The Inky Blot 2017

Inky The

Bl

t

2017 Bedford Prep School

“The true alchemists do not change lead into gold; they change the world into words”

William H. Gass

“You can make anything by writing.”

C.S. Lewis

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”

Stephen King

FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to the first ever edition of ‘The Inky Blot’!

This new publication has been created as a celebration of the fabulous creative writing that the boys of Bedford Prep School produce, both in the classroom and at home.

‘The Inky Blot’ is here to provide a platform for some of this super work to reach a wider audience. I hope the boys will find it exciting to see their own work in print!

In this first ever edition, the pieces have been chosen from the selection of work given to me by the Prep School English teachers. I have asked for work that has stood out in some way. Also included are the successful winners and highly commended pieces from our creative writing competitions 2016-2017.

In the pages that follow, you will find the winners of our 500 Word Short Story Competition. This competition was held last Autumn term. The theme for this was ‘Another Time, Another Place’ and the boys could write anything up to 500 words in length (not including the title) based on this theme. There were many fantastic entries and the subject was interpreted in a huge variety of ways! There were stories set in amazing locations, in other parts of history and imagined futures. This competition was judged by Mrs Keane, Mr Affleck and Mrs Lumley Wood.

Also guaranteed a place, were the winners and highly commended entries from the Poetry Competition. The theme this year was ‘The Natural World’ and the difficult

task of judging these poems went to Mrs Spina. In addition, I have included a fabulous selection of other poems which were submitted for this competition. These were selected because of the powerful imagery created, the language choices used or perhaps the structure and concept of the piece itself.

Other pieces of creative writing were wrestled out of exercise books, pinched off displays in classrooms and corridors, photographed and typed up, or pilfered from The Bedfordshire Festival entries. It has been a pleasure and a delight to read all this lovely creative writing! There is such an impressive range of inventive and imaginative ideas and articulate use of language! It was, of course, a very difficult job to try to select the pieces that appear here… the limitations of page numbers and print runs meant that not all could be included, unfortunately.

In the following months, I will continue to ask your teachers for great examples of your creative work and there will be further writing competitions to enter, so keep your eyes peeled and your pen poised for them. However, this year, I would also like to encourage boys to send their work directly to me for consideration. You will find information on how to submit your work on the back page.

I really hope you enjoy reading this first edition of ‘The Inky Blot’. And remember… Keep writing!

Mrs Sarah Silk

CONTENTS Year 3 9.

The Magic Piano

by Aryan Sohanpal 10.

The Mystery Island

by Prejeev Suhitharan 11.

Beasts and Monsters

by Arnav Dhaliwal 11.

The Selfish Lion - A Fable

by George Knight 12. Medusa

by Isaac Raddan 13. Music

by Oliver Quince 13.

The Hydra

by Charlie Gandesha 13.

Kenning About Greece

by Alfred Williams 13.

Haikus About Greece

by Prejeev Suhitharan 14.

The Mythical Creature

by Henry Pask 14.

The Magic Box

by Aryan Sohanpal 15.

The Magic Box

by Rhys Brook 15.

The Magic Box

by Freddie Bowis Year 4 17.

Another Time, Another Place

by Antonio Policella 18.

Destructive Deltamina

by Fraser Morgan 19.

Italian Adventure

by George Sivills 20.

The Herbivorous Tapir

by Benjamin Roberts

21. Hippopotamus

by David Shirley 22. Leopard

by Henry Whitfield 23.

The Lonely Narwhal

by Fraser Morgan 24.

The Life Of A River

by Sam Deardon 24.

Rowing On The River Ouse

by Felix Beckman 24. Snake

by Ruairi Cassell 25.

If I were a River

by Daniel Blight 25.

River Poem

by Ben Coomber 26.

The Aristocratic Goat

by Jamie Maling 26.

The River

by William Mowe 27.

The Deadly River

by Harry Townsend 28.

The Rapid River

by Oliver Verle 28.

The Life Of A River

by Zach Whelan 28.

What The Leopard Says

by Stanley Breed 28.

Kiwi Kenning

by Benjamin Roberts 29.

The River

by Noah Silk Year 5 31.

Another Time, Another Place

by Ruben Jacob 32.

Into The Cave…

by Gabriel Almeida

33.

The Mystery Machine

by Charlie Wallis 34.

Life in Mountfitchet Castle

by Arthur Polhill 35.

The Battle Of The Grazed Knee

by Charlie Eggleton 36.

The Frost

by Oliver Simmonds 37.

The Four Seasons and The Five Senses

by Alfie Gittins 38. Weather

by Edward Dagg 38.

Dazzling The Sun

by Brooklyn Fu 39.

Water Poem

by Harry Clifton 40.

Animal Poem

by Arthur Polhill 40.

The Evil Box

by James Robertson 40.

Sea, Fire and Lightning

by Edward Foley 41.

Animal Sound Haikus

by Olly Wright 42.

The Sun

by David Wiltshire 43.

Four Seasons Poem

by Arthur Proctor 43. Weather

by Akshat Buddineni 44.

Clock Shop Sound Poem

by Gabriel Almeida 44. Winter

by William Gallagher 45.

The Sea

by Shayen Patel 46. Shark

by James Dagg 46.

The Storm

by Alex Davis

47.

The Rainforest Jungle

by Oscar Barker 47.

The Komodo Dragon

by Max Quince 48.

The Magma Wolf

by Jake Biffa 48.

I am Scared of the Sea

by Ethan Summers 49.

Animal Sounds

by Tanay Rai 49.

The Storm

by Charlie Eggleton 49. Earthquake

by Rufus Thwaite 50. Mountains

by Finley Adams 50.

The World

by Abhinav Iarala 50.

Sounds of School

by Alex Hammond Year 6 52.

Another Time, Another Place

by Jack Harte 53.

Journey To Planet Guevis

by Luke Pollen-Brooks 53.

Alien Attack

by Leo Butler 55.

The Storm

by Hari Mistry 56.

African Safari

by Ivan Iankov 56.

The Sea

by Finn Montgomery 57.

Life In The Tropical Rainforest

by Tom Ferrari 57.

The Demon Volcano

by Zach Cumming 58.

My First Visit To Space

by Shaun Thomas

58.

Atlantis

by Milan Wallis-Patel 58.

Acrostic Space Poem

by Jamie Welch 59.

My Animal Nature Poem

by Shaun Wood 59.

The Natural World

by William Reddy 59.

The Sea

by Oliver French 60.

The Whirlywind And Its Brother!

by Alex Hall 61.

The Monstrous Volcano

by Oliver Munn 61.

The Desert

by Toby Mitchell 62.

I Don’t ‘Sea’ Why...

by Tom Cameron-Fraser 62. Weather

by Louis Montgomery 63.

The World

by Christopher Foley 63.

The Apple Tree

by Eamon Bradley 63.

Fighting Fire

by Sam Maling 64.

The Murderous Forest

by Harry Payne 64. Volcano

by Charlie Faulkner 65.

The Volcano

by Ollie Needham 65.

The Constant Oak

by Jake Reynolds 66.

The Tsunami

by Hugh Williams 66. Seasons

by Dilan Sharma Year 7 68.

A Day To Regret

by Max Allen

69.

Another Time, Another Place

by Hayden Melly 70.

The Rollercoaster

by Tom Deardon 70.

Description Of My Grannie

by Gabriel O’Neill 71.

The White Hallow Garden

by William Roberts 71.

Mystery Animal... Who Am I?

by Sachin Kambli 72.

The Crimson Rose

by Christian Tyrrell 73.

New Growth

by Oliver Pope 73.

The Jungle

by Bryn O’Dell 74.

The Volcano

by Hayden Melly 74.

The Volcano

by Freddie Sowerby 74.

The Volcano

by Joshua Romeo 74.

The Volcano

by Vedant Somal 75.

The Moon

by Eldon Craven 75.

Mother Nature

by Will Roberts 75.

The Robin

by Sam Wells 76. Volcano

by James Barney 76. Volcano

by Varun Nathan 77.

The Wolves

by Tomas Spice 77.

A Magma Monster

by Khush Shah 78. Volcano

by Nathanael Lord 78. Volcano

by Joseph Mullaney

78.

The Volcano

by Oliver Comery 78. Volcano

by Tom Howe 79.

America From Above

by John Ogunyiluka 79. Volcano

by Harry Norris 80.

The Cat

by Sachin Kambli 81. Volcanoes

by Kabir Singh 81.

The Eruption

by Jamie Wallwork 82.

Seasons Of Trees Haikus

by Saihaj Lahal 83.

The Volcano

by Luca Moretto 83. Volcano

by Cole Balachandran 74.

The Savannahs Of Africa

by James Lumley-Wood 84. Winter

by Cyrus Goddard 85.

Volcano Poem

by Charlie Blythman 85.

Volcano Poem

by Ryan Lasaki 86.

The Life Of A Cloud

by Murray Silk 87.

Animals Hunting

by James Wootton-Evans 87. Volcano

by Mohammed Shadid 88.

The Unsung Hero

by Freddie McPhail 88.

The Tree

by Tom Deardon 88.

The Storm

by Sam Walker

Year 8 90. Overseas

by David Adeyemi-Abere 91.

Dino Runner!

by James Deardon 92.

The Tornado

by Benjamin Ingram-Moore 93.

Fire Cycle

by George Mansell 93.

Seasons (Haikus)

by Daniel Bello 93.

The Waterfall

by Thomas Herbert 94.

The Storm Army

by William Maltby 94. Fire

by Henry Cudjoe 94.

The Water’s Journey

by Anish Katechia 95.

Trafficked To Hell

by Ethan Whitlock 96.

Lost At Sea

by David Adeyemi-Abere 97.

The Four Seasons

by Arvin Rai 97.

The Sea

by Olaoluwa Apesin 98. Time

by Jake Bentley-Evans Staff 100.

The Answer

by A. T. Cher 101. It

by Anon. E. Mouse

Year 3

THE MAGIC PIANO Hello, who is reading this? I’m Josh - an only child and I am 9. I don’t live with my dad but I sometimes go over on holiday to see him. So, it is just me, my mum and my dog, Scruffy.

She said, “Nonsense!”

I started to play ‘Never Vex a Tyrannosaurus Rex’ and again the room started to spin. But this time, I was teleported to the Dinosaur Age. I found myself near a volcano with lava exploding out of it. Behind me, was a tyrannosaurus rex chasing a pterodactyl. The pterodactyl swooped past me in a flash. I looked behind me and saw the tyrannosaurus rex gradually getting closer and opening his jaw. I stopped playing again and I was back in my room.

We live in Cambridge near the University, in a newly built three storey, four-bedroom house. But the best bit about it, is that we live near a piano shop called – ‘The Magic Piano’.

It was my birthday and my piano from The Magic Piano shop had arrived and was in the music room. I whispered to the old man who was delivering the piano, “Are these actually magic pianos?” I got no response, but I did get a wink. Suddenly, I gasped and wondered… if it was magic, what things it could do? Could it play by itself, or could it run about in the hallway?

Once again, I started playing a piece. This time I chose to play ‘Ghostly Conversations’. The room started spinning and I found myself in the corner of a very old haunted house. I started to feel scared and shivery. I heard howling and saw lots of ghastly ghosts hovering over the ground.

One ghost looked directly at me and dashed towards me. I stopped playing instantly and found I was safe back home.

I took a closer look at the piano and noticed it was made from a brown, smooth, shiny wood. I sat down on the comfortable, cushioned stool. In the background, I heard my mum shouting, “Josh, play something on the piano please.”

I decided that was enough adventure for today and it was time for bed!

By Aryan Sohanpal

I started to play a song called ‘King William’s March’. As I played, the room started to swirl around clockwise and after I had played a few notes, I was transported to the King’s Palace in the 16th Century in the middle of a dance!

I was still playing the piano and noticed that as I sped up, the King’s crown began to wobble. I continued playing and watched the King and his court dance. But suddenly, my finger slipped to the wrong note and everyone turned round and stared at me. I felt scared that my head would be chopped off and I stopped playing. Automatically, the room started to spin and I found myself back in my music room.

I felt amazing and exhilarated and wanted to experience another adventure. I shouted to my mum, “These pianos are magic!”

WINNER! 9

THE MYSTERY ISLAND It all seems a long time ago now, when I was young and reckless. It was the last days of my holiday, and Mike and I had decided to go sailing. We were looking forward to two days on our own away from the noisy city. Everything we needed was already waiting for us on the boat so we climbed aboard and set off for Lundy Island.

We could feel the boat pointing towards the hole and in a few seconds we were inside the whirlpool. The wooden hull creaked and groaned with the force of the water and the boat went deeper towards the bottom. We looked up and we could see the patch of sky getting smaller and smaller.

It was peaceful on the boat, just bobbing about on the salty water. We heard the screeching sound of the seagulls, high in the sky, and felt the gentle breeze blowing against our faces. Suddenly, we heard a noise that sounded like water being sucked down a drain. The clouds blocked out the light from the sun and we could feel the boat being sucked toward a foaming whirlpool.

We saw walls of water surrounding us. After ten minutes we found ourselves on a rock beach on an island. Our boat was damaged, but we could still sail it. Mike had a bruise on his knee, but apart from that we were fine. I saw a cliff just beside us. Mike wanted to explore the island so I agreed. We had to look for a way up the cliff, so we separated to look for a way up. I saw some stairs, so I called Mike over and we walked up. We saw amazing sights and creatures. Mike thought he heard a flapping noise so we got scared, but it was just a puffin. I had never seen a puffin before, so I was pretty excited. I noticed its colourful and weird shaped beak. I thought it was pretty cool.

I looked at Mike and could see a look of panic that crossed his face. We were on our own. There was no one to help.

We tried to turn the boat around, but the whirlpool was too strong and we felt ourselves being drawn closer. The boat started to spin and we knew we had no choice but to hold on tightly to the mast. I felt sick and could hear Mike praying that we would survive. We felt like we were inside a vast washing machine on the spin cycle. However tightly we held on, we could feel our grip loosening and our feet slipping from the wet deck.

After half an hour of walking Mike heard a rumbling noise.

I really started to worry I thought it was an earthquake.

I saw a tornado so we ran as quick as we could but the tornado sucked us up, and we landed on my front yard.

By Prejeev Suhitharan

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

10

BEASTS AND MONSTERS On an island in the Pacific Ocean, there was once a prisoner that escaped!

the monsters.

People from far and wide searched high and low for him.

There was a little boy, who was known for being very fast.

One day, he managed to catch and trap the prisoner!

The biggest monster of them all completely smashed the army. So many lives were lost, but the army managed to keep the little boy safe, though the monsters were hungry for him. They made a run for it to the forest to hide. There was just no stopping the giant beasts.

Now it was all in the beasts’ favour.

Suddenly, a beast arrived that the boy had never seen before. It came out from the jungle - so the boy ran like the wind, but more and more beasts kept following him!

“How can we defeat them?” the boy asked.

They were coming his way, when luckily the army came and captured them. It was very easy for the army. However, just then… A big, angry animal appeared with the beast and the prisoner!

The army was losing! All the beasts and monsters joined forces and there was no stopping them!

What happened next?

No one knows…

There was an enormous battle! No matter how hard the army tried to fight, nothing could even so much as scratch

By Arnav Dhaliwal

THE SELFISH LION - A FABLE Knock, knock,” hammered Leo, “Is anyone there?”

so that was great.

“Yes, come in,” replied Harry the Hairdresser. He was a rhinoceros.

After a while he said, “Finished!”

It was packed in the animal hairdressing salon. There were so many animals!

“It looks absolutely perfect.”

“What does it look like?”

“YOU CALL THIS PERFECT?????!!!!!” screamed Leo, looking in the mirror and seeing his shaved head. “I am going to eat you until you are in pieces!”

“What style would you like?” asked Harry, with pink glittery scissors in his hand. It all went quiet as a mouse… well, most of them were mice!

After a few seconds, Harry was in Leo’s belly.

“Move out the way. I’m going to sit here!” roared Leo.

“HEELLPP MMEE!”

Harry knew Leo wasn’t nice, but he had a plan to teach him a lesson…

But it wasn’t over yet…

Harry used his horns to rip through the lion’s skin and, before anyone knew it, Harry was out and Leo was dead!

“I want an afro!” demanded Leo. “OK…”

Moral: Don’t be vain, beauty isn’t everything.

Harry’s mischievous plan was to make him bald!

By George Knight

Harry found some more scissors. Leo was already asleep,

11

MED

M

USA

illions of scaly, slithering, small snakes.

E

vil, unattractive, freezing, smooth body.

D

amp, elegant, dirty, squelchy feet.

U

gly, hideous, revolting skin.

S

limy, slippery snakes.

A

ngry, mean, menacing, mythical monster.

By Isaac Raddan

WINNER! 12

M

USIC

THE HYDRA

Music is a dazzling diamond, Music is swaying waves, Music is a cool street, Music is relaxing, Music is a giant harp, Music is a guitar and ukulele snapping, Music is a barbeque sizzling with fat sausages, Music is a party on a roof, Music is sparkling stars, Music is tuney…

Hydra’s voice is loud like a fierce tiger.

Hydra’s skin is tough like an elephant’s.

Hydra’s eyes are ablaze like red fire.

Hydra’s teeth are sharp knives.

Hydra’s tail is prickly like deadly thorns.

Hydra’s body is as strong as a powerful lion.

Hydra’s heads are writhing like a nest of snakes.

Hydra’s limbs are as heavy as giant boulders.

By Charlie Gandesha

By Oliver Quince

HIGHLY DED COMMEN

KENNING ABO

UT GREECE

US

HAIK

Isolated islands, Scorching hot, Fascinating buildings, Creative landscapes, Legendary Olympians, Tropical climate, Wild battles, Civilized country, Athenian city.

ABO

UT GREECE

Fearsome warriors, Soldiers fighting for freedom, Ancient Greeks defend.

Majestic cultures, Greeks preparing festivals, Feasting on hot food.

Lots of yummy treats, Relax on the golden beach, Discover new things.

By Alfred Williams

By Prejeev Suhitharan

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

13

THE MYTHICAL CREAT

URE

Hydra’s menacing eyes are as orange as lava.

Hydra’s strong tail is like a blood-red machete.

Hydra’s large heads are screeching devils.

Hydra’s sharp teeth are like razors.

Hydra’s ear-piercing voice is like a screaming lion.

Hydra’s hard skin is like black rock.

Hydra’s limbs are like four huge, iron cages.

Hydra’s claws are like burning spears.

Hydra’s purple blood is more poisonous than a snake’s poison.

Hydra’s ears are a hundred times more powerful than a snake’s reaction.

By Henry Pask

THE MAGIC BOX I will put in my box…

The balmy water from Lake Lachemose, An ancient text from History, A wand with the hair of a unicorn.

I will put in my box…

The picture of my dead grandmother, The devastation of World War 2, The picture of me just after I was born.

I will put in my box…

The hope of winning a prize, The ripple of rain hitting a blue puddle in Summer.

I will fashion my box…

With the lock of the iron gates to heaven, With the wood of a sycamore tree.

By Aryan Sohanpal

14

THE MAGIC BOX I will put in the box…

The smell of the lovely flowers in the beautiful garden, The sweet taste of water in the deep river, A toy making loud noises - as loud as a big bang!

I will put in the box…

The dark darkness of the house in the night, The scary feeling in my tummy as I go on the roller coaster, The howling in the woods when you go to get wood.

I will put in the box…

The great feeling when you move to a new house, The breeze in the Winter mountains, The shining light of the sun on a sandy beach.

I will put in the box…

The blood that wolves eat, The creaking, creepy sound of the floorboards.

The injuries at the hospital.

I will fashion my box from…

Golden teeth, Wooden spears, And glass windows.

By Rhys Brook

THE MAGIC BOX I will put in the box…

A tip of a train track from a station in London.

A dash of the bright, hot sun in the blue sky.

The swoosh of a football in the playground, when I kick it.

I will put in the box…

The sip of the sad, black rain in a puddle.

Some salt from the sea in the sparkling Pacific Ocean.

The whip of the white wind, whooshing across the starry night sky.

My box is made from pure silver.

By Freddie Bowis

15

Year 4

ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE In another time, in another place, in a magical land, there lived a wicked Sorceress, called Iverna, who had captured the unicorns to make herself more powerful. There was one particular unicorn called the Golden Unicorn – she was the most powerful of them all.

tower glowed green and slimy in the dark. The Golden Unicorn used his magical powers to make an invisible staircase over the wall, which they climbed quietly. They saw big cages with Unicorns trapped inside. Sebastian heard the jangling of keys and footsteps, coming closer and closer.

Sebastian was a young farmer’s boy who loved to play in the woods, always looking for adventure with his sparkling eyes and blonde hair. He skipped along singing songs. As he got deeper into the forest, he started to see flowers everywhere. Suddenly, everything went quiet. He felt something watching him.

“Quick, hide!” said Sebastian.

An evil Furby guard walked past them, slowly and suspiciously.

“Use your powers, Sebastian,” the Unicorn telepathically communicated to him. “Iverna has put a dark spell forbidding Unicorns to communicate with them and her evil kingdom. Only you can save us now.”

“Hey, you!”

Sebastian was shocked. “Who are you?”

Sebastian had a cunning plan.

“We are the talking flowers and we need your help. The Golden Unicorn is trapped.”

“I thought that was just a myth!.”

“Furby, come down to me immediately! This is Iverna, your evil Queen!”

“Shhhhh! Iverna’s evil Furbies are all around. They might…“

It wasn’t really the Queen, it was Sebastian telepathically communicating with him.

All of a sudden, there was a terrible shriek.

The Furby ran back so fast, he dropped the keys. Sebastian ran to grab them and opened each cage, setting free all of the unicorns. He saw a final cage with a fountain of sparkling rainbow colours. He opened it and all the powers flew back into the unicorns’ horns.

“RUN!” shouted the flowers.

Sebastian ran, faster and faster.

Then he saw her – the Golden Unicorn. She was trapped in a net. Sebastian grabbed his pocket knife and quickly cut her free.

Suddenly, they heard a piercing voice.

“I FOUND YOU!” bellowed Iverna.

“Thank you,” said the unicorn, smiling. “I am the Queen of the Unicorns and was trapped by Iverna’s evil Furbies.

As a reward for saving me, I give you the power to talk to animals.” With that, she touched Sebastian with her flowing horn. “Iverna has captured all the unicorns. Will you help me in saving them?”.

All the unicorns used their magical horns to create a giant rainbow ball, which Sebastian threw at her. Iverna exploded into the colours of all the beauty she had taken from the land.

Suddenly, the kingdom was beautiful again. The Furbies were happy and nobody was evil anymore.

“Or course I will,” replied Sebastian bravely.

By Antonio Policella

He jumped onto the Unicorn’s back and rode swiftly to the evil lair. Everything turned dark and everything was shrivelled and dead as they got closer. Her tall crooked

WINNER! 17

DESTR

UCTIVE DELTAMINA

There was a time, long, long ago, when peacocks were very plain birds, and in that time, there was a village and in that village, there lived a girl. That girl was called Aster and she was the most beautiful girl ever to walk this Earth. She had jet black hair, as dark as the night itself, ice blue eyes that looked as though they could freeze this very Earth, and rippling biceps, as strong as an elephant. But as in all myths and stories, there is trouble, and that is so within the walls of this Scandinavian tribe.

could be trapped inside him. He ruptured the ground and uprooted trees, creating mini-mountains of crumbling dirt and rock.

So, in the tribe they had problems. The chief, Vansubis, called a tribe meeting and the bravest, most determined heroes were asked to step up and swear a solemn oath to kill the beast. But when Aster stepped up, the crowd burst into peals of laughter, the sun glittering on their chain armour as they shook around like jolly whales. But then the “heroes” realised what fools they had been with the mind to fight such a monster and gladly stepped down, muttering, “Excuse-me,” and, “Sorry-about-this.” So, Aster set off on her long journey, to the deepest cave, on the largest delta, to find the maniac of a monster. She went past the beautiful landscapes and the destroyed ones, past glittering lakes and empty craters, until she finally reached her destination.

Problems kept occurring with land and crops and had been for many years. But it could all be traced back to the destructive Deltamina, a monster of misery, bathing in sadness. He was a towering monster, with one glowing eye that glowed so fiercely that the great fires of Hell

There seemed to be nothing in the cave at first, but as she explored further, an eerie red glow seemed to sweep over things, and soon she came face-to-face with Deltamina.

He towered over her, storeys high and looked down on her like a puny ant. Her immediate thought was to plunge her sword into his body, but she stopped herself when she saw his elegant shape. So, she plunged it into the eye instead.

And right in front of her, a heavenly transformation happened. Instead of a monster, a man now stood before her.

“Thank you,” he said, his voice like the whisper of one fish to another, filled with joy. “You have done me a great favour today, by freeing me from terrible sins. I hope I will repay you someday.” And with that, he was gone.

So, back she went and where destruction once stood, the landscape returned, seemingly new. When she finally got back to her village, she was recognised as a true hero for killing Deltamina, but she never told anyone the real truth.

By Fraser Morgan

18

ITALIAN ADVENT

URE

“Course I do,” chuckled Sam. The two boys ran full pace down the big hill to look for the boat in the harbour. They finally found it and got inside.

It was a brown boat, with two small white sails. They put their supplies inside, then sailed off out to sea. After a while, they thought it must be time for a sandwich.

After hours of deadly silence, there was a loud THUMP! “Why did you just kick the boat?” Tom asked.

“I didn’t,” Sam argued back.

In a far-away town in Italy, called Vipetina, there lived a boy called Tony who had a very unhappy life. He was eleven years old and lived with his horrible, miserable father, who had a terrible illness. Tony loved adventures, but he was never allowed to go on them because his dad hated them.

They both looked over the edge of the boat and there, before their eyes, was the most beautiful beach you could ever imagine. The sun was blazing like a fireball and the water was as calm as someone asleep. Then, some rocks came sliding down a nearby cliff, like crumbs coming off a cake. The boys stopped arguing but were too excited to move from the boat. Eventually, they found the strength to get out, but they heard a clap of thunder.

One sad day, Tony’s father died and so Tony was sent to an orphanage. He hated it there because of the food and the other children bullied him. So, one night, he decided that he would climb out of the window and escape. On that day, a new boy had come to the orphanage called Sam. Sam was also eleven and he had also lived with his dad, until he had, quite suddenly, passed away. The two boys made friends and Tony decided he would ask Sam if he wanted to come with him on his journey to keep him company. Sam had agreed to go.

“We’d better run for it!” Sam shouted, “We’d better find shelter.”

In no time, they found a cave. Strangely, someone was in the cave and asked them, “Are you Tony and Sam?” “Ye, ye, ye, yes,” they stammered.

“Well, I’ve been told that one of you has a mum and she wants to see both of you.”

That night, they silently crept out through the window.

Obviously, they took supplies from the kitchen and put them into their rucksacks. Five hours later, the sun came up and they ate some of their supplies as they walked along.

This brightened the boys’ spirits. They said, “Thank you!” and then stepped out of the cave, not minding the heavy rain, and started walking.

The man shouted, “Keep going for miles and miles and you will get to a cottage.”

As they went over a hill, a little harbour was visible. Sam told Tony that his boat was there. Suddenly, a wonderful feeling came to both boys.

Suddenly, a terrible thing happened. Sam fell over, and when he made contact with the ground, the earth melted away and swallowed him up. Tony was left all alone.

“If the boat is yours, then we can go in it!” cried Tony excitedly. “Do you know how to sail?”

“Sam!” Tony shouted anxiously. “Are you OK?”

19

“Am I OK? I’m better than OK,” a voice shouted back. “Come right down here!” Sam yelled excitedly.

who had spoken.

So, Tony catapulted himself into the hole, then sprang back into the air.

Then, in front of them, they both saw the most horrible face they’d ever seen in their lives.

“It’s a trampoline!” Tony squealed, astonished.

“You’re coming with me,” the hag croaked.

“That’s not the best of it,” Sam announced.

“Let’s run for it!” shouted Tony.

“What’s better than this?” Tony asked.

Somehow, they managed to climb out of the hole, just in time. They quickly ran away. Hours later, as they were walking, they came to a cottage. They knew this was the cottage where one of the boys’ mums lived. They also knew that this was where they were going to live for the rest of their lives.

“I didn’t say anything,” said Sam.

“This,” Sam grinned.

Tony didn’t speak or move, just stood there motionless.

There in front of them was a tiny bit of gold. Every second, another, bigger bit of gold appeared on the floor.

“We’re rich!” shouted Tony.

And that is what they did!

“No, you’re not…” a mean voice croaked.

By George Sivills

“Yes, we are, Sam,” Tony argued, thinking that it was Sam

US TAPIR

THE HERBIVORO There was a time, a long time ago, when Tapirs were carnivorous. They would chase defenceless mice, or gobble up frightened butterflies. The rainforest they lived in was gargantuan. It was the Amazon. At this time, all the tapirs, tigers and Tasmanian-devils were meateaters. However, Tom Tapir, who was nine years old, was a vegetarian, an herbivore, a plant-eater, however you say it, he was it. No mouse could tempt him, no butterfly could taunt him.

even Tom heard it.

After running through prickly thorns, dodging the highly terrifying snap of the Venus Fly Trap and getting chased by a bunch of Bullet Ants, Tom finally found a safe bush to hide in. Then, he heard a fluttering sound and he saw six dainty feet… He looked up. An Atlas Butterfly hovered, looking down on Tom’s curved snout, muddy toenails and piggy tail.

Tom glanced at the butterfly before saying, “Er… hi?”

As our story begins, Tom once asked his best friend Tim, “Why can’t all tapirs be herbivores?” After that, the rumours spread like wildfire. Soon it reached the ears of King Jaguar of the Rainforest.

“Hello?” she replied.

“Down here. I’m the tapir.”

“I know that. Hiding from King Jaguar?”

“Get that Tapir! Search the land, search the water, search the sky!” King Jaguar commanded his Guard Gorillas, Geoff and George.

Tom nodded. “How do you know?”

“Oh, I heard it from miles away.” There was a short pause.

“The name’s Bjornita – the smartest butterfly ever!”

There was another short pause. “You need to defeat King Jaguar.”

They replied in a deep tone, “I think you can rule out the sky, Boss.”

“I don’t care! GET THAT TAPIR!” he yelled so loudly that

20

“With what?” Tom had no weapons to use.

flew backwards, heading for the open window…

“A flower.”

“AAAAA---CHOOOO!” He flew into the sky.

Tom made a confused face.

The Guard Gorillas, who had been told to search the sky, caught King Jaguar and, thinking it might be Tom Tapir, put him in the treehouse dungeon. Down there, it was cold and misty and smelly. So, the Gorillas filled up the smelly scented dungeon with more flowers.

“You’ll see. Just do it.”

Tom looked even more confused, but he grabbed a rose and sped off, heading towards the castle, which was really a treehouse, built on an unstable branch, with wooden stairs spiralling up towards the wooden house.

Bjornita promptly followed. The stairs had many splinters sticking out, but they managed to dodge them.

Tom Tapir was made King and he told all the other tapirs to be herbivores. He also appointed Bjornita to be a Princess and made the heroic flower a Prince.

But what happened to Geoff and George? Well, that’s a whole other story…

“Come in,” came a scratchy voice. They reluctantly scrambled inside.

By Benjamin Roberts

“I’ve brought you a flower,” Tom stuttered.

“A-a-a flower?” King Jaguar said. Then he sneezed and

HIPPOPOTAM

US

Head bobber, Heavy plodder, People killer, Slow swimmer, Mud roller, Peaceful sleeper, Boat eater.

By David Shirley

WINNER! 21

LEOPARD In the darkness of the night, Not a single speck of light, The leopard has unequalled skill And, without mercy, Takes the kill!

The forest is a battleground.

You may think the leopard dead, But this leopard is bright and brainy And knows what to do.

The leopard falls to the ground And the lion grounds and pounds!

They are about to eat him, Tearing from limb to limb.

The life of an owl Has been taken, As the leopard goes back to prowl, Walking as soft as a feather.

Then a fight breaks out.

Lions are about to die, Without a doubt.

Then a deafening roar!

He lies down in the grass As he sees the lion pass.

The lion stops to sniff the air, But still the leopard lies there, As still as a statue.

The leopard leaves the fight And he makes a dash for it.

He runs back home, Down into the pit‌‌

Then, as quick as lightning, The leopard flees, But not to bed, To fight, bite and kill!

By Henry Whitfield

Here comes the singing sun As he finishes his prowl, Ending with not too much fun A pack of lions finds him.

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

22

THE LONELY NARWHAL The ocean is cloudy, Murky with waste.

My eyes shine like lanterns Through beads and paste.

Then I hear someone Calling my name, Through the sea And I am warm on the inside with glee.

My horn cuts a bottle, Transparent and glass, While my body wavers Silently past.

A horn protrudes, We dance and play And I am not lonely, At least, not today.

I call out for friends With a high-pitched squeal, But all that I get Is one small seal.

The pack approaches That I can see My heart is a-swimming In lands full of joy.

My blubber and fat Keep me safe from the cold, But inside I fade, Not brave, not so bold.

But never swim with the boisterous boys The current will drag you Far, far away Don’t let them ruin your day.

A Narwhal is strong, No need for friends, My father did say And his life did end.

By Fraser Morgan

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

23

U

THE LIFE OF A RIVER

ROWING ON THE RIVER O SE

I have just been born from the rain.

I am heading down the mountain gracefully, Splashing boulders from side to side.

Then, I see a cliff and surf down a waterfall.

In my tummy, I feel the swimmers Lots of people diving in.

Then I join another river.

We twist and turn Until we meet the sea.

Racing through the countryside, In the middle of the town, Very fast in many places.

Every twist and turn a Rower’s challenge!

Off the edge of a lock, Under one of many bridges, Steady and slow as we reach the sea, Easing our way through the last bend.

By Sam Deardon

By Felix Beckman

SNAKE Snake…

Slimy, deadly, Killing, drifting, attacking, Venomous beast, Blood thirsty for prey.

Scary!

By Ruairi Cassell

24

IF I WERE A RIVER If I were a river, How beautiful I would be.

Lying on the seabed, I would feel free.

I wish I could have a friend, I only get a brat or two, As they all went and flew.

I hope I can flow to somewhere nice, Especially when it is busy, It would be especially nice If the place is a bit silly.

Lying on my back all day, All calm and very still, No crashing, no bashing, As I carry on to the sea.

So, there you are, I wouldn’t have much but a friend.

But the favourite part of the river Would be a tight bend, And I will be just that, The river in me.

I would be all lonely, No brats to say, “Hello.”

It would all be boring, As I flow to the sea and go.

If I were a river, I would flow to Paris.

“Off to the Eiffel Tower!”

I would call.

But nobody would answer, As the city stands proud and tall.

By Daniel Blight

RIVER POEM I was bobbing down the river, Like a kangaroo.

I was bobbing down the river, As the wind blew.

I was crashing, dashing down the river, Like a crazy bouncing ball.

I was crashing, dashing down the river, And I didn’t fall.

I was slowly drifting down the river, Like a turtle swimming.

I was slowly drifting down the river, And it was paradise.

By Ben Coomber

25

THE ARISTOCRATIC GOAT An aristocratic goat, All chubby and fat, He wears an enormous black top hat.

He eats all he can see, In the finest of restaurants that can be Pheasants and ducks, boar and bear.

Potato gratin?

Would he dare?

Laden with fat, Oozing with cream, This aristocratic goat Has quite a cuisine!

But the one thing he would not eat, Even though it was the most aristocratic food of the lot, Was caviar‌ I think he’s lost the plot!

This goat is most bizarre.

By Jamie Maling

THE RIVER The calm, peaceful river is the river that you want to see.

Up high, the wind blew, as fast as can be, The leaves drop calmly down on the lazy, still water, The trees rustled in the strong, ghostly wind.

The animals were as happy as the smiling sun.

I could see the broken and dangerous bridge.

The rocks were as strong as boulders.

The river was growing angry, like the strong wind.

She was furious now, Her water splashed and crashed, Her rage sprayed against the banks.

By William Mowe

26

THE DEADLY RIVER As the river flows, Grey rocks sit peacefully, Watching on the bank.

The rocks all alone, No water to play.

The river glows like a moonlit path.

She beckons us to come.

You can hear her.

The rocks sit sadly, Holding memories, Nightmares at the bottom, With all the dead bodies.

A lonely, treacherous place, The river holds dead bodies at his bed.

Beautiful, but deadly.

Then it was my turn.

Drowning deep I would be, The river full of strength and power.

This is where I meet my fate.

But now it is too late, As the river flows, No one will ever know.

The river turned turquoise, Like a chameleon.

The stones whispered wistfully, Warning in the dawn.

There were leaves resting upon the river’s shine.

But they are the lucky ones.

By Harry Townsend

27

THE RAPID RIVER

THE LIFE OF A RIVER

The rapid river, oh, the rapid river, How devil-like be he.

It crashes and smashes, While you pass the Alps, Singing a breath-taking rap.

It acts like the sky is a battle-ground.

But when it meets a waterfall, It will scream and try to pounce away, But it can’t escape, So, it just yelps, “Hey, do you want to play?”

It dives and twirls, Acting like a baby monkey.

Oh, rapid river, You are so crazy.

Then you meet with your big, old friend.

How I love to be a river.

I love lying on my back, The beautiful fish swimming inside me.

My riverbed makes a bendy track.

I love gushing, And trickling, I love whispering to the wind.

I love swirling Against the riverbanks.

I glisten in the moonlight And smile in the sunlight.

Oh, how I love to be me!

By Zach Whelan

By Oliver Verle

WHAT THE LEOPARD SAYS

KIWI KENNING

The leopard says a lot of things, But the biggest thing of all he says is…

No Flyer Quiet squeaker Foul smeller Stone pecker Fast sprinter Tool maker Worm eater Native New Zealander

He’d rather not be spotted, Or striped, or anything at all!

He’d rather be plain green Than be seen by hungry poachers And their ravenous guns!

He says he’d rather be fat like a goat Than be made into a nice fur coat!

By Benjamin Roberts

That is what the leopard says!

By Stanley Breed

28

THE RIVER Splash! Splash! Splash!

We are raindrops sliding down into the river, Steadily swimming under the bridge, Going down the river Slowly as a sea snail on the river bed.

Then we slowly get faster, Towards the white-water rapids, we go, Crashing and thrashing against the boats, Sucking us down Into the vortex of doom.

We go cracking and snapping Against the river bed.

Riding down into the sea, Silently slipping by, Now into the open sea, We are as free as can be.

By Noah Silk

29

Year 5

ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE The idea of time travel fascinates humans; the ability to peer into the past, or better still, to catch a glimpse of the future…

was on the island from which he had taken off!

He felt himself being overcome by exhaustion and a strange green mist began to form around his plane. He desperately clambered back aboard and felt the plane being lifted into the air by some mysterious force. Again, he felt himself rushing through the same vortex until, moments later, he emerged into a clear sky.

A gleaming plane sat on the runway of an island near Madagascar. At the controls, Captain Drake waited for clearance to take off. His flight of two and a half hours to Madagascar was a walk in the park for a pilot who had already flown solo around the world. Fearless, was how his friends described him. He looked up at the immense volcano streaked with hardened lava that sat like a giant guarding the runway.

Directly beneath him he could see the island of Madagascar.

He landed and wearily stepped onto the tarmac where he was greeted by airport staff.

“Captain, you weren’t supposed to arrive until 2pm!” they exclaimed.

“Flight 107, you are clear for take-off.”

The graceful plane sped down the runway like a bullet and was soon in the air. It was 11:30am. ‘Just another easy run,’ thought Captain Drake, and yet he could not shake off an uneasy feeling within him. Looking out of the cockpit, he gazed at the wide skies and the ocean beneath. “It looks just like it does on any other day,” he murmured.

“What time is it?” asked Drake.

“10 o’clock in the morning,” they replied.

To this day, no one knows how Captain Drake gained time.

By Ruben Jacob

All around, there were scattered clouds that pockmarked the sky, except for one perfectly circular cloud directly in front of him and that seemed to be coming towards the plane at fantastic speed. Captain Drake tried to veer away from the approaching cloud but he was unable to. He could feel a force drawing him into the cloud. The next thing he knew, he was in some sort of vortex, out of which he could see nothing, not even the wings of his plane! There was a blinding explosion of light and he lost consciousness.

He awoke to silence. He was slumped over the controls and his head throbbed. He seemed to have landed intact in a clearing. “Where am I?!” he asked himself. Dazed, he staggered out of the plane and looked around in wonder.

He saw before him an incredible scene of exotic plants, wild animals and, amazingly, a group of men dressed in animal skins and carrying spears! They were running towards a huge volcano that looked very familiar to Drake.

He realised, with shock, that it was the same volcano that

WINNER! 31

INTO THE CAVE...

I must have been in the coloured tornado for about thirty seconds before I hit the ground, hard and painfully. I hit some sort of marble path, well, more pebbly than marble.

Looking up I saw the most futuristic thing ever. A whole city with flying cars everywhere. I was surrounded by buildings patterned with electric circuit diagrams and loads of flying water-powered drones. Everyone seemed to wear jet boots; they were the fashion it appeared. I was so shocked, I fainted.

“Hmm, maybe you shouldn’t Leon,” I thought, quite dreamily. “Is there even a point in going into that spooky and dangerous looking cave?” I had a bit of arachnophobia back then. I was afraid of small as well as big spiders.

“Whuuuh!” It made me shiver just thinking about one.

“Ok,” I decided, “I’m going to go into this spooky cave, and thank God if I make it out alive and unbitten!” Slowly and carefully I walked into the cave – it was surprisingly dry. I had expected it to be really drain-like, slippery and mouldy. It wasn’t bad at all!

When I woke up I decided to change my old-fashioned clothes so as to blend in more. I walked around town looking at the strange but quite cool fashion. I had £20 and I wanted to spend it on some epic clothes, so I walked into the nearest clothes shop. I was nervous at first, and, stupidly, thought I might look a bit retro and vintage.

“Wow, that’s really bright,” I thought. “Where would a bright light like that come from?” It was obvious that this wasn’t from the entrance as I was too far away.

“Excuse me,” I said nervously, to the really futuristically dressed shop owner, who looked about nineteen.

“Yes,” he said, coolly, spinning to face me. “What would you like to buy? And, er, why are you dressed like you are from 2017?”

“I went to a retro fancy dress party?” I said embarrassedly.

I grabbed the nearest clothes and went into the changing room, but the electric door hit my head and I fell unconscious for the second time that day.

I awoke in my bed, or so I thought. As I looked around the room, the bedroom door opened, and another me walked in! Our eyes met… Ahhhhh!

Slowly, carefully, I crept nearer to the mystifying, but attractive bright light. When very close to the light, I realised the source was a puzzling looking transparent ice coloured orb. I touched it, but in that split-second I found myself spinning around. Wind whooshed around me and I found myself in a sort of purple, green, red and blue tornado.

By Gabriel Almeida

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

32

THE MYSTERY MACHINE I was so excited; today was the day that I was moving into my new house. I heard from the neighbours next door that a strange old man had lived in the house before and that he was an inventor and had made lots of crazy inventions. I walked into the house and nearly exploded with excitement. I was so happy to be finally moving in.

When I had finished exploring the house, I went out into the garden to look around. At the bottom of the garden was a cornfield. Over the top of the cornfield I could see the roof of another building; I made my way through the field and found a huge barn.

machine? Is that what has happened? If so I could travel anywhere, backwards or forwards in time. This was all too much, too weird and completely mind-blowing. Just think of how much money I could save on booking flights; I could take all my family and friends on holiday; I could travel into space, maybe even a different universe! I could see if there really are aliens, or if there is any life on Mars. The list is endless. But first, I needed to figure out how to operate this time machine and get myself back home to the year 2017…

By Charlie Wallis

As I pushed open the broken door of the barn, it was dark inside. I searched for a light and luckily found a switch.

When I turned it on, there in front of me was something huge, but it was covered over by a dust sheet. I pulled off the cover and underneath there was the most amazing, round shiny, sparkling metal machine, with a small door.

Wanting to know what was inside, I started to push a lot of the buttons on the outside; orange, green, red and blue lights were flickering on and off, and suddenly, the door opened. I stepped inside and the door shut quickly behind me. Now I was scared – what had I done?

I started to panic and began pushing and pulling all the buttons in front of me on the inside, hoping to open the door again so that I could get out. There were buzzing noises, whirring sounds and a very loud ticking noise.

Finally, the door opened and I quickly ran out of the machine, out of the barn, through the cornfield and the garden, back to the house.

My legs were shaking. I walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water; while I was drinking the water, I spotted a picture in a frame on the windowsill. It was a picture of me, but I was much older and was with a woman and two children, both boys. How was this possible? I was confused.

Wait a minute, it’s all starting to make sense now: the old man, his inventions, the barn, the shiny machine … a time machine! Oh my goodness, could it really be a time

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

33

UNTFITCHET CASTLE

LIFE IN MO

Smoke billowed like a dancing dragon from the homes and work sheds of Mountfitchet Castle. The guards strode along the palisade, quietly chatting in the cold night sky.

The moon was a huge eye staring down. The gentle cluck of the chickens seemed loud in the silent night. Life was hard for many people in the castle, except for the Lord and his family. A wonderful smell began to trail from the windows of the great house. The Lord was tucking into a huge feast of many different foods. A boar’s head was placed on a plate, along with apples, hams, ducks and geese. The Lord licked his fingers and stroked his huge dog, lying under the table. His servants were busy, serving and clearing, pouring and carving his meal. Upstairs in his bedroom, his wooden bed was covered in hides used as blankets. His cat guarded the door.

mushing sound was heard coming from the Brewer’s shed and a sweet smell of mead and wine came from it. He was making mead for the Lord and he had worked through the night, so that it could cool. Stacks of barley and bunches of grapes hung from the ceiling. Loud snoring echoed off the walls in the peasants’ homes. They were still asleep, cuddled up with their animals to keep warm. One man kept the fire going with bits of wood. He sported dirty rags and a battered hat.

The sun began to rise and the noise of the animals grew.

A commotion of squawks was heard from the chicken coops as a man threw corn for their breakfast. The baker was making bread and the cook was smoking a pig for the Lord’s lunch. The surgeon opened for business.

The fishermen were on the river banks with their nets, catching fish. Hawks circled the woods where there were pheasants and deer and wild boar and the oxen ploughed the fields…

There was now a thick mist hanging around the castle. A clanging was heard from the blacksmith’s workshop, as he was busy at work. He was forging weapons for the soldiers.

It was hard work and the smoke got into his lungs. A

By Arthur Polhill

34

THE BATTLE OF THE GRAZED KNEE

Jack White was a pretty normal guy. So were most of his

There they saw it … a huge looming grazed patch of skin dominating everything around it – the graze! The White Cell Troopers stepped out of the vein and Jack ran to the front, crouching down, aiming his nutrient launcher at the target. Something moved at the edge of the graze – a bacteria. Jack instantly opened fire and hit the bacteria square in the face – splat! He felt proud of himself.

Suddenly, that feeling got wiped away, as there was a screech and bacteria swarmed through the graze at all sides and the white blood cells opened fire.

friends. Jack went to the shops; he liked meeting up with his friends, drinking beer and playing sports. But when disaster struck, Jack went straight into action.

One day Jack’s world got pretty shaken up. His “world” happened to be a middle-aged man called Simon who fell off his racing bike one Sunday morning. He tried to get off his bike whilst his shoes were still clipped in. Jack White was a white blood cell, or a ‘White Cell Trooper’. Some of Jack’s friends were WCTs too, but most were red ones. Jack thought that his job was better than the red blood cells’ job because they just carried oxygen around Simon’s body (and Simon needed a lot of it to use his bike). Jack’s job (and the job of his WCT friends) was to defend Simon’s body against dastardly infection and bacteria.

As they fired bolt after bolt of super nutrients, bacteria were pushed back more and more. Finally, the WCTs were victorious and there was a nice little scab over the graze.

But then, the worst struck. Simon had been having an urge to pick his scab for a long time now, and that urge took control. His finger curled towards his graze and then it connected. The ground shook violently as the scab peeled slowly. Suddenly, the vein exploded! A mass of red blood rushed quickly out of the vein! Luckily, help was at hand.

Simon’s wife was a nurse, saw what was going on, and gave him some cotton wool and a plaster, enabling the White Cell Troopers to go home and put their feet up. What a day!

Simon’s injury was a grazed knee – one of the worst kinds.

It was vulnerable to bacteria in so many ways, bearing in mind Simon’s street was so dirty. So, Jack and his White Cell Trooper friends were alerted immediately. They picked up their nutrient launchers. If you don’t know, nutrient launchers are small gun-type things that are powered by the vitamins in the food Simon eats. Luckily, Simon is a big carrot fan, and he had eaten plenty of nutrients that week. So, back to the story – as they turned off the main artery (the highway) into the last vein, they prepared for battle …

By Charlie Eggleton

35

THE FROST I open my curtains and to my surprise, see That the Ice Queen has visited me!

The pond is now a sparkly ice rink And the grass has a glittery layer of diamonds.

Dad’s car has a coating of icing sugar And the driveway is as slippery as an ice lolly.

Up high on the house, Cold glass fingers hang down from the gutters.

I put on my warm clothes and boots To crunch on the long slippery path.

I breathe out dragon breath and watch the sun As it chases the Ice Queen away!

By Oliver Simmonds

WINNER! 36

THE FO

UR SEASONS AND THE FIVE SENSES Winter, the season to start the year.

The snow falling from the sky, Making the sound of pitter patter on the road.

The feel of warm gloves and the chill of the snow.

The trees with no leaves, dancing in the wind, Showing off with their long dark twigs.

The taste of yummy gingerbread And the smell of hot chocolate filling the house.

Spring, the second season.

The sight of flowers opening to the bright sun, The touch of opening Easter Eggs and the smell of a barbeque, The sound of birds singing and frogs croaking.

Summer, the third season.

The smell of fresh air running like a leopard, The sight of the bright sun smiling down on you And the touch of wet soggy sun cream.

The sound of an ice cream van Driving down the road The taste of the ice cream itself, Swimming down your throat.

Autumn, the fourth and final season.

The sight of brown leaves on the trees, Swaying in the dark.

The touch of wet damp grass And the juicy taste of black berries.

The sound of swishing water going down the stream, The smell of cold crisp air filling the outside.

It’s the end of the year, time to go.

Tomorrow it will be a new year all over again.

By Alfie Gittins

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

37

WEATHER I am a strong tornado, Ripping apart your home.

I am so powerful, I will break the glass dome.

Now fear me.

I am a bright sunny sky, Giving warmth to the day, Letting children play outside.

Brown and yellow goes the hay, So, let’s play.

I am a big hurricane, Your windows will shatter Because my winds are too strong.

I’m a big batter, Smashing you for six.

By Edward Dagg

I am a huge thunderstorm, Lighting the dark blue sky, Electrocuting people.

It is you I terrify, Rampaging down the street.

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

DAZZLING THE S Dazzling the sun, Jumping from the sea, Smile on her golden face.

Arms extended across the sky, Finger tips touching the plants, Warming the air with her glare.

Dazzling the sun, Walking, walking, Arms extended, enfolding the world.

Shining, shining, Like a mum loves her son.

Dazzling the sun, A mum with love.

By Brooklyn Fu

38

UN

WATER POEM Water, water, lurking dead, Searching, searching everywhere, Splashing, sploshing, wetness flying, Water, water, mysterious fluid.

Water, water, the life source, Needed. Death would come if lost.

Changing, changing, every minute, Water, water, refreshing cold.

Water, water, transparent moisture, Gases, liquids, solids, all.

Hiding in the deepest places, Water, water, try to catch up.

Water, water, the life source, Water, water, transparent cold, Water, water, mysterious fluid, Water, water, lurking dead.

By Harry Clifton

39

ANIMAL POEM

THE EVIL BOX

The snake is a deathly beast, He finds and catches prey, Nobody notices as he goes, Slithering every day.

I will put in the box…

The cold danger of high mountains, The vicious sting of a jellyfish And the frightening clash of lightning.

The parrot is a happy bird, Repeating all your words, He goes aboard the pirate ships, And flies up with the birds.

I will put in the box…

The horrible sight of flame red blood, The terrifying tug of swirling tornadoes And the hopelessness of long-lasting wars.

The fish is a swift creature, Swimming through the sea, Caught with fishing net, A pet for you and me.

I will put the box…

The fearfulness of sharp-toothed sharks, The strange movement of horrible spiders And eye-threatening, blinding lights.

The sloth is so super slow, Climbing through the trees, Living in the rain forest, With toes, but only three.

I will put in the box…

The fear and loneliness of the dark, The growing tension of tidal waves And the sudden time of death.

By Arthur Polhill

By James Robertson

SEA, FIRE AND LIGHTNING The sea is a knight, A water warrior, A shark, swimming like a missile, A seahorse, sliding though the ocean, A school of fish, swimming in the coral.

Lightning is a huge bolt of light, A giant thunder crackle, Like a roaring animal Striking down on Earth.

By Edward Foley

The fire is a bowl of burning lava, A burning acid, An arrow, enchanted with hellfire, A living devil.

40

ANIMAL SO

UND HAIKUS

Sitting in the trees Are blackbirds whistling softly, Singing special songs.

Down by the river Are ducks quacking, with delight, At the new ducklings.

Deep in the burrow Are rabbits eating dinner, Smiling at their friends.

High in the treetops Are monkeys having great fun, Playing swinging games.

Above the blue sea Are seagulls staring at fish, Flying to the land.

All of these creatures Have as much right to live As every human‌

By Olly Wright

41

UN

THE S Brightly the sun…

The sun looks happy as it comes out to play, The sun stretches its arms of warmth.

Sadly the sun…

The sun’s sad face as it looks up at the gloomy sky, The sun looks miserable as it hides in the clouds.

Brightly the sun…

The sun’s eyes of burning light Stretch across the savannah.

The sun sits still As it watches the children play.

Sadly the sun…

The sun sits, looking, But, there is no one to play with.

The sun is getting angry As rain crashes on his head.

Brightly the sun…

The sun is smiling As it runs around the world.

The sun burns the backs of people sun bathing.

Sadly the sun…

The sun closes his eyes with fear, As thunder booms in the dark.

The sun hides in his wardrobe As he hears the lightning punching the trees.

Brightly the sun…

Sadly the sun…

By David Wiltshire

42

FO

UR SEASONS POEM

Shrubs are sprouting On the plain, Flowing water holes Begin to drain.

The dust is rising from the grave, Dancing and singing in the rain, The rivers are filling, The holes begin to flood, The King of the land shakes his mane.

The ground begins to crack, The sky turns to the sea, The elephant suffers In the season of the bee.

The icy frost snakes across the land, The trees are looking oh so bland, The water’s spirit is lost in ice, The buffalo are crying for a hand.

The sun’s a giant eyeball, The plants begin to die, The antelope just has no shade, He’s staring into the sky.

Snow is falling like material, Ready to add to the carpet On the plains of Africa.

If you were there I tell you, there’s nothing to be heard Apart from the stamping of the herd.

The fires are starting, The heat is deadly, The vultures are swirling Overhead.

By Arthur Proctor

The beating buds venture from shade The plants are drooping right back down, The clouds are turning into night, Shading the ground like a gown.

WEATHER This is Winter, The time that is snowy and cold, It’s as cold as ice, It’s a time when the sun dies.

This is Summer, When the sun shines, It’s as hot as lava, Hear the world whine.

This is Spring, The time when flowers grow, It’s as beautiful as paradise, It’s a time when the wind blows.

This is Autumn, The time leaves dive, It’s as windy as a fan, It’s time for the clouds to arrive.

By Akshat Buddineni

43

UND POEM

CLOCK SHOP SO

When I walk into a clock shop I hear....

The pressing of the fob watch crowns, The ticking of the ornate clocks, The changing of the moon phases, The turning of the locks, The ringing bell of the opening door, The ‘kerr-ching’ of the cash-till, The clinking of the single and double Albert chains, The panging of the metal T-bar, The sweeping of the quartz minute hands, The starting and stopping of the timer dials, The right and left turn of the tiny date window, The sad sighs of people as The man turns the open sign to closed.

That is what I hear…

By Gabriel Almeida

WINTER It’s winter again.

The giant tree Rustles its leaves And there are no bees.

Soon the snow’s melting, The children are sad, It’s getting hotter, The parents feel bad.

In the howling wind There are winter coats, It’s quiet outside, There are no boats.

The sun is blinding, The birds sing, Goodbye Winter, Welcome Spring

It’s Christmas day!

With happy sounds The lights sparkle like the sun There are no bounds

By William Gallagher

Soon it’s snowing, It’s like falling crystals, The children sledge, It’s so mystical.

44

THE SEA When I dive under the blue waters, Seaweed dances from side to side, The fish are running from their hunter, The waves roll in on the tide.

The colourful vast blue ocean, The treasures are as golden as the sun, Water is as clear as crystals, Playing at the seaside is so much fun.

The eye-catching colours of the reef, Fish dancing in and out of the rocks, Frons of coral wave graciously, Multi-coloured, just like my socks.

I emerge from the azure waters, I reflect on all that I’ve seen, Dreaming of the sunken treasures, Remembering the wonderful scene.

By Shayen Patel

45

SHARK Fins as powerful as a tiger, As fast as a rocket, Waiting, like a seeking missile To launch onto my prey.

Teeth as sharp as a razor-sharp knife, Stream-lined body for speed, Tail curved for agility, Eyes looking out for prey.

No sunlight in my dark sharky life, Cutting through the waters Like a skier down a steep slope, Eating my prey again.

Then I am caught in a big net, Taken to the shore, Cut into pieces And eaten by rich men .

By James Dagg

THE STORM The storm rages high, Nowhere to go, Takes all the houses, But leaves no snow.

Falling trees, Collapsing house, Lost all vegetation, Run like a mouse.

Like a racing monster, Men all dead, Lightning strikes, Nothing to be said.

Striking down people, Clouds so dense, Trains are stopped Children so tense.

Taking down planes, Creating a huge wave, Stealing loads of cars, It’s hard work to help and save.

By Alex Davis

46

THE RAINFOREST Deep in the jungle, The snake is ready to strangle its prey, Saving it to eat Until another day.

JUNGLE No person lives there It is so scary, So dark so wet.

This is the jungle, So scary, no one come here.

Like an abandoned town in the wild.

The trees sway like old women Shouting at some children As they play on her land.

Sitting in the trees, An eagle awaits, Ready to dive down And grab its prey, Snatching it and feeding its young.

By Oscar Barker

A jaguar is scavenging for dead bodies That were killed weeks ago And were not eaten.

THE KOMODO DRAGON The deathly, dark, dangerous dragon Kills many innocent people.

Shouting, screaming he goes, As he gnashes at his jaws.

He is as strong as a tank, With razor sharp teeth, Big eyes like the moon, His tail is like a slithering snake That curls up and strangles its prey.

By Max Quince

47

THE MAGMA WOLF It felt like Hell was opening its gates for the last time.

The lava chased children down the streets As a huge volcanic rock jumped out of its mountain.

The volcanic rock was twelve times the size of me.

I hid in the attic, as the gurgle of the magma Burned the pavement stone.

I could feel the heat drowning out the cold Winter day, It felt like Winter was leaving the town.

Soon houses were burning to the ground, Streets were disappearing, People were being buried alive, Families were being separated.

Soon the only emotion was fear.

Citizens were fleeing their homes, Lives, like trees, were burning, As a magma wolf took us to Hell!

By Jake Biffa

I AM SCARED OF THE SEA I am scared of the sea, Help me, please, It is bigger than me, I will get hypothermia.

I am scared of the sea, The sharks have sharp teeth, They will eat me, I will not be able to escape.

I am scared of the sea, It has a large mouth, The fish are scary, The sea covers most of the world.

I am scared of the sea, Help me, please, It is bigger than me, I will get hypothermia.

By Ethan Summers

48

ANIMAL SO

UNDS

The snapping of the crocodile, The flapping of the bat, The scurrying of the big mouse, The scratching of the cat.

The bubbling of cute fishes, The ribbit of the toad, The hobbling of the big chicken, Walking across the road.

The trumpeting of the elephants, The burping of the frog, The swinging of cheeky monkeys, The barking of the dog.

Imagine a world with no sound, Just eerie deathly towns, We should all be thankful For all these wonderful sounds.

The slithering of the cobra, The squawking of the parrot, The nibbling of the guinea pig, On the lettuce and carrot.

By Tanay Rai

UAKE

EARTHQ

THE STORM The storm, as mighty as can be, Blackens all the sky, Hurling destructive lightning bolts, Killing as it goes by.

The ground shook.

It felt like Hell was opening its gates once more.

I hid under my bed, I didn’t want to go to its core.

The storm, as mighty as can be, Pulls trees out of the ground, Playing with them, like big play toys, And tossing them around.

I was so scared As houses collapsed to the ground, It was the sound of the devil himself, Ringing out.

The storm, as mighty as can be, Roars with all his power, Making loads of tornados, They blossom like a flower.

I ran from under my bed And out into the street, The sound was terrifying, Like thousands of drumming feet.

The storm, as mighty as can be, Making you risk your life, For this storm will hurt you, It is as deadly as a knife.

Suddenly, there was a crash!

I ran, unable to shout, As everything toppled And my light went out.

By Charlie Eggleton

By Rufus Thwaite

49

MO

UNTAINS

THE WORLD

In the heights of the world, Soaring high in the clouds, Drizzled in snow and cold, Mountains…

The storm is rolling in, Be warned!

The wolves howl As it gets closer, closer.

Eagles flying by their sides, Animals below staring up, Men attempting to climb high, Mountains…

The fog walks as slowly as a snail, Slowly dominating the city, Pulling people into it.

Lightning crashing, Rain pouring, The tears of the Gods.

Like needles in the sky, Higher and higher, Taller and taller, Mountains…

The wind sings its melancholy song In this disastrous world.

By Finley Adams

What else will happen after this?

By Abhinav Iarala

UNDS OF SCHOOL

SO

A man came to our school today, Dressed all in black and white, Packed all our sounds into a bag And took them home at night.

The sticking of the glue, The ringing of the fire bell, The tapping of the ruler, The snipping of the scissors.

The crunching of the toast, The waving of the jelly, The chewing of the pen, The squeaking of the rubber.

A man came to our school this morning, He took our noises away, I hope I don’t see him again, But he might return one day.

The kicking of the ball, The shouting of the teachers, The rave about the game, The squeaking of the white board.

By Alex Hammond

50

Year 6

ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE It was 2020 and Malcolm, a twelve year old boy, was playing FIFA on his own at home. Malcolm was quite lazy and addicted to video games. His parents, Mike and Ruby, were out in the garden, arguing about bulbs to be planted.

his body. A dazzling green light followed and Malcolm realised that this magical football experience was only temporary as he felt himself being hurled back out of FIFA and into his bedroom, in front of the television screen, yet again.

Malcolm was playing Barcelona versus Real Madrid and was shouting loudly because he was in charge of Real Madrid and they were losing 2-0. Malcolm was consumed

by FIFA; it had taken over his life as he played it in every spare minute he had. He cried if he conceded a goal, even if he was winning 6-1!

Malcolm was utterly confused about all of this. Was it a dream or had it actually happened? Did he have special powers but did not realise? Malcolm was stunned. His parents put their heads around his door and looked puzzled. “Are you alright, Malcolm? You look very pale!”

Malcolm told them that he was ok but, privately, he could not stop thinking about what had happened. He would never forget that special moment when he was Cristiano Ronaldo. Sadly, nothing like this ever happened again.

If only he could recreate that other time and place once more!

Malcolm glanced out of the window at half time and the sky looked very grim and grey as if something strange was about to happen. He felt a shiver go down his spine. He dismissed it, however, and carried on with his game.

Suddenly, a bright, almost blinding, green light appeared out of the television screen and sucked Malcolm, like a wild venomous snake, into FIFA and the match! He took the place of Cristiano Ronaldo and started sprinting down the line almost like a cheetah on the loose! The ball was passed to him by Toni Kroos and, on his first touch, Malcolm kicked the ball into the top left corner of the net.

He was amazed by the superb skill he had shown and put into action! The roar of the crowd was exhilarating and he felt on top of the world. He never wanted this glorious moment to end!

By Jack Harte

The match then ended. What an experience for Malcolm; he was made Man of the Match by the commentator, Jamie Carragher and was interviewed by various international sporting channels. Malcolm went back into the changing room and received “high fives” from all of his teammates.

Malcolm wanted to make the most of the occasion and sat, almost in a trance, reflecting on the match. He then realised he was alone. He asked himself out loud, “Is this real? Am I now a super Real Madrid star footballer? I can’t believe I am!”

Just then, he felt a surge of power and a whoosh of air to

WINNER! 52

JOURNEY TO PLANET GUEVIS The year is 2400 and technology has come to a point where we can travel to planets hundreds of light years away. Humans have spotted a new planet. They have done some research and are going to send a group of highly trained people to build a habitable city. The planet is called Guevis.

surprise, the beast also stopped and just looked at them.

Maybe he wasn’t going to eat them. Maybe he wanted to play.

Lewis slowly walked over to the beast.

“Hello. Do you speak?” he said.

To everyone’s surprise, the beast could speak. He said his name was Martie. Martie and his family had been transported to this lost planet twelve years ago, when their space ship got hit by a meteor. No one else had survived. Martie was so lonely for friends to play with because all his family had died. He was the only one left.

Guevis has a breathable atmosphere and a layer of ice that is nearly 100km deep. Under it, there is a sea and, every twelve hours, water shoots out and blows into the atmosphere.

Lewis and his team – Tomas, Peter, Jack and Tom are all on their way to Guevis. Their mission is a one-way ticket because the thrusters won’t have enough fuel to get back to Earth. So, they need a lot of resources. After a year and a half, they finally arrive at Guevis and see the thick layer of ice. They find a good place to build and start putting up their tents. Then they started to explore the area.

Martie showed the group the ice cave where he lived.

Everyone decided it was a better place to make camp.

They all lived together for a year and became best friends.

Together, they built the first space station on Guevis, with lots of facilities. They sent out space waves, welcoming space travellers to their planet.

They saw a big white creature and it started to chase them.

They all started to run. It had six legs and yellow eyes, very longe teeth and a purple tongue. He looked like he wanted to eat them! Suddenly, Peter fell and everyone stopped running to help him. However, much to everyone’s

After another five years, Planet Guevis became known as the planet to stop at for fun and a holiday. But bring a hat and some gloves!

By Luke Pollen-Brooks

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

ALIEN ATTACK That morning, Jack woke up before his brother for a change. But when Toby awoke, he started pushing Jack around, as usual.

the stairs. Suddenly, a wormhole appeared and Jack disappeared into it.

“Woah… Where am I?” Jack exclaimed. Whoosh… “Is that a flying car?!” Jack gasped.

“Leave me alone, Toby!” said Jack.

“Yep,” said a stranger. “Are you new around here or something? What’s your name?”

Toby grabbed Jack by the t-shirt and threw him down

53

“Jack. And you?”

wore a black suit.

“Liam,” the stranger replied. “Come with me,” he said and started to show Jack around Starfish Lane.

“Why do you want to escape?” asked Jack.

“They torture us and use us as slaves to build their weapons,” cried Dilabaje.

“Hang on… This is where I live! What’s the year?”

There was a loud BANG!

“So, does that mean you know where to go and how to defeat the Alien King?” Liam asked.

“What was that?” said Jack.

“Yes, I do…” Dilabaje said.

“An attack by the aliens. We need to grab an ice gun – quick!” They ran into a house and grabbed a couple of guns. “Let’s go!” shouted Liam.

So, they flew all the way to the alien base – a big, black and white building with green windows through which you could see all the Brakos working.

He fired his ice gun and froze an alien. But there were loads more coming!

Suddenly, a UFO sucked their car up.

“2076 of course,” Liam said…

“Get in the car, quickly,” said Liam.

Liam shouted, “On three, we jump out and fire! OK… 1…

2… 3… Attack!”

“Seriously? A flying car?” Jack replied. They jumped in and flew off. “Wow, even the car has ice guns!” he said, amazed.

Boom! Bang! Splat! They froze all the aliens, but one – the King.

Boom! Smash! Ratter-tatter! They carried on freezing aliens from above.

“Mwahahaha!” laughed the King Alien. With one hand, he threw Jack to the ground.

“This is fun,” Jack said.

“Ouch!” Jack cried. The pain was so bad, he thought he must have broken his arm.

“Trust me, mate, it’s not,” Liam responded.

“Arghhh!” they both screamed.

Liam then managed to freeze one of the King’s legs and Dilabaje froze the other. With his good arm, Jack fired straight into the King’s chest and that was the end of him…

“What do you want?” said Liam to the Brako.

“Yes!” said Jack.

“My name is Dilabaje. I am escaping from those aliens.”

Dilabaje freed the other Brakos and sent them back to their own planet.

“Boo!” Suddenly, an alien ceature called a Brako appeared in front of them.

Dilabaje had a flat nose, orange eyes, a pink body and

Suddenly, Jack spotted the wormhole again and jumped…

He landed and exclaimed, “Nothing has changed!”

“Of course it hasn’t,” replied Toby, looking confused.

“But I went to the future!” Jack said.

“Sorry, Bro, that knock must have been bad. Come on, let’s have breakfast.”

By Leo Butler

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

54

THE STORM Lightning wind, Thunder tractor, Burning rage, World crusher.

Brutal warning, Sea crasher, Man melter, Death hunter.

As mean as a lion, As angry as a bull, As loud as a wolf, As dangerous as a dagger.

Like an elephant in the sky, Like a tiger turning red, Like a fire flaming up, Like a tank loading through.

An elephant stamping on its prey, An eagle soaring through the sky, A lion hiding in the lands, A rhino charging through a desert.

A bull crashing through its path, A wolf feared across the lands, A horse that never ever stops, Death running through the skies.

By Hari Mistry

WINNER! 55

AFRICAN SAFARI An African safari is a place full of fun, Animals lying under the blazing sun, Tourists stare at the dangerous beasts, Inspecting them with binoculars.

Lions roar under the scorching heat, Hippos soak in the muddy mulch, Crocodiles kill with their sharp teeth, Chimps swing between the tall trees.

Rhinos charge through the open fields, Elephants stomp across the endless desert, Giraffes stand and rip the leaves off the trees, Cheetahs sprint and hunt down their prey.

The safari trucks drive on the off-road, Exploring the mighty place, They pass by the ferocious hyenas, And the giant, muscular gorillas.

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

By Ivan Iankov

THE SEA The Sea is a vast abyss, Too vast too tell.

Whirlpools and maelstroms, Cover its surface, Dragging sailors and ships To Hell.

In the deepest depths Of the sea, There are unnatural creatures, Alien to our world, They glow and they shine, Like stars in the sky, Yet these fish shall never see the sky, Some are blind, All, lost in the darkness of The sea‌

Beneath the surface Of the sea, Lie shoals and flocks Of every fish And coral and plant-life And crowns of thorns, Where the coral corpses lie.

By Finn Montgomery

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

56

LIFE IN THE TROPICAL; RAINFOREST Something is swinging on the trees Then I realise it is…

Monkeys.

Making banging noises, Screeching at their highest pitch, Echoing through the dark, Gloomy forest, Wet and damp.

It’s pouring with rain.

The last few days, Have been the same.

The animals awake from their Deep, deep sleep.

When they awake, The sound of their feet Makes the ground shake.

And the noises sound like: A volcano erupting, A house crumbling, And the monkeys tumbling Down the steep hill.

The dark brown trees display their beautiful Lime green leaves With crinkles and vines And the birds sing A song.

Then the lizard catches its prey.

By Tom Ferrari

THE DEMON VOLCANO The deep sleeper finely awakens, The people of this town are scared for their lives, As the demon starts filling with boiling lava, Families get ready to leave their homes, The demon starts spewing out his hot cherry red lava.

Slowly eroding, They’re gone Burned like wood, It leaves no survivors to come back, Blood splats everywhere, Families are in horror.

Avalanching down, Spreading everywhere, Melting victims down below, Terrorising them with his burning grin, It erodes the city, one by one, Houses are no more.

The demon guzzler finishes his mighty parade of death, Roaring his mighty laugh, As the deep sleeper goes back to his monstrous home, Wondering when he will strike next…

By Zach Cumming

57

MY FIRST |VISIT TO SPACE

ATLANTIS

When we got through the atmosphere, And entered a new magical realm, I got my first glimpse of space.

It’s something that I’ll remember, It’s a simply dashing place.

Atlantis is a dying mystery, People shout and scream as the city falls, The walls crumble And the floor rumbles As the city falls down.

The stars surrounding the Galaxy, They twinkle in everlasting light, While the planets slowly orbit the sun.

It’s something that makes me emotional, It is also quite fun.

Atlantis is a dying mystery, It will never be seen again, It will be under the sea for thousands of years, Waiting to be found.

Atlantis is a dying mystery, And yet people risk their lives to see it, Maybe it’s not there, Maybe people are still living in it, The lost city of Atlantis.

Then I step foot on the moon, A very special moment indeed, After all, I am only 13!

Then the alarm clock started beeping, And that concluded my dream.

By Milan Wallis-Patel

By Shaun Thomas

ACROSTIC SPACE POEM Saturn is seen with a glowing faint ring, with a black background of darkness.

Pluto - a blue freezing icicle on the edge of the galaxy.

Asteroid balls fly towards Earth like eagles.

Comets zoom like endless fireworks across the midnight sky.

Endless space, the galaxy of yellow, bright stars, like fire.

An alien green lump of goo, with two eyes and a mouth.

Light - speed, glowing like a fire-breathing dragon.

Ignition has just taken place, as a rocket ship lights up like a fire.

Explosions are happening as a meteor hits the moon like an F1 car.

Neptune - green and blue, like an alien with smoking fumes.

By Jamie Welch

58

MY ANIMAL NAT

URE POEM

Here I am In my black Rover, Looking at all the wildlife.

Oh, how I wish I was…

A gazelle, happily eating grass And prancing around in the meadows.

Oh, how I wish I was…

A leopard, sneaking up on its prey And snatching it, arrogantly, Ripping it to pieces.

But, oh, I am so glad I’m not…

Because something could be stalking me Unexpectedly!

By Shaun Wood

Oh, how I wish I was…

A cheetah, running at the speed of light, Chasing a little, brown hare.

THE NAT

URAL WORLD

THE SEA

The Thunder is clapping, Crocodile jaws are snapping, A volcano is going to erupt.

The sea sieges over the sand, People run for their lives As the tsunami terrorises the city.

Boats and planes disappear in the Bermuda Triangle, Scuba divers explore the great barrier reef, The white horses crash over the fish, The turquoise water is infested with snorkelers, The ships capsize because of the100ft waves, Dolphins and whales play in their under-water world, Fish lay their spawn, Sharks catch their prey, Huge fishing boats trawl, Catching hundreds of fish in their nets.

The Nile is flooding, Elephants’ feet are thudding, The world is starting to corrupt.

Having a lot of wonderful times, Monkeys swinging from the vines, Earthquakes shaking all around.

Poachers are killing, Bees are stinging, The Amazon, razed to the ground.

Trees are dying, Birds are flying, The earth is scorched dry.

By Oliver French

Temperature is rising, Chameleons are disguising, If destruction continues, All will die.

By William Reddy

59

THE WHIRLYWIND AND ITS BROTHER Suddenly, there was a loud crash As the trees were rooted out of their soil, Grass and plants were flung into the air And houses ripped past, All for the new beast of the city – the Whirlywind.

It was back again, For another destructive time.

It was going to win once and for all And get everything it desired, Everything it wanted And everything it wanted to destroy…

Its feet, like scythes, ripped up the road, And teeth, like knives, tore up the souls of innocent people.

It was going to leave the city with one final thing – Destruction, always destruction.

But just as he was about to finish the city With one final blow, His brother rushed in And made the healthy buildings And everything around them Tumble to the ground.

The mighty Whirlywind saw its brother For the last time As it, itself, collapsed And ended the darkness around the world.

The Whirlywind had finally revealed its secret, His brother was stronger, More fierce And more evil than any other.

Now the Whirlywind’s brother was going to finish the world!

(This poem is based on Florida, America.)

By Alex Hall

60

!

THE MONSTRO The monstrous volcano Spews lava from the ground, Burning his victims below.

It makes people scared As it towers above them, Tormenting them With his flaming smile.

US VOLCANO When it’s all over, When everything is gone, Leaving no survivors, The volcano starts to cool.

The magma sinks back Into its fiery blood.

Darkness falls As the sun goes down.

Now he’s waiting On his own, Leaving only one thing, Death!

One by one, they drop Beneath the volcano, Burning at its feet, A blood-burner, A Hell-seeker, A fire-guzzler.

By Oliver Munn

THE DESERT The sandy lands of the desert Burn your feet, Melt them, like chocolate in an oven.

The sand falls from your hand Like water.

The vast land of the desert Is a wonder of mysteries, But what does it hold?

What will you find In the desert of mysteries?

The animals vary.

The aggressive animals Are mean and deadly, Snakes which strangle you Like a rope around your neck, Tighten and then squeeze!

And scorpions which give you A nasty pinch and prick.

By Toby Mitchell

The welcoming animals Are friendly and peaceful.

The geckos stare at you With their colossal eyes.

Meercats keep an eye on you, Watching every movement, steadily.

61

’

‘

’

I DON T SEA WHY...

I have a question for you About the sea, When fish swim long distances, Do they feel thirsty?

You know those stinging things?

They’re called anemones.

For some fish, Can they be enemies?

When water evaporates Why don’t fish fly up?

Do fish talk?

Do they have pups?

When tsunamis strike, Are they full of fish?

When there are whirlpools, Do fish make a wish?

When lightning strikes the sea Why don’t all the fish die?

And why do people eat shark fin soup And, ugh, fish pie?

So, there are my questions About the sea, And just so you know, I hope it doesn’t empty!

By Tom Cameron-Fraser

WEATHER The wind blows softly against the leaves, The sun peeks out from behind the clouds, The sun shines on the green grass, The wind whistles, quietly and softly.

Snow falls from the skies, The white blanket covers the grass, Everything is white, Snow is everywhere.

The clouds cover the sun, The wind whistles louder and more fiercely, The sun stops shining, It starts to rain.

Hail falls, smashing On rocky cliffs, Rivers freeze, Ice is everywhere.

The rain falls heavily, The wind howls, Thunder roars, Lightning flashes fiercely, A storm is coming.

The snow starts to melt, Rivers crack, Ice goes away, All the white has gone.

A little drizzle of rain, The sun comes out from behind a cloud, The clouds disappear, A rainbow forms on the horizon.

The wind blows at trees And the lightning brings them down, But all storms come to an end…

White clouds appear on the horizon.

By Louis Montgomery

62

THE WORLD

THE APPLE TREE

The sea is gigantic and ferocious.

A tsunami crashes on the land, Fish, sharks and whales are Stranded, Trying to get back to the sea.

The sea destroys houses and buildings, The fish get eaten by sharks, Dolphins jump above the waves, The sea destroys mountains.

The apple tree, Blowing in the sharp and icy wind, Making the leaves shiver, Rattling the scrawny branches.

And when it rains, it beats the tree, Slapping the leaves To and fro, Making the bark wet and slippery.

But when the sun comes out, The tree has fun and Tango dances with the breeze, All day long.

The land is big and deadly.

There are tornados, And animals like lions and tigers, Killing boars, And bullet ants With the world’s most painful sting, Deserts with sandstorms, And scorpions in the jungle, Jaguars and monkeys climbing trees.

Night to day, this tree stands alone, Alone, Alone, Alone.

People take its belongings, One at a time.

Spreading seeds ‘til the end of time…

The Earth’s a deadly place.

I think I’ll just stay at home.

By Eamon Bradley

By Christopher Foley

FIGHTING FIRE The forest sits quietly in the night.

Then suddenly a glowing spark leaps up into the sky.

Instantly the fire is blazing, The forest is taken aback.

The news is a rain storm is coming, But by then the forest will be burned black.

The forest makes a final stand, But the flames are too colossal, The trees scream out their final prayers, As they fall, with a thud, to the ground.

Now the rains are finally here, And the fire is finally settled, But out of the ash, a singed tree stands, He has been fighting the fire.

The forest’s branches reel backwards, But the tongues of the flames leap high.

Trees stretch out for a final grasp, Covered in singed leaves.

The storm clouds are approaching, But the forest will be long gone.

By Sam Maling

63

THE M

URDEROUS

The boy crept into the mystical, Murderous, dangerous forest, Trembling with fear.

He walked on courageously, In the mist of evening, He claimed he was scared of nothing.

The wild wind howled, hollered and rustled Through the trees.

FOREST

He settled in the arm chair, Which had a tree carved upon it With lots of roots, And he dug into his stew.

Outside the trees were grunting, Whispering, hissing, planning, Now the roots were enclosing the house, They squealed out of the ground, Crashed, smashed, bashed, boomed!

The boy realised and knew it meant his doom.

He tripped over a root and Stumbled into a garden.

There was a house With smoke sifting out of the chimney.

He ran and knocked at the door, Hoping someone would open up, He knocked again.

The roots covered the house bit by bit, It started with the walls Then moved on to the roof.

The boy found one more window, He tried to open it, But it was no good.

The last thing he saw was The glittering moonlight In the middle of the night.

No one was there, So, he opened the door And settled down in front of the fire, He went into the kitchen And saw a stew bubbling away, Giving off the occasional pop.

He thought it would taste very nice.

By Harry Payne

VOLCANO Everlasting eruptions, The violent volcano Spurting down and through the valley, Taking no time to spread.

Houses slowly sink into the ground Like quick sand.

Petrified people pant As their tired legs move along swiftly, Like cheetahs chasing their prey.

Bubbling bombs Gliding horrifically through the air.

Spitting and smoking, The destructive attitude continues, Burning even the biggest farms Into nothing but ashes.

Then, it is over, Nothing to be heard, Everything cooled‌

By Charlie Faulkner

64

THE VOLCANO The volcano spits out the lava, Like an elephant spraying everywhere.

The lava runs down the valley, Destroying everything in its path, Wiping out trees, Animals and rocks, Villages, jungles, everything!

Bang, whistle, crack, boom, splat!

Says the angry volcano.

The oozing lava covers the village, Leaving people and houses deep in the thick lava, Burnt to smithereens.

The volcano goes back to sleep, Ready to strike again.

By Ollie Needham

It demolishes the whole village With burning lava bombs.

With black, thick, burning ash, It turns the villagers to stone, In one breath of the volcano.

THE CONSTANT OAK There was once an oak that never spoke.

It just sat there day and night Whistling and whooping, Hour upon hour, A green beam from the glorious leaves.

Later, there were towers and houses all around, In the distance on the hillside was the old oak.

Gleaming in the sun.

It just sat there January to December, Day and night.

One day, out of the blue, There was an odd creature, Standing big and tall.

It started hammering and banging, Clank and clonk it went, But still nothing happened to the constant oak.

The oak was up on the hillside, Watching day by day.

Now, all it could hear, Was the screeching from the cars.

Years went by, But then it came to the time.

When the oak had to go.

Ancient acorns, Rusty roots, Luscious leaves, Savage squirrels.

By the next day, All that was left was A green leaf.

By Jake Reynolds

65

THE TS

UNAMI

SEASONS

Slowly, the big blue sea drains away, The beach was noisy and cheerful Until this moment… Ahhh!

The sea is going away…

The whole beach goes from fun To fear!

All the seasons are very different.

Sometimes it rains and sometimes it snows And sometimes it’s dark and sometimes it’s bright.

When a rainbow appears, It’s sunny and bright and dismal, with rain.

Spring is the first season, Hot and cold, People smell fresh flowers Growing from the ground, Occasionally it rains, But sometimes you can see the sun Dazzling in the sky.

The life guard announces, “Evacuate the city!”

The city is in panic, Everyone runs away, Most people find safety, Apart from a few.

Now the horizon has gone.

A big, blue wave, As tall as a skyscraper, Is approaching at amazing speed.

The wave is 300 metres from the beach.

Most people are safe, Apart from those unlucky few.

Summer is the second season, Hot and bright, You can see a golden ball Shining in the sky, People eat ice creams and lollies To cool themselves down.

Autumn is the third season, Cold and windy, Leaves dash off the trees And the frost begins to form, The aging trees Get older and older.

The beach is destroyed, The wave advances, Buildings are smashed And houses crushed.

The wave is still advancing.

Then, slowly, but surely, The wave comes to a stop.

Winter is the fourth season, Icy and cold, Twigs are everywhere Because the leaves are gone!

Snow starts to come And snowmen are made By children!

Some unfortunate people did not make it.

There is no more city to be seen, Only rubble and dead bodies.

The lucky hundreds that made it Are crying their hearts out For the family dead And the friends gone Because of one big wave!

By Dilan Sharma

By Hugh Williams

66

Year 7

A DAY TO REGRET I awoke, but unlike my bed that is soft and warm, it was rough underneath me. I arose to nothing but darkness, a chill tickled my spine and the quiet air was damp. A cold mist floated around me, I was scared. The feeling that someone was watching, haunted me. I thought something was there but … was I in my room safe and sound? Suddenly there was a crunch, I was not alone.

Scared, I fired some lava in every direction. I took a step, I thought it was forward. As I slowly put my foot on the ground, what I thought was leaves rustled below my sneakers. Then a piercing sound filled my head. I fell to the ground in pain and felt faint. In the fuzziness of my sight there was a figure.

Waking to a beeping sound, the noise of anxious voices and sirens made me oddly feel safe. My eyes flickered open and shut for a few seconds, everything was loud.

I twitched my body from my eyebrow down to my toes.

When I got to my right leg nothing moved. Trying to sit up in panic, my mother raised her hand and pushed me gently back down. I turned my head to look at her, asking, “Mum what happened, why is my leg feeling weird?”

Back at home the kitchen teleported me a hot chocolate. I loved my hot chocolate super warm, so I heated it up with lava. I had a bit of fun and fired some of the streams at the birds outside. I missed messing around and playing with my friends. It had been some time since I had seen them.

“Calm down darling, it’s okay, you had a fall.”

Then seeing a hooded figure, I shot some lava at it from a distance cursing it, asking it to go away in rather a rude manner, but instead the figure walked to the door. I heard the stairs creak as it made its way upstairs. I froze in fear.

The sound of footsteps drew closer. The door opened and the figure removed its hood.

“Where am I?” “You’re safe, don’t worry.”

I lifted the sheets to look at my leg.

“Agghhh!” A metal leg replaced my old one. Tears filled my eyes but I couldn’t cry. My Mum tried to hush me and make me feel better.

It was Ben. I had missed him so much. “How’s the leg?”

“I can’t live like this! Where’s Ben?” I asked

“Better thanks, so what happened?”

“He called to see if you were okay.”

“I saw you in the woods that night. You passed out so I took you to hospital!”

I miss my friends from school.

“But what were you doing there?”

My mother pulled out her Motophone and projected an image in front of me. She explained that the doctor had replaced my leg, and that I was extremely lucky to be alive.

There was silence, total silence…

By Max Allen

***************

WINNER! 68

ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE It was a scorching, beautiful day on the island of Chabana. I was about to have my final scuba diving lesson and I was shaking with excitement. I rolled off the back of the boat with Tom (my instructor) into the glistening, salty water. Tom had promised me an adventure today, we had an hour of air in our tanks and I was not going to waste it.

above me. I must have lost consciousness at this point because this is the last thing I remember.

When I came round, I found myself washed up on a beach with a number of people standing over me. They lifted me up and took me back to their hutted camp. That evening, having rested, I went to join my mysterious hosts at the nearby camp fire.

Wow, it was amazing! I was surrounded by a garden of coral and shoals of colourful fish dancing in front of me.

Tom signalled that he wanted to show me something.

We had been swimming for 15 minutes and finally came across a huge cave opening under my feet. He signalled to go down into it and for me to go first. I led the way down.

It started to steepen and close in on me as I got deeper and deeper into the cave.

After speaking to all the people around the campfire it became obvious that we were in a land where time had stood still. Opposite me sat a rough looking, bearded man with an earring, who introduced himself as Blue Beard, feared pirate of the high seas, whose ship had sunk in a heavy storm over 300 years ago. Next to him was a Russian man in a space suit, his space capsule had crashed into the sea following an unsuccessful mission to Mars in the late 1970s.

Then suddenly I heard steel gates close behind me with a big clunk. I turned around to see what Tom was doing, but he no longer looked like the friendly helpful scuba diver I had started my adventure with‌ He was now a red-eyed, half man, half sea-creature beast that was staring at me from the other side of the gates. He pointed for me to swim on. I had no choice but to follow his command because the gauge on my air tanks was telling me I only had a little bit of air left. I swam upwards towards daylight shimmering

All those on the island had met the red-eyed sea monster too and all of us were prisoners in his timeless island.

Would we ever return to our normal lives or were we destined to live out eternity, waiting for more prisoners to be washed up as time passed by?

By Hayden Melly

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

69

THE ROLLERCOASTER The stench of oil from the sparkling tracks excites me.

The taste of adrenaline runs down my throat as I hear The Raging Dragon approaching us. I gulp and feel fire in my mouth, burning inside me.

me. The Dragon does a stomach-churning drop and spins towards the ground like a peregrine falcon dive-bombing its prey. It launches back up into a sickening loop-the-loop and skilfully slaloms through a tunnel. I feel dizzy as the twists and turns continue.

I take the front seat and feel the safety barrier push down on me, holding me in position like a clamp. The wheels jump forward and The Dragon takes off!

I am enjoying the ride now as I am used to the twists and turns. I hear the clattering of the tracks under me as The Dragon prepares itself for the finale. I can taste the saliva in my mouth as it rises with anticipation and the damp air surrounds me.

My heart is beating and feels like it is about to jump out of my body. I can see the terrible twists and turns awaiting and feel the beads of sweat on my forehead. My body is pushed back in the seat at ninety degrees, there’s no turning back now.

The Dragon attempts one more loop-the-loop and then slams on the screeching brakes. I am thrust forward with immense force. My head is spinning, my legs are shaking and I think I might throw up! Now that’s a ride!

I ready myself for the ride of my life as we approach the mayhem. I smell the fresh air as it rushes into my face. The countdown begins! Three, two, one...

By Tom Deardon

My body is thrown to and fro as I hear screams of joy behind

DESCRIPTION OF MY GRANNIE I knew a special grannie who was tall, warm and loving.

Her skin was wrinkled like a tissue, but soft. Her hair was silvery-grey and frizzy. She had kind blue eyes like the colour of the sky. Grannie had soft, gentle and nimble hands, so I felt safe when she was close.

Grannie had a personality like the sun. She would make everyone around her smile and feel warm as if the sun’s rays were shining on them. Her cheeky laugh, almost like a monkey, would make everyone laugh, because she was.

Even as she got really old, she would still want to watch me and take me to all the things I love to do most, even when she couldn’t drive.

Grannie was a reassuring person, like a huge cuddly teddy bear and she would comfort me when I was sad and would make me happy again. Like a shield, she would protect me from harm’s way and even not tell me off when I did wrong.

Then she got really ill with cancer, but my Grannie was the most resilient women I ever knew. She would smile all through the day and still be the grannie I knew a couple of years ago. Grannie would make the most of every day, like it was her last. Then it came, the last day, the worst day of my life. I was crying my eyes out all day. I will never forget her face and she will always be in my heart.

She became older and as she became older she became weaker and as that happened she became smaller, it didn’t feel like she could protect me as much anymore, so it was my time to protect her. Every time I walked into her house I smelt the distinct smell of her perfume.

By Gabriel O’Neill

70

THE WHITE HALLOW GARDEN Then Toraq saw it. Under the cold shining stars - the chalky face of a Ghast. He froze but then clicked back to life and jumped behind the closest rock. TWANG!! It was the sound of an arrow whizzing past Toraq’s head and into the body of a Ghast. Now the Ghast was crawling up the side of the silhouette of the great marble monster masterpiece.

Toraq was panicking now, fiddling in his pockets for his wand, leaning against the damp, jagged surface of the rock. There was a horrible stench of Ghast flesh dropping from the side of the figure.

grabbed the wand and disappeared into thin air.

Zap! A spell whizzed past Toraq’s head. That was when he saw his wand next to where Layla was stood. Toraq had to act quickly; Layla was outnumbered. He jumped for his wand, narrowly missing the powerful shock of the Ghast’s spells. BOOOOOOOM!!!!!! Everything was quiet. Too Quiet.

Then everything went black.

“Wake up!” Layla was now helping Toraq up. It was pitch black but the stars were now warm and comfortable.

“We need to get out of the garden quickly before Lord Damon finds out,” said Layla.

But Toraq did not care, he knew that Father Del Paso had told him a spellcraft to ward off Ghasts. He was racking his brain, like an owl searching for prey. Deafening shrieks boomed around the Garden. That was when he saw it. It was a Hobbitor trying to get his wand. He grabbed the creature and pounced for the wand, but another Hobbitor

They looked up at the Hallow, now covered in vile vermilion fluids. Both Toraq and Layla knew that something big had just happened.

By William Roberts

MYSTERY ANIMAL... WHO AM I I wake up in my warm cosy bed with the first glimpse of sunlight on me. I feel a pang of hunger. Standing up, stretching all four of my legs, I head towards the open window. Before I take the jump out, I can feel fresh cold air on my face. My whiskers are tingling.

?

Up close now, in the right position to make the leap, when it looks away I spring up, slapping it out of the air and into my mouth to pull it down. After that feast I am satisfied.

I feel a warm energy rush through my blood, I feel alive.

It’s time to head inside. I leave the scent of murder for the wind to take.

The garden grass is cold and crisp under my paws, but I can feel a warm blast of sunlight as the sun starts to rise.

The search starts, looking around, scanning my horizon. It will be a challenge today, it’s cold and everything is tucked away.

The warm, soft and cosy bed covered in blankets is calling me back. It’s time to curl up back on the bed in preparation for my next meal.

By Sachin Kambli

I spot a small flutter of feathers to the left, across the garden. I stop and crouch. With a turn, I start to crawl towards my target. It’s a slow game. Patience is all. My heart is now pounding in my head. My ears are back in concentrated silence, blocking the world out around me.

71

THE CRIMSON ROSE In the moonlight meadow grows a crimson rose, Her leaves, redder than a ruby blush From Aphrodite’s kiss.

And swirling, dancing from that loving caress, Swaying to the sweet lullaby sung by The moon and stars.

All day long she sways in the sleepy Summer air.

Visited by every passing bee, She gives away her pollen Hoping that her children will live on.

Soon she begins to wilt and cry.

For she knows that her life will soon end.

So she sings her final song and as Her last, perfect petal falls, The ballet of life ends Under the setting sun.

There was silence, total silence‌

By Christian Tyrrell

WINNER! 72

NEW GROWTH The freezing shards of ice hang down, Their cold edges form a sort of crown, Now that Winter is here, Nothing stirs in the frozen mere.

But then inside a house a fire is roaring, Fighting against the biting cold that comes to the homestead, gnawing The bitter, bitter chill that stops at the wall, The family tell stories about how Winter took over from Fall.

The frost-stiffened ground turns water to ice.

Men pass the time by playing with a dice.

But slowly Winter releases its grip on the Earth, The snow melts and lets through the scent of new-birth.

The first plants after Winter begin to flower.

It has been a long time since the last Spring shower.

Winter has gone, but it left stories to tell, Plants are now in bloom, all is well.

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

By Oliver Pope

THE

JUNGLE

The wind whistles through the lush jungle, The cold streams ripple, The animals rest in their hidden sanctuary, In the jungle, there is peace.

The jungle is peaceful no more.

It erupts with the sound of fear.

Now in the deafening jungle, There is panic wherever you go, The monkeys swing from branch to branch, Looking for a place to hide.

The animals roam soundlessly around, They hear the trees whisper in the wind.

The monkeys leap around Without making a sound.

Calm is restored, As the tiger slinks away With the prey in his massive jaws.

Then the soundless jungle Is awoken by a ferocious roar.

Slowly, a magnificent beast Emerges from the darkest part of the jungle.

He sways his head from side to side, Searching for his prey.

By Bryn O’Dell

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

73

THE VOLCANO

THE VOLCANO

Living fury Spitting magma, Deadly destroyer, Terrifying rumbler, Havoc avenger, God’s rage, Worst of times.

Everyone’s nightmare, Horrific phenomenon, Terrible nightmare, Roaring rock hurler, Table turner, Splashing lava, Mountain of grumble…

Starting with a rumble, ready to decimate, A wonderful, explosive display, Vicious and violent.

Terrified people fear for their lives.

Howling like an angry wolf, Calling for its pack, Ready to attack.

Throwing rocks like grenades, Intense and unbearable heat.

Boiling and bubbling molten lava, Like ice cream on a hot day.

Vibrant, beautiful jewel, Flowing like a stream, But destroying all in its path.

By Hayden Melly

By Freddie Sowerby

THE VOLCANO

THE VOLCANO

Rising with heat, Churning its blood, Warning the villages of its indestructible power, The big mountain has opened its mouth.

Dribbling with lava, Its big surface, rough and hot, Spewing out with anger, Running down the hill, Destroying the crops, Corroding the landscape, No one can tame this giant.

Emerging from the grave, The cataclysmic fiend, Wrecking the habitats, Marauding across the view.

Vile and fierce, It ejects molten spew, Vomiting lava, Destructive demon.

Ash clouds effortlessly suffocate the land.

Red-hot, gigantic fireball, Calamitous, ruthless, deadly, No-one is safe.

Blistering, boiling lava, Illuminating like a firework.

Oozing, it safely turns to stone.

A cloud of death and destruction, Lunatical, it dribbles coral magma.

By Vedant Somal

By Joshua Romeo

74

THE MOON The moon is a speedy open plain, A mystical place in space, It has a ghostly appearance, Shadowy in the dark, It is a vast crater.

The moon is a rough race track, With a milky reflection in the night sky.

A round ball of mystery, That has a mystical face.

The moon is a bizarre place, A symbol of hope.

A reflection of the future, And a floating flashlight.

It is a dense bubbly alien in disguise, A saucer of cheese, Its craters are pits of doom.

It is a lamp in the sky.

MOTHER NAT

By Eldon Craven

URE

THE ROBIN

Mother Nature stands so tall, Filling the world with her grace.

She makes fish swim and small birds call, Helping the earth from core to face.

The gentle fairy dances, Hopping from tree to tree.

All nature comes and stares at him, As he sings like a fuzzy bumble bee.

Love beams brighter than the sun, Holding tight her smile.

The wicked wither and she has won, She is warm with winning guile.

The twinkle of his eyes reflects the sun, A watery waterfall full of light.

He shows off his fancy feathers, A face of great delight.

But she is dying with cruel intent, Gases gleam on her soul.

Her time is up, her days spent, Too old to reach her goal.

He enters his little burrow, Wondering where to go.

His eager face looks excited, Like a child in the snow.

We can save her if we work as a team, Fight off the worries and warn away fiends, For now we have her resting in our arms, We fortify our world, our mother, our chance.

The sky was a cream pink, As the robin went to bed.

The forest was deathly quiet, At the time the robin fled.

By Will Roberts

By Sam Wells

75

VOLCANO The magnificent beast stands peacefully, on its small island, His islanders fear him as a maleficent, vindictive God, They give, but do not take to stop his furious rage.

The islanders take shelter on another island, Far away for when his anger spews.

The peaceful silence continues until his vitriolic outburst, His islanders have forgotten the faraway land, They have no idea of their God’s earthly presence, His anger bubbles, ready to explode.

The rage explodes from the calm land, His fiery breath washes away huts and sin, They drown into the depths of Hell.

The minions of ash roam the sky, His bombs of peace fall, The silence is deafening.

By James Barney

VOLCANO The volcano lies on top of the gentle green grass, Once asleep it plots scenarios of carnage Dreaming what to do once awake.

Scheming evil plans to annihilate, From the outside it’s like a mountain, quiet and serene.

But inside it has a boisterous brain.

Once the havoc has ended He goes back to sleep As if nothing has happened.

Brewing another batch of lava to launch.

Scheming again like never before.

And it happens again.

Once awake it’s like conflict.

Causing chaos in its path.

Turning the sky scarlet And throwing luminous red rocks into the sky.

Producing a dismal inky cloud, Provoking temporary darkness.

By Varun Nathan

76

THE WOLVES

A MAGMA MONSTER

Team players, Vicious killers, Obedient forever, Wild beasts, Loyal to the end, Silent hunters, Manipulating monsters, Howling their hearts out, Glowing eyes, Powerful pets, Strong victors, Animal slaughterers, Fang carriers, Moon worshipers, The wolves are out hunting.

The churlish monster, conjuring up a spell.

A warrior wreaking havoc.

He starts to bubble, Then he ruptures!

Coughing smoke out of his scorching chimney.

The red blood trickles down one side Of his inhumane, body, Tears dribbling down the other.

No man can stop this chaotic creature, As he trespasses through innocent towns, His fire, smouldering buildings, And his mouth scavenging for people.

This death-monster doesn’t show mercy, As he turns countries into Hell.

His brutal body creating more distress As he stirs up a burning inferno.

Hiding behind trees, They are waiting for food.

Suddenly, a huge boar dives out of the bush, The boar attacks the wolves, It takes out one, then it takes out two, The alpha wolf is on its back.

The boar jumps and bucks, trying to free himself, The rest of the pack save their leader.

The boar is wounded and slow, They all attack at once, They kill the boar And drag the boar back to their territory.

The alpha eats first, The young and the female feast next, Then the men eat their share.

The pack will survive the Winter, This year at least.

Fireworks shooting rapidly out of his jaws, Cooking the trees and rocks surrounding him.

Lava pumping ferociously, As it swallows everything in its path.

Then finally, The menacing devil, breathes his last.

He slithers back into his blazing hole, Glancing over his mess.

Waiting, for his next opportunity‌.

By Khush Shah

By Tomas Spice

77

VOLCANO

VOLCANO

Violent and vicious, An exploding temper.

Blood oozes from the molten middle, Scattering rocks along the terrified landscape.

All living things sprint from the burning heat And flying debris.

The molten liquid runs down the side Of this ancient beast, Creating grooves down the side of his body.

The smoke, like an all seeing sea of grey, Swallows the frightened sky.

As the boiling, red liquid reaches the town below, The people, like ants to this unstoppable destroyer, Flee to all corners of the land, knowing that, Nothing is safe from this formidable monster.

Lashing out in rage, The merciless monster Crawls and dribbles, An old snarling giant.

Attacking the landscape, Oozing its bloody lava.

No distinction between humans, animals or plants.

Like a walking hurricane, Destruction lies in his wake.

As if no man was ever here, All life extinguished.

Now all is over.

Nothing to see.

Only a path of destruction‌

By Joseph Mullaney

By Nathanael Lord

VOLCANO

VOLCANO

The lava belches from the bowels of the volcano, Spewing and vomiting sulphur into the air, Slowly and steadily, pouring down the mountain, A roaring furnace awakes from his lair.

Splashing, sneaking molten lava, Moving fast as a car, as slow as a rock, Cooling down, roasting the landscape, Gathering more and more energy inside.

Spraying out blood red lava, A giant throwing out what it has Saved for so long.

All of a sudden, There is silence.

You can hear your blood moving.

The morose rock is carrying its cargo, Grilling everything in its path.

A child, a man, So young yet so old.

His rumbling stomach is ready to erupt, Blasting and exploding its molten lava.

One by one it picks its victims, Then he covers them with his slimy arms.

Orange lava lights up the night, Crashing and smashing through the rocks.

A giant awakes from the depths, A volcano’s anger shocks.

By Oliver Comery

By Tom Howe

78

AMERICA FROM ABOVE I glide miles above the lush green canopy, High over the snowy Andes and golden Atacama, And at the foothills of the Andes, lies the mighty Amazon, I’m flying my lengthy migration.

Amongst the highest canopy, Are trees of ancient times, Hiding our ancestral legacy, Home to branch-hoppers, song-flyers, And the smallest crawlers in the world.

The great plains of this land are littered with lakes, Scattered with grass, where the rhea roam.

The river districts and wetlands Are covered with moist air clouds, Where the otters tread down the banks And there is the continuous bellowing of the howler monkeys.

In the river creeks, dwell the bone-snapping swimmers, Piranhas, anacondas, river caiman.

To the North is the Caribbean Where our long migration ends.

But first my colony must search for land, As far as our wings can carry us.

By John Ogunyiluka

VOLCANO The volcano sleeps, A burning cauldron, an inferno Belching toxic, nauseous fumes.

Rising slowly, boiling over with anger.

The volcano’s rampage Wreaking havoc in every corner, Crawling, like a sickly child, Never slowing in its path.

Waking, flows of lava running wild, Burning sparks light up the blue sky, A great shadow forms, choking all who enter, All must seek shelter.

The monster’s outcome Houses scorched, It carved a path through the forest, Burned into memory.

By Harry Norris

79

THE CAT I wake up warm and cosy.

The fresh chill of sunlight warming me.

Stretching my stone hard legs, Bringing them back to life.

At the doorway, The cold grass numbs my paws, The icy breeze makes my whiskers tingle.

Waiting, waiting, waiting.

It’s looking, it’s looking, it’s looking, It’s not, I pounce.

Slapping it backwards and forwards To and from my paws.

Feathers flung Bones bitten Meat munched Dinner devoured Now I have a tasty treat.

Rushing through my blood.

Looking outside for the frosty trees, Looking outside for the frosty nests, Looking outside for the lonely birds, Looking outside for the tasty treats.

Thinking about the warm house, Thinking about the warm bed, Thinking about the soft sheets, Thinking about the given breakfast.

It’s a challenge today, It’s cold, Everything is tucked away.

The small ones are in the nest, Huddled together, an easy target If I can get there.

The big ones are out, Alone, fast, always looking, I will never get them.

Taking myself back, To do nothing, after nothing, after nothing, Hour, upon hour, upon hour, Just sleep and sleep and sleep.

And eat again.

By Sachin Kambli

Listening outside for the flutter of feathers, Listening outside for the single chirps, Listening outside for the stray ones, Listening outside for the easy target.

Feathers flutter on the fence, It’s a big one, it’s a tasty one, It’s my one.

Already out the door, crouched, The hair on my chest brushing the ground, Now wet, but worth it.

80

VOLCANOES Vicious and violent, they are out of control.

They are huge and massive, Ashes all over, blinding you, Throwing fireballs all over you.

The scorching and screaming lava Causing death and destruction, Destroying everything it touches.

It’s bright and scary, You will not dare to go anywhere near, No one can escape, No matter how fast you run.

It will hunt you down like it does to all, Slowly and steadily, It creeps up next to you, Painfully turning all to stone, And oozing, it slowly comes out and down the rocky slope.

By Kabir Singh

UPTION

THE ER While it sleeps, all is silent.

When it shouts, havoc returns, Red, hot lava oozing out, While chunks of rock go flying.

He has woken.

It’s just a dream.

His nightmare Is the town’s reality.

Bright magma dribbles out Of cracks and holes.

It bulldozers through anything That stands in its way.

People look around.

Families devastated.

Homes just rubble and dust.

By Jamie Wallwork

Destruction is his middle name.

Buildings burning, trees falling, Hundreds of degrees melting Everything in its path.

81

US

SEASONS OF TREES HAIK

Spring A dress of flowers Her blossoms glide gracefully She twirls in the sun.

Summer The clouds clear away Her leaves float down in the breeze Her sweet aroma.

Autumn She starts to tremble Her friends begin to wither She weeps in sadness.

Winter The wind sweeps away her leaves Now she begins to pass on Her song fades away.

By Saihaj Lahal

82

THE VOLCANO

VOLCANO

Innocent cattle graze, Playful children dance on the hills, Unsuspecting of what is to come.

Mountain, deep in slumber, A calm, nurturing mother.

He scours the slopes, scorching the wilderness, Hunting and foraging for victims.

This destructive demon, mounted in the surface, Lashing out in fury, spewing its drool, Attacking the desolate land.

Terrifying tantrums transform the land into a flaming Hell.

Oozing out its bloody lava, The snarling giant rests.

The snore of the magma monster is like an earthquake, Vibrating the lava bed.

All is still until the next discharge.

Then again it comes‌ Crawling and dribbling for revenge.

This time, he is over-ruled, For he is not the largest of them all.

The bulldozer brute becomes small, His mighty reign shall now fall.

Without warning, the Giant is awoken.

Earth around it shakes vigorously, Ignorant children are thrown from their dens.

Lava oozes from the peak and Slithers over the rock, Waiting to kill.

Weakening barrier can hold no further, Sharp rock spits out.

The devil that was hiding escapes.

Destructive heat leaps before falling Towards the defenceless town beneath.

Crawling, dribbling, attacking the landscape, No one stands in its way.

Scorching, blinding light is lost in the mist Forming from the vicious ash.

The murderer creeps down the mountain Waiting for its prey.

Panicking families run for the shelter That will only stop them from escaping.

Worst nightmares become reality.

Slithering demon yells in hunger.

Snarling, the beast lashes out.

The fuming King has won.

By Cole Balachandran

Months pass.

Merciless mountain is still.

A blanket of ash covers the land as far as the eye can see.

No life or movement, Nothing stirs.

By Luca Moretto

83

THE SAVANNAHS OF AFRICA A canvas of gold, Wearing stitched patches of green, Scattered across an incomplete desert.

Some survive in the yellow grass Of the Savannah.

The impatient lions growl quietly to themselves, Worrying that their prey will hear or see The stalkers in the patch of fading green.

They stretch and ready themselves For the meal which is soon to come.

Herds of buffalo, elephants and deer, Cross the dry fields in search Of a source of sustenance, To feed their aching bodies, But they will never be truly safe.

They throw their bodies out Onto unsuspecting deer.

The meat is enough to satisfy The pride for one day more, But most have escaped and ventured on.

Under the dry and thirsty bushes And beside the twisted, flaking tree, The watchers lie and wait excitedly As their stomachs yell and quake, And their manes itch from the intense sun.

Eventually the troop of rare animals Reach their destination A watering hole near a patch Of fresh, edible plants.

All is calm once more.

By James Lumley-Wood

WINTER When Winter comes, in Winter’s way, On the first day It comes just as splinter Starting the coldness of winter.

The year is in transition Part of nature’s mission For Winter has come.

Crystals form from The coolness of air And banks of clouds Suspended in the sky From the deepest of lairs To right up high Where dragons may fly.

Frosty paths that glow like stars And moonlight beams, Cutting through thick black cloud To the gentle blossoms of breath Rising from the crowd, As the gentle rain, Blanketing fields from all around, Glides gently to the ground.

Perfect symmetry In dazzling stars, An endless forest Of magical light, The shining of the moon In the darkest of nights, It’s when most humans rest But miss out on the best.

By Cyrus Goddard

84

VOLCANO POEM The volcano lay dormant, as peaceful as a sleeping baby, No hint of the powerful, unstoppable horror to come.

The crater erupted to life like a roaring rocket on Bonfire Night.

Fleeing lava was a raging bull, as it raced down the mountain, Its fiery arms burning everything in its path as it cascaded Faster and faster.

There was nowhere to hide from the fiery orange torrent of heat, Everything living was racing for their lives, Trying to escape the almighty fever.

From a distance, the eruption was as spectacular As The Red Arrows roaring overhead.

The eruption lasted for three days, Finally, slowly, calming down.

Smouldering moodily, the crater unwillingly slumbered, The damage was done.

Everywhere was black and covered in ash Like the bottom of an open fire.

The fire and the fury were gone.

By Charlie Blythman

VOLCANO POEM A volcano A violent, vicious angry volcano.

Blistering lava oozes out of it, Poisonous ash clouds suffocate innocent children, Illuminating light swiftly comes out of the volcano Like a firework show.

Kids scream, running for their lives, Families cry And lightning fills the sky!

By Ryan Lasaki

85

UD

THE LIFE OF A CLO As the blazing hot sun rises, High in the sky, A few small wisps of water vapour Begin to float together.

It swells and bulges, With white-hot fury Before lashing out, With all its strength.

To hurl great waves Of thunder and lightning.

Their whispering consciousnesses unite, As they slowly bond and meld, And, as they begin to drift, They slowly accrete more gas.

Roaring and screaming, Mighty bolts of electric power crackle and crash, Whipping across the blue-black sky The white, stunning flash of light, Stark against the stormy dark.

The young cloud, as it now is called, Delights in its newfound freedom, Contentedly swirling and shifting, relaxing in the azure sky.

All the cowering, pitiful men Wail and run for cover, In a vain attempt to evade the wrath Of this mighty King of Kings.

And as it glides lazily, Across the cerulean wallpaper of the Earth, Its form ripples - melting and changing From twisting dragons to gurning skulls, From bloated teapots to phantom faces, Imitating all it sees below.

But, As the last of the lightning fizzles out, The cloud sags and collapses and crumbles, Weeping bitter tears.

It swells with power, Riding the winds.

“I,” it cries, “Am Lord of The Skies!”

Regiments of raindrops, Pour out, To revive the dying Earth.

By Murray Silk

But then, as it flies majestically, Great lumps and gusts of sulphur, Rise from a belching foundry, Clouding both its vision and its senses

86

ANIMALS H

UNTING

VOLCANO

The leopard sleeps and eats, It has spots and dots like a ladybug To camouflage it.

It sees the sun is high, But not for long for It needs to hunt.

So, it gathers its companions like an army, And starts to prowl As if it was a vicious zombie trying to eat your brains.

The pack plan the attack, And send a leopard to the tree to watch For the move of the prey.

The others wait, And wait, And wait, And...

Pounce and chase Like Concord breaking the sound barrier.

They herd the animal into the kill zone And start the kill.

They rip the animal as if it was a piece of paper, And quickly end the kill with one final bite.

They fight to eat, But never share.

They tear the body open, And the alpha comes and fiercely pushes its way to the front, Like gladiators fighting.

He goes for the heart, lungs, liver and stomach, Then leaves.

A scrap starts.

Their teeth are like daggers, ready for the taste of blood.

Then they too leave to go to sleep And then night falls and all goes quiet, But the jungle is never the same again.

Explosive, cataclysmic creature, Coughs and spews up red hot liquid.

It dribbles down its shirt of rock As the red matter oozes down.

The ground scorches.

He stands, A nefarious giant.

When asleep, the old sleeping giant snarls.

Awake and active, it attacks the landscape, Lashing out in anger.

It is a beast incarnate, A monster amongst men.

Oozing, the bloody lava covers its victims.

The creature is ruthless and dangerous, But slow and uncontrollable.

Inside this beast it is dangerous and deadly.

The prodigious mountain stands, towering over all.

The magma chamber is the heart of the volcano, Like an organ in a human body.

The volcano is an opening in the earth With a demon living inside.

It explodes - bang crash boom!

Attacking the landscape and destroying the earth.

The blanket of ash is as large as the Earth, Covering every last bit of land.

An insensate site all around, The demon owns the land And has killed everything in sight...

By Mohammed Shadid

By James Wootton-Evans

87

THE

UNSUNG

HERO

That forest long living, The lungs of the city, The veins of a machine, All lead to a wasteland of water.

The saviour of mankind, Earth’s heart and soul, The father of all And a region of love.

The animals fighting And monsoons engulfing repeatedly That mournful giant, The immortal idol.

A culture so rare, So wise, so sensible, But a playground of History It will become.

By Freddie McPhail

THE TREE

THE STORM

A growing sapling rising out of the compact ground, As delicate as a twinkling diamond it stands, It is an infant of life, Forming fragile firs as it grows gracefully.

Crash! The short sharp sound of the Lightning striking sky scrapers.

The frustrated storm shrieks down And the rain spews down like pellets.

Snow glides onto the juvenile’s hands, It shivers through its firs, as winter approaches, A blanket of icing covers its frosty branches, With fellow friends it stands.

But, after a while it starts To calm and stop its angry tears.

The rain recedes like distant fears; Blue shines through, while clouds depart.

But one day it stands alone, Growing old gracefully, Dressed with golden tinsel and exotic coloured baubles, The scent of beauty and happiness it brings, A beautiful ballet dancer it is, Decorated for one jolly Christmas Eve!

The sun comes out, bright and burning, The flames hot like a torrid fever, The Summer’s sky vivid blue, The rainbow colours stunning all.

By Sam Walker

By Tom Deardon

88

Year 8

OVERSEAS Prologue

was a mass project.

Dear Son,

The person who untied me wasn’t the same person that fought me, so I decided not to react, but gave him a snarl to show that I wasn’t a pushover.

I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was late on a Saturday afternoon when my family were all drumming around the fire. The heat was searing, more so than usual.

The sun was a massager and I bathed in a pleasant heat.

We were having a blast, until a man, with awfully pale skin, approached the circle. The moment that man approached me is engraved in my memory, because that is the moment I was enslaved.

I had never been near the sea and looked for the last time before being dragged, like a dog, on a long walk.

Becoming impatient, I tried to let myself free. However, when I yanked the rope, he whipped me on the back.

Again and again on the same, aching spot.

We got to a field and I was taught how to cut cotton plants with a sickle. Day after day, cutting in the sweltering American heat. That was my life until I was put to my deathbed, where I am writing this letter.

***************

That was my experience of slavery. I hope in your lifetime you will discover the meaning of liberty, Son.

He dragged me and I tried to fight back. I didn’t understand what he was doing but I sure didn’t like it. Readying my fist, I had a spark of anger enlighten my eye. I channelled my vexation into the first blow. It knocked the living daylight out of him! A cacophony of emotions coursed through my veins and infused into a killer blow. He fell and blood cascaded from his mouth. I thought I’d seen the last of him, but he rose and the red haze that was his eyes hypnotised me for a split second and that was enough time for him to knock me out…

PS: This letter is to be passed down from each generation of our family because it is my dream for all black Americans to be free.

Yours, Father, Mr Azikiwe

By David Adeyemi-Abere

When I found my bearings I couldn’t quite work out where I was. I was in an enclosure. The size was similar to an animal’s pen - miniscule; there were many of these pocket-sized paddocks, all lined up with no space between them, they were cages, cages with other people in them. I was constantly being swayed from one side to another, but with limited space, I ended up being forced into the metal bars, consequently getting deep cuts to the skin.

I suddenly realised that I had stopped moving. No more cuts for me, I said to myself. Just as I thought my luck had taken a turn for the better, I observed a man being tied to a rope. Then another one. It became clear to me, that this

WINNER! 90

UNNER!

DINO R This place is the worst! I’ve just moved to the most boring place on earth! Every house on this street is identical: tall, grey and dull.

comes from one door and I can hear the sound of worlds being built behind the Minecraft door. But then I see my favourite game ever, DINO RUNNER! I can’t resist… I enter.

Today was my first day of school and it was even more grim than I had expected. I’m on my way home, when suddenly there is a rustle in an ominous bush, beside the street. My curiosity drives me into the bush to see what it is and as I pull back the cold leaves, I find a small, golden, antique watch, that appears to still be in perfect condition.

It’s the start of the game and I can see the temple where the enraged Tyrannosaurus Rex will burst out from. Then comes the announcement, “Hello adventurer, you are a real daredevil taking on this game. Warning, death in this game will cause death in reality! We hope you enjoy the thrill!” Then the door back to the arcade locks shut.

As I pick it up, I notice a small red button on the side.

Without thinking, I instantly press it, interested in what it might do. The tick of the clock’s hands suddenly accelerate and become a blur to my eyes. Then the hands slow down and go back to normal again. Puzzled, I head for my friend’s house to share my find.

“Wait, what?” I scream.

Then I hear the countdown, “3,2,1 Run!” The temple turns to rubble as the huge T-rex bursts out from it, making a terrifying ROAR! I sprint for my life and just make out the first obstacle, the Pits of Death.

Each pit is filled with venomous snakes and I must jump across them. I hold my breath and leap, barely making the first jump, and on the second, one of the snakes bites my lace. “I’m through!” I pant, but before I can catch my breath, I hear the dinosaur’s stomps again. “There’s no way I’m getting through this,” I panic.

I turn to the street and notice, no that can’t be right… A flying car? I see a weird looking guy heading my way and he says in a mechanical voice, “Hello! I am robot JEF019, but call me Jeff, how can I help?”

“Umm… what year is it?” I ask.

“The answer would be 2057.”

At that moment I remember, I still have the watch! I pull it out, desperately trying to find the red button, as I hear my doom drawing closer, I press it, just as jaws are about to close around me, I close my eyes and…

“This can’t be happening,” I think to myself. Then I see A FUTURISTIC ARCADE! I sprint in and find myself in teenage heaven! There are lots of different doors inviting me into exciting gaming worlds. The sound of explosions

By James Deardon

91

THE TORNADO The heavy wind starts up the hefty storm, People take shelter inside their homes, waiting.

Then you can see the deadly spiral take form, Deciding where it’s going to be locating.

First the dust and soil from the ground, Then the houses come falling down, People prepare for their fate in-bound For their town is made to look like a clown.

It sounds like an erupting volcano, ready to explode, It smells like broken down sewers, It looks like a demon snatching everything around, It has been a difficult experience for all viewers.

Now we have a land of rubble and stone, With everyone in utter shock, No one says a word Now our town is deserted and alone, For our town has stirred and blurred.

By Benjamin Ingram-Moore

WINNER! 92

(

FIRE CYCLE

US)

SEASONS HAIK

The spark dashes, The wood crackles and crumbles, The fire is coming into life, Like something being born.

Blankets of cold white, Freezing temperatures keeping kids home, A view pristine.

Rain falls to the ground, Flowers pop out from the brown dirt, A world is reborn.

The bright fire dances at night, Reaching out slowly to the trees, The embers sizzle with light, The smell of burning leaves.

Sunshine heats the sand, People in the deep blue sea, Life under the sun.

Gold liquid drips onto the logs, Grey ashes are caught in the breeze, Hot sparks jump like frogs, All the smoke walks to the sea.

Warm air becomes brisk, Colourful leaves fly from the trees, The world is resting.

Away, away it goes.

By Daniel Bello

HIGHLY DED COMMEN

By George Mansell

THE WATERFALL The waterfall runs freely Down the river’s course.

The elegance of the flow Is like a pretty show-horse.

Now the fall needs respect, It will grind and chew you, It will cough and spit you out, People stop and stare and wince.

As the river gets older, The grandeur still picks up, What is now a dancing lion, Was once a cute little pup.

The beautifully sculpted gorge Is pounded with the flow from the source, The river and the waterfall Will always remain as great ways to show The sheer brutality Of Mother Nature’s force…

Erosion carries on, Enlarging the plunge pool, The river takes the material, Leaving behind a pretty jewel.

By Thomas Herbert

HIGHLY COMMEN DED

93

THE STORM ARMY

FIRE

My army rolls in, Inflicting pain on the bitter-sweet wind Whipped up off the salty sea shore.

Destruction and danger, burning everything to dust, Life and warmth, the source of the world, Nature’s gift bestowed to us in a gust, Used by humans, darkness soon to unfold.

My army causes havoc, Shops shut, Subways fall silent, Streets seem lifeless, Everyone is outside.

My battalions swirl impatiently, They inflict pain and sadness.

Warmth and comfort, it brings to us, Life and nature, burning bright.

Out of control, it brings to us death, The sign of a war can never be right.

What once was good, Is now turned bad, Upright we stood, Now burnt and mad.

Then…

With the sudden blow of my iron fist, The battle’s end is signified.

Dark clouds march over, Trampling the enemy underfoot, Moving off To strike again somewhere else.

We took this gift bestowed to us, And used it badly to hurt our own.

Screaming and shouting, making a fuss, Now it’s just us, soon we’ll be alone.

By Henry Cudjoe

By William Maltby

’ JOURNEY

THE WATER S The glass of water I am about to drink, Deserves a second thought, I think.

For a while, I am full of thirst, But, consider where it came from first.

As water vapour, it flies so high, But soon begins to cool.

It condenses into a cloud, So heavy it starts to fall.

It could’ve been a dinosaur’s bath, A million years ago.

Then swam away in a ravenous river, To see where it could go.

The cloud cries tears of rain so hard, They precipitate all over the place.

Then, fearful of just where they’ll land, They dribble down all over my face!

The water travelled oh so far, All the way to the sea.

But the sun made it evaporate, Now what will it be?

The raindrops land on the hardened ground, But soon Earth has gobbled them up.

All of their friends end up in my well, And now that water’s in my cup!

By Anish Katechia

94

TRAFFICKED TO HELL A risk they said, but A new life they said.

Promises, promises, Hope.

Hours and hours, Days and days.

Promises, promises, Anguish.

Illegal they said, but A new life they said.

Promises, promises, Hope.

Blinding light, Voices shouting.

Chaos, capture, Despair.

It’ll cost you, they said, but We’ll get you there.

Promises, promises, Hope.

Into the van, they said, New voices shout.

A caged door, A prisoner once more, Hell hath no end.

I’ll do it, I said, Find the money they said.

Promises, promises Hope.

By Ethan Whitlock

An escape from tyranny, they said A new life, I thought.

Promises, promises, Hope.

Passport, money, phone, they said My identity taken, for now, they said.

Promises, promises, Doubt.

Crouching in shadows, Boarding in silence.

Promises, promises, Fear.

Into the hull, they said Under the boxes, they motioned.

Promises, promises, Trapped.

It’s cold, it’s dark, we cry Not long, they said.

Promises, promises, Lies.

95

LOST AT SEA Sunday morning, it was “just a normal day”, 11am Westport car park, near the bay.

I waxed my board, then out to sea.

Suddenly, the tides and winds carried me.

I was frightened, scared, destined to become a ghost.

But I got back within a mile of the coast.

But the tide changed once more; I had to get back, Paddling for warmth, the sea unleashed another attack.

Out at sea, it was deafening silence, No sign of any emergency surveillance.

I realised my fate; I would probably die, Never to see another sun rise.

As if from a movie, I saw a ship, I swam into its travel strip.

It passed me and I prayed my last prayer, Slowly passing out, I saw hope vanish in the air.

I needed it to see me so I waved my board, The tension was pulling my heart-string chord.

My luck changed, the chopper would save my soul.

“Thanks be to God, I can’t describe it at all, I owe them my life,” on the step I stand tall.

Monday evening, at half-seven, I fall and sprawl.

I was a missing person, I thought, as I walked across the sand And never had I been so happy to be on dry land.

My parents were praying, both Mother and Father, “We tried to stay strong, but it was getting harder and harder.”

Expecting the words, the police came to the door. “He’s been found alive!”

They were exuberant, ecstatic, they wanted to jive.

Thirty minutes after the news, they spoke to me and cried, But not out of sadness, it was because I had my life.

“They are all heroes,” is my conclusion after reminiscing And on that note, never again will I go surfing!

(Based on a true story...)

By David Adeyemi-Abere

96

THE FO

UR SEASONS

Winter, the cold air reaches, This is no time for beaches, Your hands begin to freeze, In the cold winter breeze.

In the Autumn the leaves start to die, No more bright blue and clear sky, The air is fragrant and cool, And once again I’m stuck in school.

In the Spring, the plants fill the fields, There are lots and lots of daffodils, The animals prepare to give birth, With their children ready to touch the Earth.

The last is done, the next is here, The same as it is every year, Spring, then sunshine, Autumn, snow, That is how every year must go.

In the Summer the sun arises, This is the children’s favourite prize, The school year is coming to an end, There is no more school to attend.

By Arvin Rai

THE SEA The marvellous beast awoke from its dormant state, It rose to a fury, A majestic creature, Its only purpose to create havoc Across the land.

Then, one day, the people of the land returned, They celebrated the destruction of the monster, That terrible creature had finally fallen And let the people be happy at last.

By Olaoluwa Apesin

It blew people off the boats, Then drowned them deep below the waves.

All were affected, Young and old.

The beast would not stop its reign Of tyranny across the coast.

Every day, the monster waged Its destructive war, It shouted and howled and ran rampant.

The poor people were left to flee, Scared for their lives.

All that was heard were The cries of children, Households destroyed, Livestock lost.

Yet, the monster continued…

97

TIME If time was a pie, I’d take a slice and save it for later.

I’d take seven ‘o’clock time-wasting and put it in the fridge.

If time could be kept like a token, I’d take all those wasted moments on holiday and Save them up, I would cash them in, ever so slowly, For times of rush, disaster and hurry.

If time was an almighty warrior and it was up against me, I would fight it and force it to use itself in my favour.

If time was a dragon, I would tame it And fly towards a happy and stress-free life.

If time was a raging inferno, I would put it out and take the ashes.

I would use them in a powerful hour-glass under my control.

If time was a surging flood, I would build a dam and control the water.

I would take a bucketful every now And then and save it for when needed.

But time is not a pie, nor token, nor any of these...

And for all of us, it predominantly rules our lives.

If time was non-existent, order would surely fall.

But time does exist, and it is the eternal Master, Uncontrollable, like a rolling wind, swooping down.

And may the glorious breeze Be felt everywhere on Earth.

By Jake Bentley-Evans

98

” 500 Words

“

Staff from

THE ANSWER The country he saw jolting past his window was scarred and broken. Lulled by the rumble of the train on its tracks, he closed his eyes. For a brief moment, he felt himself back in the crammed freight car, pressed in by a hundred bodies. The heat was suffocating despite the freezing night. He could still smell the sweat in his nostrils and hear the terrified groans of fear and the sobbing of the woman in the torn coat huddled next to him. Despite this bitter memory, in the tortured years that followed, he would have given anything to be back in that box car, nailed shut by the soldiers in the black boots. He had held his daughter’s hand for the last time, feeling the warmth of her palm in his, knowing that for now she was still alive.

When the train had clanked to a stop, more soldiers – barking orders and insults and waving blinding flashlights – had ripped the side off the car with crowbars. People spewed out onto the snow and were hauled and kicked to their feet. Some tried to run and were shot in the back, crumpling softly and silently into the reddening snow.

He had clung to his daughter and whispered frantically in her ear to remember their special place, to be brave and always know that he loved her. She had gripped him, her face pale with panic. Then a tall soldier with sad eyes, that held his pleading gaze for just a moment, had prised them apart and dragged her away. Her white, ghost-like face

was enveloped by the soft darkness and she was gone. A rifle butt cracked into his shoulders, shoving him in the opposite direction.

Miriam was thirteen then – just a girl. But he struggled to fix her at one particular age. He remembered her as a chubby three year old with big, brown eyes and a direct stare. He pictured her at six, always chattering and dancing. He saw her at twelve with that dark, puzzled expression, as she looked at the black band on her arm with the yellow star and was told she could no longer play with her best friend. If she had survived she would turn sixteen tomorrow. He wondered what she would look like now. Was it possible that she was alive? This question had eaten away at him over the years, leaving him cold, bitter and hard. But he had lived. It had carried him back from the blackest moments of despair.

He travelled now on this train, his forehead pressed against the grimy sash window, towards the place by Lake Lisowskie they had always visited on her birthday. Her mother would make sugar-coated apple cake, heavy with cinnamon, and his little girl would dangle her feet in the cool water. Would she remember what he had whispered to her in the dark all those years ago? Would she come? If there was an answer, he’d find it there.

By A. T. Cher

100

IT He was thirteen when ‘IT’ happened. That’s what those who remained called the event.

IT. There was no-one really left to explain IT. One day in October, ninety-nine percent of the world’s population simply didn’t wake up.

At the time, the world’s population numbered seven and a half billion people. That’s seven billion, four hundred million who didn’t open their eyes on that fateful Autumn morning. He’d thought about it often and wondered whether the world itself had had enough and taken matters into her own hands.

On that fateful day, he’d woken up as usual to his digital radio, but instead of the cheerful disc jockey prattling on about last night’s television, there was only static. He’d rubbed his eyes, yawned and reached out to the clock to find another station. Again, only static. The door of his bedroom nudged open and his black and white cat had slunk into the room. She’d given a plaintive meow and jumped onto the bed purring.

As he’d scratched her ears, he’d listened. There was no other sound in the house. Usually, Dad would be stomping around trying to find his keys, Mum noisily blow-drying her hair and his twin sisters fighting over the cornflakes.

expression upon her face. She was holding hands with his father who was also smiling. He knew then, they would never wake up and as this dawned on him, they began to fade away, leaving the faintest indentation in the mattress.

He ran to his sisters’ room to find them both upon the bed they shared (they shared everything) and they too were holding hands, before with a sigh, they also faded into nothingness.

At the time, he’d been at a loss as to what to do. He’d cried obviously, but along his street a handful of other lonely souls described the exact same thing. He was on his own.

It had been ten years since IT, or at least that’s what he thought. He’d wandered the country searching for answers. This was the tenth Autumn since IT. It felt cold already and he knew a fierce Winter was imminent.

For some reason he always came back. Here felt safe: the house remained, undisturbed. He reached for the key around his neck as he saw the familiar street sign. He turned the key in the lock and heard, in his imagination, his mother admonishing him for not wiping his boots.

Smiling, he closed the door behind him.

He was home.

By Anon. E. Mouse

However, not today.

As he’d walked along the river of the town known as Bedford, he recalled the moment he’d opened the door and peered out.

Silence reigned.

He made his way to his parents’ room and tried the door.

Sunlight peaked its way through a gap in the purple velvet curtains and he saw them both in bed. He’d called out to them, but neither had stirred.

He went round to his mother’s side and tried to rouse her, but she was still. She was smiling with a peaceful

101

UBMISSIONS FOR 2018

S

In the following months, I will continue to ask the English teachers for great examples of creative work and there will be further writing competitions to enter… Keep a look out!

This year, boys, I would also like to encourage you to send your work directly to me. Perhaps you write at home in the evenings, or scribble a bit over the holidays, or furiously type your manuscript at weekends in your spare time? If you would like to share your work with me, I would be very happy to read it and… MAYBE it might end up in a future edition of ‘The Inky Blot’!

If you would like the chance to see your creative writing in print next time, here’s what to do…

•

Please email a copy of your work to me as a Word doc or as a Google doc.

•

Send it to: ssilk@bedfordschool.org.uk

•

In your subject line, please include the following words: 1. Submission Inky Blot…

2. Your Name and Year…

3. The title of your work…

E.g. Submission Inky Blot Ron Weasley Y5 ‘Stardust and Phoenix Feathers’ Poem

If you have any questions about any of this, just come and have a chat with me and I’ll explain things further. I can’t wait to read all your lovely work!

Mrs Sarah Silk

JUST “You can’t use up creativity.

The more you use, the more you have.”

Maya Angelou

A THO

“A writer, i think, is someone who pays attention to the world.”

“Read a thousand books and your words will flow like a river”

Susan Sontag

Virginia WOolf

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”

Lewis L’Amour

Albert Einstein

“Logic will take you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”

“Writers end up writing about their obsessions. Things that haunt them; things they can’t forget; stories they carry in their bodies waiting to be released.”

Albert einstein “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass”

Anton Chekhov

UGHT...

relax

not every page has to be a masterpiece “Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.”

Natalie Goldberg

William Wordsworth

“Writing is the painting of the voice.”

“There are three rules for writing a novel.

Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.”

Voltaire

W. Somerset Maugham

‘The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision.”

Neil Gaiman

“Creativity is a wild mind & a disciplined eye.”

Dorothy Parker

“Good Fiction is written by people who’ve read a lot of fiction”

William Gibson

Doubt is part of the creative process.

Bedford Prep School, De Parys Avenue, Bedford MK40 2TU +44 (0)1234 362274 | prepinfo@bedfordschool.org.uk | www.bedfordschool.org.uk Bedford School is part of The Harpur Trust: a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England: Company No. 3475202.

Registered Office: Pilgrim Centre, Brickhill Drive, Bedford, MK41 7PZ. Registered Charity No. 1066861.