The Little Seed
by Anneke Beamish, St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School
Years 7 – 8 Written Poetry Finalist
A seed
An unknown seed,
was planted, by who? No one knows.
Who knows what it may be?
Who knows if it will grow?
People claim to know what it is,
say they labeled that tiny seed,
that they knew the name from birth
but only the Earth must truly know?
Surely she has noticed that little seed
and will show us what it is.
Let it reach the stars,
stand strong in the wind,
and fierce in the rain,
and grow into whatever
‘it’ may be.
Perhaps a fruit tree,
smelling of Summer and childhood,
with fruit so blessed by the Sun
that the Gods themselves must try it.
Fruit with cloying sweetness
in varying shades of red, green
and blue.
With juice as sweet as flowers,
of roses, lilies and daffodils.
When bitten into it feels like
the risk of falling
given the chance to fly,
it feels like a million memories
coming fast as raindrops,
like floating in a deep green sea.
I hope that little seed
becomes a mighty fruit tree
but for now,
it waits beneath the
surface, in a bed of soil
waiting with bated breath
to see what it will be.
How did writing this poem make you feel?
Writing this poem. It was something. I enjoy writing poetry, but often forget words. I do however like having things to write about. This poem made me feel about fruit, and often how unkind the world can be. Yet there is always something significant going on, whether it’s political, someone finally walking, or the growth of a tree.
Which single line in your poem are you the absolute proudest of?
The line in my poem that I am most proud of is ‘The risk of falling given the chance to fly’ because of the juxtaposition of it, you could be falling but other people might see it as flying.
Describe your poem in three words
Mystery, unknown, risk.
Where is your absolute favourite place to sit when you are brainstorming ideas?
I don’t really have a favourite place to sit when I write a poem, I’m mainly on the edge of something when I’m writing them.
What skills do you think you strengthened through writing this poem?
A skill I think was strengthened through writing this poem was my communicative skills. I was never very good at expressing emotions.
Why do you think people write poetry?
People write poetry, as a way to escape from reality. As a way of leaving everything behind. Perhaps they do it for fun. It makes them happy. They want to express themselves in ways normal words can’t, normal words are not descriptive enough for a poet. Or for their feelings.