Success at the Foyle National Young Poet Competition

A poem written by Perse student Misha Karmiloff has been chosen as one of the 85 Commended Poems for the Foyle National Young Poet Competition.

Misha's poem, entitled Peace, was one of 16,00 poems entered by 7,215 entrants for the competition, which formed part of National Poetry Day on October 6. Congratulations to Misha on an excellent achievement.

Peace, by Misha Karmiloff

The golden fields flow through the country

A rustling oak tree standing its ground in the middle

Of a field, its branches stretching out like arms

The wheat around it reaching to the top,

The race to the sun beginning.

The sun glimmering over the tips of the grain

The odd bird flying low, gliding across this dream.

The gentle hum of a bee as it looks for a treat

The stripes like a zebra, a gentle creature.

A long stretch of coast, covered in pebbles

Tiny grains tingling between your feet

The crunching of clam shells, a little sting here

And there. And the sea rolling its way up and down

The beach, grabbing a handful of sand and throwing it back

A slight breeze picking up from the sea. Gliding through

Your hair. Its gentle repetition soaking the sand,

Your feet digging in, sinking, the sand swelling round

Your legs. A gentle aroma of fish and salt tingles

The hairs in your nose, but all is calm.

I’m lying in bed, living the last of my days,

The tingling sound of the rain drumming like

A distant parade. I can hear my grandchildren

Playing by the fire. A family that cares. If only

It lasted forever. And as I look at the window

The rumble thunder like a starved belly, and

Soon after the flash of lightning like a light

Being turned on and off. And now I can feel

My legs dropping off for a snooze, and now my

Arms. And still the gentle drumming is

Going on, sending me off on my last sleep.