Entries for the Sports Poetry Competition - Age 9 to 11
The 2012 children's poetry competition is coming to life, with some brilliant poems sent in by young poets from all four corners of the globe. Below are the entries written by children aged 9 to 11.
Centipede at the Marathon
by Ruhee
A centipede in the children’s park
One winter morning made a remark,
“Let me practice in the garden lawn
And take part in the marathon.”
“The task isn’t easy, it sounds uphill
But I’ll find out a way, since I have the will.
I’ll work out a healthy appetite
And practice rigorously from morn to night.”
As the days went by, his hopes went high
“I can’t afford to lose,” he said with a sigh.
Said his friends “If you call yourself a true athlete
You need to wear shoes and not run bare feet!”
“That’s a good idea” thought the rising star
And jogged his way to the nearest bazaar.
“One pair of shoes won’t be enough for me
Why don’t you pack up at least fifty?”
On the marathon day, he was late for the start
And so had to return with a heavy heart.
Tying one hundred shoestrings wasn’t an easy job
For all that he could do now, was just weep and sob.
I am Ruhee from Ahmedabad, India. I am 10½ years old and I study in Grade 5 at Zydus School of Excellence. I love reading books and writing poems and stories. I had taken part in your earlier contests too. I love humour and keep on imagining all kinds of funny things. If a centipede has one hundred legs, I wondered if it would like to take part in a race… maybe a long distance race like a marathon? It surely would be a funny topic for a poem!
Ruhee is indeed a veteran of our poetry competitions and for our sports poems has written a fantastic poem about a centipede trying to taking part in a marathon. It's a great poem, Ruhee, full of just the type of humour (and pathos) that I adore and really well rhymed, which isn't always easy with a longer verse.
Physical Education
by Jaime
Please Mum,
Write me a note,
English is great,
And I love LOTE!
Maths is passable,
Science drags a bit,
But today is PE,
And you know how I dread it!
The boys get all sweaty,
And the sun is so hot,
My hair spray will run,
And the ball I will drop!
Mum, please write me a note,
Say that you will,
I don’t feel like running,
Or doing a drill!
Mum, I did enjoy it,
You said that I would,
It was great to do something,
And I feel really good‼
This another poem for the poetry competition. I was thinking about me and sport and then decided to write a poem that was opposite to me! Thanks! Jaime
It's a bit confusing, but because the poems are presented in reverse chronological order, this is indeed a second poem from Jaime. The first, Sports Day, is two poems down, making Celine into a sister sandwich. Also, just in case you didn't know (and I must confess I didn't) LOTE is the acronym for Languages Other Than English, a subject taught in Australian schools. As many of you will know, I'm a real fan of humorous poetry and really enjoyed Jaime's fantastically funny and remarkably well rhymed poem about trying to get off PE. Another great poem, Jaime
Netball
by Celine
Rub sleepy eyes
Light bulb flashes bright
Pull shirts on time is ticking you know.
Cold drive there
Warm up time, Balls are passing.
Netball day!
Chatter and laughter, hooter goes.
Highly contested netball (with a couple of blows)
Rush for water bottles, glance at trophy.
Newly restored passion
Netball day!
Cheering and passing, balls are flying
People encouraging
The smell of sweat, the effort and skills the team is one
Netball day!
Finally the day’s come to an end
All eyes fixed upon the medals and trophies.
Mareeba we came from and so did the shield
Mareeba we will return carrying the shield.
Sore arms and calf muscles as we climb into bed
All over ‘till next year so I rest my sleepy head.
I have a poem about netball here.
What inspired me to write this poem was when I went to the Bridget Adams Cup. The effort, fun, skills and rewards were great and the best part was the shield being brought back to Mareeba. Although it was hard netball it was really fun to socialise and play highly contested netball.
Celine, age 9, from Mareeba, Australia
Astute reader may have guessed (or deduced) that Celine is Jaime's younger sister and one of a very talented family of young poets from Mareeba. I'm not all that familiar with netball, but the intensity of the game really came to life in this very well crafted poem. I hope the events related are true and that Mareeba really did win the Bridget Adams Cup, but with poems you never really know.
Sports Day
by Jaime
Brrrring!
6:30 already,
Jump out of bed, splash water on my face,
Stretch out to the sky – Sports day today!
Come on Bill, come on Mollie,
Gulp down breakfast,
Come on Mum,
Jump in the car - its sports day today!
Excited chatter, soft grass,
Bang of Gun,
Runners fly past!
Legs sailing over bar,
Feet springing off the board, thud of shot put,
Flapping finishing ribbon.
Tired kids, sunburnt faces,
Final count,
And congratulations!
Quick shower, frozen pies,
Curl up in bed,
And close my eyes - Sports day today!
Hi attached is my poem. I was inspired at my school sports day, I loved all the activity, sights and noises of it all.
Thanks! Jaime, Age 11,
Mareeba, Queensland, Australia
Last year, Jaime wrote a very accomplished haiku about the Rock Wallaby and was very close to being among the prize winners. This year's poem focuses on sports day and is written in a staccato style which perfectly matches the energy of the poem's subject. Very well done, Jaime.
Running
by Sarah
I was on the track
With the others on the track
Spain's runner fell of the track
I was in the lead every one watch me run round the track
I really was happy first
I can't believe it first
I was still running I was thinking to myself first
Then I look beside me there was Japan's runner
I thought i can let there runner first
I remembered I was doing it for my country and children
I saw me approach the finish line when Japan's runner almost came first,
I then suddenly put my foot over and came first, I was happy I came first
I was proud,
My children was proud,
My wife was proud,
My family was proud
And of course my country was Proud
I wrote this poem because I like to run and I really like Kelly Holmes.
Equestrian
by Sarah
I was on my horse
Going up to the course
My horse never managed the course
My horse was tired
And I was tired
Everyone was tired
The host told the other host the winner
The host then said the winner is Winnie
We got a shock when the winner was Winnie
We went home with a gold medal
My family was shocked when i got home with a gold medal
My mum and dad was really happy I got a gold medal
I really like horses and I go horse riding ever tuesday at strathorn old rayne in scotland pitcapel it is a really good horse riding school I love all the horses there and that the horses there are really kind.
Two wonderful poems by Sarah who is 10 years old and lives in Scotland. The poems feature two of Sarah's favourite sports, running and horse riding, and really bring the competitive nature of these two events to life. Well done, Sarah.
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