From the changing of the seasons to the Aussie outback, the natural world proved to be a big source of inspiration for our student poets in Years 3–4.
Congratulations to Aya Khalil (Fitzroy Community School), Leo Rees-Graham (Fitzroy Community School), Grace Willoughby (Cornish College), Ronan Hughes (Fitzroy Community School), Sulayman Mohamad (Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School) and Caitlin Au (Donvale Christian College) and all of those who received honourable mentions.
The competition attracted over 850 entries from students in Foundation to Year 12 across all school sectors in Victoria.
Aya Khalil, Fitzroy Community School
You look out your window and you see the leaves twirl,
You hear the boys and girls playing and saying:
Autumn is calling.
You write your name in the frost on your car window on the way to school.
You long for summer to come so you can jump into the pool.
You walk down the street and see the bare trees and think:
When are they going to get their leaves?
Winter is calling.
You have a picnic and pick leaves off the cherry trees that are blooming.
You come home and your mum is brooming because it is spring cleaning.
Spring is calling.
You walk along the beach and pick up a patterned shell,
You put it to your ear and hear the crashing waves.
You let the scorching hot rays settle on your skin.
Your mum tells you that you have to wear a hat every day,
You put one on and pull the strap under your chin.
Summer is calling.
Leo Rees-Graham, Fitzroy Community School
Intricate marble houses looking over dusty streets.
The smell of exotic Greek foods wafting into the agora.
Clean flowing lakes, interrupted only by the splash of fishermen’s hooks.
A declaration of war scattering the peace.
A sailor’s ship slicing through water, braving the stormy seas.
Horses’ hooves clomping against the hard dirt track.
The stomping of a soldier’s iron greaves marching to defend their country.
Grace Willoughby, Cornish College
Twisted trees,
Burnt out cars,
Scorching hot sun shining on my back,
As the sand, red, blows on my feet,
I walk along the broken track.
I can see the camels
And hear the dingos.
Then I start to wonder
Whether I will ever have to leave this wonderful world of peace and quiet.
No pollution in the air,
No plastic to be seen,
No traffic,
No nothing,
Just you and me.
Life seems so simple out here,
Like no one else exists.
Ronan Hughes, Fitzroy Community School
Are you in awe of the country?
Its ever-lasting warmth from the scorching summer sun.
Are you in awe of the rain?
Its drumming like a bank on an old tin roof.
Earth holds many splendours, such as the deep blue sea.
Are you in awe of the world?
Are you in awe of the bee?
The bee is a little bug that crawls along the ground.
Its little wings flapping wildly trying to get away from the swatter.
Aren’t you in awe of that?
I wish I had that bee,
So I could keep it safe and sound.
Sulayman Mohamad, Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School
Caitlin Au, Donvale Christian College
Written poetry
- Anaya, Rivercrest Christian College – Happiness Soup
- Leenah Al Ayad, Fitra Community School – Awe
- Poppy Chatt, Cornish College – Uluru
- Zavier Clohesy, Cornish College – Sammy
- Sophie Crowther, Hillcrest Christian College – The Castle
- Xavier Eltman, Lysterfield Lake College – Earth
- Sophie Fowler, Wesley College – Aurora Borealis
- Sofia Gianchino, Rivercrest Christian College – The Beaming Stars
- Georgia Gill, Kingswood College – Awe
- Elsie Johnson, Cornish College – Our Country
- Tasneem Khaled, Ilim College – I’m in Awe
- Ola Kowalik, Home Education – They Do
- Georgina Ligtermoet, Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School – Awe
- Eve Mackintosh, Kingswood College – Apricots
- Maeve, Woodline Primary School – Wild Horses
- Ruby Mantell, Tintern Grammar – Small Steps Lead to Big Results
- Charlie Middleton, Fitzroy Community School – How Can It Be?
- Blaire Miller, Cornish College – Burj Khalifa
- Lola Muscat, Fitzroy Community School – Dreams
- Abdul Hamid Nabulsi, Fitra Community School – How the Sun Rises
- Xavier Panetta, Kingswood College – Everything On It
- Julian Patrick, Sophia Mundi Steiner School – Winter Lantern Walk
- Eesa Rady, Fitra Community School – Siberian Tiger
- Ariana Kaur Sidhu, Rivercrest Christian College – 4 Seasons
- Hawwa Stapleton, Fitra Community School – In Awe of Ash
- Zara Symes & Annabelle Lierse, Malvern Primary School – My Voice, My Culture
- Madelyn Tan, Harkaway Hills College – Our Wonderful World
- Sophina Tan, Wesley College – Playful Autumn
- Zameer Valibhoy, Fitzroy Community School – Stunned
- Ned Weatherburn-Gregg, Cornish College – The First Hunt
- Finn Wilson, Fitzroy Community School – Isn’t It Weird
- Ella Yau, Lauriston Girls’ School – Dream Catcher
- Muhammed Hasan Yigit, Ilim College – My Love in Season
Performance poetry
- Olivia Hamilton, Rivercrest Christian College – Windy
- Jasmira Saini, Hillcrest Christian College – Whale Songs
