Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society P.O. Box 113 Anzac Park, South Street Gunnedah, NSW 2380 Ph. (02) 6742 1200 Email: [email protected] ABN: 88 639 657 712 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards 2019 Commended, Highly Commended and Shortlisted Poems Primary School Judge: Kathryn Apel Secondary School Judge: Meredith Costain 1 Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society P.O. Box 113 Anzac Park, South Street Gunnedah, NSW 2380 Ph. (02) 6742 1200 Email: [email protected] ABN: 88 639 657 712 LOWER PRIMARY Commended Name School Poem Title Judge’s Comment Samantha Cutbush SCEGGS, Darlinghurst, NSW What Do You Do? I especially like the first three lines of this. Annabelle Dellis Acting Up Drama Academy Searching for a Better A thoughtful poem Cordeaux Heights, NSW Future pondering a complex topic. Ada Hammerton- Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School A World of Fun A dreamy, peaceful Lee Ivanhoe, VIC poem. Daisy Henwood Drummoyne Public School Ocean Small details that Drummoyne, NSW are relatable. Saskia Lockhart Ascham School Ducks (after Frederick An unexpected Edgecliff, NSW William Harvey) (though suitably humorous) poem in response to Frederick William Harvey's first line. Isabelle Owen Inglewood Primary School This might sound crazy This poem just Inglewood, WA sounds joyous and delightful. Abby Park Redeemer Baptist School Bees Great verb choices - North Parramatta, NSW and sound effects. Grace Peters St George Christian School A Roller Coaster of Life Interesting Hurstville, NSW metaphors used to portray the emotions. Cassie Philippe Kinross Wolaroi The View From My Lovely flow and Orange, NSW Window imagery. Ellyse Quinnell Coolamon Central School Winter This could be Coolamon, NSW anywhere on a frozen-cold morning. Olivia Randle Individual Entry Beyond Simple and effective. Balgiowlah, NSW Stirling Smith Fitzroy Community School Is There Anyone There? I love it when a poet North Fitzroy, VIC takes a risk - that works! Skye Townend Oxford Falls Grammar School Stars That 'moonlight Oxford Falls, NSW bus'. Lovely! Also, 'rain from the sky' 2 Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society P.O. Box 113 Anzac Park, South Street Gunnedah, NSW 2380 Ph. (02) 6742 1200 Email: [email protected] ABN: 88 639 657 712 and 'swim in the moonbeams'. Weylen Truong Oxley Christian College Erased Clever work. Chirnside Park, VIC Banjo Ward Islington Public School The Forest A snapshot moment. Islington, NSW Georgia Weeks Acting Up Drama Academy Milkshakes A lively poem to suit Cordeaux Heights, NSW a sweet and sugary topic. Benjamin Yu Oxley Christian College Noisy Drum The word choices Chirnside Park, VIC evoke soft drumming building to a frenzy. Highly Commended Name School Poem Title Judge’s Comment Sarai Ades Beecroft Public School Big Dream Good use of Beecroft, NSW language and line- breaks. Annabel Ashton Shire Christian School By My Side Lovely simile and Barden Ridge, NSW metaphor paired with repetition. Olivia Bell Presbyterian Ladies’ College Bali Details that paint a Peppermint Grove, WA poem. Olivia Carter Home School Mask of the Dark Childlike, joyous Terrey Hills, NSW and unexpected. Zahra Dinkciler Redeemer Baptist School Mosquitoes Great word North Parramatta, NSW choices! Jack Graham Prouille Catholic Primary School Drums! Rhythm and rhyme Wahroonga, NSW with humour. Ivy Hay St John’s Catholic School Feelings At first glance, this Richmond, NSW poem seems simple - but the question posed adds layers. Griffin Holland St Clare’s Catholic School A Tiny, Spiny Dinosaur Fun use of rhyme in Burdell, QLD this lively poem. Hunter Lamblin Home School Excitement Excitement Croydon, VIC conveyed through playful writing and presentation. Phoebe Lieu PLC Sydney Tree Haiku Beautiful! Croydon, NSW 3 Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society P.O. Box 113 Anzac Park, South Street Gunnedah, NSW 2380 Ph. (02) 6742 1200 Email: [email protected] ABN: 88 639 657 712 Adele Scully Sydney Distance Education Broken Hill Playful alignment Primary School (and unexpected Newtown, NSW emus) strengthen this poem. Bora Secme Redeemer Baptist School My Day at the Beach This poem stood North Parramatta, NSW out from poems of a similar format because of the humour and the unexpected ending. Skye Townend Oxford Falls Grammar School Bubble The power in this Oxford Falls, NSW poem lies in that last line. After the build of the imaginary, the contrast between peace and quiet and reality is strong and powerful. Hamish Wadds Shire Christian School Cancer There is so much Barden Ridge, NSW truth in this poem. Cancer has far- reaching effects. But there is still light. And hope. Shortlisted Name School Poem Title Judge’s Comment Allegra Clarke Individual Entry Element 87 I frequently say Kewarra Beach, QLD that poetry isn’t just for English – and this poem is proof! A tightly constructed poem with controlled use of alignment – and spare text, succinctly defining the chemical element, francium. Vivian Meates Kinross Wolaroi Autumn Ending (Haiku) A delightful Orange, NSW example of haiku’s 4 Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society P.O. Box 113 Anzac Park, South Street Gunnedah, NSW 2380 Ph. (02) 6742 1200 Email: [email protected] ABN: 88 639 657 712 simplicity and brevity – capturing a moment in nature, with a twist. (And a subtle touch of rhyme.) 5 Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society P.O. Box 113 Anzac Park, South Street Gunnedah, NSW 2380 Ph. (02) 6742 1200 Email: [email protected] ABN: 88 639 657 712 UPPER PRIMARY Commended Name School Poem Title Judge’s Comment Cameron Oxley Christian College Today A different take on a much Anderson Chirnside Park, VIC explored topic. Those last four lines especially powerful. Raynal Badahur Melton Christian College Parkour The action and energy of parkour Melton South, VIC distilled into poetry. Shai Berkovic Emanuel School The Red Chair Tight writing. Randwick, NSW Niamh Bowra Individual Entry Rage Powerful metaphor poem. Love Rose Bay, NSW that last line! Cameron The Cottage School Space Time Lovely rhythm and rhyme in this Browning Bellerive, TAS unique response to the theme. Iris Jiang Cherrybrook Public Rainbow Each word works to earn its School place. Cherrybrook, NSW Max Kelly St Catherine’s Catholic Hunted I do like the complex simplicity of College this poem. Singleton, NSW Marissa Mardini St Charbel’s College Be That Person Be all of this! Punchbowl, NSW Matthew Matias Sutherland Public School The Game of the Year! Rule of threes played out to Sutherland, NSW effect with the use of 'Bounce, bounce, bounce' - the perfect end to this poem. Scarlett Miles Individual Entry Her Compass So many layers in this moving St Ives, NSW poem. Coreena Marhyz All Saints Catholic Is Anybody There? A powerful poem. Be you - Nicdao Primary School different and unique. Liverpool, NSW Kaylah Lake Joondalup Baptist The Legend of the Lovely rhythm and rhyme, with Raubenheimer College Phoenix Feather tight couplet to denote the Joondalup, WA turning point. Jorja Roach Tamworth Public School The Dust Storm So much depth to the imagery in Tamworth, NSW this poem. Wonderful! Alexander Barnier Public School The Woeful War The italicised lines make me think Robinson Quakers Hill, NSW this poem has been woven around diary accounts. Unexpected language choices make the reader ponder this 6 Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society P.O. Box 113 Anzac Park, South Street Gunnedah, NSW 2380 Ph. (02) 6742 1200 Email: [email protected] ABN: 88 639 657 712 poem. Pasha Suherman Chatswood Public Insoluble Task A clever metapoem with lovely School use of language and poetic Chatswood, NSW devices. Georgia Thurling The Cottage School Kennings A very clever kenning poem. Love Bellerive, TAS the use of rhyme! Annika Trembath Individual Entry Death to the Goats Effective use of rhyme. The Dromedary, TAS (Lying Still) brother's response gave this poem heart. Xanthia Valacos Trinity Catholic Primary Trees (Haiku) Lovely haiku! School Narre Warren South, VIC Olivia Valentine Trinity Catholic Primary Dorothea Mackellar Pondering a big change with a School mix of emotions. Narre Warren South, VIC Jasmine Way Wyong Christian Giant Canoes Perspective and quiet Community School observations make this poem Wyong, NSW sing. Highly Commended Name School Poem Title Judge’s Comment Zoe Adams Trinity Catholic I’m Different This poem keeps taking Primary School unexpected turns; 'becloud' - a Narre Warren South, new word to me (used correctly). VIC Koko-Rose Carasso Nambour Christian Freedom Good use of line breaks to lead College the reader through this poem. Nambour, QLD Audrey Clark Penrith Anglican The Question Clever use of the acrostic format - College and the competition theme. Orchard Hills, NSW Lillianna Filleul Oxley Christian College A Marathon of my I was exhausted after racing this Chirnside Park, VIC Own poem. Well done. Xavier Kennedy Newcastle East Public The Best Part of Me – Slamming so much into this poem School A Slam Poem that nails the last line! The Hill, NSW Harper Klein Individual Entry The Lost Refugee The switch between cuddling little Breakfast Point, NSW sister and 'little sister held me near' give this emotive poem greater poignancy. Genevieve Lee- Lowther Hall Anglican Is Anybody Out There? The last stanza grounds this Chan Grammar School poem. 7 Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society P.O. Box 113 Anzac Park, South Street Gunnedah, NSW 2380 Ph. (02) 6742 1200 Email: [email protected] ABN: 88 639 657 712 Essendon, VIC Isla Mannolini Presbyterian Ladies' Cyclone Clever juxtaposition of memories College and weather events leading to Peppermint Grove, devastation - and hope. WA Rowen The Cottage School Tetractys A fine tetractys! One extra Middendorf Bellerive, TAS suitable on the return 10 syllable line. Suggest 'invite' - not 'inviting'. (Other option is to cut 'its'.) Also some punctuation needed to smooth the read. But well done! Scarlett Miles Individual Entry Friend Feelings conveyed well in this St Ives, NSW poem that rhymes for a reason. Larisa Moulds Central Coast Steiner Wild Horses Lovely use of line breaks and a School gorgeous simile to close.