Upper Hutt City Libraries Poetry Writing Competition
INSPIRE Adult Category
Shortlisted Poems
Kids & Teens
Shortlisted Poems Poetry Awards 2020 www.upperhuttlibrary.co.nz
from the online catalogue
Reaching out for Freedom I will never feel the cool grasp of freedom So don’t you say I am free I will never taste the waters of freedom So don’t give me that look claiming I have rights I will never see freedom taking flight, So don’t hand me notes suggesting I am unrestricted I will never hear the soft lullaby of freedom So don’t show me stories trying to persuade me that I am free like a bird, soaring in the winds of opportunity I will never smell freedoms’ sweet aroma So don’t you deliver that box to me saying I am another human being, just like you Ignore me Don’t Listen to me Freedom is forever out of reach They will never say We’re free now They succeeded Now read from the bottom to the top! - Aryanna
N ational Poetr y d ay
You can have Freedom Freedom. Freedom is big, freedom is small. Freedom is short, freedom is tall. You can have freedom if you like But you can’t buy it in a shop, You can’t get it with a mop. Freedom is wonderful. Freedom is wise. Freedom is big, freedom is small. Freedom is short, freedom is tall. But best of all, you can have it too. - Emily
w w w.upperhut tlibrar y.co.nz
- Amiria
N ational Poetr y d ay
What is Freedom? Freedom. A gift. Something we used to have. Travel the world, Go out for lunch, Meet up with our friends. That was the old freedom. The one we used to know. Freedom from a deadly disease, Travelling Aotearoa, our home. This is the freedom we have now, unlike others in this world. We are lucky to be here. Freedom, in our home.
- Isabela
w w w.upperhut tlibrar y.co.nz 
N ational Poetr y d ay
...translation from Tamil language on left. Freedom Lucky, I am able to go out and about, I am free! Proud, I am in New Zealand, a country of freedom, where I can speak Tamil, follow my culture, pray my god, I am free! Happy, I am safe here and I can play with my friends, I am free! Thankful, I can travel the world myself in my wheelchair, I am independent and I am free! And, being free is my highest freedom!
- Amrita
w w w.upperhut tlibrar y.co.nz 
Freedom Freedom To be yourself in a way that people cannot comprehend When things go wrong You will survive Until the next trial Freedom To be brilliant in a way that people cannot understand If you are not okay Then you will be in time Even if you do not think so Freedom To be against whatever is haunting you in a way that people cannot wrap their heads around Whatever you are standing for Equality in all kinds You cannot stop until the job is done
N ational Poetr y d ay
Freedom To be beautiful on the inside in a way that people cannot fathom That attempt to feel like you are not trapped in a cage Of unfair rules and chaos But you understand that nothing will ever be fair unless there is a change Freedom You are brave, you are strong, you are amazing, and you deserve happiness But the most defining trait is that you are Indefinitely, undeniably you. - Layla
w w w.upperhut tlibrar y.co.nz 
‘Got No Worries’ The definition of Freedom is not a word to be misunderstood, it's one to be loved, cradled gently, as if all of your life depended on it. To understand Freedom is like discovering a new word, reading a new book, overcoming pleasure that waves over you to know that you understand the Freedom that exists in your Heart. Freedom comes from the inside, we are free, our minds, our bodies, and our spirits, we could never be more free in our youth, We all have worries, some very hard to contain, some frightening, some exciting, some fearful, But you know what? The ONLY thing you need to fear is fear itself, Anxiety, on the other hand, is not Freedom, Anxiety comes from those worries that twist your stomach in knots everyday. We have laws and regulations to follow to keep us safe and to keep us from the things we’re afraid of, chaos, a dirty, stressful and reckless way of life, but as long as you know who you are, what you do, and where True Freedom comes from, you have Got No Worries for this future, Freedom is a part of you, don’t fight it, invite it. - Amelia N ational Poetr y d ay
- Alison w w w.upperhut tlibrar y.co.nz 
Slam
Jam
Join
Read
21. 8 . 20
Write
Create
Rap
Vote for your favourite poem online
People's Choice Award www.upperhuttlibrary.co.nz Find out about events near you and how to get involved in unleashing the power of poetry.
POETRYDAY.CO.NZ
N ational Poetr y d ay
/NZPOETRYDAY /NZPOETRYDAY
Recite
Make
Unleash the power of poetry