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Simon Armitage inspired EHS writing competition 2020
27 November 2020
This week, we would like to showcase some more of the fantastic poems that were successful in our EHS Writing Competition.
Towards the end of last academic year the English department set EHS Senior school students the challenge of responding creatively to some poems they read by Simon Armitage, the UK’s current Poet Laureate. We have received some fantastic entries and the winning student in each group was celebrated in assembly on Friday 13th November. Each winner will receive a book voucher worth £15, while each runner-up will receive a more edible reward! Well done to all who entered this competition; there will be future competitions coming up, so watch out for notices in assembly and form-time.
Winner – Year 9!
Maia Kanagaratnam 9C – a poem entitled ‘I don’t want to fall asleep’ (in response to Armitage’s poem ‘Remains’)
Imagine a bullet piercing your skin
During a battle you knew you would never win
It is metal – it shouldn’t burn
Even as I am unable to make a return
This arrow makes me feel hollow
I try again and again to swallow
Imagine a bullet falling out of your chest
Surprise is the way to describe it best
Along comes agony and agony and agony
All I can think of is my ending tragedy
So many shots I heard
Since when was this what I deserved?
A gun whose sound rings in my head
Constantly in my body and in my chest
The seconds feel like hours and hours
I wonder if I will be buried among the flowers
I just can’t imagine not waking
I don’t want to fall asleep.
Runners-up – Ruby Gayle 9S – a poem entitled ‘Let me put it this way’
& Dhruti Modhvadia 9W – a poem starting ‘Regret’
Winner – Year 10!
Lucia Holland 10PG – a short story
I twirled between the street lights like we used to hand in hand, ghostlike breezes dancing, sticking by my side for every step. I walked on upwards towards the highest point we had found in this town. We’d watch the cars race by until the headlights blurred red and orange before our eyes and when the sky was clear of clouds we used to gaze at the stars all night. On this particular evening, our hill had felt like a mountain to climb and above me, dark clouds drowned out all hope of spotting a single star. The usually soothing sound of the distant waves had been replaced by the stormy ocean that thrashed around behind me like an animal would in chains. Even the smell of the salty sea air seemed too overwhelming to be combined with the blinding indicators that appeared to come towards me from every angle. I stood hastily from my spot before bolting down the hill, the setting sun painting the sky above me in ominous shades of red and purple. It was only when my fingers brushed against a clump of cold stone that I finally slowed to a walk. I danced my fingers along the top of the marble and fished out two copper coins from my pocket which hit the water in the fountain with a noise familiar to most people’s ears. The last rays of sun light were bouncing off the water in front, causing it to appear amber. I always stare at my reflection for as long as I can because I know that when I blink I won’t see you for a while but for now at least, the fountains a mirror and you’re stood right there.
Runners-up – Carys Hayes 10PG – a short story entitled ‘The Bride’
& Hemma Lalli 10B – a short story based on the poem ‘Hitcher’
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