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Nossal's Star Writer

A flyer in front of me eyes emblazoned with the catchphrase:

Are you a budding author, poet, journalist or song writer?

I was hooked in by those words. I am a poet and an author. I continued reading, curious as to what followed.

The Fresh Words Competition was launched in 2008 for young writers who live, work or study in the City of Casey. It is an opportunity for writers to showcase their work, and potentially win great cash prizes!

I am only human, and being human I was even more incited to enter this competition on the basis of three things:

• I can write my entries
• My school is in the Casey area
• Prize money and I don’t have to pay to enter

So I wrote two entries, a poem and a short story, titled ‘Lessons of love’ and ‘Act 3, Scene 1’ respectively. My inspiration for my short story was based on the incredible Shakespeare play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, focusing on the turning point of the play’s complications where Mercutio was slain. I am very much for female empowerment and I had applied my beliefs in my reedition where Juliet intervened in Tybalt and Romeo’s duel and implied that she regarded Romeo as nothing by a friend.

As for my second piece, I was inspired by the social media prompt that was my first line and continually added fragments of various media representations of romance to my piece. I reflect on the notion of toughing it out through every aspect of life and having the ability to move forward – this piece reflects a self-lecture as much as it appears to be a love poem.

When I received the news that I have been shortlisted for both of my pieces, I was confused and proud simultaneously. I was grateful that the community of Casey recognised that my writing is able to draw a response and also proud that Nossal is being represented as a multi-disciplinary school. 

Jennifer Nguyen - Year 10

Jennifer Nguyen has had an amazing year of writing. Not only did she win first prize in the Upper Secondary Section of the Victorian Schools Creative Competition for Mental Health Week in September, she now has two pieces shortlisted in the Casey Fresh Words Competition.

We wish Jennifer the best of luck, though we don't believe she needs it!

These are Jennifer's shortlisted pieces...

Act 3, Scene 1

‘Either thou or I, or both, must go with him,” Romeo calmly stated, eyes boiling with murder. Tybalt tossed his shoulder and smirked. Both unsheathed their swords.

“Thou wretched boy,” the sword gleamed a cruel shine from the Venetian sun, “shalt with him hence.” They circled each other, feet nimbly bouncing on the heating pavement, never breaking eye contact.

Hooves interceded their eye contact as a blur hurled down from the horseback and landed between the men

"Cease," Juliet Capulet breathed, "lay down thy swords." Both started, registering the girl.

Tybalt lowered his sword, "Cousin, leave this place."

"Cousin," the girl turned to him, "kindly be quiet." A small crowd had gathered around them to witness the spectacle.

"People of Venice!" Juliet turned to the civilians. A fruit vendor dropped  a watermelon on the uneven pavement. "The feud between the houses of Capulet and Montague is disrupting the peace always, and for this I apologise."

"This feud must be discontinued! Generations lost, lives extinguished, wars raged - and for what? This feud has long lost its original purpose and my family continue to induce conflict on my friends, fellow citizens residing in beautiful Venice, our city, so rich and beautiful in the people. We are all Venetians, are we not? What point is there to war where we do not benefit from it, and throw children, young as myself, to the thralls of violence? We are all related, not by blood, but by bonds of comradeship, a sense of patriotism, love!"

The watermelon juices flooded the whole street, but those who stood by to watch were riveted on the girl, small, breathless, eyes bright with empowerment.

"I love thou, cousin dear of mine," she turned to Tybalt, "and I love thee, my childhood friend, Romeo," Romeo bowed gallantly. "But this feud must cease, or there will be misfortune upon our families. I beseech thee, lay down thy swords and make peace."

"Wretched child!" Tybalt cried, pupils dilated. “This is a business between men, and between our family heads! Cease thy presence, Juliet!”

“Men!” The crowd parted in a stammer of feet as horses nudged their paths through. The Prince swung off the horseback and cut through the crowd, face pleasantly annoyed.

“My noble lords,” Prince Escalus straightened his posture, “thou art in a public place. Behave thyself.”

Tybalt made a rude noise.

“My lord,” he knelt, “we are simply…resolving the conflict.”

A disbelieving snort rippled through the air.

“Prince Escalus, sir,” Juliet moved from behind Tybalt, curtseying. “Please judge our circumstance as thy treatment deems us fit.

“Speak, my loyal child.”

“This feud between both of our houses has resulted in many bloody civil uprises and a disturbance of peace in Venice. I only beseech my cousin and my friend to make peace with each other and consider why they are feuding, yet I have not succeeded in concluding the conflict.”

“My lords,” Escalus cast a humorous glance at the boy and the man. “The heiress of the Capulet fortune is wise beyond her years. Venice is a city of peace and comradeship, a loyal bond between the community and its inhabitants. Conflict within the boundaries of the city will soon be outlawed, and those that trespass this will be exiled or worse, executed.” His amiable tone dissipated, leaving a curtain of mystified fear and awe hovering o’er the Venetians.

“Your Highness, I must atone for my reasoning of confronting Tybalt,” Romeo breathed, eyes murky, “thy loyal consort, Mercutio, has recently passed by the hands of Tybalt.”

The Prince looked amused.

“So I have been informed. It appears that my ward is very alive, his ego bruised, but he is fine. Thou need not worry about his health, my dear Romeo, though I thank ‘ee for thy companionship.”

“Thou brain-scattered, foot-licking goose!” Profanities erupted from Romeo’s mouth. He blushed and bowed to excuse himself. The Prince looked more amused still.

“For this I must confess my sins,” Tybalt knelt grudgingly. “I have acted irrationally to Mercutio’s taunts and did not keep a clear head in passing judgement and reacted provocatively.”

He turned with difficulty to Romeo, “I ask thee for forgiveness.”

Romeo grinned, Tybalt muttered something unpleasant under his breath, though his little cousin broad smile eradicated his repugnance for the Montague scum.

“We are one family protecting each other,

All brothers, sisters under the bond of city love.

Love is the force that unites us.”

Juliet Capulet-Montague, on the day of the peace accordance between the two houses.

Jennifer Nguyen

Lessons of Love

Teach me how to slow dance at 2am

While we snack on cookie dough

On our kitchen counter, in our small house.

Teach me how to swing a golf tee

Under the soft sun glare, in our small garden.

Teach me how to stand in the freezing saltwater

In the middle of July

Against the bitter winds of the sea

While you hold my hand and walk me through the cold.

Teach me how to hold a violin

The smell of freshly polished wood and metal shavings

Melodies clear and lucid

Ringing through the space of our living room.

Teach me how to walk under the rain

Under the night sky, while the world cries

Buckets of fresh water, dripping onto our hair

Hold my hand and never let go.

Then in turn I will teach you how to read,

To fall in love with a story deep within the pages

Watching your eyes flash a million different shades

Under the soft sleepy yellow lamp light of our home.

I will show you the wonders of art,

Guide you through museums, point out artworks

Talk until your ears tire of symbols and meanings,

While holding your hand because it is the most beautiful thing amongst all the artworks.

I will teach you the wonders of running,

Fresh scents of dew rushing up your nostrils, your legs tired

Your lungs burn, your eyes tear

As we race around our street early in the morn.

I will teach you how to cry,

How to let go, to not hold back, to not blame yourself.

For darling life is short and should not be wasted on regrets,

Life is eventful and will carry on, leaving you behind with your sorrows.

Please let me be your anchor in the storm,

Your comfort, your support, your home

Teach me how to live your life and I shall do the same

For with every self-discovery we made, we love more

We are all humans and we are flawed,

But to me darling, you are my forever more.

Jennifer Nguyen