Lies

National Poetry Day 2019

National Poetry Day! Lies Poem from Philip Gross.

Posted on October 3, 2019October 3, 2019 by Liz Brownlee

It’s National Poetry Day! Hip, hip hooray! This fabulous poem today is from Philip Gross, whose life as a Quaker informs much of what he writes with its special relationship between words and silence. His work includes poetry for adults and for children, thought-provoking fiction for young people, schools opera libretti, radio short stories and plays. His children’s poetry includes The All-Nite Café, illustrated by Claire Fletcher, which won the Signal Award, and Off Road To Everywhere, illustrated by Jonathan Gross, the winner of the CLiPPA (CLPE) poetry award 2011. His latest book, Dark Sky Park (Otter Barry), illustrated by Jesse Hodgson, was nominated for a CLiPPA this year.

White Ones

with small scritchety claws

and pink

shortsighted blink-

ing-in-the-sunlight

eyes that looked raw

as if they’d cried all night…

One morning they were gone.

On holiday,

says Dad. Gone to stay

with their friends

in the pet shop. And so I pretend

I don’t know about the cage door

he left open. I try to ignore

the look on the face of the cat.

It isn’t that

wakes me up in the darkness. No,

it’s the scritch and the scratch

at the bars, those pink-eyed

lies. They’re only little

white ones, oh

but watch them breed and grow.

© Philip Gross (first published in Off Road To Everywhere (Salt, 2009)

Thank you for the fabulous poem, Philip Gross!

National Poetry Day 2019

National Poetry Week Lie Poem from Trevor Millum

Posted on October 2, 2019October 2, 2019 by Liz Brownlee

Trevor is a writer and performer of short stories and poems for children and has published lots of other stuff too. His poems are widely published and anthologised. He is also an experienced workshop leader and is well known for his work on creativity and developing the use of ICT in English. His website is here.

A lie
set free
like a fly
where will it settle
where will it go
will it mate
and reproduce
produce maggots
of untruth?

A promise made
Emerging like a butterfly
From its cocoon
Tests it wings
Takes flight
Settles… moves on…
Can it be trusted?

A reminder…
A buzzing fly
banging at the window pane
of your mind
flies off around the room
out of sight, out of mind
And returns
bangs against the pane again

An excuse..
Wriggling
Avoiding the light
A worm
Wanting the haven of deep dark soil
Away from the pecking beaks
Of close questioning

Thank you very much for this great lie poem, Trevor!

National Poetry Day 2019

National Poetry Week, Climate Lies Poem from Dom Conlon

Posted on October 2, 2019October 2, 2019 by Liz Brownlee

We continue today, the day before National poetry Day, with a climate lies poem from Dom Conlon. Dom 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.

There is no new land to discover

The law passed in the year

twenty-it-doesn’t-matter

making it illegal to make anything

which could not biodegrade

but change came too late

they’d already climbed into the plastic bath

and cut it loose from the plumbing

plug plugged in taps stopped

as the latest flood

licked away the wall like a stamp

sending them out through the town clutching

each other like loofahs

but all we found all we have of them now

is the rubber duck

squeaking its parched cry over a sea of bags

whispering in the wind of days out days shopping

days caught below a storm filled with gossip

of how the world does not need saving.

Great Climate Lies poem, Dom, thank you.

National Poetry Day 2019

National Poetry Week, Lie Poem from Coral Rumble

Posted on October 2, 2019September 30, 2019 by Liz Brownlee

Wednesday’s National Poetry Day Week poem is from the wonderful Coral Rumble. Coral has worked as a poet and performer for many years and now specialises in writing and performing for children. She has three collections, Creatures, Teachers and Family Features, Breaking the Rules, illustrated by Nigel Baines, and My Teacher’s as Wild as a Bison, also illustrated by Nigel Baines, and has poems in over 100 anthologies for young people. Her website is here.

The Lie Fox

Sometimes, the Lie Fox

Races out of my mouth

Before I can stop him.

He’s a sneaky character –

Crafty, cunning, conniving,

Tricking my tongue into action.

Speedily, he darts into ears,

Wriggles into the minds

Of my trusting friends.

He’s sly, that artful Lie Fox,

Always prising open my pursed lips,

Chasing the truth into dark corners.

Thank you for this great lie poem, Coral!

National Poetry Day 2019

National Poetry Week Truth Poem by Kate Williams

Posted on October 1, 2019October 1, 2019 by Liz Brownlee

Kate Williams wrote her first poems for her children – anything to get them to sleep at night! But they stayed awake and suggested she sent them off to a publisher. She followed their advice and has been writing poems ever since, with around 200 published to date in books and arts magazines for children in the UK, Australia and the US. Kate also provides poetry workshop days for primary schools. Here is her website.

If we let it

As true as the blue of a field cornflower,
As surely as the glory of a great, green wood,
As stark as the bark of a midnight fox,
As clear as the dear robin’s cheep-cheep-cheep,
As true as me and you, and all we ever knew,
our world will fall away if we let it.

Thank you for sending your lovely truth poem, Kate!

National Poetry Day 2019

National Poetry Week! Truth Poem from Joshua Seigal

Posted on October 1, 2019October 1, 2019 by Liz Brownlee

Tuesday’s poem for National Poetry week is from Joshua Seigal. Joshua is a London-based poet, a performer and educator. He has three published books and has performed all over the world. He has held residencies at numerous schools, and is an official National Poetry Day Ambassador. His website is here and his book, I don’t Like Poetry, illustrated by Chris Piascik, here.

Lies

Whenever I start crying
I say that I feel sick,
and no one knows I’m lying –
It always does the trick.

It’s what I tell my teachers,
my friends, my mum and dad –
I tell them that I feel sick
when really I feel sad.

Thank you for this lovely poem, Joshua Seigal!

National Poetry Day 2019

National Poetry Week! Monday’s Poem from Laura Mucha!

Posted on September 30, 2019 by Liz Brownlee

Today’s poem for National Poetry week is from the fabulous Laura Mucha! Laura has worked as a face painter, studied flying trapeze, philosophy and psychology, and swam in Antarctica before becoming a lawyer. Now she spends most of her time playing with words. Her poetry has been published in books, magazines and newspapers around the world, and she’s performed on BBC Radio, at festivals and in schools. In 2016, she won the Caterpillar Poetry Prize. You can read and listen to Laura’s poetry here.

I Did Not See What He Said He Saw

No witness stands, confirms his claim.
No doctor certifies he’s sane.
Optician – none, his eyesight – poor,
perhaps he might believe he saw
precisely what he says he saw…

But that’s just it – a mere belief:
the mind’s a trickster, joker, thief.

And so, as I have said before,
I did not see what he said he saw.

Thank you for that great poem Laura!