This year's National Poetry Day is to be held on Thursday 2nd October. There are lots of resources on the dedicated website which can be found here:
And here's an offering of my own!
Play
You can play the piano,
You can play the fool,
You can play around,
Or you can play it cool.
You can play along,
You can play the game,
You can play for keeps,
Or you can play it again (Sam).
You can play your part,
You can play it down,
You can play by ear,
Or you can play the clown.
You can play a joke,
You can play for time,
But a poet always likes to
Play with...
..words!
(And expectation)
Poets like to play with your brain!
___________________________________________________
The NPD theme for 2024 was 'counting'.
Here's a counting backwards poem for young children to enjoy.
Five Little Snakes
Five little snakes playing hide and seek
Down in the woods by a watery creek.
One little snake curled up like a hoop
And off he rolled with a: “Loop-de-loop!”
Snakey-snakey, slither and slide,
One snake’s gone, now four snakes hide!
Four little snakes playing hide and seek
Down in the woods by a watery creek.
One little snake wriggle-jiggled a lot
And he tied himself into a knot.
Snakey-snakey, slither and slide,
One snake’s gone, now three snakes hide!
Three little snakes playing hide and seek
Down in the woods by a watery creek.
One little snake played at being a rope
And off he twirled down a grassy slope.
Snakey-snakey, slither and slide,
One snake’s gone, now two snakes hide!
Two little snakes playing hide and seek
Down in the woods by a watery creek.
One little snake tried to… Shush! Tiptoe!
But snakes have no toes… so away he goes.
Snakey-snakey, slither and slide,
One snake’s gone, now one snake hides!
One little snake playing hide and seek
Down in the woods by a watery creek.
He sees you but you don’t see him
‘Cos he’s in the creek enjoying a swim!
___________________________________________________
The theme for 2023 was 'Refuge'. A refuge is place of safety or shelter - and each person's sense of refuge will be different: from fleeing an unsafe country to a walk in woodlands where you can clear your mind. For some children it is just a small, quiet space where they can sit quietly and self-regulate.
My Space
This is my space –
My quiet space, my safe space,
My ‘slide inside and hide’ space,
My secret place, my special space,
My ‘mustn’t see me cry’ space.
When my world’s gone lumpy
And I’m feeling down and grumpy
‘Cos the dog just sits there howling
And my dad is cross and scowling
And my sister won’t stop yelling
And my mum is always telling me
That I should go and tidy up my room…
My space fits my shape,
Helps me find my own escape,
Lets me take a little break -
When I’ve got a people-ache.
© J H Rice
And here's an offering of my own!
Play
You can play the piano,
You can play the fool,
You can play around,
Or you can play it cool.
You can play along,
You can play the game,
You can play for keeps,
Or you can play it again (Sam).
You can play your part,
You can play it down,
You can play by ear,
Or you can play the clown.
You can play a joke,
You can play for time,
But a poet always likes to
Play with...
..words!
(And expectation)
Poets like to play with your brain!
___________________________________________________
The NPD theme for 2024 was 'counting'.
Here's a counting backwards poem for young children to enjoy.
Five Little Snakes
Five little snakes playing hide and seek
Down in the woods by a watery creek.
One little snake curled up like a hoop
And off he rolled with a: “Loop-de-loop!”
Snakey-snakey, slither and slide,
One snake’s gone, now four snakes hide!
Four little snakes playing hide and seek
Down in the woods by a watery creek.
One little snake wriggle-jiggled a lot
And he tied himself into a knot.
Snakey-snakey, slither and slide,
One snake’s gone, now three snakes hide!
Three little snakes playing hide and seek
Down in the woods by a watery creek.
One little snake played at being a rope
And off he twirled down a grassy slope.
Snakey-snakey, slither and slide,
One snake’s gone, now two snakes hide!
Two little snakes playing hide and seek
Down in the woods by a watery creek.
One little snake tried to… Shush! Tiptoe!
But snakes have no toes… so away he goes.
Snakey-snakey, slither and slide,
One snake’s gone, now one snake hides!
One little snake playing hide and seek
Down in the woods by a watery creek.
He sees you but you don’t see him
‘Cos he’s in the creek enjoying a swim!
___________________________________________________
The theme for 2023 was 'Refuge'. A refuge is place of safety or shelter - and each person's sense of refuge will be different: from fleeing an unsafe country to a walk in woodlands where you can clear your mind. For some children it is just a small, quiet space where they can sit quietly and self-regulate.
My Space
This is my space –
My quiet space, my safe space,
My ‘slide inside and hide’ space,
My secret place, my special space,
My ‘mustn’t see me cry’ space.
When my world’s gone lumpy
And I’m feeling down and grumpy
‘Cos the dog just sits there howling
And my dad is cross and scowling
And my sister won’t stop yelling
And my mum is always telling me
That I should go and tidy up my room…
My space fits my shape,
Helps me find my own escape,
Lets me take a little break -
When I’ve got a people-ache.
© J H Rice