<< Back
>> Friends of the Literary Festival
>> 2007 Short Story Competition Results
>> 2006 Short Story Competition Results
>> 2005 Short Story Competition Results
2007 Poetry Competition Results
Molly Sales (age 11) - 5–11 winner
Chani Sanger (age 14) - 12–17 winner
Angela Johnson - Adult winner
Molly Sales, aged 11, from Dover Girls Grammar School
was the winner of the
5 – 11 category with her poem “Giraffe”:
Giraffe
by Molly Sales, aged 11
On the grassy golden plains of Africa stands the giraffe
It’s slender neck reaching, stretching, stretching so high
Into the giant sunset sky
It’s black hooves stamp, stamp, stamp as it rushes towards me
It’s tail twitches and flicks, flicks, flicks
It starts to do bucks and kicks
Then it runs as fast as it’s hooves pounding, pounding, pounding
On the grassy golden plains of Africa
In the beautiful African village I see an old man,
He’s carving a perfect giraffe out of nothing but wood
His hands must be made of magic as he chips, chips away
He’s captured that giraffe in a piece of wood
His hands must be made of magic as he taps, taps away
Later on in a busy market full of tom toms and furs and fruit and clothes
And wooden animals , I see a still and motionless creature
That’s caught my eye
It’s the giraffe! It’s my giraffe!
I pay hardly a penny for it!
And just about a week ago in my attic I found the giraffe
All covered in cobwebs and layers of dust
I wish I could see the giraffe again
And I do know where he is
I just don’t want to see him there
I bet he’s not happy in that cooped up place
Barbed wire, wooden walls and not one familiar face
Travelling wobbly roads, burning seas
That giraffe, my giraffe, has joined the travelling circus.
It pains me to think how unhappy he is
He’s my giraffe.
I wish I could rescue him but I can’t, I’m just a child.
© Molly Sales (11yrs) 2007
Top of Page
The 12-17 section was won by Chani Sanger, aged 14, from Folkestone:
Folkestone
By Chani Sanger
Once upon a time in a faraway land
We laughed on the beach and kicked up the sand.
We collected the shells that lay by the sea
And watched all the leaves fall from the trees.
We watched for winter – for all of the snow
We didn’t get any but we don’t care though.
We waited for summer – the end of July
Yeah! School’s out, I’m with my friends all of the time
At the start of Autumn, I went far away
To a city called Shengyang and I thought wahey!
But when I got there, they didn’t have the sea,
They didn’t have the beach and I missed my family.
That’s when I realised – we’ve got sun, sand and sea!
So I’m here at dawn through to dusk ‘cos Folkestone’s
The only place for me.
Belgium
By Chani Sanger
I went to Belgium – Ypres to be precise
Saw stuff from World War I, it wasn’t very nice
I thought of all the women to their lovers they had waved
And I thought of all the men who died for our country to be saved
Blood like rain fell from the clouds
I thought of them then me
Should we risk people’s lives
To form a harmony
As much as I wish I could see fighting gone for sure
It’s hard to abolish hate and even harder to stop war
© Chani Sanger (14yrs) 2007
Top of Page
The Adult (Outside Kent) section was won by Angela Johnson of Meopham in Kent:
Saga Girls
By Angela Johnson
They meet for dinner about twice a week,
Two lonely women with money to spare.
Tuesday Italian, on Thursday a Greek,
Frowning at mirrors and touching their hair.
Teeth fixed by experts, hair cleverly tinted,
Subtle cosmetics, clothes almost in fashion.
Planning their cruises, a trip to the Med,
Adventures for seniors, laughter and action.
Yet back in their houses, those immaculate shells,
No girlish laughing, faces imploded.
Tears on Sundays, the sorrow of bells,
Toast on the table, the cat to be fed,
Grubby dressing gowns, the need to be brave,
Smiling at neighbours, a tentative wave.
© Angela Johnson 2007
Top of Page
|
