The following poems written by the children of Class 2 at Henleaze Primary School (Mrs Mumford’s class Year Six class) The poems were all written in response to the following poem by the American poet William Carlos Williams:
This Is Just To Say
I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox and which you were probably saving for breakfast Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold Sue introduced the poem during a workshop at the school (for Threshold Prize) and as the children had been focusing on climate change as a topic in school she encouraged the children to write “Poems of apology to the earth”.
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Peace
Peace, peace, I wish the world could have peace,
no more fighting no more war, only people playing by the seashore,
playing all night, playing all day shooting canons, no that’s not the way,
Eleanor Leonne Bennett, age 17
why can’t the world have peace for one day?
That’s all I’m asking:
war go away.
© Eva Ford, age 9
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Bursting with thoughts,
Not put into words,
A plague of the mind,
Some would say it’s a curse,
What love’s hand possesses,
I never shall hold,
Whether sorrow or promise,
I never shall know,
The world will still spin,
Clocks keep on ticking,
Whether the life of a human,
Is ending or beginning,
The colour of midnight,
Is a dark one I’ve heard,
Seen as my soul lifted,
Like the flight of a bird.
© Briana Rutherford, age 16
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Nyctophilia
If my only comfort be in night,
of distant dainty rays of light,
and my only fear be living lies,
and those of undiscovered ‘why’s,
Or tears which drip down dark hair strands,
Eleanor Leonne Bennett, age 17
and outstretched waiting human hands,
And dear, If beauty lies in blacks and blues,
And clashing view on clashing view,
May I destroy a thought of disbelief,
Like a sole upon an autumn leaf,
And fill a transparent mind with existence,
Without a single threat of distance.
© Amber Brown , age 15
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Mama
mama how do I tell you its bad again
how the voices are telling me its okay to hurt
they want me to fall
to fall from the top of buildings
and not get up
but don’t worry mama
I plan to shut them up
mama how do I explain how the pain has returned
all you wanted was me to be better
I tried and tried and tried and tried
but in the end, the crazy won
they drive me crazy to no end
I want to make it stop
but don’t worry mama
I have a plan
mama I can’t tell you how it feels
to be sunken to the depths of earth
Eleanor Leonne Bennett, age 17
angels are soaring above me
but their happy gazes hurt
I need this incessant chatter to go
to hurt me, to hate me
it all feels so real
but don’t worry mama
it wont soon
mama I can see the look in your eyes
it hurts me too that this is goodbye
can’t you see this is the only way
for the voices to vanish but my body stay
goodbye and farewell
i’ll miss you so much
but don’t cry mama
i’ll be better now
© Ursula, age 16
Just a word here from us at Poetry Space. If you are feeling desperately sad and have identified with the narrator of Ursula’s poem please do seek help. If you can’t speak to parents, guardians or a teacher at school then ring Childline: 0800 1111
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Jubilee Pool
Jump in
Underwater
Bright
Improve
Loungers
Exercise
©John Welding
Enjoy
Peaceful
On the Promenade
Open to the public
Leap right in
© William
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Change
Create
Help
And don’t let down
Never
by Eleanor Leonne Bennett, age 17
Give up to help change
Everyone can, everyone should!
©Phoebe
The poems by William and Phoebe were sent in to me by Angie Butler in Cornwall and came out of a writing project with eight to eleven year olds.
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For My Grandfather
Oh Dadda I wish you never died.
I am worried, I wish you were here.
Daddy will take you out for a beer.
Today is your birthday and I miss you lots.
Have you even got some spots?
Eleanor Leonne Bennett, age 17
Are you having a nice time in heaven?
Is it as nice as the sea in Devon?
© Isabella French, age 6
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The Robin and the Tree.
Anna and Nora were excited.
They had just put an angel on top of the tree.
The dog Maple leapt at the Christmas Tree
sending it crashing to the floor.
Anna Nora and Mum saw the angel broken.
Mum said. Sorry girls but I can’t fix it’.
Eleanor Leonne Bennett, age 17
The girls were sad.
When the girls had gone to bed
the Robin flew down and fixed it.
© Isabella French, age 6
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Warning
Cat, cat, don’t go into the garden,
©Eleanor Leonne Bennett, age 17
because there is a wolf
and he might eat you
Cat, cat,
Beware.
© Lexi Lou, age 5
Sunset by the River
A fluttering breeze
By the sunset.
Dim light
Peaceful.
©Azadeh K Taj
Birds flying to the sun
Like a dim lit candle.
So beautiful
I feel so small.
© Eesha Thaker, age 7
Eesha Thaker goes to 2nd grade class of
Ms. Susan Buck at Dows Lane Elementary School in Irvington, NY.
She loves nature and outdoors and carries a notebook around
to write about her observations of nature.
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What do you Hear?
What do you hear outside your window?
Trembling and frightened,
Trembling and frightened.
Let’s go outside
©Eleanor Leonne Bennett, age 17
Of your front door,
your front door,
What do you see?
What do you see outside?
Out jumped a fox –
Looking for its tea.
She ran back inside
Trembling with fright
Trembling with fright
”˜What’s the matter?’ her mother said,
”˜What’s the matter Lucy?’
There’s a fox outside,’ she said.
Trembling with fright.
© Lexi Lou, age 5
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