On Tuesday 30th May, Year 9 and 10 students attended performances by Australian poet Philip Wilcox. Philip is the current Australian Poetry Slam Champion and has performed at the Sydney Opera House and literary festivals both nationally and internationally. His debut collection of poems, Beetle Prayer, has recently been released.
Philip read his poetry, and talked to the students about writing poetry in an engaging and accessible way. He encouraged them to write from the heart and to share their stories. In the afternoon, 30 students were selected to participate in a workshop where Philip helped students to write and refine their own poetry. The workshop culminated in a slam poetry competition which showcased some fantastic writing by our students. A sample of student work is provided here for your enjoyment!
Mrs Amanda Collier
Head of English
Example poem:
The moment that changed everything…
A sudden breath of air.
Some consider it a burden – the involuntary means by which we live.
But how to feel alive?
Air. A combination of chemical compounds that give us life, allow us to live.
But feeling alive?
There is no equation that describes a feeling,
No way to explain.
But with measly words we string together struggled sentences.
Sentences that form paragraphs and paragraphs that form essays.
But to no avail…
We sit, we wail, scared of the emotions that overcome us,
Consume us.
We can’t control them, but we can own them,
Use them for good and smile,
For the simple power of a smile can light up someone’s whole day.
Written by Millie (Year 10)