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Pictured: Josephine with her mother Judi Bevan and her father John Jay |
Award for back-to-China poem
A BUDDING poet has won a national award after writing about her adoption from China.
Josephine Chunrui Jay, 10, beat off competition from more than 6,000 children across the country to win the nine to 11 age category of the Children’s Poetry Bookshelf contest.
Josephine, who lives with her parents John Jay of the Sunday Times and financial journalist Judi Bevan in Belsize Road, was awarded her top prize by broadcaster and poet Ian McMillan at a ceremony in December.
Her poem, From Past to Present, is about a trip she took back to China to visit her orphanage in Hanghou, and the doorstep she was abandoned on – which she calls the “finder’s stone” because she was found there.
Josephine, who goes to South Hampstead Junior School, said: “When I found out at school I felt really proud and I really wanted the day to end so I could tell my mum.”
She said her poem took just 15 minutes to write.
From Past to Present
An unwanted
daughter,
from the rice fields of China.
Born across to the land of rain.
Raised by a family loving and true.
Never prone to seek the spotlight,
Nor the teachers’ empty words.
Skilled with pen, from tutor of father,
along with brush, only time can tell.
Being taught the tongues of many.
Returned to the land of rice to see
the finder’s stone.
Outside the walls of the forbidden city,
once barred to many.
On the boundaries, tall.
Back to the home, once protecting.
Then to the orphanage who covered my head,
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