poetry contest - Poetry International

poetry contest

Thirteen year old writes most beautiful line of poetry

Leah Nölling wins high school poetry contest

The 13-year-old Leah Nölling, student of Wolfert Dalton Secondary School, wrote the most beautiful line of poetry of all Rotterdam high school students in the school poetry contest 35 Years of Het Gedicht is een bericht. To celebrate this anniversary - 35 years of intriguing lines of poetry by poets from all over the world on Rotterdam's sweepers and garbage trucks - the City of Rotterdam and Poetry International wanted to know what concerns the new generation of Rotterdammers. With her critical line "Dat we er niet over praten, betekent niet dat het niet gebeurde" (Just because we don't talk about it doesn't mean it didn't happen)" Leah Nölling gave an unmistakable answer to that question. Starting today, the line rides on the flank of a life-size garbage truck through the streets of Rotterdam (Photo ©Gert Jan Pos).

Leah Nölling (Wolfert Dalton) wint Scholierendichtwedstrijd

From the jury report

"Winner Leah Nölling has written a beautiful and multi-interpretable poem that can be read in multiple ways. On a personal level it can be about arguments or domestic violence, or you can read it as the history of the city we would rather not face; the slavery past or the bombing. It is impressive that such a young writer (13 years old) can and dares already look behind reality and see the secret history of the city. We know by now that everything shapes us. You cannot make the future if you do not acknowledge the past. This poem reminds us of this."

Second prize in the pupil poetry contest went to Joyce Lammers, pupil of the GSR; third prize again went to the Wolfert Dalton, to 14-year-old Hajar el Azzouzi. The entry of Joan Badrisingh, pupil of VSO Noord, school for special education, was awarded an Honorable Mention by the jury.

Runner Up

Joyce Lammers

Ik kijk omhoog en daar ben je,
Je schittert.

From the jury report:

"Here we see a writer who plays with language; with knowledge of poetry techniques, such as line breaks, and who puts an infectiously positive message into her work. We are cheered by this verse. Is it about someone you look up to, the city itself on a beautiful day or sunshine or moonlight, or perhaps something bigger and more spiritual? It could be anything."

Third price

Hajar el Azzouzi - Wolfert Dalton

Wat ik wil,
is verschil

From the jury report:

"The third prize goes to a powerful entry that has thought carefully about what words it chooses. It could also be an action cry or slogan. It is precise and not a word too many and gets you moving, motivates and when you read it you think: yes, me too! A call for change."

Honorable mention

Joan Badrisingh - VSO Noord

Een kind met een beperking is
een talent voor de toekomst

From the jury report:

The jury was moved by the personal story behind this entry. The world is sometimes a chilly place in which you feel unwelcome, but this writer knows that there is strength precisely in what cannot or does not succeed; a child with a disability is a talent for the future. We as judges can only agree with that.

35 Years Het gedicht is een bericht

The sound of a new generation

Het gedicht is een bericht - the inspiring lines of poetry on the garbage trucks of Rotterdam - has reached its 35 year jubilee! To celebrate, the City of Rotterdam and Poetry International are pleased to give space to the sound of the up-and-coming generation of Rotterdammers with a poetry competition for secondary school students. What dreams do they have for their city of the future? Take part and who knows, maybe YOUR WISH FOR ROTTERDAM will be driving through this great city in the years to come!

How to participate?
Express your wish for Rotterdam in a catchy line of poetry that will blow the jury away, both in content and language. Your wish may be sweet, small, immeasurably large, mind-bogglingly unachievable, personal or for everyone - and everything in between. Your entry may be up to 2 lines of 45 characters (including spaces) long. Those lines can stand alone, but may also be part of a larger poem, spoken word piece or lyric of your own (be sure to send it along). Submissions can be made from November 15 to December 15 next, and we will announce the winner on January 25, 2024 - Poetry Day.

The jury and the prize
None other than City Poet Elfie Tromp leads the jury consisting of five persons. Garbage truck driver Paul Keijzer and parking attendant José Semple have a big heart for poetry and spoken word, Diana Chin-A-Fat is director of Poetry International. Together they will search for the most distinctive line of poetry among all the entries. The winning line will soon ride through the city on a garbage truck for the inspiration of us all; the winner will also receive an exclusive writing master class from City Poet Elfie Tromp herself.

The competition is closed. We will the announce the winner on 25 January 2024.