Young verse specialist has half-a-dozen entries in latest youth anthology (From Wiltshire Times)

Young verse specialist has half-a-dozen entries in latest youth anthology

2:00pm Saturday 9th March 2013 in Trowbridge

A creative Trowbridge girl’s poetry has won national recognition, by being featured in an anthology.

John of Gaunt pupil Emily Lawrence, 16, was selected by publisher United Press Limited, to be in its Young Poets of the Year 2012 release, which features the works of aspiring writers under 19.

Emily, of Stoke Hill in Paxcroft Mead, has six poems in the book, including Porcelain Doll.

United had printed some of her earlier work, which Emily entered into an online competition, and was so impressed with the quality the publisher approached her to be part of this latest volume.

“Its fantastic and the fact that I’ve been asked for the poems makes it all the nicer,” said Emily.

“I find it really weird to think that schools across the country might be studying some of my poems, but it’s a brilliant thing to be part of.”

Her writing skills should not come as a surprise, given that Emily’s mother, Rosalynd, is a former journalist and other family members have literary traits.

Mrs Lawrence said: “She’s a chip off the old block. Her grandfather used to write stories and her great-grandfather was a published author, too.

“She submitted six and all six of them got in, I’m so very proud of her and she is very talented.”

Away from literature, Emily, who lives with her mother, father Vincent and her 10-year-old sister, Jasmine, has an interest in animals and would like to be a vet. But she also plans to keep up her writing: “I’m currently having a look at other competitions I could enter.”

For more information about the young poets competition, visit www.youngpoets.co.uk.

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