Kids Words poetry project
The Aberhill Primary School Poetry Project was a year-long creative writing project which involved four groups of 12 participants, each group consisting of 7-12 year-olds, both male and female, of mixed ability working with poet Gordon Meade.
The aims of the project were to allow the participants an opportunity to express themselves creatively in their own words; to increase both their self-esteem and self-confidence and increase their ability and enjoyment of working in a group setting.
My School Dreams
The Office doesn’t like the workmen drilling.
The Bistro doesn’t like all the people shouting and talking.
The kitchen doesn’t like the dinner ladies dancing.
The toilets don’t like soap being put down them.
The cloakroom doesn’t like people knocking down coats.
The library wishes it could go to sleep without the noise of the classroom.
And my school dreams
that the whole place was silent.
Kieran
The project culminated with two launches of an anthology of the participants' work, Kids' Words. The anthology has seven sections including some of the poems written by the participants throughout the academic year. The writing exercises undertaken by the participants were chosen so that they could express themselves in their own words on a whole range of their experiences including their emotional life, their families, their homes and their school.
Illustrator Elph, who worked with the young people to produce the artwork for the book, further enhanced the project.
Sadness
Sadness is blue.
It looks like a dark night
and it sounds like someone crying.
It smells like damp snow
and it tastes like a rotten apple.
It feels like a cold brick.
and when I am sad,
I keep to myself.
Donald
The project was produced as part of Actif, an arts development project made possible through Quality Of Life Funding. For any further information about this work, please contact Hazel Wotherspoon, Arts Co-ordinator, Fife Council.
Snow
If I were snow I would be
as white as the clouds in the sky.
If I were snow I would look
like a clean piece of paper.
If I were snow I would sound
like a bird that is very small stamping
its feet on a branch.
If I were snow I would taste
like ice-cream; all melted and creamy.
If I were snow I would smell
like fresh air in the sky.
Natalie