On Wednesday 4th February 17 year old St Swithun’s School pupil Annie Bolton from Winchester won the Hampshire Poetry by Heart competition which took place at the Guildhall, Winchester.
Annie was representing St Swithun’s against eight other competitors from other schools in Hampshire.
Each pupil is challenged to memorise and recite two poems – one published before 1914 and one in or after 1914. Pupils choose these from the timeline anthology of over 600 years of poetry on the Poetry by Heart website. In addition, 2015 contestants also recite a third poem from a special collection of World War I poems as part of the centenary commemorations.
Annie’s chosen poems were Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley (Pre 1914), Originally by Carol Ann Duffy (Post 1914) and Setting Out by Ernst Stadler (World War I era). Judging is based on five criteria: voice and articulation, evidence of understanding, level of difficulty, overall performance and accuracy.
Annie will now proceed to the national final which will take place at Homerton College, Cambridge on the 19-21 March 2015.
Head of English at St Swithun’s Alison Oliver said “Annie impressed the judges with her three evocative, powerful recitations. There was a very high level of performance from all competitors which makes her win all the more notable”.