Animal Poem Competition Entries - Age 12 to 16
The entries for the kids poetry competition have started to arrive - in record time this year - and the early signs are that there will be an abundance of really brilliant, original and funny animal poems submitted. Below are the entries written by poets aged between 12 and 16.
Pachyderm Poem
by Caroline
There once was a mammal
Who really loved to gamble
He played his silver trumpet
And asked you not to bump it
Never at the zoo
Where monkeys throw their poo
He became a poet
And everybody knows it
Parading 'round the town
Turning frowns upside down
The elephant became President
And cared for every resident
So now, my friend,
This poem must end.
I wrote this poem because I really like elephants and heard about this contest at my school. I love poetry so I entered on my own. Caroline, age 12, lives in Farmington, Minnesota, United States.
In the final days of the competition, we've had a rush of entries from America, including Caroline's charming and funny poem about an elephant. I'm reluctant to call the poetry of others nonsense verse without their consent, but Caroline's poem has a definite air of nonsense about it, from its poo throwing monkeys to an elephant becoming president. Stranger things have happened!
Extremely tall
Gazes over all,
Ears pointed towards the sky
With its head held up high.
Long neck and beady eyes
One of the largest in size.
Devouring parts of a tree
Peering down and watching me.
Everything below can be seen,
Living long, eating all green.
A jigsaw like pattern for skin
Two horns on its head, perfect crown for the king.
Tower like figure
I wouldn’t laugh
It can see you
It’s the giraffe.
I chose to write a poem about a giraffe because I was looking at a giraffe ornament at the time of thinking what to write about. plus having a statue of a giraffe right in front of me made it easier to write the poem.
Some have stripes, some look like clowns
Swimming at high speeds deep underground.
Streamline body, shiny scales,
Dashing left and right as its tail flails.
Occasionally seen in the sea,
Much smaller than you and me.
So it’s not as cute as a puppy,
But you got to love that tail on that guppy.
A colourful fanned out layered tail,
Helps them steer by acting as a sail.
They don’t baa they don’t moo
They’re fish, and they live in the blue!
The ultimate sea creature
by Tyler
The largest mammal of the sea
10 times larger than you and me.
Who knows how long it’s been
Since this beast has been seen.
Slender and long
It communicates through song.
It’s not a shark, there is a distinction
It’s much larger and facing extinction.
Extremely rare indeed,
With a muscular flipper, it enhances its speed.
Swimming at speeds of 30 miles per hour
They do this by using their fins as ultimate power.
Equipped with a powerful tail,
This is the ultimate creature.
This is the blue whale.
I chose to write the other 2 poems because I think the animals aren't considered as important and when people think of animals they don't normally think of sea creatures, so I thought writing about them would be a bit different and hopefully more interesting. Hope you enjoy the poems. Tyler is 16 and lives in Peterborough, Cambridgshire.
In the finals throws of the competition, three excellent poems by Tyler about, respectively, the giraffe, fish and the blue whale. Tyler favours using complex rhyming schemes and naturalistic language used sparingly to produce poems which are well formed, informative and a joy to read.
Zoe the Zebra's Stripes
by Florence
Zoe the Zebra, who went swimming in the pool
Evidently forgot to put back on his stripes
Broken-hearted, he went for a tattoo, and
Reckon what he saw when he opened his eyes?
Alas, he was tattooed The Stars and Stripes!
Simon-In-Marathon
by Florence
Simon
Naively joined
A marathon and
In the end
Lost effortlessly
Mr Wolf and His Bar of Soap
by Florence
Mr Wolf swallows a bar of soap
He’s so worried he nearly cries
And when he tries to talk
He’s bubbling all he might!
I'm Florence, 14, from Melacca, Malaysia. I wrote these poems because I enjoy them a lot. Plus, I think zebras make good pets! (Just hope I can keep one.)
Florence has sent us three very funny and artfully composed poems all the way from Malaysia. Did you spot that the first two poems are acrostics? Acrostic poems are particularly tricky to write, which makes Florence's achievement of producing proper, funny poems using the acrostic form all the greater. Wonderful stuff!
Tiger is the national animal of my country, India. As per the recent wild life survey in India, the number of tigers are decreasing every year. People must be made aware to stop hunting Tigers and conserve the species. This thought made me write a poem about it. This is my sincere effort to SAVE TIGERS. Soham is 12 years old and a pupil at the Newton International School, Doha Qatar.
A very striking poem about the tiger and the threat of extinction faced by the species as a result of human intervention, particulalry hunting. Soham has written a great campaigning poem about a very serious conservation issue. Well done.
The Animal Chorus
by Maddie
Hairy monkeys howling,
Rainbow birds tweeting,
As I enter the hot, sticky jungle,
The leaves off the tall trees dangling around me,
Raindrops slowly, dripping onto the jungle floor,
Black beetles crawling,
Climbing up the broken bark,
The rainforests sound pounding through my ears,
Drumming the rhythm into me,
The rain falls then and then,
The chorus of animals even louder,
Howling, tweeting, clicking, cawing,
It’s a part of me now.
I wrote this because I’d already entered a poem previously and wanted to write another one. I loved writing this poem as well because I love animals and the noises they make. I love the jungle full of all the different animals and noises, the nature, plants and everything else. Maddie other poem is Sneaking snakes which you'll find two poems down.
Maddie's poem The Animal Chorus is truly evocative of the sights, sounds and feel of the jungle. It includes some wonderful writing, but for me the concluding six line which begins The rainforests sound pounding through my ears is really magical. A second great poem, well done.
The Water Princess
by Madhurima
There in my bowl she goes
Swimming and swirling around
Without any worries without any woes.
Nor silver nor gold
She’s as black as could be
But still a beauty to behold.
Carrying her scaly, shiny, smooth skin
Above the picturesque pebbles
She swims with a flapping fin.
She has no worries or fears
Nor any kin or one who is dear
Neither any foes nor any tears.
Her only job from dusk till dawn
Above the small waterbed
Is to swim on and on and on.
Most of the poems I have written till now are from my imagination. This is one the few poems that is not imaginary. I did have a black fish in my aquarium. At first I didn�t like it. After a few days of its death I realized that it was the only fish that brought cheerfulness to our aquarium. The poem is very close to me. Madhurima is aged 15 and comes from New Delhi, India.
A poem of great maturity, 'The Water Princess' is beautifully composed and includes a masterful example of alliteration. I'll leave others to come a conclusion about the oxymoronic implications of a black goldfish. A really accomplished poem by Madhurima.
Sneaking snakes
by Maddie
Slithering,
Scaly,
Sneaking through the long grass,
Rustling,
Creeping,
Taking prey by suprise,
Crunching,
Digesting,
Filling his belly with food,
The scorching sun beating down on the rough skin,
He cowers in the long grass,
Waiting,
Silently,
Green and brown blendling in with his surroundings,
Alone in this world,
He slithers along, towards new adventures,
Him,
The snake.
My parents keep on telling me that I'm good at writing poems so I starting searching for poetry competitions. I chose the snake because there are so many words to describe them, and so many ways to describe them. I loved writing this poem, as I do with all poems. I want to be a professional poet when I'm older. Maddie, aged 12, is from Leicestershire.
A very accomplished and poetic poem by Maddie, which is what one would expect from someone who aspires to be a professional poet. Keep on writing, Maddie, and your dreams may come true one day. Very well done.
ME AND A MONKEY, ANY DIFFS? NOPE WERE THE SAME BLAD
by HAZERA
I LIKE ALL ANIMALS BUT I REALLY LOVE A MONKEY
THEY ARE CUTE, COOL, GROOVY AND FUNKY
THEY MAKE ME SMILE THOUGH I FIND THEM A BIT SCARY
THEY ARE VERY ATTRACTIVE THOUGH THEY ARE HAIRY
1 REASON I LIKE A MONKEY, IS BECAUSE THEY'RE CHEEKY LIKE ME
BASICALLY A MONKEY, DESCRIBES MY IDENTITY
WHEN I SEE A MONKEY I FEEL LIKE HUGGING IT TIGHT
BUT I DONT REALLY HUG THEM BECAUSE I AM SCARED THEY WILL BITE
I LIKE JUMPING LIKE A MONKEY SWINGING TREE TO TREE
ACTING A BIT LIKE A MONKEY IS MY PERSONALITY
GIVE ME A TAIL AND CALL ME A MONKEY
AND I'LL OOH OOH AAH THE ENTIRE SOCIETY
IF YOU WANT AUSOMENESS YOU CAN GET IT IN A MONKEY
AND THAT IS WHY I LOVE A IT SO SINCERILY
MY NAME IS HAZERA HEBAH AND MY AGE IS 12 LIVING IN TOTTENHAM... I ENTERED THIS COMPETITION BECAUSE I LOVE WRITTING POETRY AND MY AMBITION IS TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL POET SO ALL THESE COMPETITIONS (ON POETRY) I ENTER IS JUST TO MAKE A STEP CLOSER TO BECOMING A PRO!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was a little confused when I first read the the title of Hazera's poem, but I consulted my dictionary of urban slang and discovered that 'of the same blad' means 'a brother' or 'part of one's own blood line'. The poem that follows, though, is a gem, full of vibrant language which reinforces the underlying theme that the author is like a monkey, or vice versa. Well done to a real poetry pro! (please note that exclamation marks are rationed)
What Am I?
by Holly
I Have A,
Long white snout
I am,
Excellent at Jumping
I Live in,
Madagascar
I have,
Unique rounded eyes
I Have a,
Ring patterned tail
I am Very,
Sneaky
I wrote the poem because i love writing them and enjoy doing them. I did it about lemurs because there one of my favourite animals. Holly is aged 12 and comes from Fleetwood.
I love clever poems and Holly's poem is doubly clever. It's a What Am I? riddle and an acrostic poem rolled into one. In this case, the letters of the acrostic - highlighted in red - spell out the answer to the riddle. While considering all this technical trickery, one could overlook the fact that it's also a very well composed and executed poems. Congratulations.
ANIMALS
by Eve
Some are big, some are small,
Some are short and some are tall,
Some are friendly, some are mean,
Some are very rarely seen!
Some are wild, some are not,
But the one that I HAVE got...
She’s not a cat, not a mouse,
Not an ant nor a wood-louse,
She goes ‘Woof woof’, and wags her tail,
Her ears ping up, when you exhale!
She hears every single noise, like when you move your head!
But after a nice long walk she would happily go to bed,
she licks your face, she cheers you up,
She’s the bestest little pup!
Why judging on my little DOG, MY opinion is that..
Every animal is different but each one special, from elephant to a Nat.
I based this poem on my love for animals - especially my dog called Martha, and I really enjoyed writing this poem, I don�t think that we could live without animals! Eve is 12 years of age and lives in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset.
Eve's poem, although at heart about her own dog, takes a broader view to consider the whole of the animal world. It's a most accomplished poem and one which carries a warm, but serious, message about our responsibilities towards animals.
My Dog
by Thulsi
My dog looks like fog
And likes eating food
He thinks I am a dude
But I am just good.
Sometimes he purrs
Sometimes he sleeps
And sometimes he bites!
But he’s my dog.
Thulsi lives in Australia and is 12 years old.
My Dog is really exuberant and fun poem by Thulsi. It sound to me as though Thulsi's dog a bit of an enigma - sometimes he purrs - and also a bit of a handful - sometimes he bites. I think I'd like him best when he sleeps.
I went to the farm
by Pinal
I went to the farm
Were the cows gone BOO!!!
The pigs went SHOO!!!
And the lambs went HA-CHOO!!!
I went to the farm
Were the donkeys said hi
And the dog asked why
I wouldn’t lie
Now I’ve cried
To realize the magic of animals
'My inspiration to write this poem was when I went to a farm trip in Year 8 and we went to see all the animals. I chose these particular animals because these were the main animals that had characters and life to them (only including the farm animals). I enjoyed writing this poem because my head of year was retiring and she had been my science teacher that year and she had a love or animals so I wrote the poems based on things she told us and what we had seen ourselves'. Pinal is thirteen and lives in West London.
An intriguing funny poem by Pinal, which also has element of nonsense verse. Talking dogs and donkeys are one thing, but cows that go BOO!! seem very, very strange. A poem to make you think, as well as laugh.
I went to the zoo!
by Martha
I went to the zoo
Where the monkeys said BOO!
And the train’s went choo choo.
I saw the snakes,
Then went to the lake.
Where the flamingo’s stood tall but looked like they’d fall .
I saw the the lions roaming around,
And the tigers lying down.
Then it was time to feed the giraffes,
Now that was a laugh.
The chimpanzees were nowhere to be seen.
But still i love the zoo with its wide range of animals from elephants to coo-coo’s .
Maybe next time you could come too.
'I wrote this poem cause i couldn’t think of just one animal, so i did about when i went to the zoo last time. I love most animals and i love writing poetry and that is why i have wanted to submit my poem. I really enjoyed writing this poem.' Martha lives in Cambridge, England and 12 years old.
I loved Martha's poem for it's exuberance and the glorious line 'Where the flamingo’s stood tall but looked like they’d fall'. I am, though, very concerned about the missing chimpanzees. Perhaps it's worth another visit to the zoo to find out what happened to them.
Wish for a Pet
by Georgia
When I was 8, I wanted a pup
One that could fetch and also jumps up
When I was 9, I wanted a cat
One that rolls over and is not very fat
When I was 10, I wanted a bird
One that flies and talks many words
When I was 11, I wanted a bunny
One that is furry, and hoppy and funny
Now I am 12 and I've got all of them
But to tell you the truth, I'll never ask again
'I wrote this Poem, because these were the animals I wanted at them ages in my life. Now, I've realised that having pets isn't just loving them and feeding them, it is a lot more. I love my bird, my cat, my dog and my rabbit and they are funny characters'. Georgia lives in Stoke-on-Trent and is age 12.
An excellent poem, which is both personal and funny. I only wish my niece Hannah could be persuaded to stop adding to her menagerie.
Wowerotam
by Georgia
When I went to the wonderful zoo
I entered and I saw animals, but who?
There was Megan the mischievous monkey and Bella the boysertrious bird
But I really liked the sharks, because they spoke a magic word
Wowerotaram they said and I don't know what it means
But it sounded pretty special to me as it seems
I guessed it could mean it's dinner girls and boys
Or it could maybe mean let's play with our toys
It could even suggest I like this water lots
But I really think it means I love jelly tots
'I wrote this inspired by my love for Sharks and other underwater creatures. I think they are very clever animals and they are very talented. I read this poem to my little cousin and she could not at all pronounce Wowerotaram. I think the word is very original and funny to say aloud.'
This second entry written by Georgia is a wonderfully imaginative poem and I love her rendering of boysertrious - I might adopt the spelling myself. The poem verges on nonsense verse, with the unlikely notion of speaking sharks with a passion for jelly tots and the strange, unpronounceable 'Wowerotam'.
Lions Roar
by Georgia
Lions Roar and Roar and Roar
But isn't that a terrible boar?
Lions Eat and Eat and Eat
But don't they get tired of running on their feet?
Lions Sleep and Sleep and Sleep
But more than dogs and tigers and sheep
Lions really are big cats
But with sharper teeth and stronger than that
They may be big and loud and tough
But they don't really do much stuff
I wrote this Poem, as when I was around the age of 5 or 6, I used to hate Lions and think they were the most boring animals of all. But of course, there's much more to them than Roaring, Sleeping and Eating. Although, I believe they are the main factors in a Lion's life and children will really like and understand this poem deeply.
Georgia's final poem takes us into wild animal territory to meet the mighty lion. It's a very well constructed poem with the repetition of of Roar, Roar, Roar, Eat, Eat Eat and Sleep, Sleep, Sleep giving the poem real power.
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