Ten Ebor schools share the honours in our great, trust-wide poetry competition – Camblesforth, Park Grove, Robert Wilkinson, Brotherton and Byram, Hob Moor, Tadcaster, Lakeside, Alderman Cogan’s, Osbaldwick and Braeburn.
Over 400 entries on the theme of looking forward to life after lockdown were received, with the majority in the 5-7 and 8-11 age group categories. Judges paid tribute to the quality of submissions. Head judge Felix Hodcroft, a poet in Scarborough, said: “The poems comprise a wide range of poetic styles and skills and they remind us how painful lockdown has been but they also show us endurance and courage, love and hope.
“I congratulate all the entrants and thank them for devoting their time, care and emotional honesty. To the winners, I say: ‘You’ve done brilliantly!’”
Entries are being compiled into a special booklet, with free copies going to winners and runners-up. Sponsorship has meant we can afford to print 600 copies – and in an unique partnership, the NSPCC will be handling their sale online, which means they get to keep the proceeds to help support their vital work. You can order your copy here: bit.ly/3dsRMxs
“This has been an excellent, trust-wide initiative that has been embarked upon so enthusiastically by so many members of our school communities as well as in our classrooms,” said chief executive Gail Brown. “We asked everyone to try and find their voice and some of the results are so heart-felt they bring a tear to the eye. I’d particularly like to thank Lisa Ponter, our literacy lead, for coming up with the idea.”
Here are some of the winning entries:
Age group 5-7 winner:
ARCHIE MARTIN-LEDBROOK
Camblesforth Community Primary Academy
Opening the door
In your little box
Then your door becomes a window
Then you look out of your window
What do you see
Do you see what I see?
I see the future
Age group 8-11 winner:
KEREN BEBELAGUA
Hob Moor Community Primary Academy
Bloom
Last year was like a flower that didn’t bloom,
Last year was different than any other.
Last year will never be forgotten,
Don’t remember it for its worst,
Remember it for its best.
Remember it for all the times you smiled,
Last year might not have bloomed,
But the seeds were sown for a brighter future,
A generation who know the value of time with their friends,
The importance of family,
Appreciating the nature that surrounds them,
The beauty outside of their own front door,
Last year might not have bloomed,
But you always will.
So never give up,
Be the amazing flower you have always been.
Family category winner:
BOBBY BROADBENT AGE 5 AND MUM JULIE
Alderman Cogan’s Church of England Primary Academy
In a world where we don’t know what going on
We hold on
In a world where we stay inside
We visit many places in our dreams
In a world where people are dying and suffering
We live and we grow and we hope
In a world where we wear masks and stay away
We at home are safe to cuddle and connect
In a world where grandparents are hidden away
We FaceTime and show our love
In a world where the invisible shadow lurks outside
We stay inside safe
In a world where there is no end in sight
We have faith
In a world where the enemy is not seen
We wait and realise the science is unmasking the invisible shadow
In a world once again we live.
Staff category winner:
FIONA THOMPSON
Hob Moor Primary Academy
I’m looking forward to…
School assemblies,
Watching them all file in:
The wigglers,
The jigglers
The whisper-behind-your-hand-gigglers,
The sit-up-straighters
Arch-my-back-till-it-achers
The fingers on lips,
The wiggly hips,
The stare at the roof,
The wobble my tooth,
The gaze out to nowhere,
The plaiting of hair
The scuttle in lates:
“Just done PE,”
“I needed a wee,”
“We got carried away,”
“We’ve had a rough day!”
All sat:
We listen
We reflect and we learn
We sing
We’re joyful
Aligned in our mission
All personalities
Together and different
Our mixed family of families
Pumping through the heart of the school.
Governors/Trustees winner:
JANE COOPE
Trustee, Ebor Academy Trust
The Vaccination
“sharp scratch” she said,
a brief OUCH, then all over.
“next please” she said, and I rolled down my sleeve,
arm tender, throbbing.
Throbbing for a future without face masks, hand sanitiser and keeping your distance.
When a hug is just so normal.
I rub my arm, willing the vaccine to rush through my body;
a knight setting off on his valiant quest. Galloping. Galloping.
Galloping until only a pin prick remains.
Special award:
JOANA SOLA FARRUS
Aged 10, Osbaldwick Primary Academy
The Anger Inside
When two sticks strike together,
They both erupt in flames.
When two feelings hit each other,
Anger wins the claim.
Spreading through your limbs,
The fire reaches your mind,
And no longer can you think straight,
Because anger has made you blind.
A fire feeds on oxygen,
Unlike the one inside.
This one feeds on bad thoughts,
That spread inside your mind.
Not only does he infect your mind,
He corrupts your words too.
You say things you shouldn’t,
You’re no longer you.
He lingers in the back of your throat,
Waiting for a chance to be heard.
Then he jumps at your surprised listener,
When you try to say a word.
Lockdown is the perfect time,
For him to go his way.
With everyone already down,
He finds it easy prey.
And despite the guilty conscience,
Anger has never had respect.
So he tries to poison everyone,
In a world of no regrets.
So everyone should remember,
He mustn’t win the war.
Try to be happy,
And positive once more.
And even if the present,
Doesn’t seem that bright.
Always remember,
The future will be alright.
At the end of the tunnel,
There will always be light.
And when you have found it,
Anger has lost the fight.
The tunnel cannot,
Go on forever,
But we’ll end it quicker,
If we do it together.
So breathe in deeply,
And find the power inside.
Breathe out slowly,
And the anger now has died.
And as everyone in the whole world should know,
Together we can make evil anger go.
Special award:
LEANNE BATESON
Braeburn Primary and Nursery Academy
For Arthur
A future built upon the stars,
aching arms for what would have been.
Your precious love was ours,
but who could have foreseen?
The bell inside the snowdrops ring,
as I hear your call…
Her beautiful voice will sing,
just as your petals fall from Spring.
A future built upon the stars,
your endless unknown journey has begun.
Burning scented candles inside jars,
all we want to do is run.
Your innocent lips filled with thirst,
as our hearts are so full;
they’re just fit to burst.
Thoughts of you will always come first.
A future built upon the stars,
as I held your hand so tight in mine.
The climbing mountain peaks, so far.
Deep, deep breaths-our hearts entwine.
I’ll dream of your future in time.
Swim on over to that unknown shore.
Together, that mountain we will climb,
Forever and always in my heart…
…you’re mine.
These winning entries, plus poems from runners-up and judges, appear in our poetry book, to be published soon.
