National Poetry Day, your chance to enjoy, discover and share poems you love, will take place on Thursday 4 October 2018. This year’s theme is Change: use it to start thinking about your celebrations now. Maybe you would like a poet to visit your school and help things along (if so, contact me)? For more information about National Poetry Day and useful resources see: https://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/
Here is a poem of mine for people who are thinking they might like a change of career. This poem is in my new book of poems for children ‘What Are You Like?‘.
Career Opportunity: Knight Required
Are you brave, honourable
and chivalrous?
Do you like wearing metal suits
and enjoy being called Sir?
Then this could be the job for you.
Your duties will include
wielding a sword, jousting
and clanking about.
Preference will be given
to those candidates
who come equipped
with their own warhorse and squire.
If you think
you’ve got what it takes
turn up for an interview
and show us what you can do.
NOTE: Candidates will be left to fight
it out amongst themselves. Castle Management accepts no responsibility
for loss of life or limb.
Just received a link today to this video we made a few years ago at a poets retreat. It was fun to make. I’d forgotten all about it. Absent has been one of my most popular poems.
I will be launching my new book of poems for children on Saturday 24th February at the Between The Lines Festival in Sheffield. I will also be doing 2 performances and workshops for families, so if you are in the Sheffield area, please come along.
The new book is titled “What Are You Like?” after the poem below. To order a copy send a message on the form on the books page.
What Are You Like?
I’m like hey
She’s like whoa He’s like ah I’m like ho
She’s like ha He’s like er
I’m like really? She’s like yeah
He’s like eek I’m like shh She’s like um He’s like ugh
I’m like Mmm She’s like eh? He’s like oh I’m like yay
We have made a new video over the last few days. I composed a short piece of music to accompany my poem Anything. The poem is about friendship and is suitable for younger children (KS1), but it is likely to appeal to older students (KS2) as well. This poem is in my new book, What Are You Like, which is due for release 23 February 2018.
Karen, my wife, is the guest performer reading the poem and also she made the video. The images are all shared by Creative Commons License. They are credited in the description on YouTube and below the video here.
Odd Socks Day is designed to be fun! It’s an opportunity for children to express themselves and appreciate individuality and uniqueness! Schools across the country are holding Odd Socks Days as part of Anti-Bullying Week (13th-17th November). I’m looking forward to going to one of my Patron of Reading schools, Summerville Primary School in Salford, tomorrow, where we will be reading and writing poems on an anti-bullying theme.
If you are looking for ideas on how to use poetry for anti-bullying lessons, I listed some resources in a previous post here.
While we are on socks, here’s one of my poems that is from Brilliant and will also be in my new children’s poetry book due to be published soon.
Orange Socks
Orange socks
Orange socks
I’ve seen a girl wearing orange socks
Not blue not black
Not violet not pink
Orange socks
They make me think
of red hot days
the sun up above
when you don’t need your scarf
you don’t need your gloves
Orange socks
Orange socks
Who’s that girl wearing orange socks?
Not brown not grey
Not yellow not green
But the orangiest orange
that I’ve ever seen
Orange socks
I like the style
Orange socks
They make me smile
Orange socks
Orange socks
Glad I saw that girl in those orange socks
13th-17th November 2017 is Anti-Bullying Week #AntiBullyingWeek #AllDifferentAllEqual
Poetry is a great way to get young people thinking and talking about the issues and feelings linked to bullying and friendship in a positive and fun way. I’m looking forward to doing poetry workshops at Summerville Primary School in Salford on Thursday 16th November as part of our Patron of Reading relationship. We’ll be reading and writing some poems on this theme.
Anti-Bullying Resources
There are loads of great resources for lessons and activities in school on the theme of anti-bullying for this special week and throughout the year here: http://www.actionwork.com/bullyingresources.html
I’ve listed more resources at the bottom of this post.
A Poem
Below is a poem of mine from “Brilliant” that was also included in an anthology of poems compiled by Brian Moses, “Best of Enemies, Best of Friends” (2011). Even though right on topic, that book is hard to get hold of now. There is a new book due to come out January 2018, “The Same Inside: Poems about Empathy and Friendship” by Liz Brownlee, Roger Stevens and Matt Goodfellow.
I wish I was a robot
When robots are fighting
they don’t feel pain.
They bash one another
again and again.
They clang when they clash
They rattle and crunch.
Have head-on collisions
and don’t stop for lunch.
I wish I was like them
then I’d suffer no pain
when punched and kicked
and punched again.
If I was a robot
I could cope with a lot.
If I was a robot.
But, sadly, I’m not.
The Effect Of Poetry
When children are being bullied they cannot always put their feelings into words. Reading and writing poetry helps them to articulate those feelings. It can help by making them realise that others have felt the same way too. It also can help bullies to have more empathy to change their behaviour.
Even where there are no issues of bullying in your school, focussing on positive messages of what being a good friend is all about is also a great thing to do. Here is a popular poem of mine, “Best Friends”, in video format:
Odd Socks Day: Monday 13th November
As part of Anti-Bullying Week, on the first day, (Monday 13th November) the organisers are asking schools across the country to hold an ‘Odd Socks Day for Anti-Bullying Week’.
Aimed at early years and primary school children, the day encourages young children to wear odd socks for the day, celebrating their uniqueness. Odd Socks Day is designed to be fun! It’s an opportunity for children to express themselves and appreciate individuality. There is no pressure on the children to wear the latest fashion or for parents to buy expensive costumes. All they have to do to take part is wear odd socks to school, it couldn’t be simpler!
Other Poetry Resources on Bullying and Friendship Theme
A downloadable poem by Brian Moses about friendship taken from “Best of Enemies, Best of Friends”. Also included: information about bullying, teaching notes, class discussion activities and worksheets to use in English and PSHE. https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/bullying-and-friendship-6085881 (requires logon to download)
I’m looking forward to the first Patron of Reading visit to Oldham Hulme Grammar School Juniors on Tuesday. I will be leading poetry workshops using people’s shoes as inspiration for Empathy Heroes Day. I thought I’d repost a poem of mine along these lines as an example. This poem was inspired by the photo above.
The Visitor
When he arrives
she wonders who’s come?
He kisses her cheek
and calls her Mum.
After he’s been
she forgets that he came.
She can’t picture his face
or recall his name.
This poem and photograph was first published on blipfoto.com on 30th May 2013.
Please scroll down for lesson ideas, a video and text of my poem.
Hull, City of Culture
I was very pleased when I learnt that Hull was going to be City of Culture for 2017. I’ve visited most schools in Hull over the years, and know the city well. When I stayed a few days in 2016 to visit Thoresby Primary School, the city centre was in a state of major refurbishment in preparation for all of the activities. The arts and cultural programme for the year celebrates the unique character of the city, its people, history and geography. I think it will be very good for the city and people. You can read more about the City of Culture on their website, https://www.hull2017.co.uk/.
National Poetry Day
This year National Poetry Day is on Thursday 28 September – a little earlier than usual. This is because the organisers, Forward Arts Foundation, are working closely with the BBC and Hull City of Culture on “a celebration that will ensure still more are involved closely in enjoying, discovering and sharing poetry, all year round.”
Freedom Theme
The theme of Freedom is prominent in Hull, because of the sadness about previous prosperity linked to the slave trade, and the celebration of William Wilberforce, a native of the city, whose leadership of the movement opposing slavery eventually led to its abolition in the British Empire, through the Slavery Abolition Act 1826.
Throughout the year of culture there are events linked to the theme Freedom, including the Freedom Festival, 1-3 September 2017.
Using the Theme of Freedom on School Visits
Last week I visited Cavendish Primary School in Hull. After giving a performance to the whole school, I led poetry workshops on the theme of Freedom with foundation and year 1 classes before lunch, and with year 4 in the afternoon.
“Lots of lovely feedback from the classes you’ve been with today and we (foundation stage) wrote our own poem in the afternoon.”Karen Richardson, Cavendish School.
I also visited Thoresby Primary School, Hull, in May this year for the third consecutive year. Freedom was a theme we focussed on in 2015. Last year we covered Heroes, and this year we concentrated on one of Hull’s famous daughters, the boxer, Barbara Buttrick (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Buttrick).
Lesson Ideas for Poetry Linked to Freedom
There are some ideas for a lesson using one of my poems below, and more ideas like this are available from the National Poetry Day website, http://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/education/. The suggestion below is intended to be a part of wider lessons and discussion about the definition of freedom and different ways to be free or not free.
Read the poem aloud again after watching the video (full text below). Ask pupils questions like:
How does the poem make you feel?
How do you think the person speaking in the poem feels?
Have you ever felt this free?
What other things do you like doing that make you feel this free?
How does the poem sound different being read on the page and having the music and pictures?
Encourage the children to think about words and phrases. Write things they suggest on post-it notes or on the board.
When I work with younger children, we often compose a class poem, with a tune, but music isn’t necessary.
If you use this poem as a model, it doesn’t need to be about football. Your opening line could start with “You” or “We” or “I” and be about another subject.
For example:
“I’ve finished doing my homework, and now I’m going to…” or
“I’ve finished tidying my room, and now I’m going to…”
For older children, I give the option of working alone, or in a pair or (with the teacher’s approval!) in groups of 3 or 4, to write their own similar poem.
You could ask the students to look at the pattern of this poem, and look at which lines rhyme and which don’t. Also ask them to listen to the rhythm of the syllables.
I find it is also a good part of the lesson if finished poems are read out at the end, either the teacher reading them, or, better still, the writers.
I hope this all gives you some ideas. If you would like me to come along to your school for your own performance and poetry workshops, please contact me.
Summer by Bernard Young
You’ve finished playing football
You’re lying on the grass
Thinking about the goal you scored
Reliving that brilliant pass
Summer is the future
School is in the past
This is a perfect moment
If only it would last
Just you and your mates relaxing
In the heat after the game
Everyone’s a winner
You all feel the same
Summer is the future
School is in the past
This is a perfect moment
If only it could last
This poem is covered by copyright. You may use a copy of it in your class, but not reproduce it in any publication without prior permission. I’d love to see any poems inspired it.
Bernard Young Poet 