AcademicPrimary

Write On Riley!

Year 3 student Riley Hill has a way with his written words. Having been awarded a Bronze Award in 2018, this year Riley struck Gold with his beautiful poem ‘The Hat’.

The WriteOn competition is a New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) initiative open to all NSW primary students in Years 1 to 6.

Students are tasked with composing an imaginative text of up to 500 words in length using an image provided as a stimulus.

A panel of NESA judges identified Riley’s poem as being of an exemplary standard that engaged the audience in imaginative and creative ways, as well as showcasing excellent stylistic devices and language forms.

An award ceremony and a Library tour for school children receiving creative writing awards.
Photography: Bruce York, Courtesy of State Library of NSW

Riley accepted his Gold Award at a ceremony held in the State Library of NSW. Congratulations Riley.

The Hat

I am the hat.
I was created with the finest felt. 
The master craftsman made me in perfect size and shape.
He stitched the golden thread on
I was complete.
My purpose was to serve greatly to whoever wore me

I am the hat.
I sat proudly on the head of a grand army general as he commanded his troops. 
I saw bombs destroying the ground and obliterating soldiers as two armies collided.
Terror filled me all over but still I shone brightly, my gold pattern glittering as a sign of courage.
I was knocked off by an explosion and was left on a grassy plain.
Waiting to be found by somebody new.

I am the hat that was found by a child. He wore me as he played his games.
I was his first choice for dress ups even though I was now old and dirty.
It was heartwarming when he collected me and wore me with excitement.
The boy eventually grew from a child to a teen who no longer wanted to play children’s games. 

I am the hat that was picked up by a simple farmer who watered his crops. 
I enjoyed seeing the crops grow, the sun rise and set and the seasons change. 
Happiness filled me even as my fabric faded and grew dusty.
As the farmer grew older, I was left in the barn. I was forgotten.

Now I am the hat, old and dusty and I’m just a memory of something great. 
On a shelf in a box. I long for times with adventures like I have had before.

After years of waiting in the box, the lid opened.
I was free.
I was put on a soldier statue as the sign of History and the war that happened and the soldiers that died.
Now I get lots of visits
but I am very lonely because I don’t have anyone to pick me up and have adventures with me. 

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