Young poets shared their views on nature, wildlife and recycling at a showcase held at AESSEAL’s Rotherham headquarters.
More than 150 children from five local schools entered the Imagining A Greener Future competition, run by AESSEAL and The Poetry Society, with finalists attending an awards event.
Students from Abbey School, Oakwood, Wales High, St Bernard’s Catholic High and Meadowhead were joined at AESSEAL by The Poetry Society’s Billie Manning, Natasha Ryan and director Judith Palmer, poet Matt Abbott and Foyle Young Poet Nathan Graham.
Matt, who carried out workshops at schools as part of the project, recited some of his own works, and said:
The judges were really impressed by the many different ways the poets responded to the theme. Some imagined hopeful futures where nature is protected and looked after. Others give us a warning about what could happen if we don’t take care of the planet.
Commended poets read their works before the runners-up took to the stage to perform their poems. They were St Bernard’s pupil Idrees Ali (Time To Dream, Time To Change) and Abbey School’s Ava-Mae Marnley (Field Behind My House), who both won £50 book tokens and goodies.
Judith then announced the overall winner - Year 8 Oakwood student Khadija Shafiq, whose poem Oh To Live In A World won her a £75 book token, a book bag and goodies - and said:
This poem really stood out to the judges for its powerful voice and the way it builds its message. Each verse imagines a different version of the world we might want to live in — a world with thriving forests, birdsong, fresh air and space for nature to grow. At the same time, the poem reminds us how quickly those things can disappear if we don’t take care of them. It’s a poem that encourages us to stop for a moment and really think about what kind of future we want to help create.
Foyle Young Poets 2025 Winner, Rotherham-based Nathan Graham, recited examples of his work, offered advice to the young writers and took part in a Q&A with Matt before attendees were taken on the tree walk tour – of course, with poetic prompts to inspire their next works.
Oh to Live in a World by Khadija Shafiq
Oh to live in a world
Without the chainsaw’s hungry bite
But endless green, so vast,
Where ancient roots form the ground
And the earth is filled by nature's lungs.
Oh to live in a world
With birds chortling with sheer pleasure,
And not to be in one where trees which were there for years
Are demolished in two seconds,
But instead let’s come to the wood, for here is rest.
Oh to live in a world,
Where we are not surrounded by treasures and selfishness
Where we truly think about the tree’s noble worth
Cut here, chopped there, cut here, chopped there
The joy you feel today, tomorrow will differ.
Oh to live in a world,
Where fresh, melancholic wind invigorates your skin
And the sight of the sorrow of fallen trees is only visible in your dreams.
This tragedy will never unfold in front of us –
If the pulse of the forest beats within us, why do we wander as though we cannot hear it?
