Poetry Competition 2024 School Years 4-5 Runner-Up The Amount your Sister can Teach You

by Cora Ann Lopez

When I was born my sister was three
She taught me how to speak
She also taught me to climb a tree
Such a memorable thing for me

Lots of shows in the living room
Cookies baked in the kitchen
Always arguing to our doom
Punching, slapping, kicking – BOOM

My sister is someone I really like
Our family adventures are phenomenal
She taught me how to ride a bike
And how to love going on a hike

Of all the things I’ve learnt from her
The most special thing of all
Is that she is the best sister
(But I’ll only admit that in a whisper)

SHHH!!! Don’t tell her.

Judge’s Comment: Years 4-5 Runner-up
The Amount Your Sister Can Teach You
This poem will resonate with many of us as it conveys the bittersweet relationship shared by siblings. Interestingly, after the climactic ‘BOOM!’ of the fight between sisters, the speaker returns to the present tense to reiterate the close bond between the two warring siblings. I particularly liked the direct address to the reader in the final lines, and the shared secret- a heartwarming note to end on.