Year Seven

Poetry

An Introduction

This unit of work by Philippa Watkins was found free at www.englishresources.co.uk

Down Behind the Dustbin
Down behind the dustbin
I met a dog called Ted.
‘Leave me alone,’ he says,
‘I’m just going to bed.’

Down behind the dustbin

I met a dog called Roger.
‘Do you own this bin?’ I said.
‘No. I’m only a lodger.’

Down behind the dustbin

I met a dog called Sue.
‘What are you doing here?’ I said.
‘I’ve got nothing else to do.’
By Michael Rosen

• Notice that the second and fourth lines in each stanza end with rhyming words.
• Notice that there are two heavy beats per line.
• Try writing three more ‘Down behind the Dustbin’ stanzas of your own. They can
be as funny as you like.
• Illustrate your poem and enter it into your file.

Birmingham
The children play over brick walls
and skip on concrete slabs
No trees to climb
No streams to dam
No daring hunt in a haunted wood.
Only a dodging dash from
verge to verge
along a motorway.
By Lawrence Smith.

• Would like to live in Birmingham and do the things that the poet says children do
there? Explain your answer.
• What sort of things do children like to do when playing according to the poet?
• Write a poem of eight or ten lines about the games children play in your area.
• Illustrate your poem and enter it into your file.

This unit of work by Philippa Watkins was found free at www.englishresources.co.uk

Pioneer
Who needs jungles for excitement?
Climbing mountains, fording streams?
Risking life and limb in London’s
Quite enough for me

Pebble-dash to scrape your elbows

Paving slabs to graze your knees
Kerbs and gutters turn your ankles
Quite enough for me

Trucks that thunder down the street

The car that never seems to see
A cyclist or a zebra crossing’s
Quite enough for me

And in the park there’s stinging nettles

Clawing roses file-barked trees
Dogs and what they leave behind, it’s
Quite enough for me

And vicious beasts I’ve got as well

A cat that spits and brings in fleas
With spiders prowling round the bath, that’s
Quite enough for me

So keep your tigers, sharks, piranhas

I’ll just stay in Palmer’s Green
Being bold in our back garden’s
Quite enough for me.
By Mick Gowar

In this poem the poet has described all the things he dislikes in life and has presented
them as either nasty or dangerous.

1. Make a list of all the things that you dislike or are afraid of.
2. Make a list of all the things that you like or enjoy.

You now have enough material to write two poems.

1. Your first poem may be entitled ‘Pet Hates’ or ‘Quiet Enough For Me’.
2. Your second poem may be entitled ‘My Favourite Things’ or ‘Pleasures’.

Your poems do not have to rhyme but try and get the same number of syllables (beats)
in each line. Copy both poems out and put into your files.

This unit of work by Philippa Watkins was found free at www.englishresources.co.uk

The People Upstairs

The people upstairs all practise ballet

Their living room is a bowling alley
Their bedroom is full of conducted tours.
Their radio is louder than yours,
They celebrate week-ends all the week.
When they take a shower, your ceilings lead.
They try to get their parties to mix
By supplying their guests with Pogo sticks,
And when their fun at last abates,
They go to the bathroom on roller skates.
I might love the people upstairs more
If only they lived on another floor.
By Ogden Nash.

1. Do you think that the poet admires the people who live in the flat above him or
not? Give some reasons for your answer.
2. What sort of person do you think the poet may be?
3. IT is always easier to complain about people than to praise them. Consider the
‘people who live upstairs’ and write about them in a way that makes them seem
pleasant.
4. Write a story about a party which upset the neighbours.
5. Write a poem about the people who live near you. You may write a poem of
praise or criticism. Let the title of your poem be ‘My Neighbours’.

Where the Wild Thyme Blows

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows
Quite over canopied with lush woodbine
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.

These words were written by England’s most famous poet, William Shakespeare.
What sort of place is Shakespeare describing? It may help if you know that the
modern word for oxlip is the flower cowslip, woodbine is the sweet smelling shrub
honeysuckle, and eglantine is sweet briar (wild rose).

1. Write a paragraph describing the scene as you imagine it to be.

2. Copy out the four lines of Shakespeare’s poem and continue it by adding a stanza
or two of your own. You could write about details that Shakespeare left out of his
poem: or you could write about a place that you know well, for example a den that
you may have made in a wood near your home, or a forested area you may have
visited or camped on. Try to keep the ‘secret’ atmosphere that Shakespeare tries
to describe.
3. When you are satisfied with your work, illustrate it with drawings of some of the
flowers and/or insects which are included in your poem

This unit of work by Philippa Watkins was found free at www.englishresources.co.uk

Spells and Incantations
Here is some more poetry written by William Shakespeare.

Fillet of a fenny snake

In the cauldron boil and bake
Eye of newt, and toe of frog
Wool of bat and tongue of dog
Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg and howlet’s wing
For a charm of powerful trouble
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf

Witches’ mummy, maw and gulf
Of the ravined salt-sea shark
Root of hemlock digged in the dark
Liver of blaspheming Jew,
Gall of goat, and slips of Yew
Slivered in the moon’s eclipse
Nose of Turk and Tartar’s lips
Finger of birth-strangled babe
Ditch-delivered by a drab
Make the gruel thick and slab
Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron
For the ingredients of our cauldron.

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn and cauldron bubble

Cool it with a baboon’s blood

Then the charm is firm and good.

This witches spell has been written as though it were a recipe for a delicious meal, but
the ingredients are all horrible.

1. Have fun discussing with your partner which things are most disgusting and
horrible for you.
2. Write a list of ingredients for your own witches’ cauldron.
3. Either in the form of a recipe, or a poem write a spell for Hallow’een. Work hard
at getting the rhythm of your spell right – you should have the same number of
beats in a line if you are writing a poem. (Shakespeare chose four heavy beats per
line for his. You may wish to do this, or you may prefer five or six heavy beats in
each line. )

This unit of work by Philippa Watkins was found free at www.englishresources.co.uk

Snow

No breath of wind, It heaps its powdery

No gleam of sun – Crystal flakes,
Still the white snow Of every tree
Whirls softly down A mountain makes;
Twig and bough ‘Til pale and faint
And blade and thorn At shut of day
All in an icy Stoops from the West
Quiet, forlorn. One wint’ry ray,
Whispering, rustling, And, feathered in fire
Through the air Where ghosts the moon,
On still and stone, A robin shrills
Roof, - everywhere, His lonely tune.

By Walter de la Mare.

1. Write down all the words you can find which describe the snow falling (verbs).
2. Write down the three words which describe the appearance of the robin.
3. Using your own words describe what happens in the late afternoon.
4. Use your dictionary to find the meanings of the following words:
a) gleam
b) bough
c) forlorn
d) sill
e) stoops
f) shrills
5. Now think about writing your own poem about a storm. Start by dividing a page
in your exercise book into three columns as follows: Write the three column
headings as shown:

Rain falling Wind blowing Thunder and Lightening

e.g. trickling howling screaming

splashes whistles rolling
torrential hissing growling.

6. Add another ten or more words of your own to each list.

7. Now think about what each part of your storm is like. You may think that the rain
is like a spiteful enemy, or that the thunder is like a monster. Write down as many
comparisons as you can for the rain, the wind and the thunder and lightening.
These comparisons are called similes and are very useful when writing your own
poems.
8. Now try writing a poem entitled ‘The Storm’ and use as many of the words and
comparisons in your lists as you can.
9. When you are satisfied that your poem is as vivid as possible, copy it out neatly
and illustrate it.

This unit of work by Philippa Watkins was found free at www.englishresources.co.uk

Before the Paling of the Stars

Before the paling of the stars

Before the winter morn,
Before the earliest cock crow,
Jesus Christ was born:
Born in a stable,
Cradled in a manger,
In the world his hands had made
Born a stranger.
Priest and King lay fast asleep
In Jerusalem:
Young and old lay fast asleep
In crowded Bethlehem;
Saint and angel, ox and ass,
Kept a watch together
Before the Christmas daybreak
In the winter weather.

Jesus on his mother’s breast

In the stable cold,
Spotless lamb of God was he,
Shepherd of the fold:
Let us kneel with Mary maid,
With Joseph bent and hoary,
With saint and angel, ox and ass,
To hail the King of Glory.
By Christina Rossetti

This is a poem which tells a story – perhaps the most famous story of all time. In
your own words tell the story of the poem.

Poems which tell a story are called narrative poems. Choose another story from the
Bible and try to write a narrative poem on it. Don’t worry about making your poem
rhyme but do try to have the same number of beats in each line. Notice that the poet
of this narrative poem, Christina Rossetti, decided to vary the number of beats in the
lines of her poem. To find out how many number of beats are in ‘Before the Paling of
the Stars’, clap your hands every time there is a heavy beat in each line, and write the
number of beats (or claps) you made at the end of each one. Check with your teacher
to make sure that you have the correct number, before writing it in pencil.

This unit of work by Philippa Watkins was found free at www.englishresources.co.uk

Lone Dog

I’m a lean dog, a keen dog, a wild dog and lone,

I’m a rough dog, a tough dog, hunting on my own!
I’m a bad dog, a mad dog, teasing silly sheep;
I love to sit and bay the moon and keep fat souls from sleep.

I’ll never be a lap dog, licking dirty feet,

A sleek dog, a meek dog, cringing for my meat.
Not for me the fireside, the well-filled plate,
But shut door and sharp stone and cuff and kick and hate.

Not for me the other dogs, running by my side,

Some have run a short while, but none of them would bide
O mine is still the lone trail, the hard trail the best,
Wide wind and wild stars and hunger of the quest.
By Irene McLeod

1. Use your dictionary to find the meanings of the following words:

a) keen
b) cuff
c) bide
d) lone
e) quest
2. Using your own words describe the personality of the dog in this poem
3. What is the dog’s opinion of people in general?
4. What is the dog’s opinion of other dogs? Write down the words that make you
think this.
5. Have a competition in your class to see who can recite this poem in the most vivid
way.
6. Imagine that you are another animal, for example, a stray cat, or a horse, or a
snake. Write down a list of words that describe you.
7. Now write either a poem or a few paragraphs to describe your appearance and
behaviour.
8. Illustrate your work with pictures of yourself as you are described in your poem or
paragraphs.

This unit of work by Philippa Watkins was found free at www.englishresources.co.uk

 The Lesson Roger McGough
Streemin
Chaos rule OK in the classroom Nooligan
As bravely the teacher walked in
I’m a nooligan Im in the botom streme
The nooligans ignored him
don't give a toss Which meens Im not brigth
His voice was lost in the din
in our class Don’t like reedin
I’m the boss Cant hardly ryt
‘The theme for today is violence
and homework will be set (Well, one of them)
But all these divishns
I’m going to teach you a lesson
I’m a nooligan Arnt reely fair
One that you’ll never forget!’
got a nard ‘ed Look at the cemetery
step our of line No streemin there
He picked on a boy who was shouting
And throttled him then and there and your dead
Then garotted the girl behind him (well, bleeding)
(the one with the grotty hair)
I’m a nooligan
Then sword in hand he hacked his way I spray me name
Between the chattering rows all over town
‘First come, first severed,’ he declared football’s me game
‘fingers, feet or toes.’ (well watchin)

The first blast cleared the back row I’m a nooligan

(where those who skive hang out) violence is fun
they collapsed like rubber dingies gonna be a nassassin
when the plug’s pulled out. or a nired gun
(well, a soldier.)
‘Please may I leave the room, sir’
a trembling vandal enquired
‘Of course you may’ said the teacher
put the gun to his temple and fired. 1. Write a poem about life in Newport as
though you are a ‘nooligan’.
The Head popped a head round the
2. Write the story about the naughtiest class in
the school. You may wish to think about the
doorway
following ideas:
To see why a din was being made The behaviour of bullies,
Nodded understandingly children shouting and/or crying,
Then tossed in a grenade. angry teachers,
detention,
And when the ammo was well spent the Headteacher’s reaction,
With blood on every chair complaints from parents.
Silence shuffled forward 3. Write your own school report. Comment
With its hands up in the air.
on: ability, behaviour and attitude.

The teacher surveyed the carnage

The dying and the dead
He waggled a finger severely
‘Now let that be a lesson,’ he said.
This unit of work by Philippa Watkins was found free at www.englishresources.co.uk
Fireworks
They rise like sudden fiery flowers
That burst upon the night,
Then fall to earth in burning showers
Of crimson, blue and white.

Like buds too wonderful to name,

Each miracle unfolds
And Catherine wheels begin to flame
Like whirling marigolds.

Rockets and Roman candles make

An orchard of the sky,
Where magic trees their petals shake
Upon each gazing eye.

By James Reeves.

Discussing and writing

i) To what does the poet compare fireworks to in

a) stanza one
b) stanza two
c) stanza three
2) There is something strange and mysterious about fireworks. What two words
does the poet use to express this strangeness?
3) Fireworks are only beautiful for a very short time. What words and expressions
are used to suggest this in stanza one and stanza three?
4) Which word best describes the movement of the Catherine Wheel in stanza two?
5) Make a list of all the fireworks you have seen in action. Now think about five of
these separately. Draw columns in your exercise book, with the names of the
firework you have chosen at the top. In the column write vivid words to
describe:
a) the appearance
b) the movement
c) the sound
d) anything to which the firework may be compared.

For example: A Sparkler

Thin Spitting Hissing

Yellow Twisting Like a burning wand
Glowing Leaping Like and angry star
Glittering Fizzing Like a witch’s spell.

6) When you have a list of really good ideas, write a poem about fireworks. Write a
separate verse about each firework in your list. Your work does not have to
rhyme but it should be full of interesting words and ideas.
7) Copy out your work and illustrate it using plenty of colour.

This unit of work by Philippa Watkins was found free at www.englishresources.co.uk

 Poems about Autumn

A Autumn Morning in Cambridge

I ran out in the morning, when the air was clean and new
And all the grass was glittering and grey with Autumn
dew,
I ran out to an apple-tree and pulled and apple down,
And all the bells were ringing in the grey old town.

Down in the town, off the bridges and the grass,

They are sweeping up the leaves to let the people pass,
Sweeping up the old leaves, golden-reds and browns,
While the men go to lecture with the wind in their gowns.

By France Cornford.

B Early Morn
When I did wake this morn from sleep,
It seemed I heard birds in a dream;
Then I arose to take the air –
The lovely air that made birds scream;
Just as a green hill launched the ship
Of gold, to take its first clear drop.

And it began its journey then,

As I came forth to take the air,
The timid stars had vanished quite,
The moon was dying with a stare;
Horses and kine, and sheep were seen,
As still as pictures, in fields of green.

It seemed as though I had surprised

And trespassed in a golden world
That should have passed while men still slept!
The joyful birds, the ship of gold,
The horses, kine, and sheep did seem
As though they would vanish for a dream.

By W.H. Davies

This unit of work by Philippa Watkins was found free at www.englishresources.co.uk

1) Poems A and B describe two different sorts of places. In your own words
describe what kind of place is described in each poem.
2) Read Francis Cornford’s poem again. You will discover that different colours
are used in each of the two stanzas. What are these colours and why did the
poet decide to ‘paint’ her picture this way?
3) Read W.H.Davies’ poem again carefully. In stanza one he writes ‘… a green
hill launched the ship / Of gold.’ What does this mean? Use your own words
to explain.
This sort of description is known as a metaphor. Look in your dictionary to
find the exact meaning of this word and copy the definition into your exercise
book.
Now look at the poem again. You will find another metaphor in Stanza two.
Copy this metaphor into your exercise book.
4) Consider both poems A and B. In which poem is there more movement?
Write down the words that convey movement.
5) Compare the atmospheres of both poems. What mood do you think the poets
were in when they wrote their poems? Refer to each poem separately.
6) Write your own poem about Autumn. It may help if you think about the
following ideas, and list vivid words or ideas as you are thinking.
The sounds made as you walk through a park or a wooded area: the shades and
colours of the world at this time of year; the odours of Autumn a)in the
morning b) in early evening; the weather; the landscape in towns and the
countryside; the activities of wild creatures; the activities of people; the hills
and skies during Autumn.

This unit of work by Philippa Watkins was found free at www.englishresources.co.uk