Sedbergh School Poetry Competition winners announced
We are delighted to announce the winners of the inaugural Sedbergh School Poetry Competition, which invited pupils to respond to the theme of ‘Summer’.
Open to pupils across the School, the competition encouraged young writers to take inspiration from Sedbergh’s remarkable surroundings at this time of year. Pupils were invited to reflect on a Sedberghian summer, whether through the beauty of Winder, the stillness of Wild Chapel, or the distinctive landscape, light and atmosphere that shape life at Sedbergh.
The competition also drew inspiration from the poetry of Robert Sterling, a former Sedberghian whose writing was influenced by the landscape around the School. Pupils were encouraged to look closely at place, language and feeling, and to use poetry as a way of capturing their own response to the world around them.
Led by Head of English, Dr Gareth Downes, the competition was supported by a team of Sedbergh academics, who carefully reviewed and evaluated the entries.
The overall winner of the inaugural competition is Bertie, whose poem will be inscribed in the Sedbergh School Poetry Book for generations to come. Bertie will also receive a book voucher in recognition of this achievement.
Akeelah was named Highly Commended in the overall competition.
The Year 10 winner is Oliver, with Annabel and Logan both Highly Commended.
The Year 9 winner is Bronte, with Violet and Edwin both Highly Commended.
The competition forms part of a wider celebration of reading, writing and creativity at Sedbergh, with pupils also having opportunities to hear from established poets and authors in conjunction with the Sedbergh Town Book Festival.
Congratulations to all pupils who entered, and especially to this year’s winners and highly commended poets, whose work reflects the imagination, observation and creative spirit inspired by a Sedbergh summer.
Winning poetry
OVERALL WINNER: ‘The Bitter Breeze’ by Bertie
Radiant lasers of warmth glaze my skin,
My nostrils choked and clouded by the pollen,
Yet how could I complain of such a toxin,
When golden gleams lure the world within?
Buoyant blue skies awaken clarity,
Whilst towers of treetops stretch towards the sun,
Bestowing her ancient remedies,
As blossoms drift where gentle breezes run.
And rivers gleam like rows of shining teeth.
The earth blooms bright in verdant tapestries,
Yet pollen lingers, bitter on the breeze;
Sea-salty sweat crawls slowly down my spine.
Suffocating, strangling all inner peace.
As sweat-soaked hair hangs heavy, slick with brine.
YEAR 10 WINNER: ‘Down by the River’ by Oliver
Down by the river it clears my mind.
Down the river I can find
A place, away
From the troubles of today.
There I could fish
Forever more and I’d be sure
In the future if I’m nowhere to be seen,
I’ll be down by the river
Until I am no more.
‘Summer Term Sonnets’ by Brontë
Sunny haze scatters in all directions,
Trees dapple golden beams upon the earth,
The uneven ground split into sections,
Our bodies lay stretched out shaking with mirth.
A river flowed with mazy motion below,
We threw apples from the bank in the stream.
There was never a splash. How would we know?
But we never saw the victory theme.
The golden summer daze begins to fade,
Copper orange sweeps the glimmering sky;
The setting sun brushed the greenery jade,
if only we could watch the moon up high.
For now, the sleepiness begins to hook.
Start to doze; listening to a story book.
Daffodils begin to bloom. The rain clears
Sun cascades over rolling sleeping hills.
Baby birds chirp and whistle through dawn air.
Crisp winds bite and chew through the green Howgills.
Lambs bound and trot leaping across lush fields.
Days get longer, as time begins to slow
Blue skies; while buds begin to reveal
Yet ever changing nature of springs shows.
Pink petals plummet with poise and perfection.
The brittle breeze meanders with spring warmth,
Rivers meander with mazy motion,
While crested birds begin to migrate north.
The bees find golden blooms on which to settle,
Yet shifting winds begin to sting and nettle.