Results! Love Letter to the World poetry competition 2026
I’m basking in the glow of wonderful entries, the friendly, collaborative judging by Bruce Gilkison and Dr Will Stovall, and the spontaneous sponsorship of Chia Sisters, with the participation of their director Chloe van Dyke.
Entries came from all over the country, and from a huge range of ages. I found the variety of approaches inspirational, and many poems keep growing on me.
Chloe, Bruce, Will, and I were struck by the quality and variety of the poems, sharing comments like “beautiful”, and “blown away.”
A big shout out to all the entrants. There were so many excellent poems that the judges had a real challenge, and I hope nobody is dispirited by not being a winner. The judge's’ enthusiasm led to us adding a third prize to each category.
Also very big thanks to the teachers and parents who obviously encouraged their students and families, and ensured entries were lodged on time. As the competition closed after just the second week of term, that was a fantastic effort.
So, here we go!
Youngest of the young.
Let’s start with a “Junior Junior” category, as we received several entries from very young poets. Even though they, and the honourable mentions, did not received prizes, what they missed in judging criteria they made up for in joy.
The judges commended with an Honourable Mention “My love for the Earth” by Aoibhinn Brady. Here’s what they wrote: “My love for the Earth” was a beautiful, hand-written poem by 9-year-old Aoibhinn Brady, which conveys unconditional awe and excitement, as well as the activities that humans can do to appreciate Earth’s beauty. In the final line, it emphasises that Earth is a beautiful place for everyone - an ambiguous “you” that applies to all living things.”
The other Honourable Mention goes to Pru for her poem “Prince”. “Prince,” the judges wrote, “is an uplifting little poem by Year 4 student Pru. The writer’s love and admiration for their pony is evident, and filled the judges with joy.”
Prize winners in the Junior Category
Third place in the Junior category was awarded to “Trapped in this box” by Harvey Aitken.
“Trapped in this box” is a jarring reflection on humans’ impact on the planet, and our species’ insistence to perpetuate the systems we know in our heart are wrong. It frames consumerism as cowardice, and poses an important question at the end. While change is inevitable, unwillingness to take ownership of our actions and move forward holds us back from realising our true potential.
Second place in the Junior section goes to “A Love Letter to Colours” by Katie Anne Ley .
“A Love Letter to Colours” presents an alliterative, abstract commentary on the power of colour to inspire wonder and connectedness to a larger whole. It poses the idea that colours are more than what we see and have the power to remind us of the beauty we too often overlook.
And first place in the Junior category goes to “Did I ever tell you?” by Seraphina Tse.
In its commentary on wonder, temporality, and reclamation, “Did I ever tell you?” draws attention to the beauty of our planet and its unrelenting effort to bring comfort to those with the courage to seek inspiration. In the titular question “Did I ever tell you?” the speaker wonders if she has ever explicitly conveyed her appreciation for the Earth - and proceeds to do so in no uncertain terms. The judges would also like to commend Seraphina for her excellent poem “Before”, which conveyed similar sentiments around beauty and wonder.
Prize winners in the Open category
Now for the winning poems in the open category.
Third place went to “From the Moon” by Olivia Paton
“From the Moon” is a unique and beautiful love letter, conveying unconditional reverence and desire. The judges found its choice of speaker (the Moon) very profound, and felt that humans could benefit from a bit of the moon’s perspective.
The judges awarded second place in the open category to “Weep Little Rimu” by Greg Judkins.
“Weep Little Rimu” positions environmental degradation and disregard close to home, emphasising a natural feature of a plant species endemic to Aotearoa. It uses powerful imagery and repetition to drive its message home, and endures in the reader’s memory.
Which brings us to the winner of the Open category, “I did not know how fragile you were” by Kaylee O’Connor.
“I did not know how fragile you were” conveyed gentle and thoughtful caring affection for the Earth. It is a clear expression of love - gentle, simple, humble, quietly determined, but still learning. The opening line immediate captures the reader’s attention, and demonstrates that the speaker is beginning a journey of understanding.
Thanks again to all you wonderful poets with the courage to put your thoughts and feelings out there. They were a total pleasure to receive and read.
Information and terms and conditions
Categories and prizes: There are two categories, Junior and Open.
Junior: 1st prize Steve Mushin’s amazing “Ultrawild” plus a 12-pack of Chia Sisters beverages 2nd prize: 12-pack of Chia Sisters beverages.
Open: 1st prize: Peter Brannen’s astonishing book “The Ends of the World” plus a 12-pack of Chia Sisters beverages. 2nd prize: 12-pack of Chia Sisters beverages.
About the prizes
Ultrawild: “If this book does not fire your imagination, nothing will.” (Professor James Renwick, climate scientist). It has deservedly won top awards in NZ and Australia. “Mindbendingly original” say publishers, Allen and Unwin.
The Ends of the World: Here’s what I wrote to friends when I discovered it: “it amazes me that it took 8 years for such an astonishing piece of writing to make it onto my radar….’The Ends of the World’ is a geological and ecological tour de force that reads like a thriller, with a storyline and evocative language that any mystery writer would be proud of.”
Chia Sisters: Pioneering health beverage company, Nelson-based Chia Sisters ticks almost every environmental box you can think of, and likely some you can’t . Check out their story.
Judges:
We’re delighted to have Bruce Gilkison and Will Stovall as our judges.
Bruce Gilkison is a chartered accountant who has had a lifetime engaging with climate and wider environmental issues, including writing the pioneering book “Accounting for a Clean Green Environment,” and many articles on accounting and climate change. Plus Bruce was a prizewinner in CM’s first Valentine’s Day poetry competition.
Dr. Will Stovall has a PhD in Culture and Sustainability, has been active in numerous environmental and climate initiatives in New Zealand and the US, and is the founder and director of Lighthouse Aotearoa (you can see Will in CM 144 in the item on that terrific group).
Poetry competition T&C:
Entry is free. Poems must be the original work of the entrant, with a maximum length of 30 lines. There is no limit on how many entries a person can make.
There are two categories, each with a first and second prize: a) junior (up to and including 13 years old on Valentine’s Day 2026), and b) open.
Poems must be as a PDF attachment to an email with the subject line “poetry competition” and to Lindsay@resilienz.co.nz . Each entry must be clear as to which category it is in, and must be received by Saturday 14th February 2026. Please give the full name of the entrant, and birthdate for junior entrants. Winners will be contacted by email.
While entrants retain copyright in their entries, by entering they grant Resilienz Ltd unlimited free rights to publish the entry in Climate Matters and/or otherwise.
And here’s the beautiful poem that inspired the first competition in 2019.
