News
Poetry Competition Winners
Last term, Valley Park School launched a #BeKind movement, encouraging students and staff to celebrate kindness in a variety of different ways, by supporting elders within their communities, painting rainbows and showcasing these in windows, baking cakes and writing letters to individuals at a local residential home, to name but a few.
The English department added their own contribution to the movement, by challenging students to write a poem about ‘Kindness in the Community.’ They were overwhelmed by the entries they received and the beautiful words crafted by the students. The poems evidenced just how hard-working and compassionate Valley Park students are.
So, without further ado, here are the winners:
Lily Catt
Lily produced an incredibly compelling poem, which uses an unexpected perspective to link our ancestors’ struggles during the World Wars with our current pandemic experience.
I was built many years ago,
When the poppy fields would grow and grow.
I love my life don’t get me wrong
But my meaning is sad and will be lifelong.
I protect the resting soldiers from any more harm,
Their families come to visit and spread their magic charm.
I wasn’t around during the war but I know how it ended
The people needed each other, they really depended.
Help was always close for those who were scared
But those who were fighting could’ve never been prepared.
The connection in the community grew much stronger
They thought that the war wouldn’t last much longer.
Sitting here now feels like I’ve gone back to the war
The streets are always empty and there’s never an open door.
Everyone is caring for each other; it’s such a lovely sight
Constant favours here and there happening day and night.
I am the war memorial standing proud and strong
Watching everyone come together under one fight song.
An invisible enemy, a silent war
But it’s our strength that will define us
One for all!
Adam Birtwisle
Adam conveyed a fundamental message in his writing – the importance of social distancing - yet his work also celebrates the care and compassion which can be seen in our local communities during this crisis.
With the community, there can be highs and lows,
And the crisis that we are going through just ‘blows’,
But yet here we are, still being civil and kind,
To everyone at risk, Disabled, deaf or blind.
Delivering shopping, to those in need,
Picking up prescriptions, for those who can’t leave.
Some people overreact to this and that’s alright,
We need to move on so that the future is bright.
Rainbows in windows, for children to see,
To bring hope to the whole community.
The virus can affect everyone young and old,
But this is a pandemic that we can control,
People all round, not being fools,
Stay home, stay safe, NHS rules.
Noah Brightman
Noah beautifully references nature within his writing, whilst also creating meaningful links between the current isolation period and the ways we can support one another.
One world; one issue
we stand together; we stand apart.
In isolation we open our hearts,
and to those in need we offer our words and deeds.
Planting hope like windblown fallen seeds,
words, actions, contact offered all in order to be kind.
A reward in your own wellbeing you will find.
Family, friends, community - together a single mind
to nurture our world to reach the other side to find.
When weeks, months, years have past,
do not forget those that gave all until the last
and lest not forget those we lost before their time was due,
their loss felt like leaves blown across the world
their lives falling in the autumn hue.
Alex Pomfret
Alex uses an omniscient narrator beautifully, to celebrate the daily acts of kindness we are seeing across communities.
A difficult time, an invisible threat.
The sun shines outside, a bird splashes in its bath.
The daffodils are bright and smiling.
It is eerily quiet and still outside.
Eerily quiet, except for a boy.
One boy caring for the elderly, with bags of shopping in hand.
Quietly placing each bag outside a house in need.
A face at the window with a grateful look.
Suddenly one boy becomes many, all carrying bags.
All placing them outside houses in need.
At this moment, the eeriness is over.
The streets more full but with a distance in between.
As soon as they came, they are gone.
The silhouettes of people fades back into their homes.
The street is deserted once more and the eeriness returns.
In homes people now have what they need.
People brought together with a common cause.
Help to those in need.
Community kindness in a difficult time.
Long may it continue and thrive.