Birmingham's Young Poet Laureate

We are all so very proud of Lauren who was shortlisted for the young Poet Laureate Auditions for 2014.  Each year shortlisted candidates perform two poems in front of an audience before the judges make their final decisions.  The winner was announced on National Poetry Day - 2nd October.

Congratulations Lauren on having the opportunity to perform on the day.

Lauren's Poem:

I Remember where the Dragonthorn Grew

I remember when the bracken was wild,

When ‘neat’ was not a word,

I remember how the dodo cawed,

And how tangles were preferred

Ferns of luscious green,

Berries of the deepest red,

Giant spiders who hung from giant trees,

And wove their giant thread

Sprites and imps danced at midnight,

And prehistoric insects roamed my lands,

I remember the music of the elves,

Of words I could not understand

Creatures the size of mountains,

Goblins who lived in caves,

Yetis that lived on snowy hills,

And serpents that ruled the waves

I clearly see the watering hole,

Ten miles from end to end,

How each creature would work together,

For on each other they must depend

By water’s edge, grew a wondrous plant,

That words cannot adorn,

It grew once only every decade,

And twas known as dragonthorn

Legend says that the first flower,

Was caught by a dragon’s flame,

And that is why this glorious plant,

Was given such a name

It only had three petals,

Each was a heart in shape,

They shone under a full moon’s light,

And served as a fairy’s cape

But now it is man that has claimed my lands,

And I have found that they will not share,

If they carry on without taking heed,

What will be left for their heir?

Through pollution and hate I’ve suffered,

Through slights you never knew,

But I still remember when the world was peaceful,

And I remember where the dragonthorn grew.