Quarry Mount turns up gold

Sally Bavage writes:

A group of youngsters from years 5 and 6 at Quarry Mount primary school chose themselves for this year’s poetry workshops with James Nash, ably assisted by Matthew Hedley Stoppard, both established local published poets.  The finished poems were presented to parents, mainly mums who had made a real effort to get there and were sooo delighted, on Tuesday 10 March at a lovely intimate poetry reading in the Family Room.

Ryan asked year 5 teacher Andrew Howdle, who was co-ordinating the work, “Could he do it again?”  

Andrew: “I’m not sure.” 

Ryan: “It’s not a maybe, just tell me when I’m doing it!”  Such was the enthusiasm of the youngsters to get involved, and this showed in the presentation they made of their work, the lovely invitation that was sent out, and the book of all their work that will be made by the school over the coming weeks.

The young people wrote poems on the importance of family, art, sporting heroes and their best friends, taking their inspiration from the LitFest's current theme of Something Else as beyond, better, wonderful.  And they were too! 

Zeena wrote 'Books are Something Else', which is both enchanting and haunting.  Yesani talked of what he had learned from the workshops: “Drafting, trying again and trying again. Poetry makes you ask questions and the questions help you unstick yourself in life.”  I couldn’t express it any better!



James Nash adds:
Two parents came up to me after our Quarry Mount reading to ask whether we knew of any poetry schools or classes their daughters might go on to, to increase and build on their skills. They were so pleased with the project, and another had to be repeatedly assured that her son had actually written his own piece and they had not been written by Matthew and me!

Books are Something Else.

Reading is a magical life in books.

I cannot survive without reading books.

Enchantments are hidden in the bookshelf

When I am not reading the book.

My gleaming eyes open to wonder

When I turn the page of a book.

Illustrations sew through the cover

Into the pages, to the back of the book.

Adventures and detailed artistry,

Magic and mystery spread out of each book.

The dark chamber of words

Unlock emotions in a book.

Emotions, Zeena, flow through the chapters

And switch on imagination in the book.