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In April, several Landmark students, with the support of their teachers, wrote and courageously submitted poems to the 26th Annual Beverly Teen Poety Contest for middle and high school students. 

The contest is run by the Beverly Public Library each spring. This year they received 444 entries. 

Landmark High School students Olivia Pierce ’22 and Olle Lundgren ’25 were selected as finalists and were invited to recite their poems at a public reading at the Library. “Both students did extraordinarily well,” according to Amy Veling, Landmark High School librarian. “We are all so proud of them and would also like to extend a special thank you to Ross Ackerman, Kathy MacMannis, and Helen Monroe who worked with, practiced, and cheered on Olivia and Olle at the final reading.”

Olivia wrote and presented two poems: "Lost in Thought #49" and "Lost in Thought #51" while Ollie was recognized for his poem, “Ice”. Read poems below.

Ice, By Olle Lundgren '25

Looking down I see calm and gentle fish

Feeling the cool whoosh of the water

Looking up I see the brassy shadow off a maple tree stump

Like the seeds that fell from the tree embedded in my frozen water

Feeling more stuck each day

Knowing that next year will roll around

I don't like being ice

I feel claustrophibic

And of out luck

Feeling the sting of the skate and the beat of the feet

I like knowing that people enjoy playing on my frozen surface

This is like all things in life

Nothing lasts forever. 

Lost in Thought #42, by Olivia Pierce '22

U say I'm cute.

but i even question if u mean it,

it's not ur fault.

as boys tried me on

throwing me to the curb

for free

tossing me to the next boy

for charity,

so don't tell me

u like the way my body

could fit in ur hands,

or the fact i seem untamed. 

u barely know me,

all u see is bait.

as u reel me in

and tell the boys:

u caught a good one,

When my mom told me:

to not fall so easily

Because there are so many fish in the sea. 

Lost in Thought #51, by Olivia Pierce '22

U aren't happy about the female I'm becoming

As I wear my shirts cropped and hoodies

Off my shoulders

Leave during the middle of the night to 

be with a boy

To remove myself from art school to dream of working

on a podcast in communication

U made it clear I'm the disappointment

But u don't understand how sad I am

With the memories of people popping

In my head

Ur just another person telling me

I've done wrong

I'm worthless

Just a kid who knows nothing

with a tired soul.