Heritage Poems 75 - Guernsey schools' poetry competition
This year, 2020, celebrates 75 years of liberation from the Occupation of the Nazis during World War two on the Island of Guernsey. A poetry competition was held asking Guernsey school students to write poems about the experience during Occupation and the joy of Liberation after 5 years (World War 2). Students from schools across the island talked to their grandparents and learnt about how it affected family members. They submitted poems which were judged by local sixth form students studying English. Online voting was used to identify an overall winner from the nine finalists. Students also had the opportunity to read out their poems on Radio Guernsey in the JKT show.
This year, 2020, celebrates 75 years of liberation from the Occupation of the Nazis during World War two on the Island of Guernsey. A poetry competition was held asking Guernsey school students to write poems about the experience during Occupation and the joy of Liberation after 5 years (World War 2). Students from schools across the island talked to their grandparents and learnt about how it affected family members. They submitted poems which were judged by local sixth form students studying English. Online voting was used to identify an overall winner from the nine finalists. Students also had the opportunity to read out their poems on Radio Guernsey in the JKT show.
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Free Tillie Hilgeland Wilkins
Their grand vessels sailed away,
Carrying the misery of war with them,
Bitterly smoky clouds erased: leaving the world vibrant,
Guernsey beamed as everyone sweetly sung,
When Germany’s boats vanished into the horizon:
We knew we were here, free once more!
The essence of victory filled the air,
Eager smiles refusing to exile gleaming faces,
Thrilled grins cluttered on the seafront,
Forcing awful memories to fell our island,
We were merry, merry once more!
The split moment I returned to my humble home,
I truly regained my identity also,
I sunk into my gloomy grey chair,
Spun in circles like a ballerina,
I observed something then,
Nothing had changed except a missing chess board,
Germans were puppets and Hitler the puppeteer,
Some of them actually cared!
The day we thought refused to come, came,
I fell asleep still smiling,
I was safe, safe once more!
Occupation Beatrix Ede-Golightly
O ccupation started on 1st March 1940.
C ould not evacuate were ever you go,
C amps were everywhere for the people that lost their houses.
U nderground tunnels start to be built,
P ost, radio and meetings now banned.
A ll of Guernsey is going down.
T ry to escape but you can’t,
I n prison if you escape.
O ccupation is nearly over,
N ow finally war has ended on May 9th which we say Liberation day.
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