Chris Tse, our judge for the Open Verse Junior category, shares with us three poems he really enjoys and why. Have you entered our 2021 NZPS International Poetry Competition yet? Still plenty of time – entries close May 31st, 2021. Go here for the guidelines and entry forms.

Crush Poem! by Caroline Shepherd

This poem is absolutely unhinged and unapologetic in its ridiculousness and celebration of very big feelings. Every time I read this it makes me laugh, and I cry a little inside because I can relate! Proof that poetry doesn’t have to be super serious all the time.

Leftovers by Fardowsa Mohamed

Fardowsa’s poem is an excellent example of an effective short poem. It also doesn’t need to tell the reader how to feel – its clear language and two main contrasting images do all the work.

The End by Cadence Chung

What I love most about Cadence’s poem is how ‘beautiful’ and ‘ugly’ images jostle against each other, which feels fitting for a poem about the end of the world. The scope is big but there’s an unnerving intimacy to it too – lovers hold hands while apocalyptic waves threaten to wash them away. The poem never tips too far into hope or doom, performing a balancing act that keeps the reader on edge.