"Our children love reading, writing and performing poetry, and we were delighted to collaborate on this exciting project. Poetry allows children to be free - it shows them at their most creative, their most spontaneous and their most joyful. We are looking forward to seeing our children's poetry develop further through National Poetry Day, and we look forward to reading the inspirational poetry of children across Lewisham."
- Martin O'Donovan, Writing Lead, Dalmain Primary School
Poetry written by 8-11-year-olds from Dalmain Primary School’s Eco Council and Writing Laureates, with support from Francesca Beard.
These poems are going to be printed on billboards across Lewisham at the end of October, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled when you’re out and about.
MultiVerse Poetree
Old roots growing into new
Home of the fresh, deep, dark earth,
Branches wave and celebrate
Pigeons
People chase me out –
Why? I am as beautiful
As any human
Seeds
We are powerful
We contain future culture
Possibilities
Leaf
Soft green, scorched by sun
Cries for wilting family
‘This city needs me!’
Cleaning Up Time
When only one person tries their best
Everyone is in a mess
A few people can’t do everything,
Each of us needs to do something
Under the skies and over the seas,
We share the air we breathe with the trees
The planet is what connects us,
We must all protect it
A Week in Lewisham
On Monday we cleaned the pond in the community garden
On Tuesday we planted buddleia and lavender for the bees
On Wednesday we banned single use plastics
On Thursday we pedestrianised the street
On Friday we stopped eating meat
On Saturday we cleaned the oceans and the seas
On Sunday we celebrated in our pjs – hooray!
I am Lewisham
The beautifulest, bestest
Boroughiest Borough I’ve ever seen
But in my view, I’m not so clean.
People are on the streets, littering,
Eating crisps, not noticing the bin,
He stands, mouth open and empty
Wondering what on earth is going on?
Kids and little creatures are coughing
While fossil fuels fill the air
Like there’s no tomorrow.
We can fix this sorrow,
Come together as a borough,
The bestest and most boroughiest
Borough on Planet Earth.
Help me!
Make us Beautiful Lewisham
Dear London,
We are writing to com-plane
And ash you birch-lightly
To log off your annoying tree-tment.
When will you twig,
Your behaviour is not Oak-A?!
We have leafed here longer,
Put down roots, branched out.
Then, out of the blue,
Yew came, with your saws,
Hacking off our slow song,
Stomping on our young,
Sapping our strength,
Chopping our elders down.
We have our prioritrees
Cleansing the atmosphere,
Sheltering creatures.
You are axing us from our dutrees.
We are living beings,
We have a right to thrive and grow,
Humans, we beech you,
Willow you allow us to lime in peace?
Alder we canopy in harmony or
You need to rowan us alone.
Yours pine-ingly,
the Trees.
Big Bang
I see the vivid green leaves
I notice the towering brown trunk
I wonder, when did the seed explode?
Beehave!
Dear Readers,
We hive taken time out of our buzzy day
To let you know
Honey doesn’t grow on trees!
If you don’t better your behaviour
Our workers,
(aka Little stripey Kings)
Can’t do their essential, front-line jobs!
How can we be pollinating?
When you keep on polluting?
Stop what you are doing!
There is no Planet B!
You need to let us Bee!
Sincerely,
The Real Queens
Once and Future Dinosaurs
Praise to the ferns,
Ancient and new
With their intricate hidden designs
Unfurling into view
Ferns, do you hear
The claw of archaeopteryx
In a pigeons’ coo?
The World is Our Present
Sense the world beyond the words
Feel the spaces of nature between heart beats
See leaves like stars
Crystal spider webs
Glowing water
Know you are part of this planet
This beautiful, blue green marvel
i
am tiny
would you see me
if I disappeared?
i know you would notice
when the fruit did not fruit
and the crops did not grow
i am so small
i do so much good
so can you
i am one among so many
i help make a difference
so can you
