A talented Thorpe Hall School student has won a national poetry competition with her very first poem.
Agnes, in Year 9, had never written a poem before, and she certainly wasn’t expecting to win when she entered the Independent Schools Association’s (ISA) National Poetry Competition.
The competition final was judged by Steven Camden, a celebrated poet, spoken word performer and author. His latest children’s novel is titled My Big Mouth, and so the ISA chose My Big Mouth as the theme.
Having studied dystopian literature in her English lessons, Agnes skilfully captured the darker, oppressive tones and imagery of the genre for her poem, which stood out from hundreds of poems submitted by students from schools across the UK.
Judge Steven Camden said, “The layers, the imagery, the rhythm. Amazing. Pulled me in fully and took me with it. Stunning piece”
Agnes said, “It was a real surprise. I hadn’t written a poem before and just entered the competition not really expecting to get anywhere. The judges checked with my teacher that I was only 14 before they told her I’d won!”
Agnes received a copy of Steven Camden’s new book, a book token and a certificate of excellence from the ISA.
You can hear Agnes read her poem and talk about what inspired her to write it in this short film:-