Bucks poet is competition's youngest ever winner (From Bucks Free Press)

Bucks poet is competition's youngest ever winner

4:10pm Sunday 3rd March 2013 in News By Andy Carswell

TALENTED poet Harry Radcliffe is £1,000 richer after becoming the youngest ever winner of the National Poetry Anthology.

The 17-year-old from Bourne End beat off competition from 10,000 entrants to the biggest annual free poetry competition in the UK.

He was initially one of 250 regional winners, who were then tasked with selecting an overall winner - with the Sir William Borlase's Grammar School pupil being picked out for his poem, Smiles In My Eyes.

Harry, who was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 12, said: “I’m really proud of this success, it comes as a real surprise.

"My aim is to get good results then go on to university and my dream is to become a songwriter or scriptwriter."

He thanked his English teacher, Mrs Birkett, for her support and encouragement with his writing. He said: “She has given wonderful support to me, we are working on a creative writing extended project."

The young wordsmith was presented with his £1,000 cheque and trophy at Marlow Library by manager Harlene Semmens and Peter Quinn of United Press, which ran the competition.

He said: “At 17 Harry certainly has a big future. Harry is by far the youngest winner we have ever had."

SMILES IN MY EYES

If I had the power, at my command,
I would carve you a snowflake, in the palm of my hand.
I would craft you a bed, out of warm desert sands.
But there is no way to show my devotion,
Unless I weave you a dress out of the tides of the ocean.
And by making these things, my love would take form,
And I would give you a diamond, from the ice of a storm.
And if I could forge you a mountain, raise it up from the ground,
Just by raising my arm, without making a sound.
Then from that day, would brush upon your cheeks,
A white-gold earring, from its snow-capped peaks.
But even if I made these of land and sea,
You would be just as beautiful without me,
Because when I look up at the night sky,
Not a star holds a candle to the glint in your eye.
And when I look at the sunrise, and the night is exiled,
There is no such beauty as the last time you smiled.

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