Student poems
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Magnet
By Zichen (Year 4, Hornsby North Public School)Two ends that never meet
Or a brother and sister.
Nostalgic feelings
Fill their mind. -
Friendship Holder
By Lily (Year 8, Reddam House)A friendship-holder a story-teller and forgiveness-giver,
grasping heart in hand
a lantern of memory, glistening Auntie’s visage
It is what makes me, -
Candle in a Glass Bottle
By Luke Bartolo (Teacher, Glenmore Park High School )Cascading wax like pyroclastic breccia in pastel hues of
pink and purple and violet-blue
trowels across the candle-surface in lumpy deposits of
calcium-winter-carbonate -
Handkerchief
By Emilie (Year 12, Havelock North High School)Red-bordered handkerchief,
crumpled and worn;
fibers that crunch
as I peel back the folds. -
My Papa Cec's Prayer Shawl
By Jamie (Year 7, Reddam House)The prayer shawl folded in its bag
The tallis of my father’s father
Idle as an unwound watch
Longing for its owner’s touch -
A Chain of mysteries
By Anika (Year 13, Glendowie College)'Soul-less chunks of metal'- that's what the world sees.
Can you take a look through my eyes, please?
I cheerfully received my first key chain at seven,
bound to a dainty doll- it was a little girl's heaven. -
Space Asteroid
By Chase (Year 5, St Joseph's Primary School, Wandal)Spiky - rock
Planet-crasher
Icy-shadow
Speedy-asteroid -
The Ring
By #7472 (Year 9, Rangiora High School)I smiled at the ring that I had found in the sand, I knew I
would have magic powers once the gold touched my hand.
I bent down slowly, to get a closer stare, and reached out a hand,
which shook with anticipation and fear. -
1x4 brick
By Ron Barton (Teacher, Comet Bay College)They don’t know it yet,
they think they’re only building
spaceships and castles.
They don’t realise this is the way -
My Pounamu Necklace
By Hollie (Year 7, Russley School)as green as fir trees
smooth as freshly washed hair
unusual swirly patterns within
like the shell of a gastropod -
Pretty Paua
By Maisie (Year 5, Annandale North Public School)Pretty Paua holds my memories of New Zealand nervously feeling home sick.
Missing caring cousins, a gentle grandma and playful pets.
Calming a cool salty smell.
A bumpy armour protecting a delicate inside. -
Keep on Dreaming
By Aira (Year 11, Takapuna Grammar School)What is your dream?
Who are you, what do you see in the mirror
Walk your own path, even if there are thorns
Be what you want to be even for one day -
Pounamu / Greenstone
By Iritana (Year 5, Manurewa East School)My pounamu, my greenstone.
As green as the harakeke used to weave a basket together.
The smoothness is broken by curves that move like the ocean.
It is small, but has the strength of Maui’s hook. -
My Doll and Me
By Meijing (Year 4, Manurewa East School)Her blonde, curved hair runs like a squiggle,
Mine black, runs like ink down my back.
Her tall, lanky body like a netball pole,
Mine short and dainty like a fairy. -
Ode to a Timepiece
By Alisa (Year 10, St Cuthbert's College)My senses, dimmed as you moved in the dark
Ticking off charts and numbers, going on forever
My heart slows down to your humming tune of the harp,
One minute past, I have failed, yet you’re still clever -
Revolving world
By Phoebe (Year 9, Churchlands Senior High School)Imaginary world besieged in a casket
Simple design unveils a simple planet
When shaken, tossed and hurled
Shards of crisp ice material, revolves a delicate world -
The Kraken
By Olive (Year 8, Balmoral School )Far below the waves,
Swaying to the current of the ocean,
Dragging men to watery graves
Without the slightest of emotion. -
Minty
By Max (Year 4, Woodlands Park Primary School)My Minty’s eyes glisten in the darkness
I take him around the world
His red abdomen sparkles in the sun
I sleep with him every night -
Exploding Pixels
By Oshadha (Year 10, Southland Boys' High School)I stare at it, fogged eyes, memories stinging; a headache nothing can heal
a black and white photo, under a layer of dirt, unframed – a man, a woman, a child: me
the untouched jagged ends from an old-styled printer, which made mum cry every night, alone
the blending black and white pigments that made me think until my brain cells deformed my emotions… -
My violin
By Mira (Year 5, Croydon Public School)When my violin rests beneath my chin
The heavy burden on my shoulders takes flight
And flutters away like butterflies, gliding in the fragrant breeze.
My ears stop and listen
