Jesse Rodrigues, 8th-grader at St. Brigid School, was one of fifteen students selected to receive the prestigious Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award for 2012. His poem “Fire Knows” had been submitted by a teacher at the school. He was the youngest person among those chosen—and one of only three American recipients.
As a winner of the competition, Jesse attended an awards ceremony in October at the Royal Festival Hall in London. There, he met the judges and read his poem to the audience. Following the ceremony was a slam poetry presentation. “[It was] stunning,” he recalls, “and certainly inspired me to continue writing poetry.”
“My mother and I spent the rest of our week exploring and enjoying the city of London,” Jesse continues. “We saw the major attractions, of course: the British Museum, King’s Cross, and the Globe Theater. We also explored some of the lesser-known sights of London on small, guided walking tours with charismatic guides.”
Jesse describes his time overseas as being somewhat overwhelming. “In the end, both my mother and I felt that London was absolutely too huge for just a one-week visit. We hope to return soon.”
The winning poem:
Fire Knows
Fire knows the wood's secrets
as they hold their heated deliberations
Fire knows the wood's secrets
as they hold their heated deliberations
Fire knows how to warm
chilled hands, chilled feet, chilled faces
chilled hands, chilled feet, chilled faces
Fire knows how to dance and sway
to the sounds of the night
to the sounds of the night
Fire knows how to belch and cackle
exactly when you don't want it to
exactly when you don't want it to
Last, but not least, fire knows how to die with a flourish
A flame, a spark, a winking coal
A flame, a spark, a winking coal
then cold, hard, black, silence
