Poem Forest
Positive climate action through poetry
Students in Year 7 have created some beautiful poems inspired by the natural world as entries to the Poem Forest writing prize.
Created by Red Room Poetry, in partnership with Wollongong City Council, POEM FOREST invites students and teachers to use their words to make positive climate action and breathe life back into the natural world that sustains us. For every nature poem received a tree is planted to help heal habitats and create a POEM FOREST for future generations. Since 2021, over 10,700 poem trees have been planted.
the waterfall
By Eljah B
the sound of a swirling crashing cascading mess
that large body of water is never less
never small
going over a waterfall
despite the danger some jump in nevertheless
Zooming out
By Alexi S
As I zoom out, a green pool floods my brain.
Infinitely spreading vein-like structures pulsate with energy.
They seem to be alive, but not in a way that I have ever seen before.
As I’m still zooming, a jagged corner comes into view.
As I zoom out further still, the green pool slowly takes shape.
A teardrop-like structure it seems to be.
Further still, there are more; infinitely spreading on a rough brown surface. Still there are more; spreading out on a carpet of red and orange. Everything seems blurry, with all of it turning into a green fuzz.
I am short for breath, as wisps of white swallow my body.
A digging feeling in my shoulders disturbs me, but this just, just so peaceful.
A feeling of tiredness overcomes me, and as I close my eyes, I nod off, to a deep, deep sleep.
The Cherry Blossom
By Magnus J
The cherry blossom swirls and twirls in the wind
I watch as the flowers shift and turn
Then they tumble and twist, down to the ground
Down, Down, Down
The flowers make their descent toward the ground
They dance around in the air
The air that plucks them off the tree
The air that carries them through their life toward the end
The ground
The tree shakes even more
Something else falls
Not a flower, but something heavier,
Something that plummets to the ground instead of moving gracefully in the wind
A cherry
I pick it off the ground
I sink my teeth into the juicy cherry
I am overcome with sweet flavour
As I am finishing the fruit, I find something big and hard in the centre
A seed
Waterfall
By Kathleen O
The waterfall falls
Ever flowing
Down
Down
Down
Granny says that it has been running since the dawn of time
Since before the dingos ran across the earth
Since before the kookaburras flew across the sky
The waterfall has fallen
Down
Down
Into the earth
reflected tree
By Murray G
Majestic, standing tall
Trunk, the strong foundation
A bridge between two worlds
Stems branching out and up
Reflected by the soil
Roots branching out and down
Stems brush the deep blue sky
Winds may blow but really the sky is dead a deep blue complexion
Clouds may billow but really sky is an empty jar below the leaf litter there is a beating heart
The soil is alive a magnitude of creatures held in its warm embrace a universe unknown
The Life of Nature
By Kashika S
Autumn leaves gracefully waltzed across the grassy forest floor.
Intimidating oak trees ominously whispered to a withering sunflower.
The tranquil zephyr gradually became a chill wind waiting to roar.
The frightened creatures, who hid in the trees’ silhouettes, above whom the majestic creatures wish to tower.
A myriad of colours exuberantly painted the sky ignoring the forest’s hidden gore.
The dazzling sun pretentiously clambered up the sky, showing the moon its unconquerable power.