This year’s Eco-Poetry competition saw thought-provoking entries from students in First Story partner schools across England. Young writers’ concern about the environment was highlighted in their responses.
From the wonders of the ocean, to the destruction caused by pollution, this year’s entries were inspired. Our judging panel – Tessa Foley, MA in Writing Poetry Manager, Poetry School; Kayleigh Jayshree, Editor, Young Identity and Kate Southam, Researcher and Admin Assistant, National Poetry Centre – selected the following three winners.
First Place
Starry Nights
by Amelia Lacy, The Bulwell Academy, Nottingham
There are 10 stars in the sky tonight.
Yesterday there were 15.
It’s like each day they keep disappearing,
And I’ve tried everything to get them back.
I went out and bought a telescope,
Because maybe I’m not looking hard enough.
Maybe I just can’t see them.
But I scanned the sky and they’re
Nowhere to be found.
Today there are 10 stars,
Yesterday there were 15,
Tomorrow there will only be 5.
And one day when I look up,
All I’ll see is darkness.
“A wonderful look at the dwindling natural resources that we take for granted. How would we feel if one day, we saw nothing when we looked at the night sky? This poem shows us how we are watching the natural world disappear and standing idle, using a beautiful and stark metaphor which every one of us can appreciate.”
Tessa Foley, Poetry School
Second Place
A Love That Heals
by Jessie Njoku, Co-op Academy Manchester
In the forest’s silent embrace,
Where ancient trees hold solemn grace,
A whispered breeze and rustling leaves,
Tell tales of earth that ever grieves.
Beneath the canopy’s verdant hue,
Life’s symphony, both old and new,
From the smallest ant to soaring bird,
Each soul’s song in harmony heard.
But hark! What shadows cloud the view?
Man’s hand, where once the eagles flew,
Concrete veins now choke the land,
And scars of greed scar nature’s hand.
Yet hope still dwells in Nature’s heart,
A seed of change, a brand-new start,
For in each dew-kissed leaf and tree,
Lies the promise of eternity.
Let’s raise our voices, join the call,
To cherish nature, stand tall,
For in protecting each fragile part,
We mend the rhythm of the heart.
So let us dance with wind and rain,
In forests green and fields of grain,
For in the earth’s embrace, we find,
A love that heals, forever kind.
“very reminiscent of the Romantics, which I really enjoyed. Jessie is creating some lovely imagery of the natural world and provides a really hopeful message at the end of the poem.“
Kate Southam, National Poetry Centre
Third Place
Cherish
by Nathan Steele, Longcroft School and Sixth Form College
Trees whisper secrets in the gentle breeze,
A symphony of life among the leaves.
Riversflow with a soothing song,
Birds dance freely all day long.
Mountainsstand tall, proud and serene,
A world so vibrant, so lush and green.
Let’s cherish this Earth, our precious home,
Protect its wonders, wherever we roam.
“This poem to me feels like a declaration, one that could be engraved or carved in concrete on the side of a statue or work of art. A poem of both protest and love, delicacy edged with threat.”
Kayleigh Jayshree, Young Identity
Congratulations to each of our three winners, who will receive certificates and eco-conscious goody-bags.
Click here to read last year’s winning submissions.
Winners of the inaugural Philip Pyke Memorial Prize announced
