HEAL embraced World Poetry Day encouraging our students to put words into feelings that we can’t otherwise describe.
Poetry allows us to communicate our fears, passions, joys and memories in a way that preserves them. This week in HEAL we encouraged out students to share ideas, express emotions, and create imagery through their poetry.
This HEAL student was inspired by a visit to the Resistance photography exhibition at The Turner Contemporary Gallery in Margate. With his teacher, he discussed the idea that sometimes poems can be like forming a picture out of words instead of drawings.
The student then chose this photograph to write a poem about. He imagined being in the photo and used the grounding technique (five things you can see, four that you hear, three that you feel, two that you smell, one that you taste) to provide a structure for this evocative poem below:
Exploring poetic devices in the poem ‘Shark’ was used to develop understanding of poetry. With the support of their teacher, this student identified similes and metaphors as well as rhyming words and verbs before applying their knowledge. The student also wrote an acrostic poem himself, selecting all the vocabulary independently.
This student carefully chose words and arranged them carefully to form his poem, carefully creating rhythm to convey his love of Pool.
Best Shot
When the pool league starts,
May the rolls be in your favour,
My cue is all I need to play.
Chalk up, take aim.
Break strong,
Cleared the table.
Played the game.
“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found its words.” Robert Frost
Reflecting on a significant event is often a form of inspiration. This student’s thoughts on the Covid pandemic and the lockdown have found their words.
With the support of his teacher, this student used his lock down experience to construct this thought-provoking poem that will resonate with many. He also kindly recited some of his wonderful poem for us to enjoy.
The things we love can translate positive energy and this is clearly evident in this poem about the student’s dog . The student watched ‘Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou and ‘The Raven’ by Edgar Allen Poe for ideas.
“Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance” Carl Sandburg. This poem by a HEAL student seems to suggest that the student has found his shadow.
In summary, World Poetry Day in HEAL has provoked every emotion and sparked conversation. This is what makes poetry so powerful.
Lisa Millikin, Assistant Head Teacher at HEAL
