Poetry; Connections – Spring Poems by John Foster & ee cummings

We are ‘making connections’ again –

this time, between poems.

Poems about Spring.

The Three Musketeers!
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Tony Hammond via Compfight

It’s Spring by John Foster

 

It’s spring

And the garden is changing its clothes,

Putting away

Its dark winter suits,

Its dull scarves

And drab brown overcoats.

 

Now, it wraps itself in green shoots,

Slips on blouses

Sleeved with pink and white blossom,

Pulls on skirts of daffodil and primrose,

Snowdrops socks and purple crocus shoes,

Then dances in the sunlight.


Ladybugs Marcy Leigh via Compfight

In Just-                     by ee cummings

 

in Just-

spring when the world is mud-

luscious the little

lame balloonman

whistles far and wee

and eddieandbill come

running from marbles and

piracies and it’s

spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer

old balloonman whistles

far and wee

and bettyandisbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it’s

spring

and

the

goat-footed

balloonMan whistles

far

and

wee

A Student’s Poem about Teacher (from 1993)

This poem was written

by a student in fourth class,

Stephanie W. in October 1993.

I have kept it with my English papers

for the past twenty two years,

because it makes me laugh.

 


Photo Credit: antjeverena via Compfight

 

We were writing poems modelled on

‘Prayer of a Donkey’ 

by Carmen Bernos De Gasztold.

 

Here is Stephanie’s poem:

‘Dear God,

Please give teacher a break

for she is getting old.

Protect her from us

because we are vampires.

 

Protect her from the back row

and Jenny’s giggles.

May teacher have some peace at home time

And always let me be teacher’s PE(S)T!

 

Please Lord

Amen.’

 

I was reminded of this poem, this week

when listening to the RTE Documentary

‘First days, final days – Revisited’

(20 years after recording a child’s first day at school,

the Documentary On One returns to see what has happened since –

to the Junior Infants and their teachers).

 

Stephanie and Jenny are all grown up now

and this poem still makes me laugh.

Recommended: ‘Please Mrs. Butler’, a collection of poems about school by Allan Ahlberg

BeFunky_Room 6 10 March 2010 029.jpg

One book I wouldn’t be without is ‘Please Mrs. Butler’,

a collection of poems on the theme of school by Allan Ahlberg.

Children readily identify with the poems in this book

and each year, ‘Please Mrs. Butler’ quickly becomes

a class favourite.

 

When I reach for it to pick it up and read from it,

the class immediately look expectant and interested.

Often too, classes will ask me to read from it.

‘Please Mrs. Butler’ has contributed to

some of the best times I have ever spent in class.

 

As well as the title poem ‘Please Mrs. Butler’,

other favourites include:

* As I was coming to school Teacher

* Excuses

* When I was young

* Scissors

* Supply Teacher

* and Complaint.

 

Children enjoy the written work

that follows on from these poems.

Click here to see a class poem inspired

by Allan Ahlberg’s poem ‘Excuses’.

 

Scroll down this link from

Poetryline.org.uk and you will see

an abundance of videos which feature

Allan Alhberg reading and explaining his poetry.

The introduction he gives really add to

our understanding and enjoyment of his poems.

This videos are on Vimeo, which unlike YouTube

is not blocked in Irish schools

‘Excuses’ – a class poem inspired by one of the same name by Allan Ahlberg

Sorry I’m late Teacher.

The car slept it in

and we lost the key to my Mum.

the alarm clock forgot

and the bus was lost.

I was taken away in a space ship by aliens 

who made me do all their housework.

Sorry I’m late Teacher.

Spider Kid
Photo Credit: Sukanto Debnath via Compfight

Sorry I didn’t do my homework Teacher.

A tiger ate my schoolbag

A monkey took my pencil

My copybook grew legs and walked.

My eraser and parer hopped away.

My reading book was squashed by a Tyrannosaurus Rex

A Stegosaurus flew off with my Mum.

So I didn’t do my homework Teacher

Clockwalker
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Alex Eylar via Compfight

‘The Crayon Box That Talked’ by Shane Derolf – Respecting Differences

Crayon Fence
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The Crayon Box That Talked – By Shane Derolf

While walking in a toy store

the day before today,

I overheard a Crayon Box

with many things to say…

 

“I don’t like Red!” said Yellow.

and Green said, “nor do I”

and no one here likes Orange,

but no one knows quite why.

 

We are a Box of Crayons

that really doesn’t get along”

said Blue to all the others.

“Something must be wrong!”

 

Well, I bought that Box of Crayons,

and took them home with me,

and laid out all the Crayons

so the Crayons could all see.

 

They watched me as I coloured

with Red and Blue and Green.

And Black and White and Orange,

and every colour in between.

 

They watched as Green became the grass,

and Blue became the sky.

The Yellow sun was shining bright

on White clouds drifting by.

 

Colours changing as they touched,

Becoming something new

they watched me as I coloured.

They watched me ’til I was through.

 

And when I’d finished,

I began to walk away.

and as I did the Crayon Box

had something more to say . . .

 

“I do like Red!” said Yellow

and Green said, “So do I,

and Blue you are terrific,

so high up in the sky!”

 

“We are a Box of Crayons

Each of us unique,

But when we get together,

the picture is complete!”

Paint a rainbow
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Celebrating Past Pupil Success: Vincent Forsyth – Poet

Occasionally on our blog we write about past pupils of St. Brigid’s, Greystones. There is a great variety in the successes of our past pupils.

Last year we told you about  Emily’s Green Fingers and her contribution to the Greystones community. 

Before that we wrote about Harry who is having great success musically. We called that post ‘Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns grow’ . 

We also told you about a girl called Caroline Dwyer Hickey who became a much loved teacher, remembered by her family with the gift of The Greystones Bear to this seaside town.

From an original story that Emer Nolan composed for ‘Write A Book’, her Mum, Sineaid Doyle has written a book. Titled ‘Mary Wolftide’, it is now available on Kindle.

Now to this ‘Hall of Fame’ we add poet Vincent Forsyth. Vinnie Forsyth was in Junior Infants with us in the early 2000s. He moved with his family to Wexford in 2006.

Vincent is in 5th Year now in Enniscorthy and is writing poetry. Having left our school ten years ago, we can take no credit for Vincent’s success but we really wanted to know what made him a poet!

Vincent

We wrote to Vincent to tell him that we thought his poetry was great. We had some questions for him and this is what he told us:

‘I started writing poetry because I realized there is so much that a person can express but they don’t and I always liked English and I was told I had a good way with words, and that it could bring me far.

I had done small bits when I first moved from Greystones but that was just before secondary, and I didn’t realize how easy it would be to get out there and start my own page to post my writing. 

In secondary, I began writing as there were quite a few clubs that I wanted to join, such as the creative writing group and that was sort of the kick start of it all.

With the creative writing group I’ve met a few Irish poets such as Colm Keegan, John W. Sexton and Garry Mc Carthy. They were really interesting to meet and it was inspiring their love for words. It was also comforting that they were as crazy as me! 

I love reading, but as I am in 5th year, I’m trying to study more, so I don’t get to indulge in my books like I would want to. My advice for younger people is to just get out and do it.

Find something you are passionate about and write. Even if you need a helping help to get to started, don’t be afraid to ask.

You ask me about ambitions for the future, that’s a tough question. I’d like to do so much, but will I ever have time to do it all? I would love to maybe going into lyric writing as of late I have been doing so much of it, and maybe some sort of performance art. 

Favorite poet? There is so many! I really like the poet I’m studying now, and that is Sylvia Plath, and maybe Elizabeth Bishop. 

Oh and as an added note about the creative writing, I received an award for speaking in the Nation Library Dublin for the Writing Reading and Performance Poetry Initiative abbreviated WRaPPAround, and within school I received Best Junior Writer award also. 

I could possibly go on for years about writing. It’s such a great thing to know and once you have your way with words, it’s hard to lose it.

The last thing I shall say is that I have this super awesome new book of writing which will be released soon! Exciting stuff.’

Vinnie has self published eight books of poetry online. One of his approaches to to ask people to submit a word or a sentence and he writes a poem based on that. Here is a powerful poem Vincent wrote called:

The Underdog

 Poem2

We felt we knew what he was talking about.

We also REALLY like this one: ‘One Step at a Time’ 

If you want to read more of Vincent’s poetry, click on this link to see his most recent book ‘A Lone Declaration’.

Many thanks to Vincent for answering our questions, allowing us to share his work and his advice to us about writing. We wish him every success and will follow his career with interest.

Poetry; Connections – Spring Poems by John Foster & ee cummings

We are ‘making connections’ again –

this time, between poems.

Poems about Spring.

The Three Musketeers!
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Tony Hammond via Compfight

It’s Spring by John Foster

 

It’s spring

And the garden is changing its clothes,

Putting away

Its dark winter suits,

Its dull scarves

And drab brown overcoats.

 

Now, it wraps itself in green shoots,

Slips on blouses

Sleeved with pink and white blossom,

Pulls on skirts of daffodil and primrose,

Snowdrops socks and purple crocus shoes,

Then dances in the sunlight.


"Friars Park, Shoeburyness, Essex, England UK February 2014"Creative Commons License hawkflight1066 via Compfight

In Just-                     by ee cummings

 

in Just-

spring when the world is mud-

luscious the little

lame balloonman

whistles far and wee

and eddieandbill come

running from marbles and

piracies and it’s

spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer

old balloonman whistles

far and wee

and bettyandisbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it’s

spring

and

the

goat-footed

balloonMan whistles

far

and

wee

Poetry: ‘A Christmas Kenning’ by Alex aged 11

Christmas Lighted Wreath
Photo Credit: Janet Beasley via Compfight

A kenning is type of poem.

It is a description that is economic in its use of words.

Two nouns metaphors are used to describe a person, place or thing.

You can read more about kennings here

on the Young Writers.co.uk website.

This is Alex’s kenning:

 

Present deliverer,

Cookie muncher,

Reindeer rider,

Chimney climber,

Joy maker,

Carrot feeder,

Roof lander,

Suit wearer,

Sack bearer,

Milk slurper,

Stocking filler,

Once a yearer,

Happy morning bringer…

 

Guess who?

Why … it’s Santa!

Writing Prompt: ‘I have a little shadow’ by Robert Louis Stevenson.

15.jpg

‘I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,

And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.

He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;

And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

3.jpg

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow

Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;

For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,

And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all.

10.jpg

He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,

And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.

He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;

I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

8.jpg

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,

I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;

But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,

Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.’

 

If this slideshow won’t play,

click on this link instead.

Recommended: ChildrensPoetryArchive.org

chasing shadows . . .
Photo Credit: David Robert Bliwas via Compfight

I discovered this website recently.

It’s a beta site and still being developed and is called.

Children’s Poetry Archive.org

 

I used it to look up one of our favourite children’s writers.

We find the work of Allan Ahlberg inspirational.

 

On this site you can hear poets reading their work.  

They also introduce their poems,

giving a little background,

which adds to one’s enjoyment of the poem. 

 

Introducing his poem ‘Please Mrs. Butler’,

Allan Alberg explains that its link with

the ‘psychological state of teachers’

and all the questions they get asked!

 

There is also a video interview with each poet.

Click on this link for Allan Alberg’s.

Watching this would be inspiring 

for aspiring poets.

 

I hope this website goes from strength to strength.

Guest Post: A Dad’s Poem

BeFunky_IMG_1087.jpg

i

The sun swings like a golf ball

High into the sky; and drops light down

Over the school.

 ii

The grown ups and little ones scurry

About as if powered by the ESB

Meals crinkled into tuck boxes

Breakfast rammed down. Milk spilled.

iii

The little ones power ahead

Parents shouting ‘stop’ near edge

The black tar!!

iv

Round the corner like

Something familiar on a dark night

School looms large

The little ones have reached their quest

The teacher leads like the

hunts woman.

v

Bugle sounds; tally ho; hey go

And the stair is charged.

They arrive; bags down

Lessons learnt; play yard

Done.

vi

Food found. Chat swirls

Around. Byes complete

The day; the little ones

Unwind themselves to

Home, like a spool of string

Ending in stop; now relax

Into a ball!!

by A.K

If you enjoyed this poem you may enjoy

A student’s poem about Teacher from 1993.