Here is Anastasia G’s winning poem from our school’s Reading Week.

When you ask most people what happiness is for them, they will normally say their family, their friends, their pets and maybe even food. Those definitely give happiness but there is one thing in the world that brings me happiness more than anything else. 

Books. One word, a thousand meanings. 

With satisfying ends and new beginnings.  

Heroes and villains fighting forever,

devising plans, being clever. 

For some people its knowledge. 

For some people it’s passing time. 

For me its the edge

between us and the divine. 

Whole worlds laying in front of your eyes, 

coming into play, 

Hiding behind the disguise 

of  a colourful display.

They are my safe place,

 memories I never want to replace. 

My happiness, my joy, 

Something I would never destroy.

I mostly like books that are about fiction, 

Those that have no restriction.

The ones I can read at nights,

with princesses fighting along the knights. 

When reading I’m in my own zone, 

diving into the unknown. 

My mind focuses on what I am reading, taking me away, 

from what is happening everyday. 

But for me, it’s not only about reading books, 

It’s also about writing and giving my characters their looks.

It’s about using my creativity; 

much more than an activity. 

With books I express my feelings, my thoughts;

I open my mind’s doors. 

It’s my way to show what I think,  

what I love and what I believe. 

Everyday I come home, 

I look forward to entering my zone. 

Writing gives me time to relax, 

taking me away from reality’s attacks. 

I would love to one day publish a book

and tell people to give it a look. 

They might like it, they might not. 

Either way I’ll give it what I’ve got.