Torbay Poetry Prize

New talent

No less than four young poets have been discovered in Torbay by the Torbay Libraries Poetry Prize 2011. The new awards, launched this year by Torbay Libraries, were open to anyone living in Torbay or attending a Torbay School in Years 7 to 11. To encourage and inspire entrants, the library also organised a series of poetry workshops with performance poet Chris Brooks.

The competition was well supported by schools in Torbay and organisers received over 90 entries. All of the poems were evaluated anonymously and the judges described the quality of the poems submitted as “very high”. The winning entrants were announced at a special prize giving on Friday 21^st October at the Grosvenor Hotel in Torquay, as part of the Torbay Festival of Poetry, an annual highlight of the Torbay cultural calendar that attracts some of the best poets from all over the UK.

The prizes

Cup and prizes generously donated by The Friends Groups of Torbay Libraries.

First prize - Torbay Libraries Poetry Prize Cup and £50 One4all giftcard
Second Prize - £30 One4all giftcard
2 Runner up Prizes - £20 One4all giftcard

1st prize - Mind Games	2nd prize - Winds
I’m playing mind games, I’m twisting your words, I’m quoting things I tell you you’ve heard I’m spreading rumours All about you, And I’m telling everyone That the lies are true. I’ll look at you blankly With a piercing stare. I’ll make you confused Then catch you unaware. I’ll make you say things You shouldn’t have said, As I bury deeper, Worming into your head. I’ll make your heart beat And I’ll make your mind pound But that’s just what happens When a journalist’s around. Ruby Clemans	The gentle spring wind laughs Like a sweet baby. Caressing your face with it’s Spider web fingers. Placing kisses on your cheeks. Swirling the cherry blossoms Into a gossamer gown around Your body, Twisting and twirling. The lazy Summer wind curls Around you like a cat. Persuades you to lie in your Hammock just one more hour. Promising you of the joys You will have. Covering you like A warm blanket. Comforting. Familiar. The teasing Autumn wind whips Your hair about your face. The scent of wood smoke fills Your nose. Tempting you to sit On a log around the dancing Fire. Laughing and clapping To the beat of the Gypsies Drumming feet. The sharp Winter wind bites Into your body, bringing up Red spots of colour in your Cheeks. Wrapping you in snow And ice. Warning you to stay Out of it’s path. If you don’t Heed it’s warning then you will Feel the Winter wind’s cold. Scarlett Fawcett

1st prize - Mind Games

2nd prize - Winds

I’m playing mind games,
I’m twisting your words,
I’m quoting things
I tell you you’ve heard

I’m spreading rumours
All about you,
And I’m telling everyone
That the lies are true.

I’ll look at you blankly
With a piercing stare.
I’ll make you confused
Then catch you unaware.

I’ll make you say things
You shouldn’t have said,
As I bury deeper,
Worming into your head.

I’ll make your heart beat
And I’ll make your mind pound
But that’s just what happens
When a journalist’s around.

Ruby Clemans

The gentle spring wind laughs
Like a sweet baby.
Caressing your face with it’s
Spider web fingers.
Placing kisses on your cheeks.
Swirling the cherry blossoms
Into a gossamer gown around
Your body,
Twisting and twirling.

The lazy Summer wind curls
Around you like a cat.
Persuades you to lie in your
Hammock just one more hour.
Promising you of the joys
You will have. Covering you like
A warm blanket.
Comforting. Familiar.

The teasing Autumn wind whips
Your hair about your face.
The scent of wood smoke fills
Your nose. Tempting you to sit
On a log around the dancing
Fire. Laughing and clapping
To the beat of the Gypsies
Drumming feet.

The sharp Winter wind bites
Into your body, bringing up
Red spots of colour in your
Cheeks. Wrapping you in snow
And ice. Warning you to stay
Out of it’s path. If you don’t
Heed it’s warning then you will
Feel the Winter wind’s cold.

Scarlett Fawcett

Runner up - Earth Ruler	Runner up - What is tedious?
I am passion, anger, fire and ice. I’m everything horrible. And everything nice. I am cryptic, intelligent Tiny and tall, I can play football round the universe, With the earth as my ball. My spirit is deep underground, Though my soul is high the air Treat things with respect, And I shall accept you fair. Half the time I am wrong, Though I’m always right, I emanate a gentle purr, Accompanied by a fierce bite. I look out for you in the day, And watch over you all night, But you can never find me Though search for me you might. I weep into deserts, then they turn into oceans I cough to make volcanoes erupt, And other peculiar notions. I am the one that makes orange flames dance, I gave the red fur to a fox, I created pain and suffering, And I was hope in Pandora’s Box. Nope, I’m not God Nothing like that, I’m as slow as a cheetah, As beautiful as a rat. I never reveal myself, For that is true, I’m as false as a lie But as real as you. I’m sitting right next to you, As you recite this poem, You can’t see me in the flesh But I’m there – you just know it. Sophie Hodson	The dictionary definition for tedious, Is, in short Dull, and boring. I think they should redefine tedious, And all the other words. Because we all have our own personal meanings, For these words. And not all of them, Are the ones specified in the dictionary. So think; what’s tedious for you? Maybe it’s this poem. So I’ll end it now. Connie Thomas

Runner up - Earth Ruler

Runner up - What is tedious?

I am passion, anger, fire and ice.
I’m everything horrible.
And everything nice.

I am cryptic, intelligent
Tiny and tall,
I can play football round the universe,
With the earth as my ball.

My spirit is deep underground,
Though my soul is high the air
Treat things with respect,
And I shall accept you fair.

Half the time I am wrong,
Though I’m always right,
I emanate a gentle purr,
Accompanied by a fierce bite.

I look out for you in the day,
And watch over you all night,
But you can never find me
Though search for me you might.

I weep into deserts,
then they turn into oceans
I cough to make volcanoes erupt,
And other peculiar notions.

I am the one that makes orange flames dance,
I gave the red fur to a fox,
I created pain and suffering,
And I was hope in Pandora’s Box.

Nope, I’m not God
Nothing like that,
I’m as slow as a cheetah,
As beautiful as a rat.

I never reveal myself,
For that is true,
I’m as false as a lie
But as real as you.

I’m sitting right next to you,
As you recite this poem,
You can’t see me in the flesh
But I’m there – you just know it.

Sophie Hodson

The dictionary definition for tedious,
Is, in short
Dull, and boring.
I think they should redefine tedious,
And all the other words.
Because we all have our own personal meanings,
For these words.
And not all of them,
Are the ones specified in the dictionary.
So think; what’s tedious for you?
Maybe it’s this poem.
So I’ll end it now.

Connie Thomas

Contact Torbay Libraries

Tel: N/A
Email: libraries@torbay.gov.uk
Fax: 01803 208311

Torbay Council

A to Z of Council Services

Main Navigation

Sub Navigation