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Philip de Vos
Philip de Vos used to be a language teacher and opera singer; he is also a photographer, radio presenter and award-winning writer and poet. He has published 30 books of light verse, limericks, novels and children’s books in both English and Afrikaans. He has also done rhyming translations of more than 50 children’s books into Afrikaans including 12 by Julia Donaldson. Three of Philip’s books are in light verse in English, inspired by well known classical works. Carnival of the Animals (based on the work of Saint-Saëns), Pictures at an Exhibition illustrated by Piet Grobler (based on Mussorgsky’s music), and coming in May 2018, Day for a Hullabaloo also illustrated by Piet Grobler, (based on Kinderszenen by Robert Schumann).
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Here is one of Philip’s poems in English:
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OF OTHER LANDS AND OTHER CHILDREN
Children of another land
are sometimes hard to understand.
When the sunlight floods my room,
other children watch the moon.
When I’m good, then they are bad.
When I’m happy, they are sad.
Other children, other faces,
other words and other places:
Baba Yaga, marabou,
Lorelei and cockatoo,
Yokohama, Gazankulu,
Mali, Bali, Honolulu.
Children of another land
are sometimes hard to understand …
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© Philip de Vos (from Day for a Hullabaloo 2018)
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Here is Philip reading some of his poems in English:
And here Philip sings the musical setting of one of his poems (in Africaans):
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Poetry Roundabout 
Great poetry for kids is so important. This sounds excellent especially considering the month.
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It certainly is, Jacqui. Not only for reading skills and listening skills, but for finding out about worlds, other emotions, other people, other places.
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If only I had been introduced to poems such as this as a child, I might be more keen on poetry today.Sadly I wasn’t. Never too late, so perhaps by the end of the month, I will be a convert!
My Friend Rosey – E is for Employment
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Hello, Keith, yes – you must be younger than me. When I was a child, everywhere, there was poetry, in comics, in annuals, in the newspapers and magazines. Lear’s The Pobble Who Has No Toes and Stevensen’s From a Railway Carriage are two that were in my Treasure Annual. i loved poetry from that… so often that love is replaced by the memories of having to dissect and give meaning, ONE meaning to poems during exams, when what you get from a poem is personal and should remain that way, imo.
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I very much doubt I’m younger than you but it’s lovely to hear you think so! I’m going to stick with your last sentence and agree that appreciation of poetry is subjective. I have to say though, I’m enjoying these!
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I am so pleased!
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