Myths and Monsters Inspire KES Poets

Inspired by the recent ‘Events of Wonder’ exhibition at the Victoria Art Gallery in Bath, this year’s Poetry Competition was themed around 'Myths and Monsters.'

Our pupils responded with over 100 entries that explored mythical monsters from around the world and across the ages.  They explored acts of monstrosity and asked us what makes a monster? They made our judges - John and Gill McClay, literary agents, founders of the Bath Children’s Literature Festival and Events of Wonder - laugh, cry and reflect. 

All prizewinning entries will be published in the 2022 edition of the ‘Anthology’ along with the winners of the Short Story Competition, which was launched this week with the theme ‘Around the World’. Congratulations to all who entered.

Winners, Runners Up and Highly Commended entries are detailed below, with commentary from our two judges. 

Year 7 – 8 Category

Winner: 
Sarah Blacker, Year 8 (AND WINNER OVERALL OF THE 2022 POETRY COMPETITION)
“A poem needs to be reader friendly and well written. Well-structured and vivid. It also needs to delivery strong imagery and make us think. Your poem did all of that. Its simplicity was expertly delivered. Congratulations.” 
 
Runners Up:
 Cecelia Keppel-Palmer, Year 7
“Very powerful - you have a very clear natural talent. You made me sit up and think and really delivered - well done.”
 
William Powell, Year 7 
“Joyous, entertaining and funny. Very well written and it was great to see you being brave and different. Poetry should make us think but it’s also allowed to just entertain.” 
 
Highly Commended:
 •    Georgia Jones, Year 8
•    Ifor Willams, Year 7 
•    Savanna Morley, Year 8 

Year 9 - 11 Category

Winner:
 Chloe Barrington, Year 9 
“Bold, brave and passionate. Your poem stood out for all these reasons and the fact that it was well structured, reader friendly and accessible. Poetry is the perfect tool for making us think and you really delivered. Well done.” 
 
Runners Up:
 Hannah Blacker, Year 10
“Clever structure and mechanism to make the reader understand and share your vision. You delivered a very vivid picture but still give the reader room for their imagination.” 
 
Elise Withey, Year 11 
“Beautifully told and structured. It’s such a wonderful story and lovely to see it told in this way. I like the structure and ease at which you deliver this poem.” 
 
Highly Commended:
 •    Freddie Champniss, Year 9
•    Grace Burn, Year 11
•    Anna Winklemann, Year 10
•    Albie Beresford, Year 9
 

Year 12 -13 Category

 Winner: 
 Benjie Poole, Year 12
“Powerful and thought provoking. Your poem was easy to read and included really strong imagery. I felt you invited us into your world so we could share how you see this story. Really accomplished.” 
 
Runners Up:
 Jacob Miners, Year 13 
“Clever structure and evolves cleverly to deliver the story. Really reader friendly which is so important in poetry. I feel I know how you would like it to be read.”
 
Isobel Smith, Year 13 
“Beautiful structure and observation. You have a very natural voice which feels easy to enjoy. The poem flowed when read.”
 
Highly Commended:
 •    Josh Stokes, Year 13
•    Zara Branigan, Year 13
•    Molly Baxter, Year 13

What is a Monster?  By Sarah Blacker (Winner of the Year 7 – 8 Category and Winner Overall of the 2022 Poetry Competition)

What is a monster?
Does it have claws, fangs or scales;
does it growl, cackle or screech?
Does a monster look animalistic
or does it look like you and me?
Does it have two eyes, ten fingers, two legs,
but how is it a monster if it’s like us?
Does it shout hurtful things like:
'you're useless'
'you're talentless'
does it hit, punch, kick?
Are monsters a fear,
an invisible, silent creature,
lying like a blanket over a person, a place,
leaving us with a sense of dread?
Does it spout riddles, have wings, a jaw or no?
What is a monster,
I guess we'll never know.

Mythology’s Most Evil By Chloe Barrington (Winner of the Year 9 -11 Category)
Too many times, he’s been labelled a hero:
A brave figure in mythology.
The one who gets all of the women: a player.
A man with his pride and no apologies.

He’s not the courageous warrior
Or the heroic god he’s cut out to be.
He didn’t attract all the women,
For their choice was never free.

Females, he thought, existed for one reason:
Male enjoyment and pleasure.
And once he found a woman he liked,
He would do what he wanted to her, at his leisure.

He wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer;
He’d just watch their anger unfurl.
For them, it was the moment that ruined their lives.
For him, just another girl.

He didn’t give a damn how these women felt,
And no matter what they said,
He would stop for nothing
As long as he was in their bed.

Of all the monsters in mythology,
The one most deserving of the noose,
The most evil of them all
Is the king of the gods, Zeus.

Narcissus By Benjie Poole (Winner of the Year 12 – 13 Category) 

The youth’s ringlets tumble into a golden anastole,
His eyes of molten amber glisten in the moonlight,
His perfect coral lips are supple, soft, and sweet,
And his gorgeous caramel skin is taught and true.  
He wears no wrinkles of age,
And bears no wounds from attack.
Narcissus’ exterior is divine,
But Narcissus’ heart is black. 
No maiden could ever win him, 
No goddess could be his wife,
Because in the view of Narcissus 
Only Narcissus should rule his life.
The face in the glassy water is his own siren song,
He must carry the perfect visage above his shoulders,
But only the others get to enjoy.
Envy. 
Bitter envy destroys young Narcissus.
His heart breaks for his heart.
His eyes cry for his eyes.
Why can his lips not kiss his lips?
Dismayed that he will never be united with the face he sees in the water,
He stamps the dagger into his breast.
By his pond his pale flower will grow,
And at last Narcissus can rest.

Sarah Blacker - Winner Overall of the Poetry Competition 2022