Competition Entry

Out of all people, why me?
They said I should be white,
be five feet, the perfect height
but why can’t I be black and tall?

They said long blond is the way,
but why can’t I have short black hair today?
They said live long with beautiful blue eyes,
but brown, they would send you straight to die.

Out of all people, why me?
I was just a child trying to succeed,
but for my education, I had to plead
There’s 4% of me, and 82% of you, because that’s fair right?

They looked me up and down because of the colour of my skin,
knowing it was a terrible, unfair sin
Mothers and mathers, separating their children from me,
telling them, I was disgusting and mean.

Out of all people, why me?
Constantly being treated differently than others,
all I could do, was come home and cry under the covers
just because I’m black.

They told me to shower, scrub my skin,
just so I could fit in
They ask me, “What do you think about George Floyd?”
and with that, my heart created a huge void.

Out of all people, why me?
that could have been me,
under that cop’s knee
telling him, “I’m unable to breathe.”

Adults don’t teach their kids about racial reality,
but instead teach them to neutralise different sexuality
They say sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt us,
but I say sticks and stones may break my bones but words will always hurt us.

Out of all people, why me?
Ripples of heat overflowing my body,
They told me, “Sit down, have a cup of coffee.”
But if only I could.

I respect people have different sexualities,
but it really messes with my mentality
we fought and fought to have one month for our pain and suffering,
but the LGBTQ had theirs without toughening.

Out of all people, why me?
I pray, and I beg to my lord Jesus Christ,
to lead humanity into light,
but somehow no one seems to get it right.

I still have faith in humans,
thinking together we could find the conclusions
but what can black people actually do,
other than just sit there, and let our feelings brew.

COMPETITION WINNER

When I woke up to the chime of the alarm clock,
I looked at the sunshine on my window,
And breathed a sigh of gratitude,
For the sunlight to to the air,
Everything feels like it’s truly out of this world,
Finding that silver lining everywhere,
Every day can be a occasion to celebrate, not only birthdays and festivals
Have to be celebrated,
From the majestic trees to the enchanting flowers,
Not only the beautiful nature—
But also our family members who work hard for us every day,
Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Grandparent’s Day—
Are not just for one day—
They deserve to be celebrated every day,
Making their day special should happen everyday!

Caring for yourself is also something,
You should also celebrate yourself,
How you have been working hard to how you have achieved something,
Finding a celebration everyday—
Is being positive everyday,
Finding a silver lining a everyday,
Seeing a ray of hope everyday,
Everyday might seem different!
But I am sure that there has to be something that is worthy of being celebrated,

For instance, that smile on the face of the milkman,
When I thank him for his help—
And the glimmer on the face of my fencing coach,
When I win a medal!

There is a celebration hidden in the heart,
Of every single day, and I think the skill
Is just in finding it!

Clad in my fencing gear, I slashed a silver sword—
I conquered my opponent, and drove her to the ground,
The sun beat down with its golden rays,
But I focused on the medal, that was going to hang proudly around my neck,
From one to innumerable opponents,
I defeated them all!

That truly made me feel on top of the world
As I embark on this journey of sportsmanship—
It gives me a sense of pride and joy,
This glorious victory makes me feel as if I am on cloud nine!
Beating all my opponents one by one makes me feel like I am in a class of my own
Making my coach feel proud and my family,
Is something that I enjoy a lot,
Sending pictures to all my relatives
Click! Click! Click!
That feeling of winning is truly out of this world!

But more than anything else,
I think fencing teaches me equality—
How us girls have a moral right to participate in sports,
How so many female athletes having won so many trophies,
It is also the celebration of how we were able to evolve as a society —
And give girls equal opportunities!

One of the first four sports to be featured in Modern Olympics—
‘Touching’ in fencing was initially recorded by a sword,
Dipped in ink,
But little did I know, that this very ink—
Would actually write the destiny of so many female athletes,
Such as me!

Fencing is a sport of celebration—
Because it fills our lives with the elation of equality,
With not even an iota of disparity!

once at school

I jumped in a pool

and when I jumped in

I swam into a bin

it was fun

so I made a pun

I like going to school

cause it’s super cool

We studied hard, with brains so bright,
And faced the exams, with all our might.
The questions tricked, but we didn’t fall,
We answered with ease, like a superhero’s call!

The wait was long, like a never-ending tale,
But finally, the results arrived, and our fate didn’t fail!
We opened the sheet, with hands so fine,
And found our hard work paid off, like a sweet, sweet wine!

We passed with flying colors, like a dream come true,
And celebrated with joy, like a party crew!
We danced and sang, like a bunch of crazy fools,
Our success unlocked, like a treasure chest full of cool!

We remembered the late nights, and early morning grinds,
The coffee-fuelled cram sessions, and the brain-twisting mind binds!
But it all paid off, like a jackpot win,
And now we’re the champs, with our success locked in!

So here’s to perseverance, and dedication too,
For helping us reach our goals, like a superhero crew!
Here’s to the laughs, and the memories we made,
And the friends who stuck with us, like a loyal parade!

Our success unlocked, is like a badge of honor bright,
A shining star, that guides us through the night!
So let’s keep on shining, like a bunch of crazy stars,
And remember, success is sweet, like a box of chocolate bars!

The shadow monsters loom over
my body, a battered dandelion,
crumpled by colossal enclosure,
taunts shooting at my glass head.

Blazing glass turns to sweltering sand.
The grains scratch their rising heat,
between my irritated skull and
the lava laden linen.

Through my eyes, salty sleep leaks,
lost to the darkness of night,
staining my crimson cheeks
with white waterfalls of tiredness.

My agitated spine of sticks
will not release the sun.
A tightened sleeve of flesh grips
to my cluttered, quivering bones.

The vast sea tosses my limbs
as they flounder recklessly
searching for the stolen wings,
only to drown in the water.

COMPETITION WINNER

Happy Birthday!
To: Mom
From: Heva Bashir

Oh Mom!
Let’s appreciate you doing all this work for us,
You help us,
You carried us for 9 months,
From 0 – 8
You had me for 8 years,
Happy 35th Birthday!
Mom,
You give me joy,
You give me happiness,
You love me,
I love you,
Oh I need to appreciate about you loving me,
Doing all this work for me,
She buys me clothes,
She buys me earrings,
She buys me food,
She buys me water,
She buys me everything I need,
She gets me toys,
Now it’s time for me to gift her.
I wi get her anything she needs,
I will buy her food,
You hug your mum,
I can buy her a love mug,
I have the opportunity to buy her cards,
I have the opportunity to buy her cakes,
I’m only 8,
Wondering how I got money,
I don’t care about that,
I can buy her flowers,
She gave me the earth,
She gave me the world,
She helped me live,
And you see your father,
It’s his birthday tomorrow,
You celebrate with him too,
Funny huh?
I can buy both of them gifts,
I can give them mugs,
I can give them flowers,
They can celebrate together,
Now you see,
Family is important.
Not only they give you stuff,
And you hurt their feelings,
You can gift them,
Say sorry for everything mean that you have done,
You apologize,
They forgive,
We can all live,
We celebrate that 35 birthday by singing the birthday song, but they are already grown up..
Oh mom,
Oh father,
May all your wishes come true,
You look in the mirror,
You think you’re old,
You look at your life,
You begin to mould.

It’s time to celebrate your existence
Go to a mirror and compliment your appearance.
Just deliberate about how lucky you are to live.
For there are still souls that have not been able to give.
From passing exams, an explosion of joy
From FATAL experiences that creep within,
Stealing feelings of hope that destroy.
You pick yourself up again and look in your eyes
You see hope, and you see joy.
Hugging the person that has given you the world, your mother
Gives you a feeling of security, and there’s another.
It gives you an eruption of glee and then here comes your brother.
He’s a knight
Fighting to save you, as that’s what’s right.
There is your father, who’s sitting on the sofa.
A rough, and playful hug with him, gives you a feeling of belonging and a sensation of joy.
There comes your grandparents, old and wise
Loves all of their grandkids, no need to despise.
A lovely conversation about history with them over the phone
Gives you a bubbly feeling of not feeling alone.
Look, there’s your cousins from over the street.
You guys have been best friends since the day that you met
Living without them would make your life feel incomplete.
A friendly game of tag or football,
Turns your emotions into an avalanche of joy, that’s what they call.
For your aunties and uncles, across the world
You love them more than the universe that has swirled.
A smile from them,
Turns a frown upside down.
Don’t forget your friends,
They are the ones that make hardships in life feel like they end.
A hilarious series of banter with them
Turns your worry into an earthquake of joy.

Life’s treasures: nature, education
The gifts we receive on this Earth is found by the whole population.
Walk onto the beach with your family and friends
Then watch the harsh emotions, as it descends.
Get a telescope, and point it into space
Observe the ring that Saturn has got, and the endless stars in the galaxies above.
All you need to do is dream
As it will give you a chance to be free and explore the world’s theme.
You could see a rabbit formed by a magician.
Whatever you see, there will always be a volcano of glee within.
And for your joy, it’s a flame under your skin.

Drum roll! Please guess which holiday is today?
It’s Christmas! I can already imagine you raising your hand!
After all, Christmas is in the heart of every child.

Think about it,
Would you not be happy if every 25th of December——
You get a glittering golden present!
Christmas makes every child smile and I wonder why?

I don’t know why,
Maybe its because a man
With a jolly belly spoiling you with piles of gifts

Christmas is nothing without the reindeers,
Respect to them! They carry the slay through out the night,
But on reflecting back, there would be no flying reindeers without Santa
Let’s give a round of applause to him, if he can handle a team of reindeers and make millions of children smile!
He deserves a cookie or two…

Whenever you sit near the fire place on Christmas Eve,
I want you to remember the man,
With his jolly belly who is going to spoil you tomorrow

COMPETITION WINNER

Beauty is a red flower
Blooming in spring
Supplying a beehive
With a bucket full of honey

Beauty is a blue flower
Scenting a garden,
With its awe-inducing fragrance
And its little, green stem

Beauty is dandelion
Spreading out its leaves
And opening up for the first time,
Growing its roots down deep

Beauty is a green flower
Feeling the warmth of the sun
Growing from the seed
Into a tiny tower

Beauty is a green tree
Standing tall and proud
Dropping down a rain of apples,
And giving us brown logs