Minecraft fan wins festival poetry competition

Myles, a seven-year-old boy from Wymondham in Norfolk, has won a children's poetry competition with a poem inspired by his love of Minecraft. His poem, titled 'A Friend Like Steve,' will be performed on stage to open the Latitude festival at Henham Park in Suffolk on July 24. The competition was organized in partnership with the BBC and was open to children aged seven to eleven from Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cambridgeshire. Luke Wright, a poet and one of the judges, praised Myles for using the language of Minecraft in his poem, saying it is important to write about subjects you are passionate about.

Myles' mother, Charlotte, expressed her pride in her son's achievement. She shared that Myles' father heard about the competition on the radio and told Myles, who was likely playing Minecraft at the time. Charlotte described Myles as a big fan of Minecraft, often playing the game, wearing Minecraft-themed clothes, or talking about it. Myles said he spent two days working on his poem. The competition began as a local event for Suffolk children but expanded to include Norfolk and Cambridgeshire this year.

Melvin Benn, the founder of the Latitude Festival, highlighted the importance of the competition in encouraging young people to express their creativity. He said Myles' poem beautifully captures the spirit of friendship and adventure through the lens of Minecraft, a game that resonates with his generation. The festival aims to celebrate creativity and provide a platform for new voices. Alongside Myles, two runners-up, Zara and Eleanor, were invited to read their poems at the festival. Their poems also explored themes of friendship, with Zara writing about a friend moving away and Eleanor reflecting on the feeling of missing a special friend. The judges, including BBC presenters and the festival's arts curator, were impressed by the emotional depth and maturity shown in the poems. The Latitude Festival will take place from July 24 to 27, 2025, featuring performances by well-known artists such as Sting, Snow Patrol, and Fatboy Slim.