Competition

Highly Commended

The Parched Earth
by Boyd Tarlinton
Upper Caboolture, Qld

The dams are all empty
Dry , cracked and parched
Scarce puddles of water
Slowly being absorbed
By the harsh sun
In a massive drought

The fiery monster
Crawls over the land
Slicing open the heart of the earth
Burning all in its path
With its scorching breath
And its blistering rage
The earth screams in agony
Its lifeblood spills from its veins
Pulsing from its arteries
A candle of life
Flickering out of existence
Fading to black

The scolded earth
Its essential life force gone
Its heart pulses no more
Destruction completed
The earth reduced to dust
A land bled dry

Highly Commended

Seasons
by Brittany Paull
Caningeraba State School, Burleigh Waters, Qld

Flourish, lush, bloom,
Wondrous, relaxing,
Colourful birds are
Chirping a song

Changes

Salty Sea Air
Scorching temperatures
Almost always parched

Changes

Leafless tress, stripped to the trunk
Gusts of wind,
Whoosh, swoosh
Messy

Changes
Dark, Chilly, Frosty,
Grey, Rugged up,
A bitter taste,
Misty, Mischievous, Mayhem

Changes

Highly Commended

This is no Territory of Mine
by Philippa Arrowsmith
Caningeraba State School, Burleigh Waters, Qld

The door slams behind me
Rows and rows of rusted metal cages
Each with its own pair of eyes
And each pair of eyes with its own story to tell

Yellow eyes beaming like suns on the dark cat’s midnight fur
Whimpering in the corner of her jail cell waiting….waiting….

Huge soulful brown eyes following my feet as I walk past his cage
Grieving for his past owner, waiting for him to return, waiting….waiting…..

Wary suspicious eyes, flinching as I walk past
As if ready for me to kick him, injured by owners past, waiting….waiting….

Beautiful sea green eyes, sad as can be
Missing the comforting lap of her long dead owner waiting….waiting….

Cats and dogs alike dreaming of freedom
Injuries from their past leave them scarred within
While they sit in their cell waiting for that new home, that new family
And all the time thinking…

"This Is No Territory Of Mine."