Foyle Young Poets of the Year: Scottish teenager wins poetry prize
- Published
A Scottish teenager has won a top prize in a worldwide poetry competition.
Anna wrote a poem about the stress young people face with exams.
The 17-year-old was was one of 15 winners out of over 6,000 entries in the global Foyle Young Poets of the Year award.
Her poem, Total, which you can read at the bottom of the page, was about exam stress and is written in the style of a supermarket receipt.
"The poem was written the week before results day, it's a poem about exam anxiety," Anna explained.
"Every line was given a monetary value to equate to the emotional strain I was experiencing.
"However, you can't put a price-tag on personality; I am so much more than just results," Anna added.
Anna's headteacher Dorothy MacGinty said: "Anna has been an inspirational pupil to teach throughout her seven years with us. We have witnessed her talent and enthusiasm for the subject of English rapidly develop and could not be more thrilled for her."
This year the award ceremony will take place virtually because of coronavirus.
At the ceremony Anna will read her poem to the other 14 winners, judges and guests.
She said: "It will still be a very moving experience. Such a shame not to actually be with the other winners and to meet the judges face-to-face but it will be a momentous opportunity nonetheless."
Her prize for winning is a writing residential course at the Arvon Centre, The Hurst.
Take a read of Anna's poem. Let us know what you think in the comments below.
All slow summer long £9.99
I have been living £6.90
in a glass jar of anxiety £16.60
And dreading £7.68
a day in August £6.57
when a devious envelope £12.90
with a barbed paper tongue £3.76
will slither through the door £2.46
to determine my fate £6.83
with only a few £5.80
letters: grades that might £5.45
Be as sharp as blades £9.90
or as soft as rising dough. £5.67
At the end of the day, is this £3.54
all that I amount to? £12.80
Five letters on a flimsy £6.53
ghost of paper? £6.45
The narrowest indication £3.87
of my past £7.90
and my future. £14.90
God, these £1.65
endless days of waiting £8.76
and balancing on these tenterhook £17.76
cobweb tightropes just won't do, £4.50
They just won't do. £14.90
I don't want to be calculated £8.76
counted, £6.84
or summed up £7.36
In cold numbers and letters £3.56
that are typed by robotic fingers £4.90
that have no grace nor growth, £23.90
Because I am breathtakingly £16.00
Three dimensional, and £5.35
to total me £2.95
would be like £0.90
Trying to add up the breeze. £??.??????
*//Please retain receipt for your records//*
- Published27 May 2020
- Published1 October 2020
