Shortlisted
The Gobi Wilderness
Harrow International School Hong Kong, Esme Drew-Prior, Poetry: Group 2
A gust of wind blows as the miners delve,
Searching for glistening gold and copper,
You can hear the humming drone of conch shells blowing,
Echoing over the frost-capped dunes,
Catch a glimpse of the rare snow leopard,
Creeping silently through the arid mountains,
Gaze at the Gers where the Mongolian herders live,
In their warm, cosy shelter.
Walk for an eternity across the mighty desert,
Hide from the treacherous sandstorm that engulfs everything in its path,
Survey, the daredevil mountaineers labouring through a perilous ascent,
Touch, the grainy sands, pouring out of your blazing hot hands,
In the grasslands, help the nomads feed their livestock,
See the vivid orange sun slowly drifting out of sight,
Feel, the coldness brushing past your freezing face,
As the shadows shift across the steppe.
Thud–Crunch–Thud–Crunch,
Hear the scarce Bactrian camels race,
Their fleecy, soft coats, swirling in the breeze,
Look out for the amazing dinosaur footprints,
Still found in the ancient rocks,
Try to find the camouflaged lizards,
Playing semaphore in the sand,
Taste, the milk of sheep, camel and deer,
You’ll squeal with delight or fright!
Come and explore the unknown.
