OVERALL WINNER

The Pumpkin

I'm an enormous pumpkin,
I grew in Edward's plot.
In the October sunshine,
I shine orange and hot.
I won first prize in Potters Bar,
The biggest veggie there,
I am the proudest pumpkin,
because of Edward's care.
At Halloween my tummy's scraped,
eyes, nose and mouth cut neat.
My candle burns so hot inside,
I'm off to trick or treat.

Boo!

Edward Dutton, Year 3, Manor Lodge School, Hertfordshire

2006 RUNNER UP

The Dragon Fruit

Inside the fiery spikes is the scorching beach,
Inside the scorching beach is the black eye,
Inside the black eye is the hot sand,
Inside the hot sand is the white inside,
Inside the white inside is the tropical breeze,
Inside the tropical breeze is the black stone,
Inside the black stone are the swaying trees,
Inside the swaying trees are the crimson spikes,
Inside the crimson spikes is the topical ocean,
Inside the topical ocean is the dark eye,
Inside the dark eye is the swaying in the wind,
Inside the swaying in the wind are the fiery spikes.

Rem Coppock-Cudd, Year 5, Cokethorpe School, Oxfordshire

2006 RUNNER UP

Off to pick some Fruit and Veg

Out of the car, I can almost breathe in the taste of fruit,
First to the strawberries, wonderfully juicy,
Squished and pressed between happy fingers,
Boys and girls chase each other through the hedges,
Raspberries clambouring to be eaten on every branch,
Sombre blackberries, sharp when bitten from the top, but when taken from the bottom wondrously sweet,
Beans huddled in groups, whispering together on the hard earth floor,
Peas in their pods, hiding under the leaves,
Determined never to be found,
Carrots struggling to stay underground, to tired to come out,
Tall golden corn, escaping the dull life below and rising to the heavens above.
I walk out of the curling lettuce patch, feel the Earth under my feet, see the cornflower blue sky
Overhead and look down at my baskets,
some Filled with fruit,
some filled with vegetables, but all
Of them filled with anticipation.

Imogen Edwards-Lawrence, Year 4, Putney High School, London

2006 RUNNER UP

Lost Tomato

I'm a tomato, but I'm very sad,
I don't know what to do, this is bad.
I have no friends. Why? I don't know.
Maybe it's because I'm a tomato.

I don't know whether to hang with my old chums:
The apples, bananas, peaches and plums.
Or should I be with my buds:
The Carrots, the celery, the broccoli and spuds.

The reason why I am so confused
Is because I feel I am being used.
I don't know if I should hang with the fruit or veg.
I'm a tomato! Just call me a “freg”!

Anne-Marie Ikegworu, Year 6, Brunswick Park Primary School, London

Further poems including two from celebrities

The Tale of the Lovesick Carrot

There once was a carrot,
Who fell in love with a parrot.
But the parrot loved a mango,
Who was always drunk on Tango.
But the mango loved a plum,
Who lived with his mum,
So some fruits love each other,
And some live with their mother.

Kirsten McPhail, Year 6, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs School, Durham

Cupid's Arrow

When I was in the lunchroom,
Eating cherry pie
Cupid shot an arrow
That hit me in the thigh.

I looked up at the ceiling
And saw him with is bow
He took another arrow
And shot me in the toe.

A jolt went through my body
And knocked me off my seat.
I felt a happy tingle,
Which made me shake my feet.

I landed on an apple
The apple locked so cute,
I simply cannot help it
I am now in love with FRUIT!

Darren Sardelli, Children's Author

My Vegetable Family

My own family are all funny 'uns
Because their favourite food is onions,
We are all so very healthy
Even if we're not too wealthy!
Little Lucy likes her carrots
Which make her squawk like Polly Parrot!
My daft Daddy loves his peas
But thinks they grow on giant trees
My Mummy likes her leeks for lunch
So always buys a great big bunch,
Grandad grows his own potat'ers'
Meanwhile Granny who loves all veg
Grows peppers and herbs on the window ledge.
Last of all there's me – I'm Em
And I just love everyone of them!
Veggies are our favourite food,
Come to our house, be a real cool dude!
So even if you're not that wealthy
You should still eat really healthy.

Emily Johnson, Year 4, Abbey Junior School, Darlington

HotchPotch

Tomatoes are tasty
Watercress is feisty
In a favourite salad of mine
Grapefruits are fine
Guavas a should
Yams are scrumptiously good

Twiggy, Model

Poem

There once was a veggi called Dom
Who thought eating meat was so wrong.
He ate all his greens,
With lentils and beans
And then wrote this wonderful song.

There once was a fella called Dick
Who was feeling incredibly sick,
He ate a red pepper
That made him feel better
So he said "That's done the trick"

Dick and Dom, Television Presenters