Oundle pupil, Alice Broadbent (15) has recently been Highly Commended in the 14-16 Creative-Critical Writing category of the Forward/emagazine Young Critics Competition for her poem (see below) both entitled and written from the perspective of Ariadne in response to another poem Telemachus.
The competition was judged by the emagazine editors and the poet Sarah Howe (winner of the TS Eliot Prize for Poetry 2015 for Loop of Jade).
Alice attended the Forward Prizes awards ceremony on Thursday 21 September at the Royal Festival Hall, London, where she was presented with her certificate by Susanna Herbert, Executive Director of Forward Arts Foundation. The foundation, which runs the Forward Poetry Prize, also founded National Poetry Day.
Head of English at Oundle School, Richard Smith commented, “I am delighted by Alice’s success in the Forward/emagazine Young Critics Competition. Her poem, which uses the classical legend of Theseus and Ariadne to tell a story of longing and belonging in the modern world, is uncompromising in its language and imagery. I hope Alice’s success in this competition will inspire her to continue her writing and that it will inspire other pupils to write as well.”
Alice commented, “My poem ‘Ariadne’ was inspired by Vuong’s ‘Telemachus’. When reading Vuong’s poem I particularly liked how it was based on the myth, but was more dark and melancholy. I chose the mythological character of Ariadne because there is a lot of speculation over what happened to her.”
Ariadne
I’m the parasite. I’m the disease.
The thing no one wants.
Once I was the feast, now I’m a leftover.
I served my purpose, played as a marionette.
But now I know it was all a ruse.
I used to be a key that opened a door,
But when it creaked open the novelty wore off,
Like every new present a child begs for,
Uses for a day, and discards.
I’m the athlete, promised a match
But left as the reserve on the sidelines.
There’s no need for charm,
I can’t go back home. Just another
Mouth to feed.
Beauty fades, so does usefulness.
No love, no laughter, no life left in me.
But the city celebrates. Theseus was triumphant.
And I lost my head and my heart.
I am a fish out of water,
But I have to keep breathing.