Back to school for National Poetry Day
This year I celebrated National Poetry Day by working with students in year 3 and year 6 at a local primary school.
I was invited in as a performance poet and ended up working with around 200 students over the course of the day. Year 6 students had already written their own autumn-themed poems and were preparing to perform them to students in year 3. Their focus was on metaphor and personification and they had already spent a good deal of time drafting and shaping their poems. My job was to help them bring them to life in performance.
It’s fair to say that autumn is my least favourite time of year, so while their work was full of the magic of shiny conkers and prickly hedgehogs and excitement about fireworks, I found it difficult to share in their joy. I could share in the joy of language though, and the playful use of words and images.
I thought I should try and write my own autumn poem, ‘Not my Season’, to share as an example, and managed to keep it relatively upbeat, at least until the last line.
Not my season
It’s autumn in the chilly air.
It’s autumn on the breeze.
It’s autumn by the acorn piles
and through the rainbow trees, which means
fresh white lines on the football pitch,
crisp leaf patterns on the woodland floor,
seasoned logs standing in regimented stacks
and my favourite jumpers back in the drawer.
It’s autumn by the fly agaric.
It’s autumn on my outside breath.
It’s autumn in the bonfire smoke.
It’s autumn, and I feel bereft.
I was honest with pupils about feeling shy and nervous and vulnerable when I’m sharing my own work, especially for the first time. I talked about volume, pace, expression, sound effects, body language and eye contact, and the importance of the title when introducing a poem. I also used the poem ‘Winds’ by Clive Sansom, that I found in a useful old book compiled by him called Speech Rhymes to demonstrate.
Winds
In summer, winds blow softly;
They gently move the trees.
Only a few, green, outer leaves
Are stirring in the breeze:
ffffssss
But later, when the autumn comes
And leaves are turning brown,
Winds, like an army, storm the wood
And tear its banners down:
WH!....
(See, I managed to get my favourite season in, even when I was supposed to be focusing on autumn!)
In the afternoon, I worked with year 3 students who were getting ready to perform Michael Rosen’s Chocolate Cake to the year 6 students. What a tough ask! Who else can perform that poem but the great man himself? Still, there were some excellent actions and sound effects. I especially enjoyed the genuine concern of one pupil that performing the poem might make her feel hungry. And I made a faux pas when I asked if anyone had eaten chocolate cake for lunch. Not allowed in school these days, apparently!
Happy National Poetry Day!