Here are the winners of the Year 7 Haiku Competition, judged by Tim Gardiner and created during his workshops on Wednesday 18th October as part of the Woodbridge Youth Poetry Festival 2018. Tim is a prizewinning poet and ecologist, listed on Europe’s Top 100 Haiku Poets, and this is his third visit to Woodbridge School to work with Year 7 pupils. Tim writes:
1st Place
damp green grass
summer stampedes
my way
James H, 7D
A simply superb haiku with clear juxtaposition of seasons and wonderful second line alliteration. The upbeat nature of the poem is also redolent of summer days and when read aloud, it has such a gentle rhythm.
2nd Place
shape of glass
buried in the ground
filled with filth
Ellen H, 7D
I’m always looking for poems that stand out from the rest and dare to be different. Ellen’s haiku takes a simple image (buried bottle) and makes it mysterious (shape of glass) before the lovely alliteration in the final line. The word filth really conjures up the image of dirt and grime; perhaps a strong metaphor for something else? Whatever the meaning, the poem has terrific rhythm read aloud and clever use of words.
3rd Place
William B, 7A
the country roads call my childhood
Few students attempted a one line haiku. William’s evocatively conjures up a rather sad narrative in just a few syllables. The poem has a clear kireji (cutting word – roads) even if it lacks a seasonal reference (kigo). William’s haiku is reminiscent of John Denver’s hit, Take Me Home, Country Roads. He builds a poem around this song and makes the words his own.
The commended poems are:
Enzo J, 7A
the soft grass
waiting to be walked on –
bathing in the sun
Great second line and rhythm.
Bruce B, 7A
weeping willows
on the ground
dewy grass
Very compact haiku with a lovely link between ‘weeping willow’ and ‘dewy grass.’
Violetta S, 7A
dry leaves lying in the sun
gasping for a drop of water
Lovely two line haiku with a good contrast between both parts.
Millie J, 7B
an empty shell –
lines and smooth
scarred on the outside
Fantastic description of an acorn, which could be a strong metaphor.
Samson F, 7A
prickling brambles –
a solid wall
blocking my way
Interesting use of long, short, long lines plus a deeper meaning.
Oscar W, 7C
fallen conkers
far from the tree –
squirrel scuttling through
Good use of alliteration in a surprising final line.
Hugh M, 7C
sat on the warm grass
watching the barley
majestically dance
I can see the barley waving in the warm wind. Beautiful image and the use of ‘majestically’ gives some haiku added interest.
Tolly Y, 7C
pile of autumn leaves –
stacked above one another
by the living meadows
Long lines, but wonderful contrast between death and life.
Phoebe Adams (7D)
a wise old oak
waiting for years
to be discovered
A real Lord of the Rings feel to this one with a maturity far beyond the age of the poet.
Ollie J, 7A
nature’s breath
curling trees
likes witches’ fingers
stretching up
reaching down
the sorrows of the weeping willow
poison ivy
surrounds the tree
a loner in a world of fear
I’ve included three of Ollie’s poems due to their interesting structure and quite profound final lines which work despite their length.
Congratulations to all the poets on being selected by Tim. The three winners will receive a signed copy of his latest collection, The Flintknapper’s Ghost.
