Over 150 poems were entered in the Canterbury/ Waitaha Seaweek 2023 Poetry Competition and many more were written over the weeks leading up to the deadline, showing how connected our young writers are to the moana.
The judges, Jenna Heller and James Norcliffe, are both renowned poets. In fact James is so renowned he won the Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement in Poetry this year! Here are their picks for the junior winners:
Year 1-3
1st: Being a Dolphin, Benjamin R, Ilam School
2nd: Moana – Our Ocean, the Year 3 class at Medbury School
Year 4-6.
1st: Black beach horse, Holly-belle P, Heathcote Valley School
2nd: Seagull, Maya S, Heathcote Valley School
Being a Dolphin
by Benjamin R
Jumping up and down, as high as a house
Over the Pacific waves.
Swimming back and forth,
Avoiding plastic bottles;
Sneaking up on the tarakihi fish
And bringing it back to my mates;
Swimming away from the fishing net
Into the Pacific.
Moana - Our Ocean
by Year 3 Class, Medbury School
Fishing in the ocean with Dad is fun!
Splashing in the waves, basking in the sun.
Surfing at the beach, exploring dark caves.
Swerving in between the turquoise waves.
Zooming on a jet ski, oh so fast!
Boogie boarding, splashing and having a blast.
Exploring rock pools hunting for crabs and fish,
Served with chips, fish is delish!
But Oh DEAR! People are throwing rubbish in the sea.
And so it is up to you and me.
Sea animals are getting hurt and sick.
There’s a lot of rubbish that we need to pick up quick!
Coral has been taken, sea animals are losing their homes.
Too much rubbish means creatures can't roam.
And here is what I also wish…
Please don’t overfish.
It’s up to you and it’s up to me,
To stop the rubbish going into the sea.
Now be a tidy kiwi, pick up litter,
To keep the sea clean so it can glitter!
After a fun day at the beach,
Let’s practise what we preach.
Oh Moana, our precious treasure
Stay blue and clean forever and ever!
Black beach horse
by Holly-belle P
Hoof prints cover a line of sand
A red long dress streaking behind her
Fetlock feather of a black horse
A white and blue wave crashing through the water
The black nostrils of the horse flare up
The sunrise climbs over the sea
The waves stand still
Bareback with just a bridle
Just her, the beach
and a Friesian.
Seagull
by Maya S
flap glide
to the side
quick hide
zoom swoop
there's the tide
big boat
little car
I have chosen
quick follow
follow car
long ride
grass lawn
I’m torn
kids screaming
me leaning
back to sea
I go!
Congratulations to each of these poets
and their wonderful poetry teachers!
A huge thanks to the New Zealand Association for Environmental Education, Selwyn Libraries, Christchurch Libraries and Creative Communities Christchurch for helping bring free poetry workshops to many young writers in the lead up to Seaweek 2023.
(c) Write On 2023