StAnza 2011 Children’s Poetry Competition

Congratulations to Sophie Duncan - Winner of the Stanza Competition with her poem If Only

If Only

If only I could rewind time,
And change everything I regret.
If only I could freeze time,
And take in the world so I don’t forget.
If only I could go to the future,
To see what’s happened to me.
If only I could go to ancient times,
To see how living would be.
If only I could set the clocks,
To whatever time I’d like.
IF only I could make bedtime,
Much later on at night.
If only I could make bedtime,
Much later on at night.
If only I could pause things,
And put them on hold.
If only I could rewind good times,
Even when I’m old.

StAnza 2010 Children’s Poetry Competition

Congratulations to Halley McArn of 2P3 for taking Second Prize this year with her poem The Ugly Duckling

The Ugly Duckling

In the dead of night I will glide on the surface of the lake,
And the water will surrender to my airy wings,
As if each little drop is bowing down to me.
The grass will sing and praise my feet as I walk on each blade,
And the moon will smile at me from its liquid perch.
At the first break of dawn the birds will fly towards me,
Bringing clear tunes to sing to me.
And when the last sweet note escapes from their mouths,
I shall lift my wings and return to my home in the sky.
I will soar and hear the crisp wind pass through my silky wings.
And when I arrive my family will silently tell me stories,
That paint vivid masterpieces in my mind.
But for now I wait,
Far away from my lake,
Watching,
Waiting,
In the gloomy depths of the forest,
Where I can almost hear my birds singing,
And my grass swaying,
And my wings soaring.

Carnegie Medal Shadowing Project

Pupils from groups all over Britain are shadowing the Carnegie Medal, reading through the books on the shortlist, and posting their reviews, and reading others' opinions on the merits of each book, on the Carnegie Medal Shadowing Project Website.

The website allows you to look at all the reviews posted: you can choose to look at the reviews for a particular book, or to see all the reviews sent in by a group. For more information see the The Madras Carnegie Challenge.