A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

A is for Author and Children’s Poet Philip Ardagh, #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 30, 2018April 24, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Philip Ardagh

Best known as an author of children’s prose (and for his beard), Philip Ardagh also writes poetry for all ages; his poems appearing in a variety of anthologies. These include Green Glass Beads, collected by Jacqueline Wilson, Read Me and Laugh, collected by Gaby Morgan, A Million Brilliant Poems (part one), collected by Roger Stevens, and Puppy Poems collected by Gaby Morgan. This is Philip on Tumblr and on Twitter. I know Philip as a very, very funny man – this poem doesn’t reflect that, but it is one of my favourites of his:

Goodbye, Good Boy

Old, old friend.

Stiff-boned now,

Like Grandma’s fingers.

My first true love.

I bury my face in your fur,

Black, now streaked with white.

You smell of sunshine

And golden days of play.

You manage to lift your head

And look at me with trusting

Amber eyes.

I recall your puppy days

And all we’ve shared together since.

The secrets that I’ve told you,

Best dog. Best friend.

A part of me forever.

Kind hands lift you from me.

It is time.

I will be with you until the end, boy.

I’m right here at your side.

And afterwards? You will live

In my thoughts,

the happiest wet-nosed memory of all.

But first the pain.

Who knew unhappiness

Could feel like this?

You thump your tail on the

stainless-steel table.

My heart-bursting wish,

Trough burning eyes,

To turn back time.

Goodbye, Good boy.

Good dog.

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter

A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

A is for Poet and Children’s Poet Moira Andrew, #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 30, 2018April 30, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Moira Andrew

Moira Andrew was born and educated in Scotland, became a primary teacher, worked her way up to Assistant Head, then lectured in education at Craigie College of Education, Ayr before moving to Bristol where she was Head Teacher of a primary school. During the 80s, 90s and into the 2000s she wrote stories and poetry for children. Here most recent poetry collection is Wish a Wish, illustrated by Anna Popescu, Poetry Space, 2016, available here. Moira’s website is here.

This is one of Moira’s gorgeous poems:

Portrait of a Dragon

If I were an artist

I’d paint the portrait

of a dragon.

To do a proper job

I’d borrow colours

from the world.

For his back I’d

need a mountain range,

all misty blue.

For spikes I’d use

dark fir trees pointing

to the sky

For overlapping scales

I’d squeeze dye from

bright anemones.

I’d gild his claws

like shining swords

with starlight.

His tail would be

a river, silver

in the sun.

For his head, the

secret green of forests

and deep seas.

And his eyes would

glow like embers in

a tinker’s fire.

But I’d keep the best

till last. For his

hot breath

I’d use all reds and

yellows – crocus, saffron,

peony, poppy,

geranium, cyclamen, rose –

and fierce orange flames

from a marigold.

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter

A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

A is for Emergency Children’s Poet Deborah Alma, #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 30, 2018April 24, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Deborah Alma

Deborah Alma is the Emergency Poet in her vintage ambulance which she takes to schools and libraries and festivals. She has edited three adult poetry books and written her own collection of poems too. She lives with her partner the poet James Sheard on a hillside in Powys, Wales with a cat called Little My and a sheepdog called Daisy. Her website is here.

Here is one of Deborah’s poems, written in response to the picture shown:

The Spirit of the House

from the painting by August Macke 1910

A smug cat, a cosy cat, a passing cat,

a blue striped jug, with the light catching

the glaze, its dazzle closes the eyes

of the cat -it is a jug of cream.

A scented geranium, red and jaunty

in a terracotta pot.

Three small oranges and a blue dish

to hold the finger rubs of friends around its rim

always, always when they come, they reach out

to stroke the leaves, to rub the dish,

to add to the stroked smug of the cat,

to peel an orange.

There they are my friends, their backs

to the wall as they bend and bow

to half heard music, from the times we danced

to the times we laughed.

A smug cat, a cosy cat, a passing cat.

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter

A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

A is for Adisa the Verbaliser #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 30, 2018April 29, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Adisa the Verbaliser

Adisa was born with a silver tongue and a head full of rhymes. He exploded onto the spoken word scene in 1993. His mango flavoured metaphors and his larva-fuelled performances soon became legendary on the London performance poetry circuit. One year after taking his show on the road, Adisa landed first place in a National competition titled New Performance Poet of the Year. Benjamin Zephaniah, who was one of the judges said: “Adisa is the future. It’s so good to have something to look forward to.” Adisa’s really amazing website with contact info is here.

Here is one of his fabulous poems:

I am carnival

London is no longer naked

Picasso’s brush has kissed human skin

The world unites on one doorstep

Now the masquerade can begin

A million voices crescendo

All speaking the same tongue

The sound system speaker pays respect

To the godfarther the African drum

A sea of hands holds the heavens aloft

As if offering the creator a prayer

Baselines embrace slippery waistlines

The rhythm is so moving, even the statues shed a tear

Sound bites have no place in this parliament

The government has come to the streets

In this global democracy

The people vote with their feet

Some bring red, some bring yellow

Then fly their flags to salute the day

The young find wisdom in an elders face

The old remember the joys of play

And above the music

We hang our dreams on the shoulders of hope

Riding this runaway train

And harmonizing on the same note

Which sounds like

I am London

I am the world

I am Carnival

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter

A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

B is for Children’s Poet Liz Brownlee, #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 28, 2018April 25, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Liz Brownlee

Liz Brownlee is the children’s poet who collated this A-Z (in answer to a survey in the UK which found teachers were mostly unable to name more than one children’s poet). Liz is a National Poetry Day Ambassador, hosts this website, and runs the Twitter feed for @kidspoetsummit. Her latest books are Reaching the Stars, Poems about Extraordinary Women and Girls, Macmillan, written with Jan Dean and Michaela Morgan, which won the N. Somerset Teachers’ Book awards in 2017, The Same Inside, Poems about Empathy and Friendship, Macmillan, written with Matt Goodfellow and Roger Stevens, and Apes to Zebras, An A-Z of Shape Poems, Bloomsbury, written with Sue Hardy-Dawson and Roger Stevens. Liz loves visiting schools, libraries, literary festivals etc. and has read in town centres to the Southbank Centre accompanied by her assistance dog, Lola. Her website is here and Twitter here..

This is a poem from Apes to Zebras, An A-Z of Shape Poems:

.© Liz Brownlee

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter

A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

B is for Children’s Poet Carole Bromley, #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 28, 2018April 24, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Carole Bromley

Carole Bromley lives in York where she has taught in schools, a Sixth Form College and at York University. She now tutors for the Arvon Foundation, the Poetry Society and the Poetry School. She was shortlisted for Manchester Writing for Children Award, and performed at CLiPPA Awards 2016. Her poetry collection for children, Blast Off! illustrated by Cathy Benson, is available here. Carole is available for workshops and readings in schools and at festivals.

Here is her poem!

Goldilocks

I’d listened at the door; they were always there,

the daddy with the voice and the enormous chair,

the mummy with the pinny, stirring the vat;

banging his spoon, their spoilt wee brat.

The chance came soon; they were humouring

the kid, swinging him hand to hand,

There there, baby bear let’s leave our bowls,

walk in the forest till the porridge cools.

All the more for me; I walked in from the yard

climbed onto daddy’s chair – far too hard.

You know the score – hard, soft, right

hot, cold, fine; big, small, mine.

Point was I had the whole place to myself,

put telly on, took a bath, rearranged a shelf.

Then it was Who’s been sitting in our chairs,

helping themselves? Beds are for bears

and this one’s bust. Yeah, yeah, fair cop.

But they chased after me and didn’t stop

till jumping out the window was the only way;

and there’s me thinking they’d ask me to stay.

But I’ll be back, you mark my words;

bears living in houses! It’s just absurd;

bears eating porridge, bears wearing frocks –

next time they’re out I’m changing the locks.

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter

A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

B is for Children’s Poet and Illustrator Ed Boxall, #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 28, 2018April 24, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Ed Boxall

Ed Boxall lives in Hastings, a seaside town in the South of England. He is a writer, illustrator, performer and educator and likes to make poems, pictures, stories and songs. He has written and illustrated several picture books but in recent years Ed has realised he loves writing poems best and has his first full collection Me and My Alien Friend which will be published by Troika in 2018. Ed also publishes his work through ‘The Pearbox Press‘. These books are quite unusual black and white picture books that illustrate Ed’s surreal story-poems. Ed’s favourite is High in The Old Oak Tree about a boy who spends his whole life up a tree. He runs workshops, residencies and special events based on his writing and illustration, and performs in schools, arts centres, galleries and at festivals. Ed’s Website is here.

Here is one of Ed’s great poems:

Glitter

I know there’s glitter in the cupboard,

In perfect brand new tubes,

But I never get to use it,

My mum’s always got an excuse.

She says ‘It’s not long until dinner’

And ‘It always makes such a mess’

I was three when we last used the glitter,

Now I’m nearly ten.

Pencils and paper are fine,

To draw cat faced butterflies

But I really need that glitter

For the comets that blast through the skies.

For the sparkle of the scarecrow’s treasure

The glisten of the monkey’s crown

For the glimmer of the newborn galaxies

Above a Martian mountain town

The stardust that floats through my dreams

Races just out of my reach

But the glitter shut up in the cupboard

Is right there and wants to be free.

©Ed Boxall 2013

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter

A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

B is for Children’s Poet and Performer Ian Bland, #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 28, 2018April 1, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Ian Bland

Ian Bland has work published by Macmillan, Scholastic, AC Black, Oxford University Press and Hands Up Books to name just a few. His poetry was recently featured on BBC1’s Match of the Day and he has performed many times on regional and national radio. Since 2000 Ian has worked as a professional children’s poet and performer and has visited literally thousands of schools, libraries and festivals both here in the UK and all over the world. Ian’s website, where you can buy copies of his books, is here.

Here is one of his poems:

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter

A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

B is for Ian Billings, Children’s Poet and Stand-Up Comic, #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 28, 2018April 1, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Ian Billings

As well as being poet, Ian is a children’s author and stand-up comic for kids; his stand up show has taken him round the world, including Brunei where he performed for the Sultan’s grandsons. As an educationalist he has also taken his literacy performance and workshop into 3,500 schools. He has 23 books to his credit! His latest poetry book is Lost Property and can be found here. Ian’s website is here, and Twitter here.

Here is one of Ian’s poems!

POEM – DOOR

Dad took our front door
back to the hardware store
He was angry, in a fit.
“Why bring back your door to this hardware store?
It’s odd I have to admit.”
“I brought back this door to this hardware store,
I’m so angry I could spit,
I brought back this door to this hardware store,
‘cos somebody’s already opened it!”

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter

A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

B is for Children’s Poet Clare Bevan, #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 28, 2018April 24, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Clare Bevan

Clare fell in love with poetry when she was very young. She started writing poetry of her own and one poem about the horrors of hockey was printed in the school magazine. After that, she wrote song lyrics for a local performance; wrote plays in verse for children; poems about the children she taught; and eventually her poems began to appear in proper anthologies! Now her work is in over a hundred poetry books – and in fiction and poetry books of her own such as Ballerina, Fairy, Mermaid and Princess Poems for Macmillan Children’s Books. Clare loves visiting schools to pass on the joy of reading and writing poetry. Read more about Clare here.

Here is one of Clare’s gorgeous poems:

The Treasures

Who will bring me the hush of a feather ?

“I,” screeched the Barn Owl. “Whatever the weather.

Who will bring me the shadows that flow ?

“I,” snarled the Tiger. “Wherever I go.”

Who will bring me the colours that shine ?

“I,” shrieked the Peacock. “Because they are mine.”

Who will bring me the crash of the wave ?

“I,” sang the Dolphin. “Because I am brave.”

Who will bring me the secrets of night ?

“I,” called the Bat. “By the moon’s silver light.”

Who will bring me the scent of the flower ?

“I,” hummed the Bee. “By the sun’s golden power.”

Who will bring me the waterfall’s gleam ?

“I,” sighed the Minnow. “By river and stream.”

Who will bring me the strength of the small ?

“I,” cried the Spider. “When webs line your wall.”

Who will bring me the shiver of snow ?

“I,” howled the Wolf Cub. “When icicles grow.”

And who will bring me a nest, furry warm ?

“I,” squeaked the Rat. “When we hide from the storm…

But who will care for the Treasures we give ?”

“I,” said the Child.

“For as long as I live.”

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter

A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

B is for Children’s Poet Debra Bertulis, #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 28, 2018April 11, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Debra Bertulis

Debra Bertulis wanted to be a writer all her life. She now writes children’s poetry, plays and is busy working on a middle grade novel and a collection of her own poetry. As a teacher of speech and drama, Debra is passionate about her work at an outstanding Primary Academy. She has been published in poetry magazines including Caterpillar Magazine, and anthologies, including Is this a Poem? Ed. Roger Stevens, Bloomsbury, and also a recent Bloomsbury Education series by Brian Moses including Poems about the Seasons. Her latest publication is in Joshua Seigal’s upcoming I Bet I can Make you Laugh, Bloomsbury Education. She enjoys visiting schools across the country with Authors Abroad. Her website is here.

Here is one of Debra’s great poems:

Mr Snowman

Monday built our Snowman

Sitting proud and fat

Tuesday gave him a football scarf

And the warmest woolly hat

Wednesday gave him button eyes

Thursday a carrot nose

Friday gave him sticks for arms

And Saturday more clothes

But Sunday gave bad weather

The sky began to cry

Sunday took our Snowman

We never said goodbye.

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter

A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

C is for American Children’s Poet Cynthia Cotten, #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 27, 2018April 5, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Cynthia Cotten

Cynthia Cotten has been writing fiction and poetry for young people for more than 30 years. She has published several critically-praised picture books, including Snow Ponies, This Is The Stable, and The Book Boat’s In, and has poems included in numerous collections, including America at War, Jumping Off the Library Shelves, illustrated by Jane Manning, here in the US, here in the UK, and World Make Way, here in the US, here in the UK, all edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins. She lives in Lockport, New York (not far from Niagara Falls), in a house on the banks of the historic Erie Canal. Her website is here.

Here is one of Cynthia’s poems:

MY CARD

This may look

like a plain,

pocket-sized

piece of plastic

but it’s really a

super-card.

More powerful than

the smartest phone,

more powerful than

a tv remote,

more powerful than

a hundred apps,

my library card

unlocks the world

and more

with a single

scan.

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter

A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

C is for Children’s Poet and Anthologist Paul Cookson, #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 27, 2018April 24, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Paul Cookson

Paul has worked as a poet for nearly thirty years and visited around 4000 schools, libraries, festivals, front rooms. He has written and edited over 60 titles – including the best selling The Works – and has sold over a million books. He is the Poet in Residence for The National Football Museum, Slade’s Poet Laureate, Writer in Residence for Sing Together and Chant Productions. And he is a National Poetry Day Ambassador. Everton Football Club commissioned a poem for their season ticket campaign and the Everton Home poem which can be found online and has been played on the big screens at Goodison Park. His latest collection – The Very Best Of (Macmillan) is out now and contains many of his signature poems – including the favourite, Let No-one Steal Your Dreams – alongside other favourites and new pieces. Paul’s website is here and his Twitter here.

And here is Paul’s fab favourite poem:

LET NO-ONE STEAL YOUR DREAMS

Let no-one steal your dreams

Let no-one tear apart

The burning of ambition

That fires the drive inside your heart

Let no-one steal your dreams

Let no-one tell you that you can’t

Let no-one hold you back

Let no-one tell you that you won’t

Set your sights and keep them fixed

Set your sights on high

Let no-one steal your dreams

Your only limit is the sky

Let no-one steal your dreams

Follow your heart

Follow your soul

For only when you follow them

Will you feel truly whole

Set your sights and keep them fixed

Set your sights on high

Let no-one steal your dreams

Your only limit is the sky

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter

A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

C is for Children’s Poet and Educator Pie Corbett, #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 27, 2018April 5, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Pie Corbett

Pie Corbett is an English educational trainer, writer, author, anthologiser and poet who has written over two hundred books. He is now best known for creating Talk for Writing which is a teaching programme that supports children as storytellers and writers. He has supported children’s writing and children’s poets as well as the education of primary children for many years. His main collection is called Evidence of Dragons, illustrated by Chris Riddell and Peter Bailey, published by Macmillan Children’s Books.

Here is one of Pie’s fabulous poems:

In the Land of Possibility

In the land of possibility,

there is a swan’s final feather;

a fragment of the moon’s crust;

the final echo of a rainbow’s cry;

the gleam from a conker

when the shell cracks open;

a silence that was trapped after sleep takes over;

the secret of how clouds travel;

the stillness in an opal’s centre;

a spider’s web that has snared

a bee from the hives at the edge of the lake;

a thief’s subtle grin as he sneaks into a house;

the moment when two ideas clash together;

the sudden grating of a car’s brakes

juddering to a terrible halt;

a whip of sea spray gathering

in the wind on an ocean wide;

flames curling their sulphurous tongues;

snowflakes settling on pine trees

and a gobstopper made of honey.

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter

A to Z Blog Challenge 2018

C is for Children’s Poet Dom Conlon, #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Posted on April 27, 2018April 24, 2018 by Liz Brownlee

Dom Conlon

Dom Conlon launched onto the children’s poetry scene with Astro Poetica, illustrated by Jools Wilson, a collection of poems inspired by space and praised by Nicola Davies, Jon Culshaw, George Szirtes and many more. Since then he has been published in magazines and anthologies whilst performing and teaching in schools and libraries around the North West. He’s a regular guest on BBC Radio Lancashire where his poetry covers everything from the universe to grief. Dom’s work can be read here.

Here is one of Dom’s great poems:

Red Bike

Where is my red bike?
The rag bone man took it to sell for his supper.

Who bought its shine?
The rain took that to polish its tears .

Who bought its bell?
Time took that to mark out its years.

Who bought its tyres?
The wind took those to carry its clouds.

Who bought its seat?
The mountain took that to help the sky rest.

Who bought its chain?
The river took that to pull all its fish.Who bought its journeys?
I kept those for when you no longer visit.

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You can hear more about children’s poets and poetry, if you follow The Children’s Poetry Summit, @kidspoetsummit on Twitter