Dear Children/Teachers/Parents,
With set poems included on the LAMDA syllabus and chosen for International Festivals, my work is regularly performed all over the world.
Children! Good luck from me if you are learning to recite my poems for an exam/performance.
Below are just a few of my poems published in various anthologies. A fun list of publications is on 'Published Work.' Thank you!
A Star Called Christa
There is an asteroid named Christa
And a crater on the moon
In memory of a teacher
Who lost her life too soon.
Christa was so excited
To have won the coveted place
The first U.S. civilian
To venture into space
Millions of children watched in schools
Millions of children cried
As seventy-three seconds after launch
The dream that was hers had died
There must be a star called Christa
A star that will never die
Beaming a ray of love and hope
To dreamers like you and I.
(In Memory of Christa McAuliffe who died on the Challenger Space Shuttle Mission on January 28th 1986. Chosen by James Carter and Brian Moses for 'Space Out' published by Bloomsbury)
Grandad's Leaving Home
Will grandad need a suitcase
When he goes to heaven
Will he need a crisp white shirt
To dress for dinner at seven?
Will he need his passport
For city breaks away
Will God let him pack a phone
To ring us every day?
Will he know which peg is his
To hang his coat and hat
Will he be shown where the toilets are
And important things like that?
Who stays awake all night
Will he know that Grandad
Can't sleep without a light?
Will God give him pocket money
To buy a paper and sweets
And his ticket to football
The highlight of his week?
Will he notice if he's sad
And listen to his fears
Will somebody care enough
To wipe away his tears?
Who is listening to me now
Is anybody there?
I hope that God has taken notes
And won't forget this prayer.
Published in 'The Caterpillar Magazine' Summer Edition.
Published on the blog of celebrated poet Brian Moses 2012 when I was invited to be his Guest Poet)
Mr Snowman
Monday built our Snowman
Sitting proud and fat
Tuesday gave him a football scarf
And the warmest woolly hat
Wednesday gave him his button eyes
Thursday a carrot nose
Friday gave him sticks for arms
And Saturday more clothes
But Sunday gave bad weather
The sky began to cry
Sunday took our Snowman
We never said goodbye.
(Chosen by Brian Moses for 'Poems about The Seasons'
Published by Wayland)
Sleepover Gran
Gran rings me up
And I hear her say
"Can I come for a sleepover
How about today?
So in she walks
With overnight case
Toothpaste and toothbrush
And excited face
"What are we watching?"
She looks at the telly
"Something scary
And spooky
That turns us to jelly!"
Then she tips out a bag
Of the stickiest sweets
Green, pink and red ones
Mum never lets me eat!
My sleepover Gran
Best sleepover friend
I never want sleepovers
With Gran to end.
How NOT to Impersonate your Mum on the Telephone
Swimming
The worst day of the week
Mum refused to write a note
So...
I practised in the mirror
The facial expression
That high pitched screeching whine
'My Benjamin is so ill today!'
'My Benjamin has such a fever!"
I looked like Mum
I sounded like Mum
I was Mum!
So...
Picked up the telephone...
Dialled the number...
Deep breath and...
'Hello!
This is my Mum speaking!"
Oops!
(Chosen by Joshua Seigal and published in 'I Bet I Can Make You Laugh' by Bloomsbury)
Forest Secrets
A jewelled encrusted treasure chest
A thousand years old and a day
Rests beneath an Oak tree
Where chattering children play
The silver horn of a unicorn
Its mane of snowy white
Lies aside a wooded glade
Where badgers play at night
Fairy wings of gossamer
Flash through trees of green
Dancing in the moonlight
Heard but rarely seen
The wonders of the forest
Are buried safe and deep
Nobody knows their secrets
They are yours and mine
To keep.
(Chosen by Paul Cookson for 'Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble' Magic poems published by Bloomsbury)
Shells
White ones
Pink ones
Rough and smooth and shiny ones,
Big ones
Small ones
Long and thin and tiny ones
Dust off the sand!
Wash them in the sea!
A bucket full of memories
Coming home with me.
(Published in 'Poems about the Seaside'
Chosen by Brian Moses. Wayland.)
Homesickness
When Daniel asks me
To his house to play
I sometimes feel homesick
I don't want to stay
My tummy hurts
And my head starts to ache
I don't like the feeling
That homesickness makes
But after a while
It just disappears
With my tummy and headache
And all of my tears
It never says goodbye
Just slips quietly away
Whilst Daniel and me
Carry on with our play.
(Chosen by Brian Moses, published by Wayland for 'Poems about Families.'
Also chosen as a set poem for the LAMDA syllabus Spring 2019)