This poem is about a leafy sea dragon!
Tag: National Poetry Day
National Poetry Day: Skylark
Yay, still National Poetry Day! Here is a poem inspired by the Skylark’s War by Hilary McKay. A vision in the darkness.
The Twitter waves are buzzing today with poems, competitions, videos and poetry fun and so pop in if you can!
National Poetry Day Video of a Thomas Hardy Poem
Hello again! It is still National Poetry Day – if you haven’t seen the video of the poem I wrote especially for NPD, as I am a National Poetry Day Ambassador – see the entry before this on the home page!
I was also asked to choose a poem to go with mine, and this is the one I picked. The magical The Fallow Deer at the Lonely House, by Thomas Hardy.
National Poetry Day is Nigh!
The day of deliciousness for poets is nigh and getting nigher. National Poetry Day’s theme this year is vision, and I have a few poetry films to share up until the day.
In fact they are all bird poems.
Today it is the Curlew – the curlew is a rare and getting rarer sight, in fact it has just been declared endangered in the UK.
Hope you enjoyed that.
The National Poetry Day website is FULL of poets and poems and lesson plans and posters and general poetic delightfulness if you’d like to visit and find something to see or use on National Poetry Day.
National Poetry Day 2020!
The brilliant thing about National Poetry Day is that it does not need to be covid-cancelled. Poetry lends itself wonderfully to showcasing using an array of online opportunities, and the day will go ahead on October 1st.
This year’s theme is vision – my poem on the subject is below, also available on the NPD website. I’m very proud to be a National Poetry Day ambassador, and you can see all the ambassadors here with their poems for National Poetry Day, too!
If you have a poetry event planned for any age, you can add it to the National Poetry Day events calendar.
Don’t forget you can book a poet to do a Zoom or Skype or other online event for National Poetry Day – including me!
Long-Eared Owl
Who Knows?
Who knows what the owl sees
with its yellow planet eyes
shuffling moonlight in its feathers
under aubergine night-skies
who knows where the owl sees
hiding in the clambering trees
interrogating movements
from the doorways of the leaves
who knows how the owl sees
as the scrambled ground protects
the taps of tiny heartbeats
where evening dark collects
who knows who the owl’s seen
when its vision paths its flight
passing like an exhaled breath
until lost inside the night
© Liz Brownlee
National Poetry Week Truth Poem by Zaro Weil
Zaro Weil lives in an old farm on a little hill in southern France, and her poetry for children has appeared in many anthologies. She has written several books including a book of children’s poetry. Her book Firecrackers, Troika, illustrated by Jo Riddell, can be bought here, and her book, Cherry Moon is available here! Zaro’s website is here.
Unicorn
Unicorn
don’t go
let me ask you
how long you’ve been here
please
no lies
© Zaro Weil
Thank you, Zaro, for this lovely poem!
National Poetry Day Truth Poem by Liz Brownlee- The Panda
Another poem from me – the truth about pandas! Filmed in the snow a few years ago!
National Poetry Week, Climate Truth Poem from Andrea Shavick
Andrea Shavick is an experienced UK writer with 27 books published including best-selling children’s picture books, funny children’s poetry and a biography of Roald Dahl that’s still in print around the world after 20 years! Her poetry book, Grandma was Eaten by a Shark can be bought here. For freelance writing/commissions please get in touch via Andrea’s website here.
Environmentally Friendly Haiku
To save energy
Not to mention trees and ink
I’ll stop writing now
© Andrea Shavick
Thank you for this fun climate truth haiku, Andrea!
National Poetry Week – Truth Poem from Julie Anna Douglas
Julie started writing poetry four years ago and she just can’t stop! Her poems have appeared in magazines like Spider, Ember Journal and The Caterpillar and Watcher of the Skies, an anthology of space poetry by The Emma Press.
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What is Truth?
Truth is the mountains, the sea and the sky.
Truth is the answer when children ask ‘Why?’
Truth is the moment remembered for years.
Truth is the word which can stop or start tears.
Truth is the friendship where time always flies.
Truth is the photograph which never lies.
Truth is the thought that can cut through our fear.
Truth is not always what we want to hear.
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© Julie Anna Douglas
National Poetry Week Lie Poem by Trevor Parsons
Trevor Parsons was born in Parsons Green, London, but, disappointingly, was not the son of a parson. After studying dentistry at London University (he decided it was not for him) he had a variety of jobs including being a postman. He has written poetry since his postman days and for the last twenty years has written for children as well. He has had poems in dozens of anthologies and in 2011 had his first children’s collection, Hear Here (illustrated by Lucy Creed) published – available here! He also writes poems for greetings cards. This is his website.
Lying Around
Lying on the beach
lying in the sun
lying on a lounger
lying having fun.
Lying by the water’s edge
lying in the foam
couldn’t go to school that day
lying ill at home.
Lying in department stores
lying, she was caught
lying in a cell before
lying in the court.
Lying to the magistrate
she was nowhere near the crime
lying she was on the beach
lying all the time.
© Trevor Parsons
Thank you for this excellent poem, Trevor!
National Poetry Week Truth Poem by Michaela Morgan – Blake’s Tyger Revisited
Michaela Morgan has had over 140 titles published including poetry, picture books, junior novels and non-fiction. She is a regular visitor to schools. Her 2016 poetry book Wonderland: Alice in Poetry, illustrations by Tenniel, was shortlisted for the prestigious CLiPPA Award for poetry and her 2017 collection Reaching the Stars: Poems About Extraordinary Women and Girls co-authored with Jan Dean and Liz Brownlee won the North Somerset Teachers’ Book Award 2017. Her book How To Teach Poetry: Writing Workshops, stresses the importance of poetry across the curriculum.
Here she is with her poem Blake’s Tyger – Revisited.
National Poetry Week Lie Poem by Neal Zetter
Neal Zetter is an award-winning children’s author, comedy performance poet and entertainer. Most days Neal is found performing or running fun poetry writing or performance workshops in schools and libraries with children, teens, adults or families. He has worked in all 33 London Boroughs and many, many other UK cities. One of his Troika books for 6-13 year olds includes Yuck & Yum (A Feast of Funny Food Poems) illustrated by Scoular Anderson, with poet Joshua Seigal. More information is here. Neal’s Twitter page is here, and Neal’s Amazon Author page is here.
The Dog Ate My Homework
The dog ate my homework Miss
At breakfast time today
I managed to complete it first
I’m sure I got top grade
He suddenly felt peckish
In one gulp wolfed it down
I can’t hand in my homework
‘Cause I have a hungry hound
The dog ate my homework Miss
He shredded it to bits
Then munched it, crunched it, lunched it
Sent it to the dark abyss
It’s stuck inside his stomach
It nestles in his guts
I can’t hand in my homework
‘Cause my mutt has scoffed it up
The dog ate my homework Miss
I hate to break bad news
Preferred it to his dinner
And his biscuits, treats and chews
I’m begging you believe me
I’m telling you the truth
I can’t hand in my homework
‘Cause my pet’s a piggish pooch
The dog ate my homework Miss
It’s never coming back
My literacy, French, science
Art, geography and maths
He certainly is sorry
I hope you’re fine with that
But think I’d better warn you…
I also own a greedy cat
© Neal Zetter
Thanks for this funny poem, Neal!
National Poetry Day Lie Poem by Gerard Benson
Gerard Benson was one very beloved poet and was also a lovely friend to have. He was an actor, poet, raconteur, book reviewer, editor and co-founder of the ‘Poems on the Undergound’ project, former Barrow poet, former teacher at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Sadly he died in 2014, and is much missed.
He was an immensely talented poet – and any poem read in his wonderfully resonant tones was a joy to listen to. Here is one of his poems read by Hannah Evans.
National Poetry Week, Back to the Future with Liz Brownlee
Here is another poem from me. It is blatant lies. But it was fun to write and fun to perform… May 2018, with Eric Ode. It’s called Back to the Future. There’s a little out-takes piece on the end.
National Poetry Week – The Duck by Eric Ode
This Friday in National poetry week, here is Eric Ode (pronounced Oh-dee), a national award-winning children’s singer/songwriter, an author and widely published poet, and a thoroughly engaging entertainer. His performances include interactive music, stories, skits, poetry, props and puppets. One of his latest books is Sea Star Wishes, Poems from the Coast, illustrated by Erik Brooks, available here in the UK and here in the US. Eric’s website is here.
This is Eric in a video telling the truth about ducks.
Poetry Roundabout 