Many students entered our fabulous competition in 2007. The range of entries was very impressive. Some of you chose to draw on our Bob Dylan theme, others went in a more ‘freestyle’ direction. There was a wide selection of rhyming entries, but many of you also wrote in free verse, and we were excited to see how many of you joined in with National Poetry Day in this way.
The winners of the competition were:
Primary school group
Niall Kennedy of Robert Gordon’s College, Aberdeen for ‘The Beauty of Dreams’
Secondary school group
Laura Perrett of Bradon Forest School, Wiltshire, for ‘Sandman’
Congratulations to both Niall and Laura, who win a special iPod for themselves and a plasma screen TV for their school. Those of you who didn’t win should be just as proud! We hope that you’ll take part again next year. Keep an eye on our education pages for tips on how to write good poetry, and where to find great books which will give you new ideas. Read on to see the winning poems!
The Beauty of Dreams
Niall Kennedy
Some people dream small, though many dream vast,
Some dream of their future, what they will do,
Others do not want to take life so fast.
What is your opinion, what about you?
A few desire money, power, fame,
They try to make their life the best they can.
For others, their dreams are far from the same,
They want to help, support their fellow man.
These are the people who keep sight of dreams
Some like to be in the ‘right now and here’
Now it is time for them all to redeem,
But those who say ‘no’ lose something so dear.
So keep your dreams in a safe, special place,
And use them in your life, the great long race.
Sandman
Laura Perrett
Sandman possess me,
Lace your fingers in my hand,
Take me off to the Promised Land
To your photo-fitted pictures
Of the place I want to be.
Give me your amnesia sight,
And leave me guessing after night.
Those pathways leading nowhere,
Joining islands of memory.
Sandman, convince me
The dust left in my eyes,
You took it from the skies
When the stars weren’t looking
They were snoozing happily.
Do you think they remember?
That pinnacle before they fell,
Into stories they’d never tell
Until the moon calls them to wake.
Sandman, possess me,
Raise me up and walk me far,
Show me those sleepy stars.
Slip and slide back down to earth.
Don’t let go my hand.
Sandman you left me,
The sun swept you away,
Cleaning up the night’s array.
So I watch the clocks and wait
For your return.
The winners of the competition were:
Primary school group
Niall Kennedy of Robert Gordon’s College, Aberdeen for ‘The Beauty of Dreams’
Secondary school group
Laura Perrett of Bradon Forest School, Wiltshire, for ‘Sandman’
Congratulations to both Niall and Laura, who win a special iPod for themselves and a plasma screen TV for their school. Those of you who didn’t win should be just as proud! We hope that you’ll take part again next year. Keep an eye on our education pages for tips on how to write good poetry, and where to find great books which will give you new ideas. Read on to see the winning poems!
The Beauty of Dreams
Niall Kennedy
Some people dream small, though many dream vast,
Some dream of their future, what they will do,
Others do not want to take life so fast.
What is your opinion, what about you?
A few desire money, power, fame,
They try to make their life the best they can.
For others, their dreams are far from the same,
They want to help, support their fellow man.
These are the people who keep sight of dreams
Some like to be in the ‘right now and here’
Now it is time for them all to redeem,
But those who say ‘no’ lose something so dear.
So keep your dreams in a safe, special place,
And use them in your life, the great long race.
Sandman
Laura Perrett
Sandman possess me,
Lace your fingers in my hand,
Take me off to the Promised Land
To your photo-fitted pictures
Of the place I want to be.
Give me your amnesia sight,
And leave me guessing after night.
Those pathways leading nowhere,
Joining islands of memory.
Sandman, convince me
The dust left in my eyes,
You took it from the skies
When the stars weren’t looking
They were snoozing happily.
Do you think they remember?
That pinnacle before they fell,
Into stories they’d never tell
Until the moon calls them to wake.
Sandman, possess me,
Raise me up and walk me far,
Show me those sleepy stars.
Slip and slide back down to earth.
Don’t let go my hand.
Sandman you left me,
The sun swept you away,
Cleaning up the night’s array.
So I watch the clocks and wait
For your return.