By the time you notice the words, ‘Do everything in love’ on a plaque fixed to a brick in The Hive, you may not realise they belong to one of St Paul’s Collegiate School’s youngest donors, Trelise Forster (Harington | Fitchett, 2022–2024). Now in her second year at university studying a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Psychology and Human Resources, Trelise develops her creative voice through poetry, a form she describes as both an outlet and a guide through uncertainty. 

Trelise first dabbled in poetry in her intermediate years and wrote her first poem in Year 9. “I was actually really proud of it. I then began studying poetry through Cambridge English and became fascinated by how a handful of lines could say and mean so many things,” says Trelise. 

“I’ve always loved to write, probably because I’m a person whose head drifts to the clouds a little too often.” Writing also helped reshape her confidence. Once extremely shy, she found that developing courage on the page translated into courage in person, from speaking in chapel to delivering a 17-minute Year 13 English presentation and becoming more comfortable expressing herself in difficult conversations. 

“I’m a very emotional person who has a tendency to think and feel too deeply about the little moments in my life, so I get regular prompts about things I could write. The poem What is Hope? grew from observations of how people persist through uncertainty, in study, hardship, and daily life, even without guarantees of outcome.” 

Despite her commitment to writing, Trelise has mostly kept her poetry private. “To me, each poem is like a piece of my heart just wrapped up in flowery diction and literary techniques. I sometimes share my poetry with very close friends to get their opinions. For example, this poem didn’t feel right at first, so I sought out my mother and a very dear friend for their thoughts, which gave me the inspiration I needed to tweak it. This will be the first time I’m actually making one of my poems public. Even though I’m a little nervous, I’m also quite excited to do something new and challenge my boundaries,” says Trelise.

What is Hope? 

What is hope but the confidence of tomorrow? 

That your world will keep turning and the sands of time keep trickling beyond your horizon. 

That all your toil shan’t be so transient. 

What is hope but the certainty of dawn?

That you will emerge from the gruelling night and earn the sun’s warm gaze. 

That all your toil shan’t be meaningless. 

What is hope but the conviction of Spring? 

That the seeds you plant will flourish and survive all that seeks to destroy it. 

That all your toil shan’t be for naught. 

That is the truth about hope! 

It is the lamp with which we carry into the 

shrouded tomorrow.