DIVING into his creative mind, eight year-old Alby Simpson spent three weeks crafting a poem inspired by the Great Wall of China and it has won him an accolade.
The year two Islington Public School student won the Lower Primary Years from K-3 section in the 2023 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards, Australia's longest-running annual poetry competition for school children.
"I'm feeling really happy that I've won it but then also a bit sad for all the other people who had great poems," he said.
The young wordsmith attends writing club at his school which led him to enter the competition among 6400 other entrants.
"I've entered this competition three times and this time I [actually] won it," he said.
Alby said his favourite landmark is the Great Wall of China and he wanted to write something that reflected how it's used in today's society.
"My poem is about how it protected all of its tribe for like thousands of years and then... thankless protection - people just come and trample all over it, it doesn't make sense and it's just so unforgiving," he said.
"It's kind of like a metaphor describing the Great Wall of China as an old man."
Alby said in the future he hopes to become either a photographer or an author.
"... probably an author," he said.
His teacher, Adrian Thompson said it was inspiring to see what Alby has done and the way his mind works.
"Just that creativity but I also love how he's so passionate about words, language, books and writing," he said.
"I'm so happy for him because to him, writing is everything."
Islington Public School also had four other students receive commendations in the poetry writing process.
"It's really exciting to see them all have an opportunity and a space where they can work and pursue their goals and take chances," Mr Thompson said.
This year's optional theme of the competition was The Winding Road. Primary school category entries covered a vast range of topics: celebration, belonging, war, refugees, the outback, school life, family life, science and animals.
