First Story Young Writers Eco-Poetry competition winners

We are delighted to announce that two of our First Story Young Writers have been awarded first and third place in the First Story Young Writers Eco-Poetry competition, with a special mention for Tariana in Year 10.  Rose in Year 10 came first with her poem The Walnut Tree and Jonathan in Year 9 came third with his poem Unremarkable Us.  Both Rose and Jonathan will receive a gift bundle and certificate.

All the winning entries can be read on the First Story website by clicking here.  Rose and Jonathan's winning entries appear below:

First place winner

Walnut Tree

by Rose (Eden Park High School)

I walk along the empty streets

At 8am, when the morning peaks

افسوس‌ که شهر مدهوشان جاودان نبود *

Where the crumbled wall draws me close

And the walnut tree extends her arms

She pulls her green sleeves over my head

Her velvet veil tints my view

افسوس‌ که شهر مدهوشان جاودان نبود *

The breeze gently runs his hand

Through my hair and across my face

The walnut tree sings a song

Spring comes and rushes by

افسوس‌ که شهر مدهوشان جاودان نبود *

Flowers bloom under her grace

And the birds join in her song

Home is near and passing by

اما افسوس‌ که شهر مدهوشان  جاودان نبود **

Persian translations:

* alas, the city of the enchanted may not last forever

** but, alas, the city of the enchanted did not last

Third place winner

Unremarkable Us 

by Jonathan (Eden Park High School)

Picture, if you can, our universe.

For immeasurable lengths it stretches,

containing equally immeasurable amounts of stuff,

– all of it organised into small, dense pieces, 

fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle.

And each and every single one of these pieces 

somehow manages to stretch for exceptional lengths,

and contain equally exceptional amounts of stuff,

– also organised into pieces of insane size,

which stretch on for further lengths, and contain further amounts of stuff,

divided into somewhat smaller parts that contain… yet more of this stuff.

And somewhere in there

is us:

small,

naïve,

unremarkable 

us.