Competition

Highly Commended

Faithful Friend
by Jade Lewis

You were there when I was brought home as a baby
You've watched me grow throughout the years
You have comforted me in bad times,
Listened to my hopes, my fears
And watched as my tears fell.
You have never judged me
But have always been there
Giving me your love and loyalty.
But the time is growing near
When your life on earth is done.
Your hearing is gone, your eyes are growing blind
And you don't run like you used to
But always know, my faithful friend
That the memories of you will always be in my heart,
And that there will never be another dog like you.

Highly Commended

For my Loving Pop (Jacobus Van Duinean)
by Charmaine Goodwin

Life can be exciting,
But without you,
Life is silent.

I try to reach your hand,
But I seem to be thousands of miles away,
Only in my dreams,
I'll see you there, smiling at me.

Your glowing brown eyes,
Always bring back memories,
From the first time you hugged me,
To the first time we shared ice-cream.

And when you held my hand
I knew you would be there
To fight my nightmares away
And leave me safe to dream.

But watching life slowly disappear,
Out of your helpless body,
Only the fire in your heart,
Will never die out.

Highly Commended

Fear is...
by Nina Carpenter

Fear is ...

The telephone pole in the storm
The paper facing the scissors
The hedge and the cutters
The page under the pen
The material by the poised needle
The world at dusk
The lake and the drought
The rabbit pursued by the fox
The road beneath the tyres

And yet, strangely,
Fear is ...
Human?