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 Thank you to everyone who entered our poetry competition. We were delighted with the response and the standard of entries was exceptional. Charlotte herself said she found the poems so impressive that she found it necessary to award a fourth prize so that as many people as possible could be given a prize! Click on the links below to read the winning poems.
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Holly Mynott, aged 14 for her poem "Orang-utans". |
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Zoe Griffin, aged 16 for her poem "Pongo's Plight". |
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Nuala Keshane, aged 12 for her poem "Orangutan". |
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Tom Jesson, aged 7¼ for his poem "Amazing orang-utans". |
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The following poets were shortlisted: Hannah Barnden, Katie Bunney, Maya Ashton, Abigail Griffin, Natasha Hennessy, Johnathon Cummings, Alissa Brearly |
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Orangutan Activity Day
To find out more about orangutans come along to the National Geographic Store in London on Sunday 8th November at 12pm - its free to get in.
Top conservationist, Ian Redmond OBE, will be dropping by to tell us all about orangutans, plus there’ll be face painting, model making, and the chance to meet Anthony Browne, too.
Go to www.nglondonstore.co.uk for more details. |
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Orang-utans
Holly Mynott, aged 14 (1st Prize)
THUD
Tree falls
Followed by more
Orang-utans are swinging far
Above the forest floor
BANG
More shooting
The mother is dead
Helpless baby locked away
In small cage or shed
CHING
Tribe sells
The loggers buy their land
When the roaring blades are done
The trees do not still stand
WHOOSH
Fire blazes
Flaring ever stronger
All the tree stumps burned away
The forest is no longer
CLUNK
Gold found
Scars of mining show
Open mines strip the soil
Trees can't ever grow
"HELP"
Where is
The Orang's home now?
Their habitat's demolished
Who did it, and how?
SOB
These are
The problems they face
Every single one is caused
By the human race.
PONGO'S PLIGHT
Zoe Griffin, aged 16 (2nd Prize)
All Orangutans should be wild and free
acres of rain forest should be all that they see,
But the trees are all gone apart from a bunch
now there's less food for the Orangutan's lunch,
Feeling trapped and confined the orangutans flee
but the plantations are exactly where they're not meant to be,
With the mothers shot dead the babies need help
and from the palm trees can be heard a small yelp,
Baby Pongo's alone for the very first time
shooting these animals is a terrible crime,
Then the Orangutan Foundation gave him a home
when he was abandoned and feeling alone,
They taught him the skills that he'd need to survive
It's thanks to the Foundation that Pongo's alive.
Orangutan
Nuala Keshane, aged 12 (3rd Prize)
Orang-utan is swinging round,
Watching trees fall all around,
Wait until they hit the ground,
THUD, THUD, THUD.
Scramble on and keep aware,
Pass a hurt friend in a snare,
Gunshots ringing in the air,
THUD, THUD, THUD.
Orang-utan just swing and climb,
Missing poachers just in time,
Hear their voices yell and chime,
THUD, THUD, THUD.
Poachers all surround the tree
He really tries his best to flee,
But it is far too late for he,
THUD, THUD, BLOOD.
Amazing orang-utans
Tom Jesson, aged 7¼ (4th Prize)
Orange Orang-utans,
are as amazing as can be,
They jump around a lot,
and swing from tree to tree.
People are their problem,
using their machines.
To cut down the rain forest,
And wipe them clean.
Orange orang-utans are fantastic,
And almost extinct.
Everyone who's doing this,
needs to think, think, think!
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