LOCAL WINNER OF THE DOROTHEA MACKELLAR POETRY AWARDS
The Smith sisters from Pennant Hills have earned top prizes in Australia’s biggest poetry competition for school students.
“They are two of only 13 students across Australia honoured in the 2007 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards with more than 15,100 poems submitted by nearly 1000 schools making this one of the most successful in the award’s 23 year history,” Mr Ruddock said.
Thirteen-year-old Elizabeth Smith has dyslexia and is home schooled, was named winner in the learning assistance secondary category for her poem “pyromania” has already received her award at a special presentation early this month at Gunnedah.
However, it is today that I present Elizabeth’s 16 year-old sister Alexandra who is also home schooled and was named runner-up in the learning assistance secondary category for her poem about aftermath of a bushfire and said “I think poetry is a brilliant form of self expression. I love that I can tell a story or paint a picture without having to describe everything. I also love the sound of words,” who is also home-schooled and has chronic fatigue syndrome.
Alexandra wins a prize of a trophy, a selection of books and a cheque for $300 of which I am pleased to present today,” Philip Ruddock said.
The poetry awards aim to capture the imagination of every school student in Australia, inspiring them with a passion for poetry; while celebrating the legendary work and history of Dorothea Mackellar, author of the famous poem ‘My Country’. It is a unique national project, giving Australia’s young people a voice and an opportunity to strive for excellence in literature.
The aim of the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards is to capture the imagination of school students in Australia, and inspire them with a passion for poetry. It is a unique national project, giving Australia’s young people a voice and an opportunity to strive for excellence in literature.
The major sponsor of the 2007 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards is the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training and the awards are one of the activities associated with National Literacy and Numeracy Week.
Runner-up, Learning Assistance, Secondary
Alexandra Smith, 16
Home School
Firestorm Whisper
Forever as one, twin intertwined, no more, eternal, the end of all time.
The hours like seconds and warm breaths of air,
They leave me and take me, all without care.
The moon, tinged of crimson, hangs dead in the sky,
The leaves of the trees are dead, so am I.
But the ground of burnt red, like a nightmare or dream,
Could never capture what I have seen.
The dead weight of ash, upon wasted limbs,
Pulls at me, taking, I feel the light dim.
I’m drowning in time, a leaf on the wind.
Soon I will go back to where I begin.