Competition Entry

We Surrender
We want peace
One by one
We end the fight

No more bullets, bombs, or guns
Just candy, games and let us play ball
Let us have a party and make some noise
Parade the streets with glee and joy
For WW2 shall be no more

Open windows and let the fresh breeze in
Get rid of all our dirty rags
Let us raise the flags
All the countries are at peace
Germany will not be left aloof

Every September 2nd, let us sit down and recollect
Memories of our ancestors
Let us learn from their mistakes
Peace, happiness, and joy, let us spread, instead

We dance
We celebrate
One by one
We strive for peace

Competition Winner. Well done!

Today my socks were sticky
as a candy cane
I put on my shoes
they were sticky too
Then I walked to school
and the floor was sticky

WINNING POEM

Mum, you are really kind.
Mum, you shine like a diamond.
Mum, you are as beautiful as the queen.
Mum, you are amazing.
Mum, you shine like the stars.

WINNING POEM

Bespectacled octogenarian
Streaks of grey hair
Like the ashes from Mt. Vesuvius
A thick, fat moustache
Coupled with a rich baritone

Retired Professor of Geography
In love with the Himalayas
Loves to travel; physically and virtually
Michael Palin’s travelogues give him company
So does the morning newspaper

Storehouse of stories from days afar
Cricket buff; Lords is Mecca for him
Loves music; sings aloud in good mood
Hollywood action films are very close to his heart
Has a handful of friends for good company

Lives by the philosophy – live to eat
Loves his coffee and assorted nuts
Steaming samosas set his mood right
A big fan of potatoes and cauliflower curry
But generally picky over food

Always up to some mischief and fun
Hides the bitter gourd on his dinner plate
Steals sweeties in the dead of the night!
Loves pulling grandma’s leg
Copycat par excellence

Follows his religion but never too rigid
Loves animals big and small
Thus, prefers being a strict vegetarian
Diabetic; counts his medicines regularly
Loves a good afternoon snooze when tired

Laughs a lot; often at the silliest jokes
The jolliest person on earth
Has a radiant beam which spreads joy
Above all very humane and kind
My one and only Grandpa.

WINNING POEM

I love my mum
I love her lots
But what’s special
is her smell.

Her smell
takes me away
and If I could
I would take
her scarf
with me,
I would.

I would
put my face
in her scarf
and smell
her special smell
It takes me away.

Sometimes I smell
her when she kisses
me goodbye and
it takes me away.

WINNING POEM

I followed my nai nai’s* heels
The lilting sound of the Chinese flute
Guides the Tai Chi movements
Light-hearted. I was eight.

The sound of the pans clanking
I sit on a bamboo stool waiting for my jiao zi**
Marinated ginger and vinegar bursting in my mouth
Satisfied. I was eight.

Matching crimson qi pao*** with nai nai
Banging on relatives’ traditional Chinese wooden doors
Gobbling steaming new year cake in every house
Dazzling in Chinese flame red silk. I was eight.

The wrinkled hand held my wrist softly
Guiding me to light the Chinese lantern
The full moon reflecting on the jade colored ocean
Enchanted. I was eight.

The clicking sound of mahjong filling in the room
Just turned 80, Nai nai sits at the head of table
Peach buns, long noodles and eggs in every dish
Sighing in joy. I was eight.

Kneeling next to a white carved coffin
I sobbed while I held a yellow chrysanthemum
The burning of fake money filled the air
Following the loud music of the funeral band, I was pulled away.

I was grief-stricken, eight.

*Grandmother
**Dumpling
***Traditional female dress with distinctive Chinese features

WINNING POEM

She takes me to the park
She makes my life lots of fun
She helps me out
I really love my Mum

She is kind when I am poorly
She helps everyone
She’s clever and funny
I really love my Mum

If you want a Mum like mine
You can get one
She’s only ten pounds now – a bargain!
If you really, REALLY want my Mum

WINNING POEM

Mums,
Oh Mums.
They think
They’re good at baking,
Well that doesn’t look so tasty!
They’re brilliant at taking you to school,
Well that’s just embarrassing!
They’re good at helping with homework,
Well that just turns out preposterous!
They’re awesome at building LEGO,
Once that ends it looks like a destroyed house!!

But…

Mum’s are
Good at baking cakes,
Sometimes that are tasty!!
Brilliant at taking you to school,
Sometimes it can be funny!!
Good at helping with homework,
Sometimes that that can get you good marks!!
Awesome at building LEGO,
Sometimes it can look like a real house!!

But…

They are our Mums
We have to do with what we have got
and that isn’t the worst!!

WINNING POEM

First is my Grandpa, grumpy and a tad loopy,
Next comes Granny, dashing and dancing,
Then comes Gaggy, full of giggles and greatness,
After that is Gramps, a galloping grouch unless he’s golfing!
Grandpa Hughie is the diet coke and Jaffa cake king,
he makes us play cards until we win.
He is married to Granny Sarah, the ironing Queen

Next come my Aunties, they are completely crackers.
Aunt Doze is dozy like her name,
Aunt Craze spoils us with heaps of fun,
as for Aunt Juice she’s got a screw loose,
but I love them all the same, I have many more I can’t explain.

Now the Uncles!
Uncle Dave the farming fanatic,
Uncle Col the cool one,
Uncle Teddy the barmy barrister,
Uncle Boar Bore the boring one,

Now come my cousins, I have got ten of the fun friendly things,
Milly the dancer, Liv the jockey and Sophie the sports Queen.
Next comes Amy the organised one and Jim the joker,
Following on the spoilt ones.
Contrary Kitty, feisty Freddie and bouncing Bertie.
The babies come next,
Bonnie the basher (she likes to give you a good thump) and Hughie from Hong Kong.

Finally it’s my family,
Daddy the remote control king,
Mummy who’s mad,
Martha the monkey,
and me the pretty and perfect one!