Y'Poetry UK finalists

Hazel Bergeron-Stokes

Sam Stone 

Olamide Jeboda 

Izaiah Romain

Ella Gilani 

Sarah Shoodipe 

Marcello Cotumaccio 

Ché Thompson 

the promise

by hazel bergeron-stokes

Promised myself to write a letter

with shaking, turning hands

and tobacco stained fingers.

My lips and words, stumbled over themselves

while you bit yours, no words fell out.

Shades of black and blue

mottled your china-white neck,

a conversation not worth having.

You said you liked to lie in your bed, your nest.

You left the house about once a month,

barely there, rush and rapid fading.

I liked to imagine our hands could melt into each other.

We would be still while delicate rain could dance

a performance for our staring eyes.

I was fainting, falling, forgotten.

I still see shades of green and blue

in the eyes I never really knew.

By Hazel Bergeron-Stokes

Year 10, Fortismere School

Y'Poetry