Foyle Young Poet Of The Year

I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to say, finally, that Georgie Woodhead, of Hive’s Sheffield Young Writers’ Group has won the Foyle Young Poet of the Year! I’m not at all surprised, having seen her work up-close for a couple of years now. I honestly couldn’t be happier. You can read more about it here on Hive’s website but, in the meantime, here’s the wonderful poem.

When my uncle stood at the top of the office block roof

Georgie Woodhead

he swayed from side to side, half-glugged bottle locked
in his burning fingers, his silhouette framed by the black hole of night,
flecks of scornful planets blinked behind his back. The whole world
stretched out in front of him like the sides of a fallen-down box,
and his eyes had been opened, and stared open as his shoulders
shook. His feet stumbled back and forth towards the edge,
the leather of his shoes creaking in protest against the gutter.

When the bar had closed and we were tossed out, left to stroll
with our hands shoved in our pockets like tree stumps rooted in earth,
we heard his bottle, a free-fall smash into green teeth on paving slabs.
He leaned over his small carnage in the same silence as we did,
our mouths open, eyelids pinned apart, necks turned like twisted cloth.
And him, with his frown slashed thin, disappointed, eyebrows folded
as if he had honestly expected anything different.

And that’s not all. Nope – fellow member, Maya Williams-Hamm was highly commended as well. Needless to say everyone is thrilled by these, thoroughly deserved, accolades. And a huge congratulations to everyone else listed too!

If anyone, 14-19, would like to get involved in Hive’s South Yorkshire-wide network (there are groups in Doncaster, Barnsley, Rotherham, and Sheffield) they can find more info here.

Published by

nikperring

Nik Perring is a short story writer, author, teacher of writing, and editor from the UK. His stories have been published widely all over the world. His books include the widely celebrated Not So Perfect (Roastbooks 2010), A Book of Beautiful Words; and Beautiful Trees; and he co-wrote Freaks!(TFP/HarperCollins, 2012).

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