Claire says the poem evolved and the thoughts came as she wrote.
"It took a bit of editing because it was overly dramatic at first, so I took out the over-the-top bits."
Claire attended the Michael King writers’ workshops in March which she says really helped.
"I didn’t consider myself a poetry writer so it helped me expand."
She feels most comfortable writing short stories.
"In a perfect world" she says she would be a fulltime writer but in reality she will probably do something else but continue writing.
Claire has also entered the Katherine Mansfield awards, submitting a piece about a lonely man who becomes obsessed with a troubled teenage girl.
She also plans to enter the Sunday Star-Times short story competition later in the year.
Takapuna Grammar head of English Robin Holding says everything Claire writes is impressive and she is a "talent to watch".
She was recently awarded joint third place in the Ireland essay competition with her story Changing Face, about a Nigerian girl who moves to Dublin where she faces struggles with immigration and identity.
The New Zealand Post awards will be announced on August 22 at an event in Wellington.
