Famous faces write poems for Premier League Writing Stars

This year’s Premier League Writing Stars competition is challenging pupils across England and Wales to write poems about ambition in their search for the best primary poets.

For the competition, award-winning poet Karl Nova has written a poem entitled ‘Beautiful Ambition’, available as part of the downloadable competition pack on the Premier League Primary Stars website. This is the perfect opportunity to get children aged 5-11 excited about English and engaged in poetry!

Karl is not the only one who has submitted a poem to inspire your school. Premier League Primary Stars has received some star-studded entries from some faces you might recognise! Here are some of our favourites to motivate your pupils to get writing:

After judging last year’s competition, Rio Ferdinand is back with his own poem about ambition:

My #PLPrimarystars poetry skills are back.... this time we’re talking

“Ambition”
@premierleague @PLCommunities 📝⚽️

Enter ➡️ https://t.co/0era1w6cps pic.twitter.com/ZjRVOOWVyk

— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) March 2, 2020

Seema Jaswal, TV and radio presenter has shared her fantastic poem about what ambition means to her for the Premier League Writing Stars competition.  

Okay here goes... my poem about Ambition for this years @premierleague @PLCommunities #PLWritingStars competition! The deadline is today...it’s not too late to get your creative juices flowing so why not give it a go! Good luck 💛 pic.twitter.com/qXGbuSa1SQ

— Seema Jaswal (@meseemajaswal) March 20, 2020

Watch Sports journalist and presenter, Faye Carruthers perform her poem about ambition. 

In bleak times, a call to get your creative juices flowing! Here is my poem on Ambition for the @premierleague Writing Stars competition. You can get involved by heading to https://t.co/8g8DCXIz7f for more information #PLWritingStars @PLCommunities (sorry about the framing!) pic.twitter.com/DxmIeHASMK

— Faye Carruthers (@FayeCarruthers) March 19, 2020

 Sports broadcaster Anne-Marie Batson has also shared her poem on ambition. 

📣 Calling all primary schools! Entries for the @premierleague Writing Stars closes this Friday 20th March 2020.

✍🏾 Here's my poem on ambition. Let's hear and read yours! Get involved.

👉🏾 Head to https://t.co/yQyW9Y6dNg for more information.#PLWritingStars | @PLCommunities pic.twitter.com/tmaaC1Tyzv

— Anne-Marie Batson (@AnnemarieBatson) March 16, 2020

 Former Olympian Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson has also written an inspiring and thoughtful poem for the competition: 

Here's my poem on 'Ambition' for this year's #PLWritingStars poetry competition. Thanks to Danielle and the team @_ukactive for helping me.

Get your primary school involved at: https://t.co/mEH45MG6xo @premierleague @PLCommunities pic.twitter.com/2CyYii0bAx

— Tanni Grey-Thompson (@Tanni_GT) March 2, 2020

 Ex-footballer Alan Shearer has shared a great poem with the help of Ian Wright behind the camera:

Here is my effort for this year’s #PLPrimaryStars poetry competition on “Ambition”.

Thanks to @IanWright0 for moral support and artistic direction!

Get your primary school involved at: https://t.co/0jZ2VtYa1F @premierleague #PLWritingStars pic.twitter.com/3d7pEb7LN7

— Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) February 20, 2020

This acrostic poem by The Vamps’ James McVey is a really creative way to look at the word ambition:

Here’s my poem on ‘Ambition’, now it’s your turn! Primary schools, get involved in @premierleague Writing Stars now! Head to https://t.co/WBN1On81Im #PLWritingstars . @PLCommunities pic.twitter.com/3EsI4Lnie6

— James McVey (@TheVampsJames) February 25, 2020

Former Olympian Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson has also written an inspiring and thoughtful poem for the competition:

Here's my poem on 'Ambition' for this year's #PLWritingStars poetry competition. Thanks to Danielle and the team @_ukactive for helping me.
Get your primary school involved at: https://t.co/mEH45MG6xo @premierleague @PLCommunities pic.twitter.com/2CyYii0bAx

— Tanni Grey-Thompson (@Tanni_GT) March 2, 2020

Ex-footballer Alan Shearer has shared a great poem with the help of Ian Wright behind the camera:

Here is my effort for this year’s #PLPrimaryStars poetry competition on “Ambition”.
Thanks to @IanWright0 for moral support and artistic direction!
Get your primary school involved at: https://t.co/0jZ2VtYa1F @premierleague #PLWritingStars pic.twitter.com/3d7pEb7LN7

— Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) February 20, 2020

This acrostic poem by The Vamps’ James McVey is a really creative way to look at the word ambition:

Here’s my poem on ‘Ambition’, now it’s your turn! Primary schools, get involved in @premierleague Writing Stars now! Head to https://t.co/WBN1On81Im #PLWritingstars . @PLCommunities pic.twitter.com/3EsI4Lnie6

— James McVey (@TheVampsJames) February 25, 2020

We love the important message about female ambition that Kelly Cates has shared through her poem:

Hello! Premier League writing stars is back! Go to the PL website to find out how to enter, but here’s my offering to encourage you by setting a very low bar 😂⁦@PLCommunities⁩ ⁦@premierleague⁩
(Also preempting the arsey comments: I don’t care 😎. It’s not about you) pic.twitter.com/xx6H8XrxN6

— Kelly Cates (@KellyCates) February 13, 2020

We were very impressed with Rachel Riley’s ability to recite her poem whilst keeping baby Maven happy:

It’s poetry time again!!!
Here’s my #PLPrimarystars poetry competition attempt on the subject of Ambition.
Extra marks for baby jiggling whilst reciting?! 😬🙋🏼‍♀️👼🏼
Get your primary school involved at: ➡️ https://t.co/qyb4a5AclF ⬅️@premierleague @PLCommunities ⚽️🌟 pic.twitter.com/JyTilzXvAR

— Rachel Riley 🍊 (@RachelRileyRR) February 26, 2020

Journalist Jeremy Vine shared a brilliant poem about all sorts of ambitions:

Okay everyone the good people of @premierleague are asking us all to write a poem on the subject of AMBITION for this year's ace #PLWritingStars showcase ... am sure you can do better than mine @Rylan pic.twitter.com/4HYev5VQxo

— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) February 17, 2020

Gabby Logan also sent in another great submission to follow on from her entry last year:

Ok folks it’s that time of year when the @premierleague #PLWritingStars are calling on all you poets to get your creative juices flowing and this year the subject is ‘Ambition’.
Here is my attempt.....now it’s over to you @TheRealKirstyG 🤓 pic.twitter.com/iBQ04pgVtu

— Gabby Logan (@GabbyLogan) February 13, 2020

Dan Walker from BBC breakfast submitted his fantastic poem whilst looking very smart:

Hideously over-dressed but here is my effort for the #PLWritingStars competition this year.
Fancy writing your own poem about AMBITION?
Find out more at https://t.co/M0ZL5GEjXi @PLCommunities @premierleague
Over to you @LittleMix 👍🏻 pic.twitter.com/wOQUtpUeZh

— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) February 19, 2020

BBC Sports’ Karthi Gnanasegaram went for a different style of poem by creating her very own haiku:

It's time for Premier League Writing (ooops) Stars again! Can you write a short poem, haiku or rap on "Ambition" for the @premierleague? Details: https://t.co/cjLTmPUmGk
This is my attempt (hopefully) to encourage you to give it a go! @PLCommunities @AlastairBe📝#PLWritingStars pic.twitter.com/jxFvMQXpmN

— Karthi Gnanasegaram (@KarthiSport) February 17, 2020

Jake Humphrey’s ‘No comfy chair’ made an appearance this year in his poem entitled: Go for it:

So. It’s #PLPrimaryStars poetry time!!
The theme is ambition. Here is my effort, in my dressing room at @btsport.
You’ll be delighted to know that #NoComfyChair makes an appearance 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/E757jw6QSo

— Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) February 20, 2020

Ben Shires sent in his entry for another year! This fast-paced poem is bound to keep your pupils on their toes:

Calling all primary schools! Here's my poem on ambition, 'Take A Punt' - now it’s your turn! Get scribbling for tge @premierleague Writing Stars competition! Head to https://t.co/OgWkBU2Yp0 for more information #PLWritingStars @PLCommunities
Can't wait to see yours @AlexScott pic.twitter.com/F4hGF2ssbk

— Ben Shires (@BenShires) February 7, 2020

Big dreams and drive are the themes of Lindsey Hipgrave’s entry:  

Calling all Primary Schools, Premier League writing stars is back! Here’s my attempt at a poem on ⁦ambition now it’s your turn to have a go. Get involved ⁦@premierleague⁩ Writing Stars now! Go to https://t.co/LSXpDlNwPu for more info #PLWritingStars #PLCommunities pic.twitter.com/rZHEpTFhWx

— Lynsey Hipgrave (@lynseyhipgrave1) February 14, 2020

Authors of Football School, Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton shared their fun poem about how diverse ambitions can be:

Calling all primary schools! Here's local bard @benlyt and my entry in the @premierleague #PLWritingStars annual poetry competition. This year's theme is AMBITION. Now it's your turn to get involved! https://t.co/nE4bXKOm2o @BenShires @RachelRileyRR @Bobby_Seagull pic.twitter.com/iTaCuJv8Cc

— Alex Bellos (@alexbellos) February 11, 2020

TV and radio presenter Max Rushton’s ambitions have changed a lot over the years, as you’ll hear in his poem:

Here is my #PLPrimarystars poetry attempt.
Subject: Ambition
Get your primary school involved at https://t.co/ptr0zBMJOW @premierleague
I challenge @bglendenning @BakersTweet & @georgiebingham to do this.#WearSunscreen pic.twitter.com/R9H6lCw1ba

— Max Rushden (@maxrushden) February 25, 2020

You’ll be able to read all of these poems, alongside the competition winners’ poems in this year’s Premier League Writing Stars poetry book.

Make sure to download a competition pack and enter your pupils’ poems before 20 March 2020 to take part.