My favourite poems inspired by other poems

 

So many poems inspired by other poems. I loved reading them all so a huge thanks for sending them in. I couldn’t post them every onebut that doesn’t mean I didn’t love them all. Congratulations if I picked your poem this time, but if not, do send in more next time. It makes me do a jig you love writing poetry so much.

Daniel was inspired by AA Milne just as I was when I was little. I used to love reciting AA Milne poems when I was young and now I am old I still do! Ah! And I too love James K Baxter’s poems for children  (Sam picked one!).  And of course Margaret Mahy is a constant source of inspiration for me.

Thanks to the very wonderful Helen Parsons I have a copy of Baxter Basics to give to one lucky poet. I have picked Ruby from Lyttelton School. ‘Shake’ is stunning poem. I love each line. The images, the sounds and the flow. Congratulations.

 

Now I am Ten!

(A poem based on Now We Are Six by AA Milne)

 

When I was one, I had lots of fun

When I was two, there was lots to do

When I was three, I rode a jet ski

When I was four, I was poor for sure

When I was five, I danced the jive

When I was six, I ate weetbix

When I was seven, my brother was eleven

When I was eight, I was always late

When I was nine, I was right on time

Now I am ten, and I’m having fun again!

 Daniel Age 6, Year 2, Adventure School

 

 

PS  Greg O’Connell wrote the swimming underwater poem and Ruby and Ngaio go to Lyttelton School.

 

Chaos

The wind is writing

what it knows

in lines along the water.

the sun is glaring

down with

beady eyes

the trees are shaking

fearful of

the cold temperatures

the land is still

calm in the midst

of  the world’s chaos.

Ewen W aged 12, Year 8, Cobham Intermediate School, Christchurch
My poem was inspired by the last paragraph (which I made the first) of Laura Ranger’s ‘The Sea.’

 

Up in heaven

Up in heaven,

Angels frolic and play.

With dresses of pearly white spiderwebs.

And cream feathered wings.

Golden halos sit on their hair.

They carry golden harps,

And play melodies all day long.

But in a forgotten corner.

There’s an angel who’s lost her wings,

Dented her halo,

And broken her harp.

She sits in her corner,

Lonely,

Forgotten,

And sad.

The others have forgotten about her.

Maybe you could help her.

Find her wings,

Straighten her halo,

And fix her harp.

Then you can join her.

Up in heaven.

Inspired by the line ‘There’s an angel who’s lost her wings’ from the poem ‘There’s a Unicorn in the Garden’ by Peter Bland.

Isis 12 years old, Year 7. Selwyn House School

 

Olive wrote the Margaret Mahy poem.

Sam, Alex, Ventia, Bella and Olive go to Lyttelton School. This class sent in a bunch of terrific poems. I loved them all so it was hard picking just a few to post. Congratulations on all the great poetry work class. Great language, great ideas, great imagination!