Seven children from Goodwyn school were specially selected to write a poem for Queenswood’s Poetry competition. We were tasked with writing a poem around the theme of celebrations, and I wrote mine on how important music is to me and how I celebrate music in my life. A few weeks later I found out that Hayden, Raheem and I were chosen to attend a Young Writer’s activity morning as part of the Queenswood Literary festival. 

10 lucky winners from 6 primary schools went to the workshop run by Professor Pango Mango, who is a poet performer and inspires young people to get creative with their poetry skills. His quirkiness and silliness shown through when he performed his own poems, and the activities he did with us were just as funny. In one he had a bunch of hats and pulled out a hat with a flamingo on it and grabbed a mini bongo drum and started dancing around singing “flamingo, flamingo, flamingo” and when we he pointed to us, we had to repeat back to him the word flamingo. However when he whispered crocodile we had to flap our arms and run away. The purpose of this was to warm up our voices up and to have some fun at the same time. 

After our warmup, we each got given a hat and were asked to create a four-line silly poem about based on the theme of our hat. I was given a pirate hat and I performed mine: 

 Wooden leg Sam the buccaneer, 

Whilst onboard drank too much beer. 

He loved to have fun and a good lark, 

Until he was eaten by a shark! 

Maya

After a short break, we performed the poems we entered into the competition (see below) and we all got prizes and certificates from the headmistress of Queenwood. 

 Professor Pango Mango taught me not to fear performing in front of other people and how important it is to project your voice as well how to manipulate my voice depending on the content of my speech and the audience. I so enjoyed the morning and I am so excited to continue my poetry journey. 

Song of Life 

Rising early each morning  

Listening to the birds hum 

Hearing a gentle whistle in the breeze 

A flower blossoms a new tune. 

Gazing at the stars 

Their voices loud and clear 

Harmony dancing through each chorus 

Shining brightly to the beat 

Drifting chant tickling the air 

Each person’s heart 

Moves to their own melody 

Lyrics screaming 

The joy of music overwhelms my soul 

Taking me places previously unknown 

When words fail me song sing out 

Loud and Proud 

Maya, Lower Prep, Year 5