Poetry sharing at Quarry Mount Primary School

Sheila Chapman writes:

Boxes and fishes

Year five at Quarry Mount School treated us to an outpouring of poetry this Wednesday morning stimulated by a black wooden box with the image of a gold fish on the front.  James Nash (pictured with the box) had coached them to write their poems and to be brave enough to stand up in front of the audience of fellow pupils and parents to read them. They did him and us proud with the quality of the work they produced and the confidence with which they read. As one young member of the audience said, "Everybody did a good performance and I like it".

Some memorable lines were:

Memories ... cut back to you with a flick of the knife

I slid the lid and an Egyptian coffin opened

... smells like pencil sharpeners (the box)

The smell of salt, paint and pictures in your mind

Goldfish looks like a crystal

The young poets commented about the experience:

The children were asked what they had learnt and why it was good to share their work with others.

What they had learnt

That  poems don’t have to rhyme.

Confidence and poems.

Letting all your imoushions (sic) out in your reading.

To shout when we are reading.

That you do playground voice.

You can improve just by writing it down again.

I have learned you don’t have to be shy.

Why it is good to share

Because it makes you more confident.

So ... can build confidence and be proud of their work.

So people know how to write poems.

Because one day they might want to make a poem.

Audience Comments

All children really enjoyed the workshops and produced fantastic work. The children’s performance showed a fantastic improvement in their confidence. (class teacher)

The children have really enjoyed the sessions, and got so much out of them especially the ones that are shy.

It was a beautiful event. My daughter loved taking part. I hope she will have more opportunities like this.

I was very impressed with the beautiful poetry written, the words they used, and the confidence they showed while reading it. Well done!

Really enjoyed the wonderful morning.

Coolest morning.