Recipe of chance, Part 2, 11+:

 What you need:

 2 pencils (sharp).

 1 rubber (any measurement).

 1 mind full of creation.

 20/20 vision

 2 hands that feel brand new, like baby hands.

 10 cracked fingers, ready to shade in 80 multi-choice boxes.

 1 brain, complete with turning cogs and knowledge.

 Method:

 First, stir 400g of anxiety; raw, not cooked­­ — use pencil to prove perfection.

 Next, pour 750g of future on this flimsy piece of paper; seasoned with nervousness—use sweat to discover the truth.

 Take a deep breath … now continue!

 70g of fresh graphite (chop the graphite in half), served with 20g of black and yellow wood, 10g for each pencil (2 fresh pencils)!

 12g of thick, black lines, smudged with crumpled graphite— wrap it in your tears.

 40 days of being trapped in a cage of silence: 32.45kg’s worth of silence.

 Brains tensing up like social insecurity building up on you day after day: TOO MUCH TO CALCULATE!

 Shlok Mucherla KS2 Age: 10 DOB: 04/07/24 Dudley House School

  

          Counting the Echoes of Time

One shadow falls as daylight fades,

Two ancient trees in twilight’s shade,

Three distant stars ignite the sky,

Four dark clouds, like ghosts, drift by.

Five fierce winds begin to howl,

Six claps of thunder give menacing growls,

Seven sparks straight from the fire’s heart,

Eight eerie whispers from the tongue depart.

Nine screaming echoes from the mountains cry,

Ten silent moments pass us by,

In this world of endless rhyme,

We count the echoes of all time.

Amelia McGagh/Year 7 KS3/12th December 2012/De Aston School

     The Night before the storm

I count the seconds since I loved you last,

Each number a dagger, each breath a scar.

Time is a circle, relentless and vast,

But love, it flickers like a dying star.

One: your whisper laced with silk and sin,

Two: the silence that wraps me whole,

Three: your absence crawls beneath my skin,

Four: the darkened corners of my soul.

We count the days we once called ours,

Lost in the space where dreams decay—

Five: I see you through a thousand bars,

Six: in my nightmares, you fade away.

I count the sheep that never sleep,

Each woollen ghost a lullaby.

In the quiet, hatred starts to creep,

Seven: I wonder if we ever tried.

Numbers fall like broken rain,

But letters twist into deceit.

You were my calm, my endless pain,

I was the war beneath your feet.

I count the cracks in every lie,

Eight: you promised forever in fleeting sighs.

Nine: the love that soared now stumbles to die,

Ten: in your eyes, I see all goodbyes.

But still, the counting never ends—

It loops, it binds, it holds us tight.

For love and hate were bitter friends,

Locked in a dance of endless night.

Claire Olajide/De Aston School/Year 11 KS4/14th July 2009

       

            Olding

My grandmother sits alone in her chair opposite a window,

Counting each hare that hops by. She waits and wonders,

Where they will go in the spring, autumn and winter snow.

Time moves like a car on a hill with no brakes... she waits, waits, and waits.

My grandmother walks the hallway to her precious library.

She picks out two or three books, any that will set her free; from this loop.

She makes tea for grandpa, “two sugars please dear!” Boiling the kettle

On the stove, a splash of milk, “Here, here!”

My grandmother paints the most wonderful landscapes on canvases which

Are too big. She’d rather not display them, “it’s ostentatious” she says.

My grandpa walks around the gardens for hours on end. He speaks of

Nothing but auctions he’s attended; antiques he has collected and architecture

he’s visited like his mind is on the mend; However, he forgets what he told you

the other day, his senses wearing away.

My grandpa watches tele, his favorite show, Downton Abbey – and though I love

Modern cinema he exclaims “it’s too uncanny.”

My grandmother sits with grandpa on the second floor of their library –

Their favorite spot. They watch, watch and watch. They watch as the birds

Flutter by and wonder where they will go in the spring, autumn and winter snow.

Time moves like a dandelion in the wind...carried by unpredictability. Will

They die tomorrow? Will they?

Time moves like a car on a hill with no brakes... they wait, wait, and wait.

Liliana Campos-Marris

7th May 2008

Year 12 KS5 De Aston School

Key Stage 1

(5 - 7 years)

First Prize -

Anna Harvey

Great Ponton Primary School

Anna’s poem stood out from the others in the Key Stage 1 category, for creativity and use of some good vocabulary. Well done Anna - keep using your imagination and writing.

  

Second Prize -

Isabell Miller

Great Ponton Primary School

Isabell wrote a lovely, positive poem about counting butterflies that was a pleasure to read.

  Third Prize -  

Elliott Alderton

Great Ponton Primary School

Elliott’s poem tells a lovely story of time well spent and he showed a good attempt at rhyming.

Key Stage 2

(8 - 10 years)

First Prize -

Ibrahim UI Quadar

 Witham Hall School

I loved Ibrahim’s poem, ‘Numbers”, from the very first line, “I like the generosity of numbers”. I feel this young writer shows so much originality and depth and he has lots of potential. I really encourage him to continue putting his thoughts into words and push his ideas even further. Well done!

Second Prize -

Shlok Mucherla

Dudley House School

Shlok wrote a very original and imaginative poem that showed emotion. I really loved the original structure and idea of using a recipe for the format of the poem.

Third Prize -

Ollie Mugadza-Ward

Great Ponton Primary School

I loved Ollie’s short, quirky poem. Often short poems can be tricky to write, but I feel he has managed to create one that both fun and clever.

Key Stage 3

(11 - 14 years)

First Prize -

Daniel Joseph

Giles Academy

Daniel’s poem is extremely well written with beautiful, descriptive imagery, rhyming, strong vocabulary and excellent flow. This poem stood out for me, as it is of a high calibre and points metaphorically to the topic of counting, rather than being too literal. I also feel the rhythm of counting, is echoed in the rhythm of the poem, as well as the mention of the “beating heart” line at the end. Extremely well done Daniel, you are an incredible poet and I encourage you to keep writing.

Second Prize -

Amelia McGagh

De Aston School

Amelia’s poem ‘Counting the Echoes of Time’, is simply beautiful. It is well formatted, descriptive and has a lovely flow and use of rhyme. Another talented poet, well done.

Third Prize -

Charlotte Beeby

Witham Hall School

I have chosen Charlotte’s poem for third place as there is something about the heartfelt story-telling quality within it, that I keep returning to. I love the imagery and descriptive quality of the first stanza and there is something about the poem that pulls at your heart strings and made me want to keep reading and understand more.

Special Mention -

Samuel Muthukathl

Giles Academy

Samuel Muthukathl’s poem, ‘Nature’ from Giles Academy is excellent with beautiful imagery, good use of rhyme, flow, and poetic devices. It would have featured highly, but sadly just did not fit the theme of ‘Counting’ at all, which is why I did not choose it. I would, however really like to encourage him to continue writing, as he has talent.

Key Stage 4

(15-16 years)

First Prize - Claire Olajide

De Aston School

Claire’s poem “The Night before the storm” was very descriptive and I liked her use of metaphor and rhyme. I especially loved the lines “each woollen ghost a lullaby” and “I was the war beneath your feet`’, as well as the powerful last stanza. Well done Claire - keep expressing yourself through writing.

Second Prize -

Cristina Radu

Giles Academy

Cristina’s lovely poem, ‘Counting’, had good rhyme and structure and is a really beautiful message. Keep up the writing Cristina, you have talent.

Third prize -

Liliana Campos-Marris

De Aston School

Liliana’s poem, ‘Olding”, felt very personal and I liked the sentimental perspective and her use of simile and repetition.