Imagine my bracelet is the earth
~ Laura, Forest Lodge Public School
 

Poetry Object brings student poems about treasured objects to life

Thank you to all the students, teachers and administration staff in public schools in the Sydney Region who have supported The Poetry Object in 2012. The exhibition of poems and special objects was on display at the State Library of New South Wales from 12 November 2012- 15 February 2013.

The Poetry Object is an initiative of The Red Room Company's national poetry education program. Our programs are flexible and dynamic programs, bringing Australian poets into schools and centres of learning across the country.

Participating Schools

With thanks to the students, teachers and staff of participating NSW Public Schools in the Sydney Region

Annandale Public School, Bangor Public School, Brighton-le- Sands Public School, Canterbury South Public School, Carlton Public School, Como Public School, Cronulla South Public School, Croydon Public School, Forest Lodge Public School, Marrickville High School, Marrickville Public School, Petersham Public School, Randwick Public School, Rose Bay Secondary College, Rozelle Public School, South Coogee Public School, Stanmore Public School, St. George Girls' High School

Judge's Comments

"What a privilege and a pleasure to read work from some of the city's newest poets-and what a true honour to learn of the curious and dear objects that occupied the poets' thinking and writing. The smallest thing can make the most complex and significant impression on the way we perceive the world, and on the way we organize our language and our art. All the poems engage differently, tenderly, excitedly, and intimately, with objects and memories-from hairpins to horseshoes, pencils to pianos, trees and photographs. Reading them, I was struck by the many ways that an object can be written: they can be remembered and forgotten, loved and feared, collected and lost, treasured and discarded. Each poet considered what it means to have and be a relation to something important and particular. I commend all the poets, and I congratulate those whose work earned a commendation or prize. The winning poem, 'The magic cat', by Andre, takes care at every detail: the lines are thoughtfully composed and arranged; the language is surprising and exact; the images are striking. The poem begins with a description and ends with a beautifully entwined history of the object's embeddedness in places, times, and travels. Andre's little cat is a link between a mother, a desert, and a memory - and the poem is a documentary of its meaning."

- Astrid Lorange

Awards and Commendations 2012

Overall Winner: The Object of Excellence

Andre Issa, Year 6, Stanmore Public School
'The Magic Cat'

Runner Up

Ayesha Verwey, Year 6, Annandale Public School
'Flower of Memories'

Winning Teacher Poem:

Mrs. Lana Howlett

Year 3 / 4 Teacher, Croydon Public School
'Mann Street'

Winning School Installation:

Mrs. Christine Godby's Year 7 English Class

Rose Bay Secondary College 
Click here to watch a video featuring Rose Bay Secondary College's Poetry Object installation.

Certificates of Commendation awarded to students who have poems featured in the exhibition

Annandale Public School

Rose Bakker, Year 6
'Parker's Ink'

Izabel West, Year 6
'Rainbow Waves'

Brighton le Sands Public School

Saabiq Ali, Year 5
'My Softball'

Carlton Public School

Daiyan Masud, Year 5
'My Paint Brush'

Jordon Zhong, Year 4
'Burn, FireBlaze, the Secreted One'

Croydon Public School

Olivia Bounds Year 3
'My Little Lamb'

Zac Jabour Year 3
'Dolphin Chains'

Mei-en Tian, Year 3
'My Treasure'

Forest Lodge Public School

Lara Vance, Year 4
'The Past of the Mint Green Fairy Dress'

Isaac Wright, Year 6
'Silver Coin'

Laura Yeap, Year 6

'She means the world to me'

Petersham Public School

Corey Brown, Year 3
'Colour Ball' 

Kate Rooke, Year 3
'Cuddly Old Thing'

Randwick Public School

Phoebe Ashton, Year 6
'My Nippers Cap'

Yosra Darawshe, Year 5
'My Talismanic Elephant'

Katie Kershaw, Year 6
'My Lucky Bean'

Josh Manovel, Year 5
'Ode To My Dinosaur Tooth'

Stanmore Public School

Phoebe Denham, Year 6
'My Snow Globe'

Felix Hodgson, Year 5
'Butterfly Box'

Lilli Shirin-Mason, Year 6
'Baby Socks, My Baby Socks' 

Nicholas Short, Year 6
'Crystal'

St. George Girls' High School

Alison Chin, Year 8
'An Old Memory'

Erica Chen, Year 8
'Tree'

Aayushima Gurung, Year 8
'The Box'

Georgie Tran, Year 8
'My Guitar'

Tania Xue, Year 8
'Windows of Visibility (Glasses)'