Poetry performances, workshops, school visits, writing
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Will you be driving home for Christmas, Eddie
On a dark and dismal day?
I hope you make it back, Eddie
And that everything’s ok
You might be someone’s daddy, Eddie
Yes, you might be someone’s dad
Not a fuddy-duddy daddy
But the sort that makes kids glad
That Dad’s at home for Christmas
And adding to the fun
Delivering hugs for all the children
And big kisses just for… Mum!
In the UK and Ireland, World Book Day is on Thursday 5 March 2015. In other countries World Book Day takes place at a different time of year – usually in April. There are lots of resources for schools on the World Book Day website http://www.worldbookday.com/resources/
Many school have activities throughout the week that World Book day falls, including dressing up as characters from children’s books, like the teachers in the picture at Oldfield Primary School, who I visited a few years ago https://bernardyoung.wordpress.com/2012/03/14/world-book-day/
On Monday I was happy to be visiting St Wilfred’s CE Primary School only 3 miles from where I live in Manchester. The day began in the hall where I gave a performance of poetry and music (great joining in from everyone) to the whole school. After that I joined Year 1 in their classroom where I played them ‘I Like What I Like.’ We then composed a version based on their likes and performed it together.
By the end of the day I’d spent time with every class in the school (EYFS through to Year 6). Loads of new poems got written – class poems, individual poems, poems written with a partner or in small groups (there was a class poem by Year 3 about a big golden bird – not sure where that came from! – which was performed to my guitar accompaniment).
Thanks to all at St Wilfrid’s for the fun and enthusiasm and for a well organised day that whizzed by. Hope to see you all again sometime.
“You look like a poet
who’s expecting rain,”
said the photographer
I bumped into
down Woodbrick Lane.
It’s a tough job being a poet.
I’m surprised it’s not better paid.
Perhaps there should be guided tours of workshops
so non-poets can see how poems are made?
There’s no respite if you’re a poet.
You’re working all the time.
You have to get on it if there’s a call for a sonnet.
And people expect you to rhyme.
It’s more demanding than being a surgeon.
It’s harder than digging a road.
We deserve much longer holidays than teachers.
It can be stressful writing an ode.
We sometimes work until lunchtime
if we need to complete a quatrain.
Yes, it’s a tough job being a poet
but you’ll never hear us complain.
Remember a poet can be an enthusiastic inspiring addition to your classroom all year round, not just for National Poetry Day. If you’d like to know what I can do in your school, please contact me.
5th October is World Teachers’ Day. Here’s a poem for all the teachers out there.
Every night Mr Miller dreams
of the day he will retire.
There’ll be a small party
in the staff room
during the lunch hour
and at final assembly
he’ll receive a major gift
from the whole school
plus presents
from individual pupils
who will be heartbroken
to see him leave.
Children, past and present
(some now grown up)
will file past to thank him
for being so inspirational
– for changing their lives.
In the evening
a large group of colleagues and friends
will take him out for drinks
and a meal.
There will be speeches
charting his impressive career
and praising his achievements.
He can’t wait.
Day two. Week one. First job.
A long way to go.
Every night Mr Miller dreams.
Chat to the cat
about this and that.
Pass the time of day.
She’ll not disclose your secrets
but she’ll absorb
every word you say.
Confess to the cat
your worries.
Confide in the cat
you may
for she’ll disappear
when she’s heard enough
and perhaps ferry your fears,
maybe transport your tears,
possibly carry your cares
away.
I’ve recorded a poem today and Karen has turned it into a video. Hope you like it. Please share and don’t forget National Poetry Day on Thursday 2nd October.
You know it’s going to be a good day when a member of staff arrives just after you with a homemade cake. And it was good. The day and the cake.
Thanks to everyone at Airy Hill CP School, Whitby, for giving me such a warm welcome on Thursday and for contributing to a very rewarding and creative day. I started off by performing to the whole school and then worked with Yr1 and Yr2 where we did class poems. Each class did their own version of my poem “I Like What I Like“. I visited all classes during the day and we gathered in the hall to hear a selection of new poems before school ended.
The poem photographed below, based on “Stig of the Dump“, was written by Year 4/5W, their teacher and myself. I played some music on guitar and said I needed some words to go with it, and this is what they came up with:
I’ve posted some other reminders and resources for National Poetry Day already, but here’s video that may inspire ideas and discussion.
Bernard Young Poet 