And new

                                                                   His younger brother was to blame

                     JUDGES COMMENTS:

                  The mysteriousness of it sent me back to it time and time again. It has a cutting edge of honesty.