POEMS ARRANGED BY EVENT OR TOPIC

I am aware that poetry is often difficult to ‘fit in’ to the teaching curriculum when there are so many other priorities, and I have found that a good way to address it is to combine it with a topic that is being taught. The right poems can therefore educate on a topical level as well as a figurative language level, so when I find the inspiration I research subjects and write poems specifically for this purpose. I have therefore listed many of my poems into categories according to the subject, event or topic that they relate to, and have included any research that I have found useful where appropriate. All of my poems which fit into topicwork are listed below, but I have separated them further into specific topics of ENCOURAGEMENT AND INSPIRATION, FOOD, HISTORY AND EVENTS, (PEOPLE & HISTORIC EVENTS, TUDORS, VICTORIAN MINING, WORLD WAR TWO), NATURE, CREATION & THE WORLD ABOUT US (ANIMALS, FLOWERS PLANTS AND TREES, INSECTS/ MINIBEASTS/ SPIDERS, SEASIDE, SEASONS, WEATHER), SEASONAL POEMS (BONFIRE NIGHT POEMS, CHRISTMAS POEMS, HARVEST/ THANKSGIVING POEMS AND SONGS, MOTHERS DAY PERFORMANCE POEMS AND SONGS), and finally SENSES POEMS. Each of these are listed in the drop down menu from the TOPIC POEMS, and will therefore provide a smaller, more specific list of the poems which will interest you.

Guessing Game

27 January 2012

How soon can you guess the animal from the clues in this rhyming, descriptive haiku?

Read the full article →

Highlighted Snowdrop Poem (Personification)

27 January 2012

This is a duplication of my Good Morning Little Snowdrop poem, showing all of the personification examples in bold text and the alliteration examples in the refrains underlined.

Read the full article →

Good Morning Little Snowdrop

27 January 2012

This beautiful snowdrop poem is a great example of personification poetry, whilst including some alliteration in the refrains, and one example of word play (leaves)

Read the full article →

Evacuee’s Postcard Home

27 January 2012

    This creative shape poem hints at the stiff upper lip attitude, as well as the boy’s eagerness to reassure Mum.  It includes lots of emotion, plus creative word play in the address.

Read the full article →

Cobwebs

26 January 2012

This simple rhyming children’s acrostic poem about spiders includes a simile and a small amount of alliteration.

Read the full article →

Child Mine Workers

25 January 2012

    This senses poem includes lots of figurative language such as personification, adjectives, alliteration and metaphors that the children of Swinton Fitzwilliam Primary school gave me during a poetry workshop about life down the mines for the poor Victorian children in Britain.

Read the full article →

The Life Cycle of a Butterfly

24 January 2012

The Butterfly Life Cycle I wrote this poem especially to help children to learn the facts about the butterfly life cycle, from emerging as a caterpillar right through to metamorphosis into a butterfly. The poem uses  lots of alliteration and some metaphors and is particularly good for children to use in sequencing each event, as […]

Read the full article →

Beautiful Butterfly

24 January 2012

  This very tiny and simple butterfly poem uses word play (flutter by, butterfly), alliteration (repeating the ‘b’s and the ‘p’s), and is written in the style of a list poem (the repetition of beautiful butterfly).  It has a delicacy and gentility like the butterfly it talks about.  This is a favourite with very young […]

Read the full article →

Easter: Just for me?

21 January 2012

I have often heard the following questions.  In fact I have asked them myself………. What has Easter got to do with me? Why is it relevant? Why did Jesus have to die anyway? This poem is the answer to my own questioning.  I hope that it makes Easter more relevant to you too.  

Read the full article →

Bad Behaviour At The Alliteration Zoo

21 January 2012

    I wrote this poem specifically as an example of alliteration poetry, demonstrating alliteration to children in an obvious and humorous way…

Read the full article →