Anthology of Poems

Delhi Public School, Sector 45 Gurgaon

ANTHOLOGY
OF

POEMS

around the world

Anthology of Poems: Around the World aims in its own small way to fulfil some
aspects of Sustainable Development Goal 4 - The Education Goal, Target 4.7
EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP.
(https://sdg4education2030.org/the-goal)

This anthology, is a culmination of the concerted collaboration across 12 countries,
19 schools, 29 teachers and 93 young poets. Cutting across geographies and diverse
cultures, these poems give utterance to the mundane as well as the sublime
thoughts of the young poets; which catalyse the readers mind to introspect. The
outpouring of thoughts, across these pages, impress upon us the need for greater
attention to our environment and the world as a whole.

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POEMS - VOICE TO YOUR THOUGHT

Anthology of Poems- Around the World

We need poetry. Poetry, builds community, and fosters social and emotional resilience. It
can cross boundaries and infiltrate into the hearts of all. ‘Anthology of poems: Around the
World’ validates this thought. A well-crafted phrase in a poem can help us visualize an
experience in an entirely new way. We can gain insight that has evaded us many times,
that gives us new understanding and strength to move ahead with renewed zest and
vigour.
‘The Anthology of Poems: Around the World’ is a journey of delving deep into the words that
resonate and understand the thoughts of the poets from different countries. Collaboration across
countries and cultural boundaries extends the possibilities of discovery and bonding and opens
channels of communication for all.

The theme for this project, ‘Poems reflecting the present times’, was dealt by the students

differently across the globe. Many students have expressed their angst because of the pain and the
sorrow caused by the pandemic. There were some who were hopeful after the trials and
tribulations of COVID 19. Many used this theme to express their thoughts about the present times
other than the pandemic, be it war or women empowerment. The poets with their perspectives
have tried to convey their thoughts to the readers who can empathize and respect their emotions,
thus creating a thread of communication which can seek to heal the world.

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This international collaborative project made an effort towards promoting life-long learning in
the young learners, such as thinking with understanding and empathy; communicating with

clarity; thus, trying to comply with Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 which is Education for
sustainable development and global citizenship.

As educators for this project, we have used this pandemic as an imposition to lead us to do
creative work which resonates with all. The educators, while carrying out the project, encouraged
the young poets to understand that this life is full of possibilities and expectations. The
students/poets must draw their thoughts with words and share their feelings with the readers so
as to render catharsis and healing for all.
I’m deeply grateful to our Director Principal Ms. Aditi Misra, who encouraged and supported the
project. I’m thankful to Ms Sapna Dhawan, who has guided us all the way till the completion of
the project.
I’m extremely indebted to all the educators who encouraged their students to write poems,
thereby making the collaboration meaningful and fruitful.
I hope the readers enjoy reading the poems as much as we enjoyed curating and bring the
poems to the audience around the world.

Ms. Mamta Kanti Kumar
Deputy Dean Student Welfare DPS Gurgaon

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CONTENT

Colombia….1-6 Rodrigo Arenas Betancur School, Pereira • Los sueños que un día dejamos ir
• Volver a verte
Egypt….7-16 New Generation International Schools • Iluminación de mi camino

France….17-24 Lycee Saint Exupery, Bourg Saint Maurice • A lovely dystopia
• Alienated
Germany…25-29 Reuchlin-Gymnasium Ingolstadt • Blaze hits El-Gouna
• Save earth
Greece….30-34 1st Model High School Of Athens - • The tree of sorrow
'Gennadeio’ • Coronavirus
• Polluted drop

• Just a simple day
• European dream
• Another point of you
• Escape
• The last breath
• Woman < Man

• My garden
• A piece of an apple pie
• Being young in 21
• COVID-19
• COVID-19’s meaningful moments

• The vulture
• The deep hopeful sky
• Killer of artists

India….35-71 The Assam Valley School…36-40 • Life as an irony
Dharav High School, Jaipur…41-46 • The war against the virus
Delhi Public School, Gurgaon…47--57 • My family-My strength
• Reminiscence
Navrachana Higher Secondary School, Gujarat…58-61
Kendriya Vidyalaya No 1 Kalaikunda, Kolkata…62-63 • Doom
• Let’s not lose hope
• Time to fight
• Think upon seriously
• The cutter’s hymn

• So far
• Heal
• The viral enemy
• I’m grateful
• The light at the end of the tunnel
• The rising phoenix
• A wave
• The third dimension
• COVID-19:The unknown future
• My birthday celebration in a new way

• The dawns of today
• The air
• Angst in the air

• Devil

The Newtown School, Kolkata …64-69 • Unlocked in lockdown: A bird’s musing
Shiksha Kendra, DPS Gurgaon…70-71 • My, My, What A Time To Be Alive
• Behind the mask
• The era of doom
• Rebuilding with passion

• The pandemic

Kuwait….72-79 Indian Education School, Kuwait • The melody of dawn
Malaysia….80-91 Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, The Middle East • Reticeo
• A ship in the storm
Qatar….92-97 • Smile through the pain
Riyadh….98-99 • I am a little lamb
Russia….100-107 • Ashes of love

Methodist Girls' School - Ipoh • My childhood superpower
• Silent cries
• Time
• A world of pause
• The train of life
• Today
• Velveteen’s secret
• All the things you don’t know
• Fretful realm

DPS-Modern Indian School, Doha • Cigar
• Soldier
• A knot of perfection
• Coffee and light
• City of stars

• Life of mine during COVID

Specialized Educational Scientific Center Of • The awakened self

Novosibirsk State University • Balance with nature

• Eurovision

• Limericks

Tanzania….108-114 Aga Khan Education Services, Tanzania • Shackles
• Women
Ukraine….115-116 • Teachers
USA….117-133 • Mom
• Love

Dolishniy Shepit Secondary School, Chernivtsi • To Taras Shevchenko
Region, Ukraine

Wayne School Of Engineering, Goldsboro, • The rose
Nc….118-120 • Revenge of the world

South Caldwell High School, Hudson, North • The entry of a new world

Carolina…121-133 • Dear uncle

• Caged

• The unknown

• Breathe

• Locked up

• New normal

• Seeking freedom

• COVID’s cocoon

• Alone

• Breathe

• Time

C
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RODRIGO ARENAS BETANCUR SCHOOL, PEREIRA

Website : http://www.rodrigoarenaspereira.edu.co/

Students are motivated to write poems and collaborate on an international platform. They
feel great by discovering their sensitivity related to their natural environment, socio-cultural
context, the others and themselves. We will continue enhancing their skills to write poems.
Mr. Guillermo LopezOssa
Educator

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POET ESSENCE OF THE POEM

Yoandris Serrano Continue the struggle till we achieve and
someday you and I we dream that if God
Y seguir luchando wishes, he helps us.
hasta lograr

ser lo que algún dia
tú y yo soñamos y
que si Dios quiere Nos va

a apoyar”

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x POET

ESSENCE OF THE POEM Yoandris Serrano
The dream that one day we let go
Each day the poet, on waking, thinks about LOS SUEÑOS QUE UN DÍA DEJAMOS IR
all the moments he could not share with
people who left him. He wants to return in “Cada día al despertar
past to value and share those moments with solo empiezo a recordar
his loved ones. los momentos, que no pude
compartir con las personas que

deje ir”

“Quisiera devolver el tiempo
para valorar y compartir
los momentos que estuvimos
juntas y que a pesar de
dificultades que nos dejaran
seguir Pero que algún día
Nos podemos reunir.”

“Que a pesar de todo
te sigo esperando

para construir eso que
algún día dejamos ir.”

“Caminan de la mano
y luchan por lo que
un día juramos lograr”

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ESSENCE OF THE POEM POET

To see you again Melany Villegas

I want to return the time, perhaps to stop it for VOLVER A VERTE
to be able to tell you how much I love you. I
only want to see you again, although it may be Quiero devolver el tiempo
for a brief moment and that you don’t go away Talvez detenerlo
from this world. I need to be beside you, I need Para poder decirte
to hug you and never to leave you, simply I
want to see you again. Lo mucho que te quiero

Solo quiero verte de nuevo,
Aunque sea solo un segundo
Y que no te vayas de este mundo
Volviéndote a alejar de mi.

Necesito estar a tu lado
Necesito abrazarte
Para jamás soltarte

Simplemente quiero volver a verte

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POET ESSENCE OF THE POEM

Daniela Ramirez Lighting my path

ILUMINACIÓN DE MI CAMINO I like your smile, your teeth glint like the
colour of the full moon. I like to see you in
Me gusta tus dientes dawn when your hair has the highlights of
de color de la the sun.
You inspire me to live each day more. If it
Luna llena me gusta rains you make it go away with your
verte en el amanecer beautiful smile, each day I like to see you
tu pelo resalta con smile.
El sol del atardecer. Before there was darkness and you arrived
shining in my path. If you had not lighted
Tú me inspiras vivir my path I would have been lost in the
cada día más. darkness.

Si llueve tú haces 6
que deje de llover
con es hermosa sonrisa
cada día me gusta

verte sonreir.

Antes no tenía luz
y llegaste tú

iluminando mi camino.
Si no me hubiera iluminado
mi camino estuviera perdida

en la oscuridad.

E
G
Y
P
T

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NEW GENERATION INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

Website : https://ngegypt.net/

Ms. Nashwa Emam • Enhance students’ writing skills and develop their own creativity
Grades 7 and 8 Teacher • Broaden their vocabulary and critical thinking skills
• Recognition of the rhythms, metrics and other musical aspects of

poetry
• Develop an appreciation of poetry as a literary art form and relating

it to their life and current events

The objective behind fostering poetry writing is to raise students’
expression of thoughts and feelings as they connect them to current
events world-wide. It is a porthole that reveals students’ awareness and
critical thinking skills.

Ms. Sarah Bassioni 8
Middle School 8th Grade
Language Arts Teacher

NEW GENERATION INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

Ms. Ola El-Gohary Yasmine is gifted with a critical brain and a creative charisma. She went
Pre-AP English Teacher through a deep reflection of how COVID has affected her life during the
(Yasmine’s Teacher – 9D) transitional phase from middle school to high school – a critical phase for
a teenager – that quietly took place online. Apart from her friends and
stuck at home, only face to face was with her computer. Being interested
in psychology and mental health challenges, Yasmine artistically expresses
the frustration and desperation of her whole generation whose major life
events have been put on hold for two years, and are still in dread of a
relapse into the total quarantine and isolation. She could exercise her
poetic talents in a mellow tone that touches on the latest worldwide
trauma with a genuine use of everyday diction, some poetic licenses, and
literary devices. Most importantly, she experienced a feeling of catharsis
as she let out her fears in a flow of verse, which is the whole point of
writing poetry.

• Identify personal experiences that can be used when writing poems
• Practice poetry writing skills such as rhythm, rhyming, and

descriptive vocabulary
• Follow the writing process to create original poetry
• Understand how to review and revise their own writing
• Create original persona/voice in poetry

Ms. Farah Khalil 9
AP English Language and

Composition Teacher

“A LOVELY DYSTOPIA” POET

Yasmine Amin

Lovely as it looks My name is Yasmine Amin, and I’m a 14 years old girl who lives in Egypt. I
We destroy every nook have many hobbies, including drawing and researching about mental health. I
also have the hobby of reading about psychology and philosophy because
People start to hum when I grow up, I want to be a psychologist. It wasn’t my dream at first
And Corona comes. because I didn’t understand what I am good at, and I didn’t understand what
Screams pour out a psychologist is. Also, it wasn’t my dream because I was told that the main
And teenagers cry for help. majors, in today’s world, are either being a doctor or an engineer. But later
Destruction comes and goes like a friend who says hello. on, I discovered that I won’t like being a doctor or an engineer because such
It starts to rain like it saves us from today. majors are difficult and boring. Besides, I don’t like how those majors are
I start to wonder overrated, which is why many people can’t find a job in corporates. That is
When will this fire stop? why I took some time to think about what my actual passion was, until I
To put an end and to hear every drop of help discovered that it was psychology. Psychology helped me learn about my
I start to wonder if this will come to an end, health and how it was destroyed. By learning about it, I started to heal and
For a joy of a friend cure myself, and gradually, my health started to get better. That is why I want
For family that can spend every weekend, to start to heal people from their traumas and scars. I also want others to love
Not worried for a future or an end, themselves, and always know that they are loved and are perfect the way they
For trees to bloom like when winter comes, are. I want them to look forward to their future instead of being stuck in their
I start to wonder painful past, as that will hinder them from looking for the best in the future
If this will come to an end. and leaves them only wishing for the present to end.

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POET “ALIENATED”

Areege Nasreldin Elnabarawy Monotonous days passing by in an arduous phase,
Death of one may come pulling you deeper into the maze.
My name is Areege Elnabaraw. I’m a fifteen-year-
old in the tenth grade. I go to New Generation You steady your gaze
International Schools in Cairo, Egypt. My As to foresee possible fleeing ways while fighting off the fatal blaze.
experience during quarantine has inspired me to
write “Alienated”. With all the losses many of us You look around for man
have faced, we tend to have the need to convey Wishing for an escape- a plan,
our feelings in one way or another, and, for me, But they're all stuck in a comparable, malignant fate
poetry was a demonstration of my feelings. My Hopelessly attempting to find an approachable gate.
love for poems started when I was really young, Astray from a potential salvation
maybe around the third grade. It was a new way to Overwhelmed with grief for your people
express myself in a very moving and artistic style. You quite comprehend the severity of your agony
Poetry was undeniably a safe space where I could However difficult it is; what can one do if and when alone in the darkness?
pour my emotions out, and they would be The maze of the ruthless walls; the ruthless walls of the maze,
presented beautifully. Writing poems has definitely The walls tighten around you
opened my eyes and showed me a different view of Leaving space merely for your distress,
the world. Where and wherever you look, it’s just A completely agonizing experience and the loneliness of your self .
another sonnet. The silent screams of those who have died,
Your people, who couldn't find their guide.
You hear the weeping of a man while your tears have dried,
You wish to aid in terminating this catastrophe, but your hands are tied.
Pursuing this route for some time, you feel vulnerable,

Powerless even,
You stand unsteadily with a lump in your throat and sorrow in your eyes,

Unable to handle this alone, you fall to the ground.
Still, there might be hope, for you can fight this war and cope,

You can untighten every rope,
Maybe you can free yourself from this malicious zone,
But, for now, this maze has gotten you trapped into a world of your own.

Detached from people
Detached from the cure of resilience,

Feeling alienated
Feeling nothing but alienated.

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POET “BLAZE HITS EL-GOUNA”

Lara Karim Elnaggar A blaze at EL Gouna fired with light
Before the festival launched by a night.
My favourite time is the time spent with my family as well One day ahead of the opening ceremony
as playing with my sister. I enjoy reading fantasy novels. I The organizers spent a night with a sad harmony.
enjoy playing squash. Social media posted videos dramatically
That everyone was hiding in the attic,

Everyone went home crying
But at the end, they were all trying

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x POET

“SAVE EARTH” Omar El Amragy

Earth is our only home. My name is Omar El Amragy. I am 12 years old, and
We destroyed our home my favourite sports are football and basketball. I
also like watching Formula 1. I live in Egypt. I
Its skin and bones. wanted to raise awareness about the global climate
Planet Earth is in pain! change.

Acid rains and hurricanes 13
Melting ice, sea levels rising,
Polluted air, polluted lungs
Burning trees, burning hope.

Planet Earth is in pain!

The Amazon Forest is always in flames
Raging, menacing flames.

Its animals can’t find a place to live
No one seems to care.
Planet Earth is in pain!

It seems our only choice
Is to settle on new planets.
But can we really leave our planet weeping?
50 years from now, our planet will be healed
But would it be humane to go back?
To the planet we left in strain?

Planet Earth is in pain.

“THE TREE OF SORROW” POET

My soul is bleeding with sorrow. Dareen Essam
Afraid of what might happen tomorrow.
My name is Dareen Essam. I live in the beautiful city of Cairo in
Why must you chop my wings down, Egypt. I chose to talk about trees as people don’t realize what happens
And strip me of my crown? with these marvelous plants. Trees are cut down yearly, ruining the
natural beauty of the forests on Earth, and most people are not even
Can’t you see? aware of it. I believe that trees and the forests around them are like
You’re ending the magic from my kingdom! heaven on Earth; and we are not taking care of it! I hope my poem
Hiding my beauty and taking away my freedom! helps people understand the value of this gift we have on Earth!

Oh, how if the roles were reversed!
everyone would get what they deserved.

I would take revenge!
The damage I would do and the cities I would drench.

Oh, how lovely it would be
to live with my precious self in peace!

But true, how selfish mankind is!
Only cares that he alone lives!

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x POET

“CORONA VIRUS” Sarah Ragaie

Corona has been hard for us My name is Sarah Ragaie, I am Egyptian. My hobbies are
and yet it has been long, baking and drawing, and I would like to be an
together as a country, obstetrician when I grow up. I was born in Egypt, but I
we stand strong. lived in Dubai for a couple of years. I have three siblings,
and my favourite food is broccoli bechamel. I used to
Although times have been tough for us have 2 cats and I also really like reading and writing.
and money has been tight,
we will not get discouraged
and always do the right.

We are thankful for being capable of walking
And also thankful for talking

Being locked in our homes
felt like we were in prison,
not seeing family members

was a division

I feel like it’s almost over,
and soon we will be nearing a closure.

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POET “POLLUTED DROP”

Mariam Khattab The water looks calm and inviting.
It’s a natural gift of beauty.
Even when you’re far,
The waves still reach you.

There was this day
When I sat near the river
Staring at my reflection fade away.
It was when I noticed water turned from blue to green.
I wonder what got us here.

Can’t you imagine how important water is?
We use water in our daily lives.
Water can be found everywhere,

So you can brush your teeth, hands, or hair

We aren’t the only ones harmed by water pollution,
The creatures under seas are having harder times.

They are getting killed everyday.
In fact that some species will go extinct next year.

“One day or day one.”
It’s our choice to stop polluting the water.
We all should work together, so the future will be better.
I say the future is a serious matter, so please stop polluting

the water.

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LYCEE SAINT EXUPERY, BOURG SAINT MAURICE

Website : http://www.ac-grenoble.fr/citescolaire/bourg-saint-maurice/index.php/accueil-2

We warmly thank DPS Gurgaon for initiating this creative and innovative project.
Poetry is not something that we often have time to approach when teaching a foreign language so we
decided to begin the project by studying 2 poets, a famous poet from the 18th century and a
contemporary “instapoet”. Although their styles and celebrity differ, our students quickly realized that
both poets use their art to address or condemn important social issues of their time in the hope of
bringing about change. For their own poetry-writing, the class therefore chose two topics of concern in
present-day society that they feel particularly strongly about : migration and gender equality.
The benefits of this project were multiple. It sparked their curiosity and unleashed their creative
thinking, It helped them to develop their linguistic skills: enriching their vocabulary, learning new
expressions relating to current affairs, and searching for words to create rhyme and rhythm. And it
gave them a rare opportunity to express their feelings and emotions without the awkwardness a more
formal exercise can engender.
Our students are really excited to have this opportunity to collaborate with our Indian partner school,
especially as the exchange project has been “on hold” since the beginning of the Covid pandemic. We
look forward with enthusiasm to reading the other students’ creations.

Ms. Keri Benta & Ms. Sandra Gauvin, 18
English / History-Geography teachers
Coordinators of the Indo - French Student Cultural Exchange DPS Gurgaon India

“JUST A SIMPLE DAY” POETS

The ray of light still lights the streetway Clémentine Couderc and Catline Mattis
Alone, she came back home.
Hello ! My name is Clementine and I am a
Nobody to call before the storm student in the high school of Bourg Saint
But for men it’s just a simple path. Maurice. People say I am a really shy person
but when I am with my friends and when I
The night gained ground am interested in something I become
Like the man behind her. another person. I am crazy about traveling,
Drops of rain started to knock together but I haven’t had the opportunity to travel a
But for men, it’s just a simple underground. lot, that is why I definitely want to study
abroad.
The subway wasn’t close
But him… he was. Hi ! I am Catline and I’m 16 years old. I
And she knows live in Savoie, in Val d’Isère and I am a
student at the school of Bourg Saint
But for men, he‘s just a simple guy. Maurice.
I consider myself to be dynamic (too much
Her heart started to beat like the rain !), friendly and a little clumsy sometimes…
He whistled, approached, he did it, aware. I enjoy traveling around the world even if
it was difficult with Covid-19. I’m crazy
And this evening became a nightmare about discovering new things, new
But for men, it’s just a simple day. landscapes and taking pictures to make
memories : I am really curious!

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“EUROPEAN DREAM” POETS

No day without a scream Enzo Bodin and Ylias Mahfi-Zatovic
They are here for a dream
Hello my name is Ylias, I’m 16 years
Victims of war old and I’m French. I’m a travel lover.
They are here to implore I live in a ski resort in the French
Alps, next to the Italian border and
Victims of the sea that brings me cultural diversity. I am
They die from drowning fond of doing sports, and following
the news. I want to study geopolitics
Nobody to see after high school. I love to debate
Nobody is crying about everything and if you don’t
agree with my opinion, it’s your
Some look suspicious problem, not mine :) .
But they are just religious
A problem of integration Hello, my name is Enzo, I am 16 and
A problem of a generation I am French. I live in a little town in
a green valley with no pollution in
Just more blood the French Alps. I’m keen on doing
Accentuated by the flood sport, I climb with my club on cliffs
Because of climate change during the summer. I also ski during
the winter, because in the mountains
Is it really strange? there is a lot of snow. I’m not
involved in volunteer work but I
want to defend human rights and
help others. In the future I want to
be an aerospace engineer.

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POETS “ANOTHER POINT OF’YOU”

Lorétan Caffo and Tanguy Crey-Besenval Roses are red
Violets are blue
Hi ! My name is Tanguy, I am sixteen, and I am a high Numbers of death running in my head
school student. My friends always describe me as a Newspapers told me they were true…
shy person. That’s true… So, if you don’t know me, I
could be someone amongst tons of others. But I guess What about being brave?
something could interest you. Even though I am not If it sends you to the grave?
the best person to speak out and defend a great
opinion, the best way I am able to express myself is Escape from bombings that bring death
through art. In fact, people always tell me I am pretty How much time before it takes your breath?
good at drawing and writing. I am always searching
for new ideas, but I have never found anything great What about our duty?
yet… So, why not use my skills in order to try to make Die screaming shall we?
a difference in the world ?
(Yes, you actually see a part of me, so only a half War, starvation, thirst, poverty
portrait. Oops, I forgot to write the date…) Would you flee? Think about your family!

Hello everyone, my name is Lorétan Caffo, I'm 16, I What about being brave
live in France in Bourg-Saint-Maurice, a small but If it sends you to the grave?
nice town in the Alps, I'm at Saint Exupery high
school. Escape from pain
I think I'm pretty normal; I have of course hobbies Making your way to Spain.
like some sports, football or basketball for example.
But also videogames, some books like “A Song of Ice What about our duty?
and Fire” that I’m really fond of, and less usual things Die screaming shall we?
like learning science or history.
Thank you for your attention. Thousands of misfortune brothers through seas
Like affected by a great disease.

Roses are red 21
Violets are blue

If you dare ask them, they would answer,
Telling you how much that’s true…

x POETS

“ESCAPE” Nino Ferro and Jade Gaimard

When you are coming from hell Hi, I’m Nino, I’m fifteen years old and I come
You know what are fear, pain, death… from Bourg Saint Maurice, a little town in
France. I don’t know what you like but I can
Born in a perilous nest discuss anything. I like music, riding my bike
You have no way out to flee and running but if you ask me something
about politics, a problem of society or another
But sometimes in the jail serious topic, I’ll give you my opinion and I
Light comes and reveals loopholes like it when there is a debate… but I love
They take these ways and spread out kidding with my friends too. (I think this
Their wings to reached their dream land picture goes perfectly with my personality
because I’m serious but I can also be funny).
Knock, knocking on heaven’s door
These evil angels shoot them Hi ! My name is Jade. I’m fifteen and I’m
And then let them fall in the French and Italian. I make people smile, I am
a happy person. I like traveling, the most
Jail where there are coming from beautiful country for me is Greece. I love
running in the mountains with wild animals
because I can get some alone time. I don’t
like school work but I am keen on learning
new things.

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“THE LAST BREATH” POETS

Another day suffering from the storm. By Emilie Borrel and Lilou Davy
The neighbouring ground, full of lead,
Every human being blood has shed. My name is Emilie, I’m 16 and I’m from
But my dreams fight against this swarm. France I'm really into skiing and I'm
passionate about cars and traveling with
On the boat, looking at the midnight sun. family, friends or alone. I'm also fond of
Surrounded by death, listening to music of all styles, but I prefer
French and American rap. Later on in my
I was hoping for a new breath. life, I would like to help the less fortunate
But I figured out, injustices will always be done. communities and fight for equality between
men and women.

My name is Lilou, I’m 16 and I’m from
France. I’m keen on doing combat sports
and traveling, especially if I can discover
new cultures. I’m interested in doing some
voluntary work in other countries in order
to help, at my level, the common good. I
would be very excited if I could provide
people in need with what I have to offer.
Anyway, I’m a very determined and
ambitious person, who’ll do anything she
needs to, to achieve her goals.

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x POETS

“WOMAN < MAN” Ness Bjorklund and Emilie Legoutte

A woman hard at work My name is Ness, I’m 16 years old. I’m half
Giving everything, Scottish and half Swedish but I was born and
live in France. I’m definitely an introvert but
A man gives just as much when it comes to subjects that I find very
Who is better paid. important, such as feminism, I speak out and
voice my opinion. I really enjoy singing and
Same job, same hours but… dancing because it allows me to express
Not the same salary myself, what I’m feeling. I also love playing
Is it acceptable? tennis because I can get rid of any frustration
and have fun.
A girl showing some skin,
A bit of chest is out, Hi ! My name is Emilie and I’m half
Mauritian and half Madagascan but I live in
She’s sent home straight away. France. My Mauritian family lived in India
She is on her way home, before Mauritius. I have been to Mauritius
Some guys whistle at her but not to India yet I hope in the future I
will go to discover this beautiful country. I’m
Give her vulgar “compliments” keen on hanging out with my friends but
Is this acceptable? also staying home and chilling with my mom.
I’m really passionate about dancing and
Certain men hate women, singing.
Don’t value them at all.
They treat them like rubbish. 24
Women have to beware
Of all the men they cross
In case they meet mean ones.

Is this acceptable?

G
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25

REUCHLIN-GYMNASIUM INGOLSTADT

Website : https://reuchlin.eu/

After the analysis of the poem “The Hill We Climb” by US youth poet laureate Amanda
Gorman and a discussion of general pieces of advice for writing poetry, the students of my
year-11 English course wrote three poems on a variety of topics related to the present times.
Topics around Covid-19 and being young turned out to be the obvious choices for my
students. A focus on the private sphere such as a garden scene can also be considered an
effect of the ban of big gatherings or simply the missing option to meet friends during the
pandemic.
At the beginning, students were reluctant to get involved and participate in the project for
two major reasons: First, they felt unsure about writing poetry and secondly, they were
insecure about publishing their writings and personal data. In the end, most of the students
enjoyed creating poems and some of them became even experimental – also in a humorous
way.
Thus, the international collaborative poetry project has sparked all my students’ creativity.
The students entering their poems for the anthology of the international collaborative
project are particularly keen to read the poems of their peers around the world and to link
up with them.

Mr. Markus Schirmer 26
Teacher of English and History

POET “MY GARDEN”

Xenia Enns Butterflies
in the garden,
Xenia is 15 years old and started writing poems five years ago. She is next to flowers and bees,
on the staff of our school magazine Reuchlin Kurier, where she Someone cries,
publishes her poetry regularly. She very much enjoys expressing her quietly and lonely,
feelings through poetry. Therefore she is thrilled about this chance to sitting under the trees.
collaborate and link up with young poets in many different counties. Flowers rise,
standing still,
in the sunshine.
Someone lies,
calmly singing,
in this garden of mine.

“A PIECE OF AN APPLE PIE…!”

Hello! ... Hi? 27
I´m extremely shy,
Just can´t tell you why...?
But I´ll start to try,
If I wanted to buy,
A piece of an apple pie…!
And, coming out, I said
that it “went great”,
Then you can be sure,
And have a lot of faith
that it was a lie.
Now, while I said “goodbye”
I wanted to start to cry,
felt like I´m gonna die,
Because I was too shy,
To ask for a piece of apple pie.

x POET

“BEING YOUNG IN 21” Klaudia Seli

A wise man once told me, Klaudia is 18 years old. It was in her native country Albania,
to be young you must be free. where she wrote her first poem titled "Happiness" at the age of
ten. She especially enjoys writing poetry at night. Klaudia hopes
In 21 and I’m a young one! to publish her book of poems one day. With the help of a pencil
It is time to fight, and a piece of paper she keeps creating her very own world.
in our lives,
to get some light.

“COVID-19”

Covered with gloomy clouds,
withOut a way out.

Victory turns into conflict!
everybody tryIng something to fix,

Doing the impossible, possible…!

28

“COVID-19’S MEANINGFUL MOMENTS” POET

Life is always lived in a hurry, Asel Asasin
It is lived at the highest speed,
Asel is 16 years old and likes to do anything that is
But when the pandemic hit, creative, such as painting, drawing, singing, and
And everything shut down, writing. Through the arts she can express her thoughts
and feelings more easily. This is especially important at
Life paused for a while, present – a time full of unprecedented changes in the
And the amount of, world. At the same time, she is very excited to connect
with the world through this creative writing project.
what we did in our daily lives,
Got less 29

But less turned into more,
Less work meant more family time,
Less shopping meant more outdoors,
Less consumption meant more creativity,

Less focus on the future,
More on the present.

The little things were appreciated way more,
Like a good cup of tea,

Or the bloomy scent of a flower,
Or the wrinkles around someone’s eyes,
When a stranger smiled under the mask,

As you passed by,
With its small but beautiful moments,
Lockdown became a meaningful experience,

We must keep living,
Regardless of what is going on around us,

If we are here and try our best,
We will always find a way,
To do alright and progress.

G
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1st Model High School of Athens - 'Gennadeio’

http://1lyk-peir-gennad.att.sch.gr/index.php/el/

Looking for a way to materialize and communicate their creativity, the students at our
school were thrilled to have been given the chance not only to find out what concerns
students around the world and how they use poetry to express their dreams, aspirations
and worries but also to be read by their international peers and practically understand
the power of poetry, especially through the tough times of a pandemic. May this
anthology be the stepping stone for young people’s voice to be heard and for students to
realize how much they have in common, no matter where they come from.
Ms. Marina Goula
Teacher of English as a Foreign Language, 10th-12th grade

31

“THE VULTURE” POET

The blackbird lingers over me. Ilia Alexiou-Aerikou
Watching my every move
counting my breaths, My name is Ilia, I am 17 years old and I am a student of the 12th
listening to my thoughts. grade of senior high school. This year I am preparing for the
To feed on my soul. University Exams. I want to study Sociology and Criminology. I
have many interests, mainly social and political issues, regarding
The blackbird lingers over me discrimination and diversity. Nevertheless, my true love is
Waiting for its time to come; literature. I love reading books, writing stories and poems,
watching theatrical plays and acting.
To crawl under my skin,
To penetrate my brain.

To eat my life away.

32

POET “THE DEEP HOPEFUL SKY”

Fotini Bali When the sun goes down, the moon comes up, look at the
night sky, what do you see?
Hello, my name is Fotini Bali, I am 15 years old and I am a high
school student. I was born and raised in Athens, in Greece. When Try and get lost while counting the stars…
it comes to art I am very passionate about it. And for that reason I Or search for a tune, your life’s tune
was really glad that I was able to be a part of this activity. It was
very inspiring and I enjoyed it completely! Because there are still plenty of things for you to do…
We were all created to be different, but then…
Why are you trying so hard just to fit in?
Why lose hope?

If you just focus on the bright side of life, all the obstacles
will fade away…
Don’t lose hope!

For as long as you can see those flowers bloom and the
deep blue sky,
Why lose hope?

So, for as long as I can be part of this beautiful masterpiece,
I don’t need anything else to have hope…
All I need is here!

33

x POET

“KILLER OF ARTISTS” Aggelos Galanos

Why do I have to follow their path? I’m 16 years old and a middle-distance runner. Running helps me
When can I carve mine? escape from everyday life. I’m also a self-taught guitarist, a composer
Should I listen to them? and a lyrics writer. In the future, I would like to release my songs and
create a band. My poem was inspired by the pressure teenagers
Or listen to my heart inside? experience from the adults and the educational system telling us what
Thoughts of my head keep saying... to do, without letting us broaden our spiritual horizons.

You won’t succeed.
If you keep going like this
You’ll have to follow their orders.

Don’t make dreams
While my heart says…
You should have listened to me
Since you were born.

Get out there,
The world is yours!

34

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The Assam Valley School

Website : https://www.assamvalleyschool.com/

The international collaborative project enabled the students to draw out their creativity
and pen down their thoughts, emotions and feelings in the form of a poem. In times of
unforeseeable worldwide changes, the students, through a digitized platform got an
opportunity to engage in conversations on the importance of mental health, family,
adaptability and hygiene. The students found a purpose and understood the need for
empathy, compassion and humanness in order to make this world a better place. The
project also motivated them to spread positivity, be more creative, imaginative, innovative
and use writing as a therapy. Many students expressed their desire to continue writing in
the future, promoting life-long learning.

Ms. Anandita Anna Luther
English Teacher,
The Assam Valley School

36

“LIFE AS AN IRONY” POET

Life is harsh. Anushka
It is like a labyrinth.
Even if our life is teemed with happiness, Even if we get I would describe myself as -altruistic and observant. I like
everything we ever wanted, we are still insatiable. observing nature and people and reflect it on paper, by the means
We are stuck not in the past, but in the future. of paints. Painting, for me, is a way to cut off the cobwebs from
The future, in fact, has become a kind of nostalgia. my inner life and let the sunlight stream in-into my soul. I love
We often think about escaping the maze of all our problems, reading quotes and writing poems, as it helps me play with words
We also think about how awesome it will be to escape it; and use them to write something deep and meaningful. I also love
But we don't think about how we are actually going to do it. talking to other people: comfort them or make them happy and it
We focus on the goal rather than the process. makes my heart smile. Melodious music is something I listen to
We think being successful is about earning a lot of money whenever I feel agitated.
when actually, it's all about happiness.
We're busy hosting our self-pity-party:
Our closest deceive us; loved ones retreat from us.
"I believed them" ….in vain?

But in reality:
What we consider a loss, is actually our gain.
Our mind is filled with remorse, guilt, negativity and regret,

and we ask as to why we feel agitated.
Some days we are exalted and the other days, we seek solace and

serendipity.
Bizzare, isn't it?
The mentality of the present times?

37

“THE WAR AGAINST THE VIRUS” POET

I used to be happy, Krishna Agarwal
Living a stupendous life.
Going to school in the morning, My name is Krishna Agarwal and I am a student of class IX at
And having fun at night. The Assam Valley School . I like robotics , coding and computers
But then came a monster, Destroying everyone’s life. and am fascinated by technology and machine learning . I want
An enemy which no one could see, to be a part of this revolution and want to do something related
And was very tough to fight. to technology in my future . I also like to read and write stories
Who in this world would have ever thought, and poems.
That a virus could challenge all of us ?
Making everyone’s life sorrowful, 38
Like a whale in a small pool.
Wear a mask , wash your hands,
No social gathering , live like hell ,
What is the point of living a life ,
When all you have to do is keep feeling blue ?
Cases rising everyday ,
No place in the graveyard to stay.
The best thing you could do,
Is to sit quietly in your room.
Oh God ! When will this end?
When’ll I be able to meet my friends ?
When’ll I be able to watch movies
Or go to the mall to drink some smoothies ?
My parents once told me,
Whatever happens is all God’s wish.
We should have faith in him,
As we are his children; He is our Supreme Being.
Like every Jack has his Jill,
If only they can find each other.
There is an end to this virus,
Just waiting to be found by us.