Edinburgh College's first ever Poetry Competition for students and staff has now drawn to a close after inspiring entries from across all campuses and the winners have been selected by our panel of poetry experts from the Scottish Poetry Library.
The competition asked students and staff to write about "Life at Edinburgh College, Through your Eyes" and the project is particularly interested in what impacts on peoples' experience or changes their emotions throughout the academic year.
Prize money has been donated via the Scottish Poetry Library by Ray Raine for students and staff in the following categories:
- Granton Student - £200
- Midlothian Student - £200
- Milton Rd Student - £200
- Sighthill Student - £200
- College Staff - £200
Scottish novelist & poet, Jenni Fagan and the Director of the Scottish Poetry Library, Asif Khan, who judged the poems, were particulalry pleased with the engagement and range of entries recieved in this first year and hope this partnership will continue to grow. They were so impressed they have not only sourced the funding for the 5 cash prizes, but they have also donated 5 poetry books as runners' up prizes for each of the categories.
Asif said “It was heart-warming to see the level of participation and quality of entries for Edinburgh College’s inaugural poetry competition. Writing poetry can help students and staff express many of their hopes and fears in ways that touch our human nature. I congratulate all the winners and look forward to seeing their work promoted to a wider audience.”
Jenni said that "The true value of poetry has taken seed at Edinburgh College and is a testament to all involved."
She went on to say "It was great to judge the very first Edinburgh College Poetry awards and amazing to see so many students willing to take a shot at writing poetry. It is absolutely thrilling to find a wonderful establishment like The Scottish Poetry Library and our Poet Laureate Jackie Kay (among others) taking poetry out to people who may not have been engaging with it, then to see them not only respond but do so with flair, humour and emotional depth. Poetry belongs in every community. It is the duty of those engaged in arts and culture to create a space where poetry becomes a part of daily life for all people. Poetry is a way to enrich the lives of all who encounter it. May this project mark the beginning of that process for Edinburgh College."
The 2016 Winners are:
Granton Student
Runner-Up - Lindsay Walker
Winner - Shannon MaherMidlothian Student
Runner-up - Ryan Gordon
Winner - Sam SmithMilton Rd Student
Runner-Up - Liam Taylor
Winner - Alex CurrieSighthill Student
Runner-Up - Kirsty Powell
Winner - Pavils VorobjovsStaff Member
Runner-Up - Sophie Driver
Winner - James Kean
A huge congratulations to all of those students and staff who (metaphorically) put pen to paper and allowed us a chance to glimpse life at Edinburgh College, through your eyes. If you are keen to find out more about the work of the Scottish Poetry Library or how you can get more involved in writing, please visit their website and look out for events which are happening all the time across Edinburgh.
The Winning Entries
Shannon Maher, Art & Design Student, Granton
Through vape clouds
Mixing with the blurry faces,
Tongues tripping over each other,
Grazing the dirt,
Reminiscing of empty cases when spit still coated their shiny braces.
But our illusions prevail
And now we're grown
With drinking habits and touch screen phones.
We walk together on our separate paths,
Unknowing of where it goes,
Wishing the dream to last.
The revolving door spins us in a whirlpool
and we all hurry through desperate not to end up the fool.
To the rooms we go where knowledge floats
Like water particles in the air, a strand of hair,
Flying up with the wind.
And this is how I feel,
I'm here and I'm not,
I'm in between
And no where to be seen.
This place is wonderful.
This place curious.
It allows you to be nothing,
or everything.
Sam Smith, Access to Engineering, Midlothian
Surrounded by fields
Summer forgotten by frost
Oak trees guard the path
Alex Currie, Interactive Media (Web Development), Milton Rd
Cohabits
Come briefties, Come lifers,
Come boarders, Come Fifers,
From school-age to old sage
To chronic outsiders
Frustrated baristas
A.M. fashionistas
We're transient brothers
And interim sisters
We're ten percent cheaper
Insomniac sleepers
On a diet of Youtube
Redbull and Minesweeper
Millennial boasters
And middle-aged coasters
Ignoring the "please do not
Eat in here" posters
We scant intermingle
But share all the shingle
Like coffeeshop stampcards
And loan payday jingles
And ten-minute fag breaks
That last half an hour
Those all-nighter cram-session
Dips in will power
The weekends in retail
The no-reply emails
Though we might all be
different,
We still share every
detail.
Pavils Vorobjovs, Photography, Sighthill
Morning
Early fog sticks to bus windows
Drowsy, newspaper articles absurd
Not easy to find your place, the bus is packed
The coffee now tastes bittersweet
The high altitude funds our labored breath
But around noon, some of us climb up the edge of the mountain
To gaze into the distance
A challenging climb
Without any real reason
Just to marvel
See the emerald valleys, forests and rivers like a patchwork quilt
Taste the addictive freedom it is to learn
Savor the fragile beauty
Take it all in
Later
In my dreams I watch on distant shores,
Hear languages exotic and fluent
My heart aches to hear the stories and paint their portraits
Open my eyes
Morning
I hope the memory of the dream lingers long enough to get me through the deadlines.
James Kean, Lecturer, Engineering Plus
Cut my Blues
A poem about breaking out of 9-5, being a w/e Harley clone
I wear a suit, my collar is blue
I hate this uniform I really do
The week goes by, crawling past
But the weekend goes way too fast
I wear a shirt, I wear a tie
I look in a mirror I want to cry
Friday night comes creeping along
And in my heart I hear a song
Cut my blues, I’m gonna cruise
Going out tonight to hit the booze
Cut my blues, I’m gonna cruise
Turn on my ignition, turn off the news
Riding free makes me feel alive
Out into the sunset I’m going to ride
In my weekend angel zone
Riding my shiney Harley clone
I kick off my shoes, I tear off the suit
Get my denims out, pull on cowboy boots
I’m going to wear what I want to
Black t shirt and a bandana
Got my denims from a house of fashion
Cut the sleeves off, stuck some patches on
Put it on over my leather jacket
Extra pockets filled with mild fag packets
Cut my blues, I’m gonna cruise
Going out tonight to hit the booze
Cut my blues, I’m gonna cruise
Turn on my ignition, turn off the news
Runners-Up
Lindsay Walker, Access to Arts, Social Sciences and Primary Teaching , Granton
Pardon your Beg
On the cold cobbled pavement
to nobody's amazement
a man sits dreary and dry
nothing more than an engraved print
McDonald's cup
full of copper
poor beggars sorrow
only mannerism's please
with no dreams for tomorrow
Nothing to pawn
for a measly jelly piece
his throat pit may grumble
but only his eyes feast
he catches a glance
of a passer by in trance
in disgust with his life
her eyes mid roll
like the fresh cut of a knife
Take a leaf out his book
this mans not the crook
with his strong smell of spirit
and his heart with no-one in it
he once was a child
mind care-free and ready
for the next man to indoctrinate
McDonald's cup full of copper
Poor beggars sorrow
Pardon your beg sir
Pardon your beg.
Ryan Gordon, Mechanical Engineering, Midlothian
What is Beauty?
Beauty is like quality there is no real definition
Neither mind nor matter, it’s its own entity.
People see in different ways and at different times.
People see it in the flutter of the eyelashes of the love of their life.
Some glance at it in a moment, that feels like time himself has frozen.
To me beauty is the rising sun early in the morning,
Shimmering off the falling autumn leaf.
Its colours blending in perfectly with the warm glow behind it.
It’s also the moment that pauses the beating of my heart
When my eyes lock with yours.
There may be no real definition for beauty
But there is one undeniable truth
Beauty is you, Beauty is us, Beauty is Forever.
Liam Taylor, Access to study in Health: Wellbeing & Social Science, Milton Rd
Full marks wet from the education set.
I'll let it slide.
Monsters sit in my mind while learning to be fine,
I'll shine! As this is mine!
Slave to the state even from birth.
Dreams are made from tin, I'ts a sin but we all know where the sun shines.
I'll let it slide.
Lifestyle obsessed, I detest that i'm oppressed and depressed!
I learn these skills so I can contribute to our dying society.
RIP Lenin.
I'll let it slide.
How can I explain to my infant son that we live to work and work to die??
I guess I'll let it slide..
Kirsty Powell, Travel & Tourism, Sighthill
Sighthill confusing
Many stairs going nowhere
We prefer Granton
Sophie Driver, Student Support Officer, Granton
The Notetaker
Blending in yet standing out
Attentive, poised and ready to write
A raft of blank slates on which to make marks
Witness to a rare, magical sight
They question, grow, listen and learn
Like a photo developing in the dark
Finding their voice and identity
Respectful whilst having a lark
No discipline do they require
Nor chasing as they are grown up
They can smoke at break if they so wish
But in class can’t pick their phone up
Tutors impart knowledge
And encourage topical debate
Learners keen to share their views
Open, tolerant and without hate
They have a rep for laziness
Are accused of staying in bed
But some have troubles of their own
Like the black dog in their head
Friendships, funding and exams
All stressful and take their toll
When deadlines loom and work is sought
With tenacity that’s their goal
Their passion for life is addictive
Like their love of Irn Bru
Full of potential, thoughts and ideas
The students are brand new.