The winners of Malvern Hills District Council’s first-ever poetry competition have been announced. We're pleased to share with you Eleanor, Year 7, was the winner in the Under 11s category, April-Louise, Year 8, was the winner in the Age 12 to 18 category with Alex, Year 8, runner up in this category. 

Nearly 70 people sent in their poems based on the theme ‘The Year 2020’, with entrants ranging from five to 88-years-old.

The judges included Cllr Sarah Rouse, Leader of the Council, Ellie Dart, Worcestershire’s Young Poet Laureate, and Tracy Kelly-Freer, from Malvern Book Co-Operative.

All finalists received a certificate and the winners received vouchers to use at the Malvern Book Co-Operative.

Read the girls poems below:

The Real Rainbow by Eleanor 

I’m sad to say,

The real rainbow is grey.

Nobody has a clue

What to do.

In a tough time like this,

To make you feel bliss,

Create your own rainbow.

Be your own star,

we are all beautiful pieces of art.

Stay at home, be your own party,

Because 2020 can be fun,

And NEVER let anyone tell you otherwise…   

 

The Calendar of Chaos by April-Louise

January:

It’s 2020! The year of new beginnings, new resolutions, time for a change! The new school term starts after a long Christmas holiday, but are you aware of the cries heard beyond the UK? You haven’t heard? Australia’s ablaze, people are losing their homes, as we speak.

What a ‘great’ way to start the year.

February:

Uh-oh. What’s this? Panic has begun to up rise; the coughs and sniffles are spreading like butter on a knife. Should I be worried too? Words echo around, but one grabs my attention:

Virus.

March:

It’s getting worse. The year I was most looking forward to, I now despise,

We’re locked inside the houses we once lover, and we’re running low on supplies.

Why is toilet paper now a luxury? This year is full of jokes,

But should I be concerned? Rumours say it’s all a hoax…

I’m like a container of pills, I’ve been prescribed all this information, but what dosage do I take?

April, May, June & July all made the same mistake:

Stuck seeing the same faces every day, as the months are going by faster and faster,

What was once a small virus has become a world-wide disaster,

Working on my assignments, they’re due in tomorrow!

When will it end? There’s a pain in my voice; I’m struck by the sorrow.

Black Lives Matter, they have from the very start.

But it’s racism and hatred that’s tearing the world apart.

Protest after protest, but still no peace,

And when there’s no justice, the violence will increase.

August, September, October:

The days are passing by as the country slowly unlocks,

But please still wear a mask so your sicknesses don’t interlock.

It’s getting warmer but doesn’t feel like summer

It’s no big deal, just a bit of a bummer.

Everyone’s back at school while staying in their bubbles,

This is 2020: a year full of troubles.

 

Untitled by Alex

Throughout villages and towns,

There was no drought.

Rivers burst and water flows,

Washing signs and cars about.

 

Far away, as warm as the sun,

Crying fire as they shout,

Big open fires,

Burning down a large house.

 

Trees were burnt to ashes,

And rivers turned to drought,

Kangaroos, koalas, mice and birds,

All dying- put the fire out.

 

As warm as a bath,

And as quiet as a mouse,

No one was here,

They stayed in without a doubt.

 

Keep your 3ply masks on,

And stay safe in the house,

It would be a while until it’s gone,

So let’s squash Covid till it is nowt.