To celebrate National Forest Week (NFW) 2024, the Canadian Institute of Forestry invited youth to participate in the 3rd Annual NFW Poetry Contest.

We received a number of entries demonstrating impressive creativity, expression and imagination. The Contest theme was: “If trees could talk, what stories would they tell about the people and animals they’ve seen?”

After careful review, we are pleased to announce the winners per age category and province/territory:

• Aditi Bhowmik (Grade 9, British Columbia)
• Arwen Xue (Grade 12, British Columbia)

Read their poems below!

---

If trees could talk, what stories would they tell about the people and animals they’ve seen?

 

By Aditi Bhowmik (Grade 9, British Columbia)

Lore of the Trees

If trees could talk, what tales they’d weave,
O’ the tales they could whisper of the things they’ve seen.
Where ancient boughs and roots entwine,
The ruffle of leaves and beating hearts, align.

Wide-eyed children laughing from limb-to-limb.
The silent vows made beneath their leaves,
Memories conceived, memories that breathe,
Under a lively tapestry.

They’d tell of storms that roared with might,
Of branches that bowed to the night.
Small creatures, nimble and lively,
Trace the well-worn paths sprightly.

Foxes who cross their glade,
And birds that fly in their parade.
Of every rustle, hush, and cry,
That fluttered toward the open sky.

They’d share the tales of days gone by,
Of the kingdoms that rose, and empires sighed.
Of battles fought and peace restored,
An echo of relief, releasing songs they’ve stored.

With roots intertwined in the earth, so deep,
They’ve seen the rise and felt the fall,
Of times relentless, tiring flow,
In their rings, the ages show.

So when you pause beneath colossal boughs,
Think of the things they’ve seen.
You might hear lore of the past,
Of the lives touched and so much more.

---

 

By Arwen Xue (Grade 12, British Columbia)

An Unpleasant Experience

I never made visits-
Visitors came to me.
They would leave some lovely gifts
In material and memory.

On my arm, sweet finches sang,
While ants crawled up my side.
Down below, the deer sought shade,
The nest hiding in my crest.

Loath was I to see mv friends’
Demise after our time.
MY- presents, shared, returned again
To the soil that long sustained me.

How disturbing it was! Like
Collecting debt overdue
For my shelter, leaves scattered,
Bark torn, and fruits consumed.

 

---

A sincere thank you to everyone who entered our 1st Annual NFW Youth Poetry Contest. We received a number of entries demonstrating impressive creativity, expression and imagination. Stay tuned for the next NFW Poetry Contest in 2025!