A GIFTED teenage wordsmith has been appointed Warwickshire’s Young Poet Laureate 2020.
Ruby Murphy will be an ambassador for poetry across the county, and will be commissioned to write and perform pieces at various occasions and events throughout the year.
Ruby also hopes to run her own poetry events, mentored by writer and performance poet Jasmine Gardosi.
The Year 12 Rugby High School (RHS) student started writing poems five years ago at the school’s lunchtime Creative Writing Club.
Said: “When the winner was announced, I felt really shocked and surprised – but very excited.”
Her poetry takes inspiration from art that she is studying for A-Level along with drama and English literature.
She said she likes to use vivid descriptions in her poetry and often uses feminist themes, adding: “Within the culture of RHS, there is a feisty feminist in all of us!”
Fellow RHS students Shona Whelan, Elise Scotney and Niamh Chalmers also made it to the final of the competition.
Jig
By Ruby Murphy
Rhythm is melting
through the soles
of our heavy dance shoes down into
that bounce and blister and bruise
of the tired linoleum floor,
filling the cracks where the clutter
of chaos and clatter from the pub
below drifts up like cigarette smoke.
Pouring pint glasses of practice into
the points of our toes
till we’re drunk on dedication,
drooping and dipping and dancing our way over
the dents of that tired linoleum floor.
Sock glue is sticking to the skin of my legs,
hair spray to the carved out pit of my throat-
But my mind is untamed, my feet wild and vivacious,
as they dance, forever cherishing, their very last jig.
