Yardstick Poetry Workshop: Cotham Centre

On Friday, June 27, 2013, I conducted a writing workshop with Jamala Safari at the Cotham Centre in Bristol, England. Using Kwame Dawes's "Tornado Child," we talked about the elements of poetry and later I invited the students to write a poem.

Here are a few poems that Lucy Mitchell, a teacher at Cotham tried with her Year 7 (12 year old) students.

Flo Adey-Meadows

I am a waterfall child

I see the future and race to the end

Others look and may pretend.

No matter what they do and feel

I will carry on and somehow heal.

I am a waterfall child.

I may have crashed into the world

I turn to bubbles and gently

Become peaceful but effervescent.

I come with great power

Charlie Keith

I am a sun child

As I move plants glow with energy

From the sun

When I finish my mission I will burn into light.

I will feel like nothing.

All I will know is I am done.

But I have a determination to go.

When I arrive people will rejoice

With their inner light.

My mission is over

Magical times are with us

I AM THE SUN CHILD

I am magical.

Isaac Stone

I am a lightning child

When I am commanded by thunder

I dive bomb the ground

I kill trees

I electrocute fish

I flashed into being and shocked the world

I am a lightning child

When people see me they freak and run.

I am the lightning child.

Amazing.

Masoom Islam

I am an earthquake child

When I was born

My parents named me Shawn

I made the midwife’s hair puff

I was called the hurricane child

My behaviour was mild

My rage is a hurricane

I’m going to Haiti.

An earthquake.

When I arrive mountains will crumble

The sky will fall.

Fatima Hussein

I am a sunny child

The wind was calm

When I first touched my Mum’s palm

When I was born the wind made an unusual sound

I am a sunny child.

I opened my eyes

The wind moved in one direction

When I run the wind runs

I am a sunny child

I am invisible

I walk past and you feel the wind on your face

You see a sparkle

The sun glistens on your head

The sun follows you

I play with the sun

I am awesome

Kaydia Oliver

I am a waterfall child

The fish are plopping

The water is crashing

The colours are bright

Sky and water

I am a waterfall child

I am running to the sea

I am cold in the water

When I go to the sea

I am happy

Sophie Wiggins

I am a volcano child

The roar erupted from the mouth of my mother

The burning pain grew

I am a volcano child

I invade the privacy of pale-faced people although they were expecting me

The fire inside me guides me to my belonging

I tumble down the mountain of my childhood to my flat ground

This will remain constant

I am a volcano child.

You will find me one day.

Maurice Byrne

I am a lightning child

When I was born I flashed my power

Meeting anything that was in my way with a

Façade of light.

The animals fled into the night,

Illuminated with my flashes.

I am a lightning child.

Now I move along

Through the clouds from which I was born

Smiting the people who hurt me,

Setting things on fire.

They see my blinding white then plunge into the darkest night.

I am a lightning child

I will always be here

My foes will be in fear

Feel my presence everywhere

Always poised to strike

People will be glad

Feel secure

Always there when in need

I am present.

Bryony Kay

I am a flower child

I am a river child

Rushing through landscapes

Far and wide

Away from the comfort of Spring

Sprouting from a desolate rock.

I am a river child

Brought on by the storms

Defeating the lightning

The storm settles

So does the current

No longer carrying the weight of the world

On my shoulders

I am free to wander the rushes and waterlillies

I am a river child

I twist and turn

Wherever the wind takes me.

After "Tornado Child" by Kwame Dawes.

Thank you, Lucy Mitchell and the Yardstick Festival, for this opportunity to share my craft and Kwame Dawes's poetry with your students.

***