We
asked you to write a poem based on a true life incident, as it might
appear in a diary. We had some excellent entries. The ten winners
are
below, plus three runners up.
The winners will each receive a copy of
The Journal of Danny Chaucer (Poet)
by Roger Stevens.
A big thank you to Dolphin Paperbacks at Orion
for their kindness in donating prizes. A huge thank you to everyone
who entered and a massive well done to the prize winners and runners
up.
My
Diary by
Allison and Kayla
My diary
is really cool
I write in it when I get home from school
It's pink and fluffy with polka dots
It lives inside a special box
With big pretty purple spots
Inside
the box
There's a pen with hearts
It glows in the dark
With green pretty sparks
Inside
my diary
There's pink glitter pages
I write on these pages
For ages and ages
I write about my special occasions
I confide in my diary
To keep all my secrets
The outside
of my diary has a special padlock
I hope that my brother doesn't get in and look.
Dear
Diary by Annie Eliza Catlett
Why are
your friends so happy then mean?
They seem so snobby like they received a golden ring,
Sometimes
I feel like I'm so close to them,
But then I realized they are like a flower with a broken stem,
To people who don't know exactly who they are,
Think that they are good friends from a-far
But once you know the broken truth,
You know that you have matured from your youth,
Dear
Diary by Robin Lawson
(September 18, 1996)
Dear Diary,
Paige was born
late last night.
She's so tiny.
What a sight.
She has little fingers
And itsy-bitsy toes
And right in the middle of her face
Is a cute little nose.
Grandma drove us to the hospital
Just a while ago.
I've got a proud big sister pin
To show.
All I can think to say is Wow!
I've got a baby sister now.
Dear
Diary by Rachael Campbell
Dearest Diary, only friend,
I will tell you what I saw,
4,000 stark white crosses
Of men who died in war.
Who died
for what they believed in
Who died for what was right,
At least, that is what they thought
As they fought with all their might.
Along
the leaf-lined walkway
Are a hundred chestnut trees,
Each leaf of theirs a human soul
Rustling in the breeze.
The gravestones
are a pattern
A dip in the land; a crease,
On the tablecloth of sorrow
They finally lie in peace.
One More Prayer by Brigit Hansen
(My
diary entry when my best friend left me)
Alone,
There's no one by my side,
Let tears fall, there's no need to hide,
Since your gentle wings have left my aid,
I look at the light; it's beginning to fade,
Abandoned,
A pool of darkness has swallowed my fear,
To you I've call though you never would hear,
Wishes and dreams engulf our souls,
But now your gone, my spirit's not whole,
Isolated,
You look at me now, I am forsaken,
But no regrets now, my hope you've taken,
Look at the sky, an eternity lost,
Was it all worth it? Look what it cost,
Fear,
The road to life I walk alone,
The dark and death to me it's shown,
I search for truth, and yet still for you,
My horror overtakes me, you were all I knew,
Despair,
The road is hard, long, and bleak,
You fall too, we both are weak,
You cry alone as the darkness defeats,
Time and dusk, they both meet,
Nothing,
If we could take back feelings and despair,
All we needed was one more prayer,
But sorry now, this is the end,
And this my friend, did you intend?
Approaching Slowly, Arriving Soon by
Khalid Braonán
Looking left I see her figure,
Dark silhouette beneath the moon.
Seems to be getting bigger,
Approaching slowly, arriving soon.
Waiting silent beneath the trees,
Shadows there in front of me,
Close my eyes I see her figure
Ghost walking beside a bright sea.
Looking up at sparkling stars,
Aching heart, lonely debris.
Looking left I'm sure she's coming
But nothing there for me to see.
Darkening waters, clouds cover the moon.
Gorgeous ocean in my mind,
Approaching so slowly, yet arriving so soon.
Afraid time wishes she was left behind.
Two Diary Entries by Bethany Rettig
1
How Could You?
How could
you talk to me like that?
How could you touch me like that?
How could you kiss me like that?
How could you not care like?
How could you look at me like that?
How could ask like that?
How could you laugh like that?
How could you lie like that?
How could you feel like that?
How could you make me feel the way you do?
How? How could you?
How could you make me grow up so fast?
2 Why Didn't You?
Why didn't
you make me short?
Why didn't you make me skinny?
Why didn't you make me popular?
Why didn't you make me nice?
Why didn't you make me pretty?
Why didn't you make me a blond?
Why didn't you make me a good friend?
Why didn't you make me likeable?
Why didn't you make me like me?
Why didn't you care for me?
Why didn't you make my parents proud of me?
Why didn't you make people look beyond the looks and fat?
Why Lord?
Why didn't you?
Dear Diary by Kortni Dixon
May he
never know,
the feelings I don't show,
though my love for him does grow
to overflow my heart.
I never shall let go of the feelings I hold for him.
Each time he comes around
I'm lifted from the ground,
on a beautiful cloud drifting through the air.
My heart truly does flutter each time he glances my way,
Just having him around is enough to make my day.
Even though he'll never know,
My love for him will continue to grow.
An
Embarrassing Adventure by Zainab Zaheen
My self & Fuzzy went on a tour of the Island of Sri Lanka.
We made sure to have a good time as soon as we landed.
We wanted to climb the highest mount, Adams Peak.
We got in a bus and fell fast sleep.
Then we heard a loud bang.
Our bus hit a Jeep and we fell in a garbage heap.
People started to peep because we looked like creeps
covered in garbage heaps.
A man helped us get back on our feet
And offered us a ride back to Adams Peak.
On the way to the top of Adams Peak we
saw awesome water falls
and clouds like cotton balls.
Though we were alerted for charging goats.
We enjoyed this adventure.
Now, when we recall that fall with hearty laughs.
We will never forget the beauty of Sri Lanka.
Dear Diary by Dominique Fong
Dear Diary,
Today I accomplished
a small victory
Standing up on my own two feet.
The laughter and mockery rang in my head
My anger exploded, so I said,
"Quit it! Will you give it a rest?"
I thought I was doing what was best.
They backed off, astonished at my outburst
Peace, no longer a thirst.
I walked off, pleased and satisfied
Then I saw someone else being bullied
I gave a big sigh.
Dear,
dear diary, today was a glorious day
May tomorrow see another fear defeated.
The
following poems don't win a prize but we thought they should receive
a commendation. Well done!
Dear
Diary by James Smith
Sitting
in the classroom, an enemy to the clock
That ticking in the distance, weighed me down just like a rock,
The teacher at the front with her never-ending drool,
She must have seen from in my face I didn't care at all!
Lounging there in physics the 'worstest' kind of science,
The end of school getting nearer, my last sure alliance.
Suddenly I heard the pips calling from the old loud speaker,
From round the room (to fit the class) a sure cry of "Eureka!"
At last the day was over, and it was time to go,
Au revoir, guten tag and all that so and so.
Off and
out through laughing doors as happy as can be,
For prison was now over and the convicts were all free.
Sitting down inside the coach my ticket back to home,
It may not quite be the Ritz but I sure would not groan,
A ticket out of school for at least another evening,
Would anyone in their right mind see any reason to be grieving,
Not if they knew what was in store back at home for me
Tickets for the Charlton game versus rubbishy old Derby
Bored and desperate for the game I could not wait much more
Each second seemed to trail, twice as long as the one before
My wait
was finally over as I sat down in my seat,
Thinking I am so lucky with such a special treat.
Eight o'clock kick off, the game had just begun
Charlton are the best, we'll make those Derby fans run,
Passes left right and centre, skill and some class shots,
Watch those away players shiver, in their red and white striped
socks,
Suddenly a goal to add to Charlton's tally,
Like an over-sounding music box the sound from in 'The Valley,'
"A goal, we scored, hip hip hooray!"
A perfect way to end a not so perfect day.
The Guardians by Ellen Whitman
Like pillars
of the gods, reaching from the gold fleck't ground,
their arms entreating branch webs,
through which whistled calls resound.
The Earthy forest people love their rusty lichen trunks,
and angels, from their upturned leaves,
have of morning dew there drunk.
These wise and old protectors, have through many years withstood,
long guarding all their kingdoms of the woodlands fair and good.
One Moment of Truth by Nicole Anne
Braganza
I was touched by an outcast,
Someone saved me today.
Just when I had almost,
Thrown my life away.
This misfit, I had thought, showed me
A deeper understanding,
I saw a new dimension to,
This life that was so maddening.
The pressure dragged me down today,
But why, succumb tomorrow?
To please these fickle minded men,
Who near worshipped my sorrow.
This life is not near perfect,
Sometimes, we need to cry,
I lived that moment of painful truth,
It passed...and I DID NOT DIE!
And still my dying spirit,
Did not soar up to the skies,
For man has many a mile to walk
Before the day he dies.
The
Journal of Danny Chaucer (Poet) is guaranteed
to be 2002's most talked about book for teenagers.
Novels
written in poetic form are big news in the US teenage fiction market,
and this is up there with the best. Danny Chaucer is an Adrian Mole
without the wimpishness or pomposity, and the gap between Danny's
fantasy life and reality is wittily chronicled in a story that follows
the the rhythm of the school year, first love and loss, and all
the pains of growing up. Particularly the sledgehammer blow when
his best friend goes off with Jenny, the girl of his dreams. Stevens'
verse is jaunty, knowing and tart and he gets right inside the dark,
dark corners of the adolescent male mind. Although the verse form
may take a page or two to get used to, it actually makes this an
easier and less daunting book for reluctant readers than the traditional
prose novel. -The
Guardian
May 2002
I'd like to read that again, please.
